Guyana Times - Monday. October 23, 2023

Upper Mazaruni women, youths benefit from governance, leadership training Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 5531

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

Govt mindful about being locked into long-term power purchase deals – VP Jagdeo ...says Guyana’s energy mix will triple power output, cut emissions by 70% Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Trio shot, robbed after leaving P15 Diamond, EBD bar – perpetrator relieves miner of firearm, ammo

Sun Splash Hotel double murder

Corentyne man to be sentenced on Thursday for killing hotelier, watchman P8

Man drops bag with gun, ammo after spotting cops P15

Ministers Susan Rodrigues and Dr Frank Anthony were among 'royalty' on Saturday evening at the GTT's Night of Hope and Fashion, Pinktober Gala held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel. The event forms part of the telecommunications company's breast cancer awareness fundraising efforts, as it aims to raise GY$30 million to fight the disease and other forms of cancer

Caricom Deputy SG lauds Guyana’s leadership in food security – urges stakeholders to confront challenges head-on to achieve "25 by 2025" initiative

Beneficiaries of Govt’s Small Business P14 Grants thankful – say were able to expand existing businesses

See story on page 10

Motorcyclist dies, pillion rider critical after slamming into turning car

Mahaica teen killed by Police Division 3 leads stats in speeding fatal accidents minibus on way home countrywide Page 17

Page 15

– 171 fatalities recorded

Gas-to-energy project

US contractor advancing work on site earmarked for integrated power/NGL plants Page 9

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

BRIDGE The Demerara OPENINGS Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, Oct 23 – No retraction and Tuesday, Oct 24 – 00:30h – 02:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, Oct 23 – 11:40h – 13:10h and Tuesday, Oct 24 – 12:50h – 14:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY There will be thundery showers and sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to South South-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 2.68 metres.

High Tide: 11:57h reaching a maximum height of 2.14 metres.

Low Tide: 16:51h reaching a minimum height of 1.1 metres.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2023

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FREE TICKET

Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$91.76/barrel

-0.43

Rough Rice London Sugar

$285.80/ton $726.20/ton

+0.65 -1.57

Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask Low/High Change

USD Per Ounce $1969.30 $1967.40 -11.90

$1970.30 $1982.20 -0.60

Govt mindful about being locked into long-term power purchase deals – VP Jagdeo ...says Guyana’s energy mix will triple power output, cut emissions by 70%

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ith the highly-anticipated gas-to-energy project (GtE) project expected to bring cheaper and more reliable power in the near future, the Guyana Government is being cautious about entering into any long-term purchase agreements to address the country’s current electricity woes.

This is according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo while addressing Heads and Officers in Charge of Guyana’s various diplomatic missions across the world, who were in Georgetown over the weekend.

On Saturday, there was a high-level engagement during which the diplomats were updated on the developments in the different sectors of the country.

In his presentation, VP Jagdeo pointed out that while these Missions are flooded with proposals from foreign companies to supply power in Guyana, especially given the current unstable power system, there is the nuisance of contracting a long-term arrangement that would leave the country stranded with expenses in the future. “[We’re] very mindful of the need not to lock into longterm power purchase agreements that will harm us a year and a half from now where we’d have to pay all this [money]. So, just in case people come to you about these power purchase agreements etc, there is that. If they’re prepared to do that for a year and a half or two years, that’s fine [but] at a reasonable cost. We can en-

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

tertain any proposal at that level but not beyond that period [that is] the completion of this power plant,” Jagdeo stated.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has embarked on a host of endeavours to upgrade the country’s energy grid and its supply distribution. Chief among them is the gas-to-energy project in Wales, West Bank Demerara.

This initiative features a 300-megawatt (MW) combined cycle gas turbine power plant and an integrated Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant using natural gas that will be produced offshore Guyana and piped onshore.

With a timetable to deliver rich gas by the end of 2024 and the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant to be online by 2025, works are progressing on getting the project off the ground.

The combined cycle power plant is expected to generate up to 300 megawatts of power, with a net 250 MW delivered into GPL’s grid on the East Bank of the Demerara River.

The US$900 million gas-to-energy project will have a 25-year lifespan and is expected to employ up to 800 workers during the peak

will feature gas, solar, and hydropower.

Only recently, the Guyana Government issued a new Request for Proposal (RFP) for the languishing Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP).

A brainchild of the previous PPP/C Administration, the 165 MW AFHP has been on the cards since 2011.

However, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) Opposition parties having majority seats in 2014, barred the project from becoming a reality.

The PPP/C outlined the resuscitation of the project in its 2020 manifesto. Fast

Amaila Falls Hydropower Project

construction stage, as well as some 40 full-time workers during the operations stage, and another 50 workers during the decommissioning stage.

In addition to this project, the Government is also undertaking a number of other projects to expand its energy mix as part of Guyana’s transition from fossil fuel.

The country’s energy mix

forward to 2021, the Cabinet granted a no-objection for the Prime Minister’s Office to engage the China Railway Group Limited to construct the hydro project. However, discussions ended in a deadlock when the company wanted to change the Build-OwnOperate-Transfer (BOOT) model.

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

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

Venezuela’s provocations I

t has been said: “What has been will be again; what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” While one may doubt the veracity of that statement for all things, it is unquestioned that on Venezuela’s controversy over our Essequibo border, all their leaders since 1962 – when they made their opening gambit at the United Nations – have not deviated from their outrageous claim.

Their manoeuvres since our recent acceptance of bids for some remaining oil blocks in the Atlantic are more of the “same ole same ole”. When President Irfaan Ali responded, by pointing out that Venezuela’s move was an “affront to the rule of international law”, Maduro parried via X (formerly Twitter) that Pres Ali was guilty of “hypocrisy and false victimization.” He was “turning Guyana into a branch of ExxonMobil” and allowing the United States to turn it “into a military base against Bolivar’s Venezuela”.

On September 23, Venezuela's Foreign Minister, Yvan Gil Pinto addressed the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly and once again, 61 years later, took up Maduro’s cudgels and issued what has to be a most bellicose threat against Guyana. He announced that the “Venezuelan National Assembly has unanimously decided to call our people to vote in a consultative referendum to ratify the defence of our sovereign territory against the aggressions of the American empire, which wants to lead us to a war for natural resources".

The referendum was set for December 3 of this year.

There is nothing new under the sun, simply new iterations. In 1962 during the Cold War, the US was creating options that it could use to prevent what it considered to be a Moscowleaning PPP from taking office and now the shoe is on the other foot with Venezuela accusing the US of having designs on its resources. Economics has simply replaced ideology as the incentive.

While some assert that Maduro has an eye on elections that are due next year and for which he has agreed to several Opposition demands to ensure there is greater transparency in the electoral arrangements, this is quite irrelevant for Guyana. Article 7 of the Venezuelan Constitution declares, “The national territory is that which belonged to the Captaincy General of Venezuela before the political transformation initiated in 1810, with the modifications resulting from treaties validly concluded by the Republic.”

Venezuela, of course, does not consider the 1899 Arbitral Award that demarcated our boundary with them as “valid”.

All Venezuelans have been inculcated with this position as an article of faith and it is immaterial whether Venezuela’s elections are free and fair or not. A referendum will give whichever government emerges next year, the mandate to become more aggressive on their claims to our Essequibo.

Against this background, we have to also take into consideration that the World Court will be announcing its judgement on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award that had settled the border between us conclusively and which had been accepted by Venezuela. Even though Venezuela has fought a long rearguard action to prevent the controversy from being settled judicially, it has been unsuccessful in persuading the court that their jurisdiction is not in accordance with the terms of the Geneva Agreement, which it signed in 1966. It is clear Venezuela knows the judgement will be in our favour since the matter is very clear and in accordance with international law.

The heightened presence of Venezuelan troops at the border which followed Maduro’s and his Foreign Minister’s bellicosity is not coincidental and certainly not merely to deal with “illegal gold mining”. At best, that might be the occasion for the troops’ presence but not the cause.

The war in Gaza should remind us that when one nation believes it has overwhelming military forces versus its enemy, it can become emboldened towards impetuous moves. Venezuela invaded us in 1966 and seized our half of Ankoko island: we must prevent it from seizing even another blade of grass.

Guyana Times Lethem correspondent Nickell Pugsley was on Saturday evening crowned Miss Lethem after outshining her rivals.

Coming in as first runner-up was Shazana Williams and in the second runner-up spot was Amanda Ng-A-Fook. The pageant was hosted at the Tabatinga Sport Complex Ground as part of Lethem Town Week

President Ali & PM Phillips have inspired the nation Dear Editor, When all is said and done, Guyanese at home and abroad and from all walks of life and from every origin, race and political party should be extremely proud and grateful to have Dr Irfaan Ali as President and Brigadier Mark Phillips as Prime Minister of our beloved country. Although they had never worked together before being elected to office in August 2020, their respect, admiration for, and confidence in one another have made them very compatible and a wellmatched team.

And even though they had endured the long delay of five months before March 2, 2020, results were officially declared on August 2, 2020, they were not daunted by the efforts of the Granger-led Administration to brazenly and daringly rig the elections to remain in office. It was politics by any and every means necessary. Many believed that their silly and misguided actions had not only threatened the democratic process and several provisions in the Constitution, as well as the people’s right to vote for the party(s) of their choice but it was also a trying period for both President Dr Ali and Brigadier Phillips, who were firm in their beliefs that the PPP/C had won the election as shown in the recount.

Since being elected to of-

fice in 2020, President Dr Ali has been at the forefront of strengthening Guyana’s relations with its neighbours in Caricom and Latin America, the United States, Canada, India, China, and other countries and regions around the world. He continues to advocate for increased production of food to significantly reduce Caricom’s food bill by 2025, agricultural transformation, and for building resilient and sustainable economies in Guyana and the Caribbean, as well as his firm commitment and support for regional integration, gender equality, and respect for sovereignty, among others.

On the international scene, President Dr Ali continues to provide leadership in the areas of food security, energy security, climate security, protection of the environment, especially the forests, reduction or an end to armed conflicts, an end to human rights violations and respect for sovereignty and international law. He has positioned Guyana on the world stage as a global leader on climate change, food security and energy security.

Locally, both President Ali and Prime Minister Phillips have been working diligently to create good-paying jobs, tackle poverty and unemployment, grow the lower and middle classes, heal the racial divide, and

make life more affordable for a better future for Guyana where all can live in peace and harmony. As evident in most if not all his outreaches in the regions, towns, villages, and districts, President Dr Ali has not only met and greeted the residents but is known to have solved many of their problems on the spot and as such he is considered by many as honest, reliable, consistent and a people’s friendly person. On the other hand, Prime Minister Mark Phillips is straightforward and loyal and is steadfast in his love and admiration for the people to treat them fairly and equally and to make sure that no one is left out of the rapid and robust development of the country. According to Brigadier Phillips, Guyana belongs to all Guyanese and regardless of their status, ethnicity, or party affiliation, all must benefit from its resources.

Under the leadership of President Dr Ali and Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Guyana has embarked on a new style of governance at the grassroots level, which in essence means governance from the bottom up where the views, opinions, and suggestions of the people are often considered in the policy decision-making process. Both the President and the Prime Minister believe that positive criticisms of the Government

from the residents is not only patriotic but they are also welcome because it can only make the Government stronger and more responsive to their specific needs in each of the ten regions. A similar viewpoint is reflected in one of the speeches

by US President Theodore Roosevelt, who in 1910 said, “that there must be no criticism of the President, or that people are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable.”

Finally, President Dr Ali and Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips have inspired the nation to embrace the profoundly sound “One Guyana” vision which comprises several pertinent issues including unity, increased growth in GDP, the expansion and rapid growth of the agriculture sector, and the economy, modernisation of the infrastructure, improved healthcare and education and the digitisation of both the private and public sectors, that could solidify Guyana’s global leadership.

Today, Guyana has become one of the most recognisable countries in the world, thanks to the brilliant and outstanding leadership of President Dr Irfaan Ali. Sincerely, Dr Asquith Rose

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

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

What would I say to the President and Vice President? {...if I were to have a conversation with them} Dear Editor, Sometimes in my moments of quiet contemplation, whether by whim or fancy, my mind would linger on this question: If I were to have a conversation with President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Jagdeo, what would I say to them?

As I ponder this question, my mind would journey backward to Bath Estate, a sugar cane plantation community where I was born and raised, a place where Afro- and IndoGuyanese lived and worked in harmony, free from current-day prejudices, indifferences and hostilities.

Given this lived experience and today Guyana’s contested relations of political representation, I would, in the course of my conversation with the President and Vice President, focus emphasis on the following.

First, I would centre discourse on the “One Guyana” proclamation, and encourage the President and Vice President that this remarkably noteworthy endeavour will, in time, transcend the current throes of the PNC’s racist rancour and transform the country

back into a Guyanese unity, a time when Afro- and Indo-Guyanese harmoniously coexisted.

In pursuit of this societal harmony, the “One Guyana” proclamation must not be stultified in an abyss of dead slogans, but continue to unveil itself in humane national policies, as evidenced by those already underway in education, health, housing, secured loans, and retirement benefits.

Moreover, it must continue to provide opportunities for economic success to all Guyanese, irrespective of race, ethnicity, political affiliation or residential location; and it must be reaffirmed in the PPP/C’s ongoing humanistic “One Guyana” national policies.

Second, in forging ahead with the development of “One Guyana” humanistic unity, I would urge the President and Vice President to deconstruct and delegitimise the mental construct of the PNC’s cry of racism by: (i) Regularly emphasizing the fact that the PNC took roots in, and emerged into, a one-dimensional political party that champi-

oned racism. (ii) That it is the PNC that openly supported and practised racism through preferences to Afro-Guyanese party loyalists. This it did through the granting of housing (e.g., Melanie Damishana), jobs, admission to UG, the Teachers Training Colleges, and Queen’s College, while stifling the rice and sugar industries two production entities of Indo-Guyanese daily economic survival. (iii) It is the PNC that established food co-ops in primarily Afro-Guyanese villages while it banned dhal, salt fish, sardines, potatoes etc., food staples consumed primarily by Indo-Guyanese. (iv) That it is the PNC that orchestrated rigged elections to remain illegitimately in power for decades, until former President Jimmy Carter interceded in 1992. (v) That while the PNC promoted racism, the PPP, founded on inclusion, remained inclusive of all races; and in so doing, gained the admiration and support of numerous AfroGuyanese persons, includ-

ing Jessie Burnham, sister of Forbes Burnham.

Given the above verifiable information, the President and Vice President should ask Norton and his PNC associates who truly are the ones promoting racism.

Third, I would impress upon the President and Vice President that in their commitment to develop a humanistic “One Guyana” nation, they must seize every opportunity to stridently expose the falsity of shared governance as nothing more than a mockery, the blabberings of opportunistic PNC politicians who crave for relevance and power. Here is why. (i) It is the PNC that demonstrated that shared governance is just a political sham. In 1964, the PNC encouraged Peter D’Aguiar, Leader of the United Force (UF), to join them in sharing governmental power; only to discard the UF four years later, after rigging the election in 1968. (ii) In 1974, the PNC promulgated the racist policy of paramountcy of the party by concocting the Sophia Declaration, which the PNC then utilised to

Govt mindful about being...

FROM PAGE 3

According to reports, the Chinese company was unable to secure the necessary financing for the BOOT option, thus the request to change the contract to an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model. But the Government insisted on keeping the BOOT model hence that deal fell through.

The new RFP that was issued just over a week ago, invites proposals based on a BOOT model, which includes the construction of a hydro dam, transmission lines from Amaila to Linden plus sub-stations at the Amalia site as well as upgrades and completion of roads and bridges to the site.

The deadline for submission of pre-qualifications is November 28, 2023.

Earlier this month, Jagdeo had reported that there have been mounting interests in the Amaila Falls project from firms in Brazil, Austria, and several from South Korea.

There were also interests from the United States and Canada.

The Vice President said on Saturday that in the near future, Guyana will have a complex power mix and even with increased output, the country will

still be able to significantly cut emissions with its diverse renewable energy options.

“So, we’re going to cut emissions by 70 percent and triple output of power which [will allow us to] move closer to our climate goals and at the same time, meeting an essential component for growth and comfort in a country, which is stable and cheap power,” Jagdeo stated.

As it is, Guyana Power Light Inc (GPL) is struggling to meet increasing demands for electricity, which has resulted in heightened distributions to the national grid.

In a series of “temporary measures” that are geared towards regulating the power supply during peak hours, the Government has asked large-power consumers to step off the national grid during peak hours, otherwise, they would have to pay increased rates.

Currently, peak demand has risen to 185 megawatts (MW) compared to just 110 MW in 2020 – an increase that is a result of massive economic growth in Guyana over the past few years under the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Administration.

As such, President Ali announced on September 30 that big power users

are being encouraged to leave the grid and return to self-generation during the peak demand periods of 13:00h to 15:00h and 18:00h to 22:00h. But if these companies choose to stay on the grid during this period, then they will have to pay an additional cost of 10 cents per kilowatt hour.

“This is a temporary measure until we get this close to 30 megawatts of new power coming in at mid-December and then this temporary measure would be withdrawn so that everyone can come back on the grid [full time],” the Head of State assured.

In light of this announcement, GPL earli-

er this month started to knock off large electricity consumers, who have power-generating capacity, from the national grid from 18:00h to 22:00h in order to prevent widespread service disruption for the wider population.

Challenged with keeping up with the “unprecedented peak demand,” the power company said only a small percentage of large industrial customers with self-generating capacities responded positively when they were asked to produce their own power during peak demand hours.

“This is a temporary but necessary measure for the company, to prevent service disruptions,” GPL indicated in a notice. (G-8)

totally usurp governmental powers, and thereby suppressed power-sharing with the PPP, or a third party. (iii) In 2016, the PNC again pretended to subscribe to shared governance in the formation of a tenuous and turbulent alliance with the AFC, a toothless third party. (iv) It is the PNC leaders who refused to relinquish power and vacate control over the Government even when they were voted out of office. It took the intervention of the U.S. Foreign Secretary Pompeo to effectuate the victorious PPP/C into office.

Fourth, I would encourage the President and Vice President to continue seizing every opportunity to publicise that the PPP promoted and practised shared governance through its inclusion of Afro-Guyanese in leadership roles from its very founding as a political party in 1950. This was long before the concept of shared governance became vogue. And that today’s PPP/C remains true to the principles of shared governance as exemplified by its multi-ethnic leadership and cabinet appointments.

Finally, I would bring to the attention of the President and Vice President my comments in a previous column. I mentioned then that the different races and their distinct cultural identities, customs and traditions cannot be melted or liquified into an amalgamated solidity, but these characteristics

can gradually be molded into a humanistic national identity.

This brings me back to Bath, where I lived in the 1950s. Afro-Guyanese who remained on the plantation: the Thompsons, McDonalds, McKenzies, Woolfords, Isaacs, Tuckers, Rays, Kofi, Gata, all lived in respected reciprocity with Indo-Guyanese. Also, Afro-Guyanese residents from Hopetown, who travelled to Bath to work in the sugar cane fields as shovelmen, cane cutters, carpenters, weeders, all laboured side by side in harmonious partnerships with IndoGuyanese plantation employees.

Indeed, the above conditions and relations existed in Guyana’s historical past, a past impossible to replicate. Yet, the idealist in me echoes that cultural pluralistic identities and proclivities can be reconstructed into harmonious interactions and relationships through humanistic nationalism; a nationalism that does not discriminate by race, ethnicity, political affiliation or residential locations. Such humanistic nationalism is already unfolding through the outreach actions and decisions by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and PPP/C cabinet officials, all of which signal the unfolding of a uniquely Guyanese unity.

Regards, Narayan Persaud, PhD, Professor Emeritus

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:05 14:35 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 00:00

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

Foundation ◄

Page

Test Questions The pie chart below shows the sections of the garden planted by a farmer with oranges, bananas, cherries and melons

37. The area of rectangle is 36 cm2.If the lengths of the sides are halved, the area, in cm2 , of the new rectangle is (A) 9 (C) 36

(B) 18 (D) 54

38. The enrolment of a school is 600. If the enrolment is decreased by 20%, and then decreased again by 20%, the enrolment is (A) 384 480 (C) 576 600

(B) (D)

Roots, heaving & uplifting Materials

Large balloon small stack of lightweight books

Method

1) Place a large flattened balloon between two light weight books.

2) Blow the balloon up while it is

By August Derleth

39. What percentage of his garden is planted with melons?

(A) 10% (B)25% (C) 30% (D) 40% 40. If the area occupied by bananas is 16 hectares, then the area occupied by oranges is (A) 10 (B)20 (C) 36 (D) 45

between the books. See image.

3) As you inflate the balloon, observe what happens to the books.

What is happening: The expanding balloon shifts and lifts the books.

In this experiment, the balloon represents both the roots of plants that, over time, can split rocks. The expanding balloon can also be used to represent water that freezes in the

cracks in rocks, expands, and breaks rocks when it turns into ice. Finally, the balloon example can also represent the uplift of mountains.

In high mountainous places with freezing and thawing temperatures roads shift and buckle, and rocks on cliffs “pop” off on to roadways.

This exercise also demonstrates uplift. (Adapted from oregonaitc.org)

The new cow came through the gate, And her calf came after, a little late.

No longer willing to be led, The calf went on ahead, While she stood to look around Over the hills and lower ground Stood shyly, defiantly there, Smelling flower-fragrant air, And gazed toward the old cows Grouped on the way before.

Knowing not how she might stay Among them, stranger still, She hesitated yet, now they had turned At the foot of the hill And seemed to wait for her at the gate, To wait for her who was strange and thin, Til she came on, And they opened their ranks To take her in.

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US$500M to be pumped into climate adaptation for next 3 years – VP Jagdeo V

ulnerable to the effects of climate change and the ripple effect on the country’s agriculture sector, Guyana will be allocating some US$500 million for climate-proofing within the next three years.

Making this disclosure was Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during a recent presentation at the AgriInvestment Forum and Expo.

Small island developing and low-lying coastal states face imminent threats of climate change and have been promised funding for climate adaptation. However, Jagdeo contended that this will never materialise on a level that is required to safeguard these nations, and as such, the Government is making its own moves.

“We’re setting aside, maybe over the next three years, nearly US$500 million for just adaptation purposes, climate proofing…That’s the first big challenge here and we’re trying to deal with this, the adaptation,” he announced.

Last year, Guyana signed a historic, multi-year US$750 million agreement with Hess Corporation for the purchase of 37.5 million carbon credits. Guyana is, in fact, the first country to conclude the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) process of certifying its forest carbon.

As per the 10-year agreement, the purchase of 37.5 million credits at US$750 million would see Guyana earning some US$150 million in 2023. Some 15 per cent of this sum was distributed to Indigenous villages, the remainder will be utilised for climate adaptation projects, such as sluices and canals among others.

The Vice President outlined, “That’s to start building more kokers to take the water out, shore up our conservancy dams, and build infrastructure like the Hope Canal that will allow us to better manage water. Our biggest vulnerability is managing water, both from sea

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

and backlands, so that we can climate-proof our economy and our agriculture sector. This is a big part of our Low Carbon Development Strategy.”

Pointing out that the Hope Canal has proved instrumental in curtailing flooding in Georgetown and the East Coast of Demerara, Jagdeo outlined that a series of such structures will be built across the coast.

Going into negotiations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties (COP), Jagdeo contended that Caribbean countries must take a unified, straightforward stance that does not reflect weakness. He reminded that climate change has dire impacts on agriculture – a sector that is being heavily pushed to obtain self-sufficiency.

“We have to have a more unified position at Caricom and we also have to have greater clarity…If we want agriculture to do well in the Region and we don’t control the biggest challenge to agriculture, which is climate problems, then we have to make sure that there is a global environment and policy that allows us to address this. That requires our negotiators, when they go the COP meetings, to…doggedly stick to a narrow script and pursue it with great intensity,” he underscored.

Climate adaptation measures, a necessary part of Guyana’s sustainable development plans as the fallout

from climate change continues to be felt by the most vulnerable countries, could cost Guyana over US$2 billion.

At the United Nations General Assembly last month, President Dr Irfaan Ali called out developed countries over their failure to fulfil the US$100 billion per year pledge to assist developing nations’ fight against climate change.

He also noted the need for a collective reset of global relationships, which can aid in confronting the most press-

Flooding along the coastland (file photo)

ing challenges of this era, including climate change, the energy and food crises as well as achieving sustainable development.

Guyana continues to pursue growth premised in a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030).

Guyana is already poised to lead the Net Zero by 2050 Agenda, through its robust plans for energy security and

renewable generation, while continuously recording increased economic prosperity.

The United Nations Global Roadmap sets out the target that the world must achieve net zero emissions by 2050. It involves balancing the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.

Despite being a carbon

sink, the country lies several feet below sea level, and climate change is presenting grave concerns for the coastal population. The devastation brought on by flooding due to climate change and global warming will only worsen in the years to come, increasing flooding risks and other disastrous events if not properly addressed. (G-12)

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Waramadong Village man charged over sexual activity with girl

D

ouglas Flannagan, 54, of Waramadong Village, Upper Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni Mazaruni), appeared before Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts Magistrate Dylon Bess on Thursday last and was accused of engaging in sexual activity with a minor.

He is charged with carrying out the act on April 2, 2021, against a seven-year-

Remanded: Douglas Flannagan

old. He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge. Bail was refused and Flannagan was remanded to prison until December 19. His matter has been transferred to the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court.

The Sexual Offences Act of 2010 states that an individual is guilty of this offence if they cause or incite the complainant to engage in sexual activity

with a third party, engage in sexual activity (excluding sexual penetration) with a child under the age of sixteen, or causes the complainant to perform a sexual act, such as masturbating.

If found guilty on a summary charge, the offender faces a five-year jail sentence; if found guilty on an indictment, the penalty is ten years.

Sun Splash Hotel double murder

Corentyne man to be sentenced on Thursday for killing hotelier, watchman

A

lvin Durant, a Corentyne farmer who pleaded guilty to killing a Canadian hotelier and his worker back in 2019 will be sentenced on Thursday by Justice Sandil Kissoon, who is presiding over the Berbice Criminal Assizes.

Durant, 49, also known as "Alvin Bhola" and "Blacka," of Number 65 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon and entered a guilty plea to the murder indictment brought against him by the State.

He admitted that he killed Harry Prashad and Vivekanand Brijbassi in the Sun Splash Hotel, Number 63 Village, between December 19 and 27, 2019.

Attorney Muntaz Ali represented the State at the plea hearing, while Attorney Surihya Sabsook represented the confessed killer.

It was reported that Brijbassi, 71, a Canadabased Guyanese, owned and resided at the Sun Splash Holiday Beach Resort located at Lot 110 Number 63 Village, Region Six. However, on Friday, December 27, 2019, at about 11:20h, the bodies of the two men were discovered on the second flat, in the balcony area of the hotel.

This newspaper was told that relatives visited the resort after several telephone calls to the overseas-based Guyanese had gone unanswered.

According to a relative, upon arrival, persons were greeted by a stench coming from the building, and this prompted them to call the Police.

The body of Brijbassi, who had arrived in Guyana on December 16, 2019, was found with two toes from his left foot severed; and Prashad was found with both hands tied behind his back onto a post on the balcony, and his left foot was severed at the ankle.

Investigators concluded that the men had been tortured before being killed.

In May 2019, Brijbassi

Confessed killer: Alvin Durant

Dead: Vivekanand Brijbassi

Dead: Harry Prashad

had reported that he had been robbed on several occasions, including once at knifepoint, when he came to Guyana.

Previously, he had reported that he was robbed more than ten times while visiting Guyana between 2015 and 2019.

Over 18 years ago, he opened the Sun Splash Hotel and Resort, but the business never did well. He subsequently closed operations and went to Canada, but returned to Guyana frequently. While in his homeland, he usually opened the place for business.

In June of this year, a man who was a juvenile when he killed Brijbassi and Prashad was sentenced to serve four years in custody after pleading guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. This is in addition to a series of rehabilitative orders imposed by a Judge.

In accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act, notwithstanding that the felon is now an adult, he is afforded certain protections because he committed the crime while he was a juvenile. As such, his name, address, other particulars, and photographs cannot be published.

After he completes serving the sentence, the young man will be placed on probation for three years, during which he has to report to the Chief Probation Officer monthly.

In addition to this, he has to inform the Chief

Probation Officer of any changes to his address and can leave the country only if he gets permission from the court. Judge Simone MorrisRamlall told the man that after he is released from prison, he must try to find gainful employment.

She also placed him on a bond to keep the peace

and to be of good behaviour while on probation, and to perform community service for one hour weekly, for six months. Noncompliance with these orders would permit the State to make an application to have his sentence reviewed with the intention of changing same.

(Feona Morrison)

Paying Peter… …to pollute for Paul

W

hat with all our attention transfixed on the genocide unfolding in Gaza – that’s pushed the war in Ukraine to, at best, a footnote, it ain’t surprising that nobody’s talking about us and the 1.5 degrees Centigrade tipping point in global warming.

But from the temperatures we’ve been experiencing for the last few months, your Eyewitness is pretty sure we’re there already!! That is, the overall rise in global temperature since we humans have been belching out more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as we burn fossil fuels to fuel (pardon the pun!) our jetsetting lifestyles is past tense!!

However, we’re told that our heat is due to some regional weather pattern called El Niño. So, we shouldn’t worry about being inundated by the Atlantic rushing in to reclaim all the land the Dutch seized from her?? Sadly, we’re long past that point of no return with five of the nine “tipping points” reached: including the collapse of the Greenland ice cap – the one that will cause the sea rise; disruptive rains causing havoc with agriculture across the world and melting of the permafrost to release gargantuan amounts of carbon dioxide in a whoosh!!

Your Eyewitness has already made it very clear that for a pipsqueak state like Guyana which has been in the Stone Age till 2019, our policy gotta be “drill and burn, baby; drill and burn”!! What are we compared to the ten top polluters: China, with more than 10,065 million tons of CO2 released annually; the US with 5416; India, 2654; Russia, 1711; Japan, 1162; Germany, 759 and Iran, 720 million tons??

And to make matters worse, rather than those big boys cleaning up their act, they’ve decided to buy their way out of their responsibility!! Like paying us “carbon credits” to keep our forests standing to soak up the carbon dioxide they’ll keep on producing to live high off the hog!! It’s like the fella who knows smoking causes cancer, but continues to smoke and pays you to inhale the smoke so you could get his cancer!! But you see the fallacy, don’t you, Dear Reader? The carbon dioxide is still being produced in an absolute sense and brings us closer to other tipping points!! We’ll all get cancer!!

But one of the ironies that jump out from the list of mega polluters is China being number one. That’s due to the US exporting all its manufacturing jobs to that country and just printing and handing over pieces of paper which it calls “dollars” in exchange!! Could you imagine America’s position in the carbon dioxide hit parade if they were manufacturing all the doodads they need to enjoy the good life??!!

So why worry?? …to bomb Paul They say history repeats itself – first as tragedy and then as farce. The “farce” ain’t of the “ha ha” variety, but arises from the irony of knowing what the ending will be – tragedy – but yet going full steam ahead!! Well, the farce unfolding in Gaza has played out countless times before – but the one your Eyewitness remembers is the 1968 Tet offensive by the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese against the mighty US military during the Vietnam war.

The American political directorate and their Armed Forces had just assured the American people that everything was under control and the 500,000 American troops would soon be coming home. Their overwhelming superior technology and weapons had won the day – and the war!! Little did they know the enemy would launch their low-tech offensive to catch them napping and take huge casualties!! The N Vietnamese would lose the battle – but win the war, since the American people refused to commit the 200,000 additional troops demanded!!

History repeating?? …for Venezuelan overseas vote For the first time, Venezuelans from the 7.7 million who’ve fled – but are on the voter's list – can vote in next year’s elections. So, is the local Venezuelan Embassy making arrangements to help throw out Maduro??

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

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

NEWS

9

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Gas-to-energy project

US contractor advancing work on site earmarked for integrated power/NGL plants – land being drained for start of civil works construction

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reparatory work has largely been completed on the 100 acres of the Wales Development Zone (WDZ) site that will hold the integrated plants for the gas-to-energy project, and according to Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), the site has since been handed over to the Government.

Providing this update was EEPGL President Alistair Routledge, during a recent press conference during which he noted that a lot of progress has been made on the gas-to-energy project. He noted that the completion of the pipeline is still very much on track for 2024.

“I want to highlight the gas-to-energy project. Very important for everybody. Of course, we see the challenges with power generation and these days and the distribution…. so, we did site clearing and preparation of 100 acres, which is where the integrated plant will be based, which will separate the Natural Gas Liquids, the cooking gas, from the methane in order to provide separate revenue streams to the Government and also to provide methane to the power stations.”

EEPGL President Alistair Routledge

“The power stations will be built there. So that 100 acres, all the preparatory work has been completed and we’ve handed that over. And Lindsayca CH4, the company designing and constructing the integrated plant, has started installing what are called wick drains to start draining and settling of the land in preparation for the civil works construction.”

“Other than that, in the early works we’ve also been reinforcing bridges, improving roads for heavy vehicle access and constructing a material offloading facility on the West Bank of the Demerara.

That has progressed extremely well,” Routledge fur-

ther explained.

According to Routledge, the contractor on this project, Gaico Construction, has substantially completed the material offloading facility.

Additionally, the executive explained that Exxon is in the process of handing over this facility to the Guyana Government and Lindsayca CH4.

“That will be the manner in which they will bring in the parts of the plant that will be built in the Wales district. So really good progress in the early works. The pipelines, you’ll find we’re already welding and laying pipe onshore. We drilled horizontally under the seawall, near Crane.”

“So, the pipeline actually now passes under the seawall. And we’ve started laying in the shallow waters onshore. So, we’re on track for completion of the pipeline by the end of 2024, in line with the commitment we all made, to as soon as possible deliver more reliable, lower-cost power to the country,” Routledge explained.

Lindsayca/CH4 (LNDCH4) is a United States (US)-based consortium that is leading the way for Guyana’s

Model of the gas-to-energy facility

gas-to-energy project. The Government had contracted Lindsayca/CH4 to construct the integrated facility at Wales, West Bank Demerara, to the tune of US$759 million, back in December of 2022.

As part of the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Administration’s energy policy, the multibillion-dollar model Gas-toShore Project received a whopping $43.3 billion from Budget 2023.

The scope of the Gas-toShore Project also consists

of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipeline from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil.

It features approximately 200 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that will run from Liza Destiny and Liza Unity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the shore.

Upon landing on the West Coast Demerara shore, the

pipeline would continue for approximately 25 kilometres to the NGL plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The pipeline would be 12 inches wide, and is expected to transport per day some 50 million standard cubic feet (mscfpd) of dry gas to the NGL plant, but it has the capacity to push as much as 120 mscfpd. The pipeline’s route onshore would follow the same path as the fibre optic cables, and terminate at Hermitage. (G-3)

10 NEWS Caricom Deputy SG lauds Guyana’s leadership in food security MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– urges stakeholders to confront challenges head-on to achieve "25 by 2025" initiative

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uyana and President Dr Irfaan Ali have come in for high praise from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) for leading the charge in food security by Caricom’s Deputy Secretary General, Dr Armstrong Alexis.

Guyana currently leads the Agriculture, Agricultur al Diversification and Food Security in the Caricom, with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha being the Chairman of the regional task force on food security.

Dr Alexis during his presentation at the launch of the Agri Investment Forum and Expo at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, praised the work Guyana has done in the sector.

“On behalf of the Community, I express appreciation to His Excellency Irfaan Ali, the lead head of agriculture and agricultural diversification, food security in the Caricom quasi cabinet, for his sterling leadership and commitment to the sector and to the food and nutrition security of the Region. With these achievements as a backdrop, we are confident that this event will respond to the needs of our Region while contributing to the transformation of the

Caricom’s Deputy Secretary General, Dr Armstrong Alexis

agri-investment sector,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Alexis made a few proposals at the opening of the expo including an intervention project to deal with unhealthy diets throughout the Region.

And with the record-breaking temperatures this year in mind, Dr Alexis also challenged the private sector to come up with technological solutions to help persons deal with the heat. He noted the important role the expo can play in fostering these kinds of discussions, as well as building on the foundation laid by last year’s agri expo.

“This engagement al-

lows us to build on the successes of previous expos held last year in Guyana and Trinidad, which set the stage for some remarkable achievements over the past year,” Dr Alexis said.

“These include increased cross-border investments, identification of possible agricultural insurance products for farmers, adoption of new game-changing regional agricultural policies, increased budgetary allocation for the agriculture sector in almost every Caricom member state, and establishment of the Youth in Agriculture Advisory Council.”

Notwithstanding the achievements that have

President Dr Irfaan Ali and other officials tasting pineapple at the expo

been made, however, Dr Alexis also noted that challenges persist and remain to be surmounted in the fight to achieve the ‘25 by 2025’ objectives.

“The effects of climate change, technological advancements, a growing population, and the ongoing shift in demand from the type of food the Region consumes. These are factors we must continue to tackle head-on, with the full participation of all stakeholders,” the Deputy Secretary General said.

“We also need to consider the peculiarities that have long characterised the market of our Region’s agriculture sector. This includes market distortions… also from time to time, our regional producers must compete in a marketplace where international producers price their offerings

below the cost of production.”

According to him, this results in farmers being unable to compete against these international producers. He made it clear that more emphasis is needed on helping farmers transition to value-added production.

At the 32nd InterSessional Conference of the Caricom Heads of Government in 2021, a special ministerial task force was established and tasked with guiding the transformation of the regional agrifood system towards full commercialisation. A prime focus was to address the rising food import bill and to stimulate investment in agriculture and food production.

Guyana is presently the lead in agriculture and food security in the Caricom

bloc. This is reflected in its transformative projects in priority commodities such as corn and soya bean – becoming one of the largest agricultural investments in the Region by 2026 with US$40 million invested.

Wheat production trials have commenced, along with the resuscitation of the cocoa and coffee industries. Guyana is also making strides in brackish water shrimp, black belly sheep rearing, new rice varieties, new broiler facility to hatch eggs, among other successes.

As of 2022, the Region achieved 57 percent of the production target towards reducing the food import bill by 2025. Over the next two years, President Ali has asserted that more than 1.4 metric tonnes of commodities must be produced to achieve this target. (G-3)

11

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

12 NEWS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Upper Mazaruni women, youths benefit from governance, leadership training T

he Amerindian People’s Association (APA) in collaboration with the Upper Mazaruni District Council (UMDC), last week, hosted a three-day Women and Youth Capacity Building Workshop in Kako Village, aimed at increasing the knowledge and practice of good governance.

The training workshop, funded by Nia Tero, was held under the theme “Good Governance: Stronger Women, Stronger Youth, Stronger Communities.”

Over 80 women and youth from the villages of Kako, Jawalla, Philippi, Kamarang, Waramadong and Paruima attended and participated in the workshop where they

President of APA and Toshao of Kamarang, Lemmel Thomas addressing the gathering

cilitated by APA’s Project Coordinator, Graham Atkinson; Policy and Administrative Officer, Don Stoll; Policy Officer,

Bhagirat.

On day one, the participants explored governance and leadership through their shared and lived experienc-

Some of the young people at the workshop

gained knowledge on and shared experiences of good governance practices.

The workshop was fa-

Faye Stewart; and Communications and Visibility Officer, Lakhram

es in the Upper Mazaruni and identified what traditional and modern leader-

Debaters at the building workshop

capacity-

ship entailed. The participants explained the various governance structures in the Upper Mazaruni and then presented their recommendations on how those structures can be improved.

They also assessed the selection of Upper Mazaruni leaders while identifying the qualities of a good leader.

The older participants collaborated with the youths to reflect on how the systems of governance and leadership have progressed in the district thus far.

In addition to understanding the governance structures and leadership styles in the Upper Mazaruni, the participants also explored what Arecuna and Akawaio development would look like within the district. They were challenged to put their ideas of this development on paper using graphics, which

Policy Officer Faye Stewart during one of her sessions

saw varying interpretations of what development means for the Upper Mazaruni area.

In an effort to increase their public participation and encourage better representation of issues affecting them, the participants were exposed to one day of communication and public speaking training. During the sessions, they were taught the importance of effective communication as well as given practical exercises to boost their confidence in public speaking.

As part of the communica-

tion and public speaking exercise, the participants were challenged to identify representatives to participate in two debating competitions as well as impromptu speech exercises.

At the end of the threeday capacity-building exercise, the participants documented recommendations for improvement in their district. Those recommendations will now be compiled and shared with the relevant stakeholders to be addressed.

NEWS

13

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MoM initiative celebrates 1st anniversary with fitness walks countrywide A

s the Men on Mission (MoM) initiative observes its first anniversary, several fitness walks were held in several policing districts countrywide on Sunday. The initiative was launched by President Dr Irfaan Ali with the aim of assisting citizens who are unable to stand on their own, especially the young, elderly, and vulnerable in society who need support and guidance.

In Region One (BarimaWaini) Police ranks were part of the fitness walk which went from Kumaka Waterfront to Broomes Airfield in the North West District (NWD).

The event brought together representatives from the regional authori-

Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken addressing the gathering in Georgetown

ing among responsible persons within the region.

At the conclusion of the fitness walk, regional officials gathered to give brief remarks where they high-

the walk commenced at the Leonora Police Station, West Coast Demerara (WCD), and concluded at the Leonora Synthetic Track where Regional

Members of MOM in Region Four

dressed that gathering.

In Georgetown, the walk was led by Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, who while addressing the gathering at Base Camp Ayanganna stated that the main objective of the MoM initiative is to cre-

ticipated, with representatives coming from the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Fire Service, and residents of Bartica. On completion, leaders gave brief remarks, thanking the men for their earnest

Men on Mission initiative by the President one year ago, the Police in Regional Division 9 have been embarking on various projects in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council and other stakeholders across the region.

support of this initiative.

Meanwhile, in Division Nine, Police ranks along with other members of the Disciplined Services and stakeholders took to the streets of Lethem.

Mayor John Macedo, the Regional Executive Officer, members of the Regional

He stated that with the marking of the first anniversary, other activities are in store to commemorate the MoM initiative.

Regional Executive Officer, K Singh said the mandate of the Men on Mission initiative received good support in the region

Democratic Council, cops and faith community, the Ministry of Health, the Education Department, and business stakeholders were among those who participated in the activity.

After the fitness walk, Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Raphael Rose addressed the gathering, during which he pointed out that since the launch of the

in terms of various stakeholders collaborating and pursuing activities that can make a positive difference and improvement in the lives of persons in the various communities.

He also thanked all the business stakeholders, especially members of the Joint Services, for their continuous support and expertise in completing projects within the region.

Members of MOM in Region Three

ties, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, people's militia, and residents across the region.

lighted the significant achievements of the MoM initiative over the past year while emphasising the pos-

Executive Officer Jagnarine Somwar; Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner M Siwnarine;

Members of MOM in Region One

ate change in the attitude of men in society.

He noted that moving forward, the members must account for the changes and impact of the initiative in society which must be made public. He congratulated the persons behind the fitness walks

Members of MOM in Region Seven

The fitness walk symbolised the commitment of the MoM initiative, promoting physical and mental well-be-

itive impact on community engagement and overall safety in the region.

Over at Division Three,

Regional Health Officer, Dr Erica Forte; Chairman of the Region Three Private Sector, Noel and others ad-

Members of MOM in Region Six

Members of MOM in Region Nine

across the country but more importantly, extended gratitude to those in the Disciplined Services for embracing the MoM initiative.

In Division Seven, the fitness walk was led by Mayor of Bartica, Anthony Murray, Police Commander Dion Moore, Regional Executive Officer Kerwin Ward and Prime Minister’s Office Representative Erwin Ward.

About 60 persons par-

14 NEWS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Beneficiaries of Govt’s Small Business Grants thankful – say were able to expand existing businesses

O

ver 100 residents from Laing Avenue, East, and West Ruimveldt, Georgetown communities have so far benefitted from the Government of Guyana’s Small Business Grants.

The grants were offered through the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme executed by the Office of the President (OP).

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has stated that a total of $1.8 billion will be expended in 2023 to stimulate small business growth across the country.

Guyana Times spoke with a few of the beneficiaries, who shared their success stories and how the grant has helped them to set up their businesses.

Shanella Persaud, the proprietor of Shanella's Blessed Catering Deluxe, has been able to expand her business and offer improved services after receiving a grant of $250,000. With the help of this grant, she was able to purchase better kitchen utensils, resulting in faster service and increased customer satisfaction.

She credits her success to one of her Facebook clients who encouraged her to apply for the grant in order to expand her catering business.

As such, she reached out to a representative of the People’s Progressive Party

ing and distributing local juices into a successful business of also distributing ground seasoning.

What started as a smallscale operation catering to family and friends within the community has now flourished, thanks to the grant she received.

Harris expressed gratitude for the chance to expand beyond her juice production and delve into the world of seasoning.

The game-changing grant not only provided the necessary funds but also opened doors to essential knowledge

A photoshoot done by Tappin

cash grants shared their enthusiasm and appreciation.

These entrepreneurs

Jeremiah Tappin and one of his clients

(PPP), Trichia Richards, to enquire about the grant that the Government was offering. “I simply just gave meh name, business name, and contact information, and the money was received within two weeks,” Persaud said.

In addition, Jeremiah Tappin, a resident of Block 1 Laing Avenue, who operates a photography business, stated that the grant has allowed him to purchase better equipment. He is also a barber in the community.

"I was able to buy a 25 – 70mm camera lens, which works as a better zooming tool for photographers."

With this new lens, Tappin will be able to improve the quality of his pho-

tography work.

In addition to upgrading his photography equipment, Tappin also invested in an airbrush compressor for his barbershop. "This compressor allows me to better serve my clients and have a faster flow of business."

The new equipment has undoubtedly enhanced the experience for Tappin's customers and helped him provide a more efficient service.

Thanks to the grant, Tappin has been able to make significant improvements to both his photography business and the barbershop.

Further, Jasmine Harris of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, has transformed her passion for mak-

Shanella Persaud of Shanella's Blessed Catering Deluxe

and skills through a workshop hosted by the Small Business Bureau (SBB). The workshop empowered Harris to manage her small business more effectively, to ensure its long-term growth and success.

Reflecting on their experiences, the recipients of the

admitted that the grants played a pivotal role in the establishment and operation of their respective small businesses.

As such, they encouraged others who may be embarking on a similar journey to stay patient and persevere, if seeking Government assis-

tance.

The heartening success stories of Shanella Persaud, Jeremiah Tappin, and Jasmine Harris serve as a beacon of hope for aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to start small.

Their dedication, coupled with the invaluable support received from the Small Business Bureau and the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme stands as a testament to the profound impact that Government grants can have on small businesses.

While the implementation of this support programme is currently limited to certain areas in Region Four, the Government plans to expand its rollout through the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) nationwide.

Approximately 5000 individuals are expected to benefit from this initiative.

NEWS

15

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Motorcyclist dies, pillion rider critical after slamming into turning car

A

motorcyclist lost his life on Saturday evening while his pillion rider is now battling for his life following an accident along the Haslington Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Dead is 32-year-old Rene Anthony Sheo of Nabaclis, ECD, while the injured man was identified as 30-year-old Alex Mayers. At the time of the accident, the two men were travelling on a motorcycle, CM 1832.

Police stated that at about 23:00h on the day in question, a motor car driven by a 62-year-old male from Cove & John, ECD, was proceeding along Haslington Public Road and reportedly made a

regarded as serious.

Police reports stated that neither the now dead motorcyclist nor the pillion rider were wearing safety

Injured pillion rider: Alex Mayers

sudden turn.

At that point, the driver told investigators that he felt an impact and immediately brought his vehicle to a halt. As he exited, he saw the two men lying on the roadway with injuries about their bodies.

Dead: Rene Sheo

They were subsequently picked up by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where Sheo was pronounced dead on arrival.

His friend, on the other hand, was admitted as a patient. His condition is

A

The shotgun that was found by Police

a clump of bushes on the western side of the street.

As such, the casing was opened and examined. The firearm that was found inside, Police stated, was

stolen during a robbery.

The firearm was lodged at the Leonora Police Station as investigations continue.

Man drops bag with gun, ammo after spotting cops

P

olice are on the hunt for a man who reportedly dropped a bag containing a firearm and several rounds of matching ammunition near the Caricom Secretariat in Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown.

Acting on reports received, Police officers on patrol went to the area at about 00:10h on Sunday where they observed several persons in a social gathering.

In accordance with the provided information, the officers spotted a man wearing a white jersey and

motor car but there were no traces of alcohol in his system. He remains in custody pending further investigations.

Trio shot, robbed after leaving Diamond, EBD bar

Shotgun stolen during robbery found at Crane shotgun that was reportedly stolen during a recent robbery committed on Yvonne Singh on October 18 was found at Crane, West Coast Demerara, on Saturday evening.

Based on reports received, at about 20:30h Saturday night, Police ranks acting on information gathered travelled to a location at Centre Road, Crane, WCD, where they conducted a search during which they found a black shotgun casing that was in

helmets at the time of the accident.

Meanwhile, a breathalyser test was administered to the driver of the

The gun and ammo that was found in the bag

a pair of long blue pants, carrying a black one-strap bag.

However, upon seeing the Police, the man swiftly dropped the black bag and made good his escape.

The bag was retrieved and upon inspection, a .32 pistol and five rounds of matching ammunition were found inside.

Investigations are ongoing.

– perpetrator relieves miner of firearm, ammo

T

hree persons including a miner were in the wee hours of Sunday shot and robbed by a lone gunman at Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The injured miner was identified as Aubrey Benjamin, 45, a miner of Diamond New Scheme, EBD, while the names of the two other injured men were not released.

Based on preliminary investigations, the incident occurred around 02:45h at Tya’s Bar-b-Que and Cheese Please at 10th Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD. Benjamin was relieved of a 38-pennyweight gold chain valued at $300,000 along with his licensed black Taurus 9mm pistol with several rounds of matching ammunition.

Reports are that

Benjamin and his two friends: a 34-year-old architect, and a 33-year-old contractor were at the business place consuming alcoholic beverages and after spending some time, they exited the bar.

However, as they were about to leave the premises, they were confronted by a lone gunman, who proceeded to snatch Benjamin’s chain and reportedly said “I taking this,” in the process.

The perpetrator also drew a gun from his waist and discharged several rounds in the miner’s direction, hitting him on his left shoulder.

Benjamin’s two friends also received gunshot wounds. One of the friends was shot on his left upper thigh, and the other on his lower right leg.

Police stated that

Benjamin attempted to escape and whilst doing so, he tried to draw his firearm to defend himself but fell onto the ground due to his injury. The suspect then walked up to him and relieved him of the weapon after which he made good his escape.

Shortly after, Benjamin entered his car and drove to the Golden Grove Police Station, where he made a report. His two friends along with him were taken to the Diamond Hospital where they were treated. Their conditions are all listed as stable.

Several persons were contacted and interviewed by the Police. The area was also canvassed for CCTV cameras. Checks were made for the perpetrator, but he was not located.

Investigations are ongoing.

16 NEWS Police Division 3 leads stats in fatal accidents countrywide MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– 171 fatalities recorded – speeding, drunk driving main contributing factors

O

ver the past few months, a concerning surge in fatal incidents has plagued the roadways of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mahendra Siwnarine, who is also the Commander for Division 3, recently revealed that a total of 27 fatal accidents have marred the year so far thus representing a staggering 237 per cent increase in road fatalities.

These statistics have put the region in the lead with the highest percentage of fatal accidents for the year countrywide.

Siwnarine, while addressing the public through the Guyana Police Force's “Traffic and You” radio programme, shared the disconcerting statistics.

He related that from January 1 to October 8, 2023, the region recorded 138 fatalities from 116 accidents. In addition, he added that 33 lives were lost due to 32 incidents on the roadways, pushing the

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mahendra Siwnarine

“Indeed, most of our accidents so far in Region

caused.”

Additionally, he stated that speeding persisted as a major concern, prompting law enforcement officers to bolster their arsenal with enhanced equipment to combat this issue, along with measures to tackle the issue of driving under the

Three have been because of inattentiveness, especially the fatal accidents.

When we do, do the analysis on those accidents, we have persons not paying attention on the roadway, hence those accidents are

influence.

To confront this crisis head-on, Region Three has intensified breathalyser operations and increased surveillance on local bars.

Siwnarine pleaded with bar owners to exercise caution when serving patrons,

Recent fatal accidents that occurred in Region Three

overall death toll to a devastating 171.

“Currently Region Three is leading in terms of fatal accidents, which is quite unfortunate. We would have had a decrease in all the other categories (accidents) that are serious, minor, and damage but because of that great increase in the fatalities we are currently operating at a positive .5 percent in terms

of all categories of accident…,” Siwnarine said.

Analysing the root causes, Siwnarine highlighted the alarming roles played by speeding, drunk driving, and inattentiveness in these calamities. He emphasised the impact of inattentiveness, particularly in fatal accidents, where individuals fail to focus on the road, leading to catastrophic outcomes.

especially those who intend to drive. He implored them to refrain from selling alcohol to individuals who exhibit signs of intoxication, emphasising the critical role they play in ensuring the safety of all road users.

“We are urging the bar owners to avoid selling to persons that in your observation would have met that limit and in your view, they are no longer capable of manoeuvring on the road with a vehicle,” he pleaded.

The Guyana Police Force is actively addressing the rise in speeding and drunk driving incidents, recognising the surge in road accidents, especially at night.

Despite increased vehicle numbers, reckless behaviours persist, particularly among young drivers.

Just recently, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn expressed concerns about the alarming rate of motorcycle accidents.

Additionally, the Intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act holds bar owners accountable, imposing fines for selling alcohol to intoxicated individuals likely to drive, with potential prosecutions for offenders.

NEWS

17

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mahaica teen killed by speeding minibus on way home A

n early Sunday morning accident along the Mahaica Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), has claimed the life of a teenage cyclist.

Seventeen-year-old Varesh Mangal also known as “Buddo” of Lot 60 Good Hope Mahaica, ECD, was reportedly struck down by a minibus along the Jonestown Public Road, Mahaica, EBD, at about 07:30h.

According to reports, the teen had left his grandmother's house in Unity and was heading home to prepare for a family wedding which was taking place at Cane Grove, ECD. Police stated that the now dead cyclist was struck from behind by a minibus,

thus causing him to fall onto the roadway where he sustained the fatal wounds.

The minibus was reportedly driving at a fast rate.

The driver of the minibus, on the other hand, claimed that the teenager suddenly swerved into the path, thus leading to a collision.

The injured teen was picked up by Police officers who rushed him to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Following the accident, a breathalyser test was administered to the bus driver but at the time, he was not under the influence of alcohol.

An investigation into the accident is currently underway.

Dead: Varesh Mangal

The teen shortly after he was struck down by the minibus

HEALTH TIPS BREAST LUMPS

Dr Tariq Jagnarine

A

breast lump is a localised swelling, protuberance, bulge, or bump on the breast that feels different from the breast tissue around it or the tissue in the same area of the other breast.

There are different reasons why breast lumps develop.

While this article can help a person understand if a lump is likely to be cancerous, people should always seek advice for an unexplained breast lump. Some noncancerous lumps need treatment, and breast cancer does not appear in the same way for everyone.

CAUSES The female breast consists of different types of tissue. The two main types are milk glands, which produce milk, and milk ducts, or tubes, for milk to pass through to reach the nipple. The breast also contains fibrous connective tissue, fatty tissue, nerves, blood vessels, and lymph nodes. Breast tissue composition can vary depending on the function. For example, during breastfeeding, the breasts will change. They will feel and look different.

The breasts can also change throughout the monthly cycle.

Each part of the breast can react in different ways to chang-

es in body chemistry. These changes impact the sensations and texture of the breast, affecting the development of breast lumps. Possible causes of breast lumps include: • Cysts • Abscesses, which can indicate an infection, such as mastitis.

• Fibroadenoma • Intraductal papillomas • Fat necrosis • Lipoma • Breast cancer • Gynecomastia, in males, when there is swelling in breast tissue.

Some breast lumps seem to have a distinct border, while others may feel like a general area of thickened tissue. Nipple discharge can occur with some lumps.

Types and symptoms Breast lumps can develop for many reasons, cancerous and noncancerous. The symptoms may vary, depending on the cause of the lump.

• Noncancerous lumps The size, feel, and texture of breast lumps can vary considerably. The consistency may help a physician diagnose what kind of a lump it is.

•

Breast cysts A breast cyst is a benign or noncancerous fluid-filled sac in the breast. They commonly affect females aged 30–50 years and are rare after menopause. It may cause no symptoms, or a person may notice: • Smooth and rubbery lump under the skin • Pain • Nipple discharge It is not clear what causes breast cysts, but they may develop in response to hormones related to menstruation.

Cysts can be simple or com-

plex. In both cases, a doctor may suggest removing it by aspiration, a type of surgery.

Very rarely, a cyst with solid components that returns after aspiration is linked to underlying breast cancer.

•

Abscesses Abscesses sometimes develop in the breast, especially during breastfeeding. They are noncancerous and usually result from bacterial infections, such as mastitis. A person may notice: • Lump or mass • Pain and swelling • Redness in nearby skin if the skin is pale, or a darkening of darker skin.

• Heat in the area around the abscess • Discharge from the nipple • Nausea and vomiting • Fever • Swollen lymph glands Treatment will usually involve: • Draining the abscess • Taking antibiotics • Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, to manage pain and inflammation.

If a breast abscess occurs when a person is not breastfeeding, a doctor may do tests to rule out breast cancer.

•

Fibroadenoma A breast fibroadenoma is an unusual growth of glandular tissue in the breast. It is a benign tumour with the following features: • Round, rubbery solid lump • Smooth borders • Painless Appearing most commonly in females aged 14–35 years, but can occur at any age, fibroadenomas often shrink

and disappear over time.

However, a person with a large fibroadenoma may wish to have it removed through surgery.

•

Intraductal papillomas Intraductal papillomas are a type of benign tumour.

They are wart-like growths that develop in the ducts of the breast. They often: • form a round or oval mass • develop under the nipple.

• involve a clear or bloody discharge.

A surgeon can remove intraductal papilloma. They will likely test the tissue to rule out unusual growth that could indicate cancer, a Phyllodes tumour, or other lesions.

•

Fat necrosis Fat necrosis happens when fatty tissue in the breast does not receive enough oxygen. It becomes damaged and breaks down. It can happen after breast reconstruction surgery, trauma, a biopsy, and some medical treatments.

There may be: • Lumps due to oil cysts, which have a solid shell and fat or oil in the centre.

• Change in breast shape.

• Pain in some cases •

Lipoma A lipoma is a benign, fatty tumour. It will likely be: soft, movable, painless Lipomas can occur anywhere on the body, including the breast. They do not usually need treatment.

•

Cancerous Lumps A breast cancer lump, or tumour can appear in the breast or underarm.

Warning signs include: • Lump, thickening,

or swelling of the breast.

• Skin irritation or dimpling • Flaky skin on the breast or around the nipple that may be red or darker than the surrounding skin.

• Nipple pain • Nipple inversion or pulling inward of the nipple.

• Discharge, which may contain blood.

• Changes in the size or shape of the breast • Pain anywhere in the breast, although there is often no pain Some people do not notice any symptoms, but following a doctor’s recommendations about screening can help identify breast cancer if it arises. The symptoms of breast cancer can resemble those of other breast lumps.

It is a good idea to seek medical advice if any breast changes occur.

• Feel the breasts with a firm, smooth motion while lying down, including under the arms and down to the ribcage.

• Repeat step 4 while standing or sitting. It may be easier in the shower.

Even though most breast lumps are benign, a person should ask a doctor if they notice anything unusual.

Checking for lumps The American Cancer Society does not recommend self-examination as part of the screening process for breast cancer. However, it is essential to be aware of the breasts and any changes that take place. It is important to be familiar with the breasts. Knowing how the breasts normally feel can help people recognise any problematic changes or lumps.

The following guidelines will help people carry out a self-examination.

• Looking in a mirror, check the size, shape, and colour and look for visible swellings or lumps.

• Raise the arms and repeat step 1.

• Check for any discharge from the nipples that may be watery, milky, yellow, or with blood.

LUMPS IN MALES Males can also have breast lumps for reasons similar to females. In some cases, the lump may indicate male breast cancer.

However, the chance of a lump being cancerous is lower in males. Other reasons a male might have lumpy or enlarged breasts include: • Gynecomastia, when the breast tissue enlarges due to a health condition or medication use • Cyst or fluid-filled lump • Lipoma, or fatty lump • Adenoma, a benign tumour, although this is less common in males than females • Subareolar breast abscess, a rare infectious disease in males • Breast fat necrosis, also rare in males

PROCEDURES FOR DIAGNOSIS If a person seeks medical advice for a breast lump, they may undergo one or more of the following tests: • Physical examination • Mammogram • Breast ultrasound scan • Breast biopsy to rule out cancer.

• MRI or CT scan to see if changes have occurred elsewhere in the body.

18

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Jamaicans welcome American Venezuelans vote in Airlines' new Miami service Opposition primary clouded by uncertainty A merican Airlines announced last Thursday that it would operate twice weekly flights between Miami International Airport and Ian Fleming International Airport, Jamaica using an Embraer 175 aircraft with capacity for 76 passengers, starting next February.

American Airlines' announcement that it was now ready to operate a scheduled service from Miami to Ian Fleming International Airport just outside Ocho Rios, starting next February, is being wel-

V

enezuelans voted on Sunday in a primary to choose a unity Opposition candidate to face President Nicolás Maduro in his probable re-election bid next year, amid pledges by the United States to roll back sanctions relief if the Government fails to lift bans preventing some Opposition figures from holding office.

Thousands of voters lined up at polling places – including in private homes and on street corners – around the country.

There were about 3000 polling locations nationwide, but some opened late and others had to be moved, according to human rights groups and voters themselves, causing confusion.

Many of the centres closed at 16:00h local time (2000 GMT), but Mildred Camero, part of the Opposition commission organising the primary, said others would remain open until the last person waiting had voted. She did not say how many would remain open.

Gasoline availability was limited in border states Tachira and Bolivar and public transport in the country's interior was

People stand in line to cast their votes in a primary to choose a unity Opposition candidate to face Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in his probable re-election bid in 2024, in Caracas, Venezuela, October 22, 2023 (Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria photo)

working irregularly, according to Reuters witnesses.

"On Friday we waited in three lines to be able to get gasoline for today and we couldn't," said housewife Melissa Diaz, 39, who arrived at her polling place in eastern Guayana City with a nearly empty tank.

"We've lost a whole day, but even if we had to walk or cycle, we were coming to vote."

Maria Corina Machado, 56, an industrial engineer and former lawmaker, has led her rivals by some 40 points in polls.

But Machado, like two former rivals who dropped out of the race, is barred from public office over her support of the sanctions on Maduro's government and would not be able to register for the general election.

The opposition and government this week signed a deal on some election guarantees, including the presence of international observers. The accord allows each side to choose its candidate according to internal rules, but did not retract the election disqualifications.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Long-time columnist BC Pires, 65, dies after year-long cancer battle

L

ongtime columnist Basil Carlos "BC" Pires has died. He had been battling cancer of the oesophagus.

He died on Saturday, surrounded by his family in Barbados.

Born in Guyana, Pires – fondly called Baz – was raised in Trinidad and Tobago, where he began a career as a lawyer, but later opted for journalism.

He continued along this career path for many

Basil Carlos

years, even after moving to Barbados.

He had two weekly pieces in the Newsday – his Thank God It's Friday (TGIF) column, and the Trini/Bago to D Bone profile.

He leaves behind his wife, Carla Castagne, and his children, Rosie and Ben. He was diagnosed with cancer in September 2022.

Pires was 65. (Trinidad Newsday)

1200 graduate from Cave Hill

D

espite many being enrolled at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 7500 students graduated from the University of the West Indies (UWI) across all campuses.

In his address to the 1200 graduates of Cave Hill campus on Saturday, UWI Chancellor Robert Bermudez described this as “an impressive demon-

stration of intellectual achievements across all age groups and disciplines”.

Acknowledging many would have missed part of the campus melting pot experience, he was hopeful bonds were still formed.

“Graduates, most of you began your programmes at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and some before lockdowns and restrictions

changed our delivery mode.

Some of you may have completed your programmes entirely online, and some in blended mode. Whatever your experience may have been, I trust that in addition to completing your academic programmes, you were able to form friendships – some of which will be important in your professional lives,” Bermudez said. (Nation News)

comed by Jamaicans who live and operate businesses on the island's north-eastern corridor.

Previously known as Boscobel Aerodrome, situated in Oracabessa, St Mary, Ian Fleming International Airport is 15 kilometres from the scenic north coast resort town of Ocho Rios. As such, the airline and the Jamaica Government are using OCJ [Ocho Rios Jamaica] as the airport code for Ian Fleming International, given that Ocho Rios is known globally as one of Jamaica's

major tourist destinations.

News that the scheduled service, which was originally set to begin in November 2022, will now start February 24, 2024 has created a buzz, especially among Jamaicans who welcome the fact that they will be spared long road travel times to either Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston or Sangster International in Montego Bay. Additionally, some say the development will provide an economic boost on the corridor.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Argentina election vote count underway as run-off looks likely

A

rgentina's general election vote was being counted on Sunday evening, with early signals suggesting the under-fire Peronist ruling coalition was performing better than expected, while all eyes remained on far-right libertarian radical Javier Milei.

Argentines flocked to the polls on Sunday to vote in a tense national election where wild-haired outsider Milei has hogged the limelight amid the country's worst economic crisis in two decades and rising anger with the traditional elite.

Around the South American country voters cast their ballots, with three main candidates likely to split the vote: front-

runner libertarian economist Milei, centrist Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa and conservative Patricia Bullrich.

While no official data has been released, nor formal exit polls, local news channels cited leaked early data to say Massa was outperforming pre-election polls and in first place, ahead of Milei and then Bullrich. Reuters could not verify that.

The mood at Massa's election bunker, however, was jubilant. Pre-election polls had shown him in second place behind Milei.

Officials and sources from all three of the main candidates indicated they expected a run-off, though all said their candidate

had a chance to make it. To win outright, a candidate needs over 45 per cent of the vote or 40 per cent and a 10-point lead.

Any run-off would be held on November 19.

With the three top candidates offering starkly different visions, the ballot is likely to roil financial markets, set a new political and social path for the nation and impact its ties with trade partners including China and Brazil.

Argentina is a major grains exporter with huge lithium and shale gas reserves.

"We have never had so much polarisation," said 72-year-old pensioner Silvia Monto as she voted in Buenos Aires on Sunday.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

St Lucian Opposition wants health levy removed

T

he main Opposition United Workers Party (UWP) is calling for the “immediate and complete suspension” of the 2.5 per cent health and security levy that went into effect on October 2.

In a statement, the Party said that the levy was an additional burden on St Lucians, already grappling with a rising cost of living, the adverse impact on the local business community, and the volatile global economic climate.

“We call on the Phillip J Pierre Administration to spare no effort in completely abolishing this ill-conceived measure. The Health and Security Levy has had an unquantifiable negative impact on ordinary consumers, especial-

ly vulnerable citizens who are already burdened by the increasing costs of everyday commodities,” the UWP said.

It said that even before the imposition of this tax, essential items such as bread, electricity bills, with a 30 per cent increase, food in supermarkets, LPG cooking gas, petroleum, diesel, and even bus fares “have seen unsustainable price hikes”.

“It is evident that this tax has burdened an already dire situation.

Therefore, we demand for an immediate and total suspension,” the UWP said, adding that “the business community is also grappling with the repercussions of this policy”.

“The Health and Security Levy is unques-

tionably hindering the Private Sector’s ability to expand and create jobs, especially considering the unemployment rate, which stands at unacceptable levels according to the Economic and Social Review.

“The tax must be immediately and completely suspended. We are disappointed that the Government did not heed the Chamber of Commerce’s call to postpone the tax until January 2024.”

The government has defended its decision to implement the levy, arguing that its implementation “is one measure that aims to support our economy and provide necessary funding for essential services, namely health and security. (Excerpt from CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

19

Around The World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Dead and wounded strain Gaza

hospitals as air strikes intensify

A Allianz Trade

says oil could hit US$140

C

rude oil prices could go as high as US$140 per barrel and send the world into a recession, Paris-based Allianz Trade said on Friday.

Tensions in the Middle East and escalations between Israel and Hamas into a broader regional conflict could trigger a price surge for crude oil that could send the commodity to trade at US$140 per barrel, Ana Boata, head of economic research at Allianz Trade told Bloomberg Television on Friday.

“Higher oil prices, that’s the direct impact,” Boata said, adding that prices could escalate from the current US$90 mark to US$140 at its peak, even averaging US$120 in 2024.

“Clearly at these levels of energy prices, we understand that central banks would be much more into the wait-andsee mode before they cut interest rates,” Boata said, adding that that could send the world into a recession, slowing down global growth to just 2% – the contraction threshold – which is a half a point less than the baseline scenario.

“Clearly we don’t have this as a baseline scenario for now,” Boata said, “but clearly we can give a probability of 20% to this downside scenario.” And according to Boata, that would lead to high oil prices. “That’s the direct impact of this conflict.” This could send global inflation rates to as high as 5.

Even before the conflict, oil industry analysts were raising crude oil price forecasts for 2023—but only a handful of those polled by Reuters in September saw crude oil rising to US$100. At the time, Brent was trading at US$96. The Reuters September Oil Poll showed on Friday that 42 economists and analysts now see Brent Crude prices averaging US$84.09 per barrel in 2023, up from the US$82.45 consensus projection in August. (Oilprice.com)

t the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in central Gaza, they are running out of material to cover the dead with.

The bodies are stacked in a courtyard outside, prayers are said, and relatives collapse to the floor wailing in grief.

Inside the hospital, doctors battle to patch up the walking wounded and save the gravely injured - but stores of medicine and supplies are dwindling by the day.

Officials from the Hamascontrolled Health Ministry say more than 100 people were killed as Israel carried out air strikes overnight.

In response the Israeli military told the BBC that it had targeted nearby ar-

R

Stanislav. Reuters could not independently verify battlefield reports.

On Friday the Institute for the Study of War, a US research group, said Ukrainian forces appeared to have broken through on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson.

Ukraine recaptured parts of the Kherson region late last year after months of Russian occupation. But Russian forces who left Kherson, the region's biggest city, retreated only as far as the other side of the Dnipro and have continued to shell the city from there.

(Reuters)

A stream of dead and wounded arrived at al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital on Sunday

Despite some food and medical supplies making it through, no fuel has entered Gaza since the conflict began. Hospitals are relying on fuel-powered generators for their electricity.

On Sunday UNICEF warned that 120 babies in

incubators - including 70 premature newborns also on ventilators - are dependent on machines linked up to backup generators which were deployed when Gaza's electricity supply from Israel was switched off. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Zimbabwe struggles to contain spread of cholera outbreak

Z

imbabwe has been struggling to contain spread of cholera outbreak, with the Government announcing measures amid fears of a repeat of its 2008 outbreak that sparked a “national emergency”.

Cholera cases span all 10 of Zimbabwe’s provinces, with the most alarming spikes in the south-eastern provinces of Masvingo and Manicaland, the epicentre of the crisis.

Cholera outbreak has killed more than 100 people and infected 5000 since February, according to Government estimates.

To curb the spread, the Government has imposed restrictions in vulnerable areas, limiting funerals to 50 people and forbidding attendees from shaking hands or serving food at the gatherings.

Authorities are also discouraging people from frequenting open-air markets, unlicensed vendors, or outdoor church camps where sanitation is scarce.

Cholera, a water-borne disease caused by ingesting contaminated food or water, often spreads quickly throughout Zimbabwe because of its poor sanitation

infrastructure and limited clean water.

Many Zimbabweans, especially in remote villages, stay without tap water for months at a time, forcing them to draw from unsafe wells or rivers. Raw sewage spilling from busted pipes and heaps of lingering refuse increase the risk of the disease spreading.

Zimbabweans say their struggles to access clean water or water-purification supplies have recently intensi-

fied, putting them at greater risk of catching the disease.

“The cholera problem is not new. We’ve had it for a while but …There used to be health workers who would move around communities distributing water purification tablets that we could use to treat open wells. That isn’t happening anymore,” Answer Nyamukondiwa, a resident of Buhera, the hardest-hit city 250km (155 miles) away from the capital, told Al Jazeera TV. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Pakistan’s ex-PM Nawaz South China Sea: China Sharif back from selfcoast guard hit Philippine exile ahead of elections ship, Manila says

Russia says it thwarted T Ukrainian attempts tocross Dnipro in Kherson region ussian forces have foiled several attempts by Ukrainian units to cross the Dnipro River in the southern Kherson region over the past day, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

According to the Ministry, Ukrainian "sabotage and reconnaissance" teams were stopped while trying to cross the river near the villages of Pridniprovske, Tiahynka and Krynky.

Russia also said it had destroyed Ukrainian personnel, water-crossing equipment and vehicles near the village of

eas "based on intelligence information confirming the presence of a Hamas leader in the area adjacent to the hospital, who gave orders to fire towards Israel from that area".

And amid a health situation described as "catastrophic", doctors had to decide who to treat first. The rest join the queue.

The medical staff has been depleted as some have been killed and others can't reach the site. The remaining staff now share their building with 1200 displaced people who are sheltering there.

Hospitals across Gaza are desperate for supplies, even after the first 20 aid trucks were able to enter from Egypt on Saturday.

he Philippines has accused China's coast guard of colliding with a Filipino supply boat in the South China Sea The Filipino vessel was on its way Sunday to a Philippine outpost in the Second Thomas Shoal, where tensions have escalated in recent weeks.

Manila said Beijing's "dangerous blocking manoeuvres" endangered the safety of the Filipino crew.

However, China said the Philippines "deliberately stirred up trouble".

Chinese and Philippine ships have routinely played cat-and-mouse around the shoal as a handful of Filipino troops on the outpost, a marooned and crumbling navy ship, require monthly rations.

But Filipino authorities say China has grown more aggressive since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in June 2022

and sought closer military ties with Washington, Beijing's chief rival for influence in the resource-rich and strategic sea.

In a second incident also near Second Thomas Shoal on Sunday, Filipino authorities said a Chinese militia vessel bumped into a Philippine coast guard ship.

A second supply ship was able to reach the Philippine outpost in the shoal, Manila said.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the Spratlys where the Second Thomas Shoal is located. Its claims to the sea overlap with claims by other countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam.

In 2016, an international arbitration court at The Hague ruled that China's vast sea claims had no basis, acting on a case brought forth by Manila. Beijing has refused to recognise it. (BBC News)

N

awaz Sharif, P a k i s t a n ’ s thrice-elected former Prime Minister, has returned home after four years of self-exile in the United Kingdom to stand in next year’s elections against his biggest rival, former premier Imran Khan.

The 73-year-old veteran politician arrived by chartered flight to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Saturday, after which he is expected to lead a rally in his hometown, Lahore, where supporters decorated the city with green and yellow party banners, posters and flags.

“We are completely ready for elections,” Sharif told reporters before his flight took off from Dubai.

“Our country which should have been at the heights of prosperity has really gone backwards,” he said. “How did we get here? Why did it come to this?”

The South Asian nation is facing overlapping security, economic and political crises ahead of polls already pushed

back to January 2024, with Khan languishing in jail on corruption charges which he denies, after he was removed in a no-confidence vote in April 2022.

Sharif had not set foot in Pakistan since leaving for London in 2019 to receive medical treatment while serving a 14-year prison sentence for corruption. His convictions remain in force, but a court on Thursday barred authorities from arresting him until Tuesday when he is to appear in court.

While he cannot run for or hold public office because of his convictions, his legal team says he plans to appeal and his party says he aims to become Prime Minister for a fourth time.

Sharif’s biggest challenge will be to wrestle back his support base from Khan, who despite being in jail, remains popular following his removal.

Khan, too, is disqualified from the election because of his August corruption conviction, which he has appealed.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

Reach out and connect with people with something to offer. Don’t make unnecessary changes to show off. Take care of your responsibilities and live up to your promises.

(March 21-April 19) Accept the inevitable and make it work in your favor. Keep your life simple, stick to what works best for you and optimize your talents to ensure you get the most out of everything you pursue.

PICKLES

(April 20-May 20) With hard work, you can stabilize your position and boost your reputation.

Don’t expect everyone to be happy for you. A jealous onlooker will try to muscle their way into the spotlight.

(May 21-June 20) Dump the routine and delve into something challenging. Explore your options, learn something new and help a cause you care about. An unexpected opportunity will blossom.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

Keep a low profile. A sensitive situation will spin out of control if you are too vocal or pushy. Don’t mix business with pleasure or complain about your work problems at home.

(July 23-Aug. 22) Take advantage of learning opportunities. Adopt a routine that is new and exciting. Take responsibility for your happiness. Join forces with someone who shares your likes and dislikes.

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

Look for a unique way to handle pushy people and unscrupulous situations. A proactive approach will thwart anyone trying to take advantage of you.

Self-improvement is favored.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Speaking up and saying what’s on your mind will help you move forward.

Honesty and integrity may take work, but they will help you clarify your position and choices. Make necessary changes.

Get your facts straight, share your thoughts and concerns, and make a difference. An articulate assertion of what you propose to do will help you build confidence and gain support.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Stick to your plan and don’t stop until you reach your goal. Your enthusiasm will ignite onlookers, inspiring them to help out. A joint venture will help you save money.

LAST PUBLISHED WORD -- HOMILIES

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Be wary of anyone trying to push you in a questionable direction. Stick to a budget, regardless of temptation or bullying. A firm position will make it difficult for anyone to trip you up.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Make your money work for you. Use your skills strategically and make alterations as you move forward. A change of heart might disrupt your plans. A financial or partnership opportunity is favored.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

21

Shami, Kohli put unbeaten India top of points table T hey were without their most irreplaceable player in a topof-the-table clash against a New Zealand side that's had the wood over them in recent global-tournament meetings, and this New Zealand side put them under severe pressure on multiple occasions. But in the end, India continued to typify the 2023 World Cup equivalent of Gary Lineker's famous quote on a superteam from a different sport: "Football is a

this game, their most intense tussle yet in this tournament, ended with Virat Kohli trying to repeat what he did against Bangladesh on Thursday, and refuse singles with India in sight of victory in order to try and reach his hundred.

It didn't quite happen this time, with the attempted winning six on 95 ending up as a catch on the midwicket boundary, but India sauntered home nonetheless, with Ravindra

India celebrate an early wicket

simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and in the end, the Germans always win."

We're still only halfway through the league stage, and knockouts are knockouts, but India have looked so hard to beat that even

Jadeja pulling Matt Henry for four to complete the job with two overs to spare.

Jadeja made an unbeaten 39, a vital innings given that he came in at number seven with India still 83 away from victory.

With Hardik Pandya out

SCOREBOARD New Zealand (50 ovs maximum) Devon Conway c Iyer b Mohammed Siraj 0 Will Young b Mohammed Shami 17 Rachin Ravindra c Shubman Gill b Mohammed Shami 75 Daryl Mitchell c Kohli b Mohammed Shami 130 Tom Latham (c)† lbw b Kuldeep Yadav 5 Glenn Phillips c Sharma b Kuldeep Yadav 23 Mark Chapman c Kohli b Bumrah 6 Mitchell Santner b Mohammed Shami 1 Matt Henry b Mohammed Shami 0 Lockie Ferguson run out (†Rahul) 1 Trent Boult not out 0 Extras (b 3, lb 5, w 7) 15 TOTAL 50 Ov (RR: 5.46) 273 Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Devon Conway, 3.3 ov), 2-19 (Will Young, 8.1 ov), 3-178 (Rachin Ravindra, 33.3 ov), 4-205 (Tom Latham, 36.5 ov), 5-243 (Glenn Phillips, 44.2 ov), 6-257 (Mark Chapman, 46.6 ov), 7-260 (Mitchell Santner, 47.4 ov), 8-260 (Matt Henry, 47.5 ov), 9-273 (Daryl Mitchell, 49.5 ov), 10273 (Lockie Ferguson, 49.6 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Jasprit Bumrah 10-1-45-1 Mohammed Siraj 10-1-45-1

Mohammed Shami Ravindra Jadeja Kuldeep Yadav

10-0-54-5 10-0-48-0 10-0-73-2

India (T: 274 runs from 50 ovs) Rohit Sharma (c) b Ferguson 46 Shubman Gill c Mitchell b Ferguson 26 Virat Kohli c Phillips b Henry 95 Shreyas Iyer c Conway b Boult 33 KL Rahul † lbw b Santner 27 Suryakumar Yadav run out (Santner/Boult/†Latham) 2 Ravindra Jadeja not out 39 Mohammed Shami not out 1 Extras (lb 1, w 4) 5 TOTAL 48 Ov (RR: 5.70) 274/6 Did not bat: Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj Fall of wickets: 1-71 (Rohit Sharma, 11.1 ov), 2-76 (Shubman Gill, 13.2 ov), 3-128 (Shreyas Iyer, 21.3 ov), 4-182 (KL Rahul, 32.1 ov), 5-191 (Suryakumar Yadav, 33.5 ov), 6-269 (Virat Kohli, 47.4 ov) • BOWLING O-M-R-W Trent Boult 10-0-60-1 Matt Henry 9-0-55-1 Mitchell Santner 10-0-37-1 Lockie Ferguson 8-0-63-2 Rachin Ravindra 9-0-46-0 Glenn Phillips 2-0-12-0

Mohammed Shami was on a hat-trick after cleaning Matt Henry up

injured, India replaced him with two players, a specialist batter in Suryakumar Yadav and a specialist fast bowler in Mohammed Shami, which meant India's batting effectively ended with Jadeja at number seven.

The lack of batting depth was counterbalanced,

they took six wickets while conceding just 54.

Particularly impressive was India's shackling of Daryl Mitchell, New Zealand's top scorer. Mitchell had put on 159 for the third wicket with Rachin Ravindra, and reached an exact run-a-ball hundred in the 41st over, but India kept him to just 30 off his last 27 balls. He was ninth out in the final over, caught on the wide long-on boundary to give Shami his fifth wicket.

Each of Shami's wickets seemed to come with a question attached to it: "You're keeping me on the bench?" He struck first ball after coming on as first change, getting Will Young to play on with a typically upright-seamed inducker.

Then he broke the MitchellRavindra stand with an offcutter into the pitch. And he ended New Zealand's hopes of getting near or past 300, effectively, by splattering the stumps of Mitchell Santner and Henry with consecutive balls in the 48th over.

Chasing a significantly smaller target

Virat Kohli fell five short of his century and India's win when he got out

however, by the increased menace of India's pace attack, which played a starring role in bowling New Zealand out for 273 after they had been 178 for 2 at one stage. Shami, playing his first game of the tournament, led the way with his second five-wicket haul in World Cups, his bullying of New Zealand's lower order the centrepiece of a superlative effort by India in the last 10 overs, where

than they may have envisaged at one stage, India began in typically ominous fashion, with Rohit Sharma hitting four sixes in a 40-ball 46 that dominated an opening stand of 71 with Shubman Gill.

During this partnership, India extracted a strange sort of revenge for the Old Trafford semi-final of 2019, where their fast bowlers had caused as much trouble with the new ball as

New Zealand's quicks, but ended up with significantly fewer early wickets. This time Henry beat both openers' bats repeatedly – including Gill’s three times in a row – and Trent Boult saw an edge from Sharma fall short of slip, but there were no wickets in the first powerplay.

Thereafter, it was all about Kohli, even though he typically did most of his work in the shadows –literally for a while when a spectral fog enveloped the ground, eventually stopping play for around 15 minutes. Kohli was the less-dominant partner in half-century stands for the third and fourth wickets, but where Shreyas Iyer fell to anoth-

sition, coming together after Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Shami had combined to reduce them to 19 for 2 in the ninth over.

Along the way, the two of them demonstrated to all other sides a method to combat India's attack. Mitchell exemplified this with his calculated risk-taking, particularly at the start of overs. He mixed up his pre-ball movements against the fast bowlers, sometimes shuffling across his stumps and out of his crease, at other times stepping back towards his off stump, and manipulating line and length in this manner.

Most telling, though, was his calculated as-

The Daryl Mitchell special – a launch down the ground

er short ball and KL Rahul played down the wrong line against Santner to be dismissed for the first time in the tournament, he endured, as he always does in run-chases.

Ever so often, Kohli imposed himself on the game with an incandescent shot: an on-the-up square drive off Lockie Ferguson to get off the mark; a charging, flourishing extra-cover drive off Henry to get to 40; and in between an inside-out loft for six off Ravindra to release whatever pressure New Zealand had put on him by keeping him to 28 off his first 47 balls.

From that point, Kohli scored 67 off 57 balls. A significant hiccup arrived when he got into a mix-up that sent back Yadav, but once Jadeja eased India's fears over their lack of batting depth, the result became a formality.

New Zealand would have been disappointed at this, because they had put themselves in a commanding position at one stage after India had sent them in. Ravindra and Mitchell had fought extremely hard to get them into that po-

sault on Kuldeep Yadav, to whom he used his feet multiple times to launch him down the ground. In all, he scored 43 runs off Kuldeep – the most any batter has scored against the left-arm wristspinner in a One-Day International (ODI) innings – off just 28 balls.

Kuldeep conceded 48 in his first five overs, which would have worried India considerably, given that they didn't have a sixth bowler. But the measure of Kuldeep's skill and self-confidence came over his next five overs, in which he had Mitchell dropped at long-off, took two vital wickets – Tom Latham deceived by a flatter skidder and trapped plumb in front, Glenn Phillips caught off a miscue against the wrongful – and conceded just 25.

Kuldeep's display was an encapsulation of India's day. They were put under intense pressure by a formidable opponent, but they trusted their methods and came out unscathed. This India side can be rattled, but for any side to beat them over the next four weeks will likely take a special effort of sustained excellence.(ESPNcricinfo)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

BCB/Ivan Madray 20/20 Cricket Tournament 2023…

Brilliant Sinclair leads RHT NAMILCO Thunderbolt to final …Port Mourant advance to 3rd round

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unior Sinclair continues to impress at the Berbice First-Division level as the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) First-Division season continues.

Sinclair, who was recently named the Best Emerging Player of the 2023 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), cracked a superb century to spearhead the Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour team to a massive 10-wicket victory over arch-rivals Tuber Park at the Area H Gound.

West Indies youth player Rampertab Ramnauth also scored a responsible 69 to lead Port Mourant to a 26-run victory over Upper Corentyne. Rose Hall Town, who – last weekend defeated Skeldon by 100 runs – have advanced to the final while

Junior Sinclair

Matthew Pottaya

Port Mourant have gone into the third round after a firstround bye.

Tucber Park won the toss and elected to bat first in blistering heat and were off to a flying start with openers Leon Swammy and Garfield Benjamin both taking the attack to the Rose

Hall NAMILCO Thunderbolt team. They added 38 in five overs, before national Noff spinner Matthew Pottaya deceived Swammy and had him stumped for 30 in the fifth over.

Former Berbice youth player Martin Singh was also dismissed cheaply, but the

talented Zeymul Ramsammy joined Benjamin and they added a partnership of 120 runs before Ramsammy was dismissed for an attractive 45. Benjamin ended on a well-played 86 not out as Tucber Park finished on a healthy 176 for 3 in their allotted 20 overs. Benjamin struck three sixes and four boundaries in his mature knock. Matthew Pottaya was the best bowler for Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt, with two wickets for 28 runs. Any idea of a Tucber Park victory was soon gone as Sinclair laid into the visitors’ bowling attack that included Swammy, Rueben Latcha, Kwesi Mickle, Abdul Ramsammy, and Devon Clements. The Amazon player struck 13 sixes and nine

boundaries. Pottaya scored a solid 45 not out as the pair added a record 180 for the first wicket in 15 overs to complete a 10-wicket victory. The opening partnership of 180 is a Berbice record at the 20/20 level for the first wicket.

At the Port Mourant Ground, Port Mourant batted first and reached a solid 169 for 9 in 20 overs, with Rampertab Rampersaud top-scoring with 69, as he continues to impress at the local level. He received solid support from the talented Madan Budhoo, who scored 50, and his younger brother, Rampersaud Ramnauth with 29.Bowling for Upper Corentyne, Latchman Roopchand took 3 for 29 and Devanand Chatterpaul 3 for

23. In response, needing 170 runs from 120 balls, Upper Corentyne were dismissed for 143 to lose by 26 runs.

Rishi Persaud top-scored with an attractive 51 while Steve Embrack supported with 25. The best bowlers for Port Mourant were Yugendra Harrinarine with 3 for 3 for 24, Joshua Harrichand 3 for 28, and Joshua Rampersaud 2 for 30.

The tournament is been sponsored by the nephew of Ivan Madray, Chandradat Chintamani. Madray played two Test matches for the West Indies in 1956 before migrating to England. He died in 2009 and was the third of 20 Berbicians to play Test cricket for the West Indies after John Trim and the legendary Rohan Kanhai.

Buxton United down Santos as Stabroek Eagles, UG secure wins; Ravens upset Pacesetters Elite League Cup continues

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he inaugural One Guyana Basketball Tournament, continued on Saturday, October 21 at the National Gymnasium with three games, in which Stabroek Eagles, UG Trojans, and Wortmanville Ravens secured wins.

The Stabroek Eagles annihilated the Lamaha Park/Springs Pepsi Sonics as they went up in the first quarter of the game to score 23 points while their opponents failed to get into double digits as they were limited to four points.

The second quarter was no different as the Eagles, who were deemed favourites, scored 20 points while their opponents failed to put the ball through the net consistently – scoring 12 points.

The third quarter was also beneficial to the Eagles, putting the ball through the nets for 25 points, while the Sonics slightly dropped in the same number of points scored in the second quarter, scoring 11 points.

They went on to secure the win in the final quarter, scoring 19 points, for a total of 87 points at the end of the game while the Sonics scored 10 points for a total of 45.

In the second game of the night, UG Trojans continue their form from the previous game after their first victory , to have a commanding lead in the first quarter against Leonora D-UP Rising Stars with the scoreline reading 22-8.

The Trojans continued to dominate the game in the second quarter, scoring 16 points to elevate their

$250,000 respectively.

The KFC Elite League Cup will resume on Sunday, October 22, with a double header – Den Amstel take on Western Tigers at 18:00h (6pm), followed by a clash between Guyana Defence Force and Milerock Football Clubs at 20:00h (8pm) at the Eve Leary Sports Ground.

The GFF urges all fans to rally behind their teams.

A glimpse of the basketball action

score to 38 while limiting the Stars to scoring four and their score, 12 points.

The Stars managed to put up a fight, but the Trojans’ defence was tough, with the Stars being limited to 8 points and 20 points in total at the end of the first half. The Trojans then seemed to calm down to score 20 points of a total 58.

The Trojans went on to secure the second victory in the final, scoring 23 points in the final quarter and their final score moving to 81 points while the Stars continued to put up a fight, but just missed out, scoring 11 points of their total 31 points.

The concluding game was the upset as the Ravens handed the Pacesetters their first defeat despite the Pacesetters starting the game showcasing their skills to go up 13-9 to end the first quarter.

The Ravens did not give up the fight to keep their composure to crown a terrific comeback, scoring 18 points to increase their score to 27 while Kwakwani

were limited to 11 points with their score of 27 at the end of the first quarter.

The Ravens outfit showed their strength, scoring 15 points in the face of the Pacesetters’ tight defence to increase their overall score to 42 points at the end of the third quarter while the Pacesetters scored nine points to increase their score to 33 points at the end.

The game concluded with the Ravens showcasing their shooting skills, swishing the ball for 18 points in a final score of 60 points. The Pacesetters scored eight points with their final score, 41.

This tournament-winning team will pocket $1 million along with trophies, while the runners-up will receive $500,000 plus trophies.

The tournament was made possible by sponsorship from the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry; G-Boats Guyana; National Sports Commission; Guyana Basketball Federation, and Georgetown Basketball Federation.

CLASSIFIED ADS A look at the action thus far in the Elite League Cup

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he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) KFC Elite League Cup on Friday saw Buxton United Football Club achieve a remarkable victory over Santos Football Club, while Fruta Conquerors and Milerock Football Clubs played to a draw at Eve Leary Sports Ground, Kingston, Georgetown.

Buxton United delivered an impressive performance on October 20, securing a 2-1 victory against Santos Football Club.

The team's striker, Paul Kingston, opened the scoring in the sixth minute, followed by a goal from Tyreel Cummings in the 29th minute.

Although Santos managed to pull one back, with Stefan Reynolds finding the net in the 87th minute, their attempts to equalise fell short despite several opportunities owing to Buxton United’s formidable defence.

In the first game of the evening, Fruta Conquerors and Milerock Football Clubs battled fiercely until the final whistle in their quest for victory.

However, both teams' efforts were thwarted by solid defensive strategies, resulting in a goalless draw at the end of the match.

The KFC Elite League Cup features 10 top clubs divided into two groups.

Group A consists of Guyana Defence Force, Santos, Buxton United, Fruta Conquerors, and Milerock.

Group B comprises Western Tigers, Guyana Police Force, Den Amstel, Victoria Kings, and Ann's Grove.

Each team is vying for the prestigious title and the generous prize money of $1.5 million. The second-place team will receive $1 million, while the clubs securing third and fourth place will be recognised, with prizes of $500,000 and

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

23

Dowrich's unbeaten ton powers CCC to victory against Volcanoes A

mature innings from skipper Shane Dowrich handed Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) their first win in this season of the CG United Regional Super50 in a last-ball thriller where they beat Windward Islands Volcanoes by two wickets Friday.

At the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in overcast conditions, CCC won the toss and inserted Volcanoes to bat.

Volcanoes posted 267 for eight while CCC responded with 271 for eight in 50 overs.

CCC’s innings was defined by a maiden List A century from Dowrich, who chalked up 102 not out from 101 balls.

The Bajan wicketkeeper-batsman stroked three fours and three sixes during his innings and featured in vital partnerships, particularly a 57-run stand for the eighth wicket with Romario Greaves, who was run out for 14.

Dowrich was lucky to be dropped on 60 by Kavem Hodge on the boundary with his side still a long way from their target, but showed his resilience to shepherd the young side over the line. Dowrich watched on as Kadeem Alleyne and Johann Jeremiah added 51 for the first wicket, with Jeremiah doing the bulk

Shane Dowrich inspired CCC to their first win with an unbeaten 102 (photo courtesy of CWI media)

of the hitting with 30 from 38 balls before being caught at backward square attempting to clip Shamar Springer off his hips.

Shaqkere Parris did not spend long at the crease and was eventually bowled by leg spinner Darel Cyrus for nine and his side 66 for two.

This brought Dowrich to the crease, and he partnered with Alleyne to put on 74 for the third wicket.

Alleyne, the 22-year-old right-hander, moved on to his second List A half-century as he made 68 from 75 balls, hitting three sixes and four fours

along the way.

However, with Cyrus brought back to the bowling in the 29th over, Alleyne was caught at short mid-wicket by Andre Fletcher. Cyrus (4-54) would strike two more times in the over, removing Akshaya Persaud and Shatrughan Rambaran, who both failed to trouble the scorers and see CCC slip to 140 for five with Dowrich on 32 not out.

Jordan Johnson joined his captain and looked to bring his side closer to the target with a 63-run resistance with Dowrich for the sixth wicket before walking onto his

stumps off of Larry Edwards in the 39th over. He made 34 from 33 balls, striking three boundaries during his time at the crease.

With Dowrich on 62, and CCC on 210, they lost Abhijai Mansingh for four, but Romario Greaves played a vital cameo to get them in a winning position.

When Volcanoes batted, Guyanese seamer Isai Thorne made the early breakthrough by removing Johnson Charles (four), who charged down the wicket only to be caught by Alleyne running back from mid-on.

Alick Athanaze continued to show he is a standard above the rest with his second

half-century of the season and fifth overall, working his way to 65 from 68 balls. His innings featured three sixes and four fours, one of which was pulled through mid-wicket to bring up his landmark.

Athanaze shared in an 88run second-wicket partnership with Jeremy Solozano, who, playing in his first match of the season, scored 55 from 81 balls. The partnership was eventually broken when Athanaze was caught at extra cover by Jeremiah off of Mansingh.

Mansingh struck again, removing Hodge (11), who was caught at short fine leg attempting to sweep, while Solozano was bowled off the

next delivery by Rambaran.

He smashed four boundaries as Volcanoes slid to 142 for four.

Fletcher showed his experience and partnered with Sunil Ambris to put on 63 for the fifth wicket before Fletcher was caught at longon off of Thorne for 32.

Ambris went on to make a ball-a-run 51. His 16th List A half-century featured one six and three fours and was brought up with a four down to fine leg. Edwards helped his team’s cause with 20 not out while extras chipped in with 17. Mansingh ended with 2-46, with Throne bagging 2-50 and Jediah Blades returning 2-54.

26 attend FIFA/RAP Futsal Referee Course in Georgetown

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he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Referees Department has chosen 26 referees from various regions to take part in the FIFA Refereeing Assistance Programme (RAP) and Futsal Referee Instructors Course, which opened on Friday at the Guyana Olympic Association

futsal in the Region since 2008.

In his opening remarks, GFF President Forde expressed his satisfaction with the rise in female participants, urging the group to recognise the significant investment being made by FIFA and GFF in their development as game officials and to give more than

Officer Santos said he has seen progress since his initial training session in Guyana in 2019, and reminded participants that the training served as a route for referees to achieve international recognition.

“When I came here in 2019, many problems to organise the course,” Santos reflected, adding that “now we have

Eagles looking to bounce back against Hurricanes’ – Barbados also take on WI Academy

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uyana Harpy Eagles have not gotten off to the best of starts so far in the Regional Super50, but will be keen to tighten the screws as they come up against Leeward Islands Hurricanes today.

Eagles opened with an unconvincing win over Windward Islands Hurricanes and suffered a 114-run loss to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force as they sit fifth on the eight-team table with seven points. On the other hand, Hurricanes have blown away the competition with two convincing wins in as many matches, taking away 22 points to sit at the top of the table.

Eagles have not produced an impactful batting performance with Chandrapaul Hemraj failing twice and Tagenarine Chanderpaul unable to convert his starts into big scores. This could mean a change in the opening combination. Like their top-order woes, Eagles have not gotten the contributions with the bat fans would expect from Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford, but this could be a turning point for both big hitters.

However, Tevin Imlach has shown his ability to put a value on his wicket as well as Kevin Sinclair.

Guyana’s strength has continued to rest on the bowling department; and with Sinclair supporting his cap-

GFF President Wayne Forde and FIFA Referee Development Officer Javier Santos are flanked by other stakeholders and participants

Kevin Sinclair

tain, Veerasammy Permaul and Gudakesh Motie, the spin department is well constructed to restrict most teams.

Their seam department has also international quality with Shepherd and Nial Smith as well as Rutherford, who has been impactful at times.

Quinten Sampson made his debut in the previous match and would add to both the seam department and lengthen the batting order, thus giving Permaul variety.

Should the think-tank want to make any changes, it could mean Kemol Savory coming off the bench to replace Hemraj or Sampson being replaced by Ronsford Beaton to add an extra bit of pace.

At the centre of Hurricanes’ success is left-arm spinner Daniel Doram, who has 10

wickets so far in his dream run while Hayden Walsh has thrown in a valuable contribution with both bat and ball. Combined with the exploits of their skipper, Alzarri Joseph, Oshane Thomas and Rahkeem Cornwall, the bowling will be no blow-over.

With Justin Greaves, Cornwall and Walsh propping up the batting, Kieran Powell can afford to play a bit freely at the top of the order with the likes of Kofi James, Keacy Carty, and Jahmar Hamilton to come.

Meanwhile, West Indies Academy will lock horns with Barbados Pride today as well.

The Academy is sitting in third with 12 points from one win and a loss while Pride are in fourth with eight points taken from their opening win victory.

(GOA), Plantation Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

The five-day training programme focuses on enhancing match officiating in both traditional and futsal football formats.

The October 20 opening ceremony was attended by GFF President Wayne Forde, FIFA Referee Development Officer Javier Santos, FIFA referee instructors Rohan Thobourne, Dianne FerreiraJames and Shane Butler, and Referee Manager Dave Miekle.

The diverse group of participants, including seven female referees, were selected from Berbice, Linden, Georgetown, and Kamarang to attend the internationally-recognised theoretical and practical training programme.

RAP has been at the forefront of enhancing the quality of refereeing through education and assistance, uplifting both traditional football and

100 per cent.

“The game demands a lot of us, regardless of which level we operate in the game, and in that spirit, we have to be always willing to give a little more than what the situation might call for. I think if we all undertake and make a commitment to do that, the future that we all desire for football, we will all realise it with our collective effort,” Forde said.

He added: “I want to challenge each and every one of you to acknowledge the huge investment that we continue to make and will be making in the future into your own development, and undertake to give some of that back to the sport. That’s an important part, because football is still a work in progress in Guyana and for most of the region, and it requires the generosity and the benevolence of all of us to make it work at the level that we want to see it work.”

FIFA Referee Development

seen the improvement (in the) numbers of referees, FIFAqualified referees as well.”

Santos shared that the course, which will be done on the FIFA Referee Education and Development (RED) platform is “giving opportunities to you as national referees... to be in international competitions”.

FIFA RED platform was introduced in December 2019 as a dynamic online platform designed to enhance the global learning experience for referees in football.

Over the next few days, referees will undergo assessments in game knowledge and receive training on the interpretation and application of traditional football and futsal laws.

Theory sessions will take place at GOA, while field and fitness sessions will be held at the Georgetown Football Club Ground. Certificates will be awarded on October 23.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023

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

rewrites butterfly record …Williamson challenges familiar foe in boxing bout Story and photos by Jemima H olmes

I

t was another day of see-saw results for Guyana’s Pan American Games team in Santiago, Chile on Sunday, with the athletes in action in the disciplines of boxing and swimming.

The day’s high point saw swim prodigy Aleka Persaud resetting yet another national swimming record at the Centro

Snapshots from Aleka Persaud’s record-breaking swim on Sunday

Joel Williamson (red) had his opponent tangled up in the ropes for a brief moment

Acuatico in Santiago.

Persaud was the first Guyanese in action on the day and started on a good note with a victory in Heat 1 of the women’s 100m butterfly event. The teenager clocked 1:05.75 to win the heat, while Independent Athlete Maria Morales clocked 1:07.93 for second place, St Vincent’s Kennice Greene stopped the clock at 1:09.03 for third place.

Although the time was not adequate enough to grant Persaud passage into the 100m butterfly final, it marked a new national record for Guyana in that event.

The previous record of 1:07.24 was set by Persaud back in 2022 at the Commonwealth Games.

Speaking about the achievement, the 17-yearold expressed relief at being able to reset the record

again.

Persaud shared, “I felt very relaxed with my race; I executed it exactly how I wanted it to be and I’m very elated that I improved my time. I took a little, like a weight off of my shoulders, knowing that I did what I came to do.”

“Yes, it is my goal and I’m praying that my next two races, I try to improve my times in both of the events,” the swimmer said about her upcoming events.

Coach Sean Baksh expressed satisfaction, not only with Persaud’s performance, but also with that of her teammate Raekwon Noel.

“So far, it’s going good, I think we have better things to come. They certainly will improve in their next two events that they have. I expect that they will shine,” the Coach stated.

He went on to divulge, “They are not at the top of this, but they certainly will improve on their times. And that is what our aim is, to improve on our times gradually and we’ll get to the top one of these days. We’re working to get there.”

Later on in the evening, Joel Williamson had a tough task ahead of him, being pitted against International Boxing Association (IBA) number one ranked boxer (in his weight class) Alexy Miguel De La Cruz of the Dominican Republic, in the Men’s 63.5Kg division.

De La Cruz is a familiar foe for the Guyanese boxing team, having bested Keevin Allicock back in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

In spite of the numerous accolades that De La Cruz currently has to his name, including

Another look at Williamson’s (red) encounter with Alexy Miguel De La Cruz

the Pan American 2019 Bronze medal; Guyana’s Williamson was fearless heading into the ring at the Centro Nacional de Entrenamiento Olimpico and went pound for pound with De La Cruz, for an impressive showing in the first round.

However, De La Cruz distinguished himself in the remaining rounds with his agility and taunting tactics.

Williamson eventually lost the bout by way of unanimous decision on points to the Dominican.

Speaking with <<<Guyana Times Sport>>> following the bout, Williamson was more than pleased with his ability to rival the world champion in his first Pan American Games outing.

“The fight was great.

Actually, it was a tough fight as for my first Pan Am Games fighting a world champion. I think I did very well, fighting a world champion and I’m proud of myself,” Williamson related.

The boxer went on to add, “Well, mindset was

to go there and fight hard.

Lose hard or win, but pressure he, you know. Just go out and do your best, put your best foot forward and the better man win.”

The Pan Am Games action will continue today with Allicock battling for a chance to at least secure a bronze medal. Allicock will come up against USA’s Jahmal Harvey in the men’s 57kg division.

Additionally, both Persaud and Noel will hit the pool again in the women’s 100m freestyle and men’s 800m freestyle respectively.

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