Guyana Times - Monday, April 10, 2023

Floor It Guyana wins 2023 BIZX America Award for Best Import/Export Company

of our team and our commitment to excellence. We strive to provide our clients with the best possible service, and this award is a validation of our efforts."

Floor It Guyana's success can be attributed in part to its partnership with a business coach, Dr Vishnu Doerga. Doerga has been working with the company

for several years and has helped them to streamline their operations, improve customer service, and increase profits.

Floor It Guyana CEO Andre Cummings receiving the award

Floor It Guyana was named the winner of the 2023 BIZX America Awards for Best Import/Export Company. The award ceremony was held in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, and was attended by some of the top business leaders from around the world.

Accepting the award on behalf of Floor It Guyana was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Andre Cummings.

In his acceptance speech, Cummings thanked the judges for recognising the company's hard work and dedication to providing top-quality import/export services to its clients.

"We are thrilled to receive this award," said Cummings. "It is a testament to the tireless efforts

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, Apr 10 – 06:30h – 08:00h and Tuesday, Apr 11 – no retraction.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, Apr 10 – 06:20h – 07:50h and Tuesday, Apr 11 – 07:05h – 08:35h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine and light rain showers during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 06:55h and 19:28h reaching maximum heights of 2.69 metres and 2.49 metres.

Low Tide: 12:59h reaching a minimum height of 0.52 metre.

Govt injects $45M to develop farm roads in North Rupununi – to

expand food production in Central

Rupununi

In keeping with his Government’s food security agenda, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday announced that $45 million has been allocated to develop farm roads in Aranaputa Valley, North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo).

During a community meeting, the Head of State told a large gathering that a number of initiatives will be implemented to improve the community and the lives of the residents there.

Along with the roads, the Government, through the Agriculture Ministry, will provide a large quantity of peanut plants and cassava sticks to increase the village’s food production.

Additionally, the President said that scores of the village’s livestock will be artificially inseminated to improve their breed.

“We are pursuing an agenda through which every community must become food secure, and every community must play a part in national food security, and every community must contribute to Guyana becoming the number one food production zone for Caricom by 2030.”

The President also said that the Government will work towards improving the village’s sport facility.

“These are the things that will bring meaningful change, these are the things that will bring meaningful transformation,” he noted.

Only on Saturday, President Ali told residents of Parikwarinau, Central Rupununi of plans to expand the community’s food production capacity and its potential to earn income for households there.

He indicated that within the next three weeks, the Government, through the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, will also provide a supply of cassava sticks to expand the village’s production of cassava and farine.

The President, who spent the weekend in Region Nine, revealed earlier that day that Government will work with villages in South Pakaraima to launch a special agriculture project led

by young people and women. He told residents gathered at a meeting in Karasabai that the project will be done in consultation with the villagers.

“In every community, jointly with your resources and some of ours, I want us to see how we can launch an agricultural project that is sustainable but must be led by young people and women as far as possible… We cannot build this future unless we give you the tools,” the Head of State posited.

In the latter part of 2022, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration enacted a policy to ensure that local women and youth have a percentage of ownership in all new agricultural investments, as part of its efforts to make agriculture more sustainable.

“In Guyana, for example, we have now made a policy that all the new investment in agriculture, driven by technology, would have a percentage owned by women and youth. So, in all investments we’re making in livestock, 35 per cent of those farms must be owned by women and 30 per cent of those farms must be owned by youth.”

“This is how we’re going to ensure sustainability. If we’re not in a position to encourage the next generation, young people, to be part of agriculture and see it as something exciting, innovative, and challenging, that utilises technology, then we will not be able to create a sustainable framework for the production of food and the sustainability and resilience of the agriculture sec-

tor,” President Ali had stated while addressing the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) dialogue on Food Security in Latin America and the Caribbean in September 2022.

This falls into efforts by the Ali-led Government to make Guyana the leading food producer in the Region. Currently, President Ali is leading the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) food security initiative, which aims to reduce the Region’s food import bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

Clay bricks

Meanwhile, during Saturday’s engagement in

Parikwarinau, President Ali also announced that the Government will contract the community to produce 5000 clay bricks, with another order guaranteed after the first contract is honoured.

From the blocks that are produced, a portion will go to help the households within the community improve their homes.

In August last year, President Ali announced a $10 million project for Government to procure some 300,000 clay bricks from communities across the South and Central Rupununi to be used to push the hinterland housing programme.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali with children of Aranaputa Valley on Sunday

Views

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Easter Monday in Guyana

One of the most intriguing aspects of Guyanese life is the gradual evolution of the practices of the various cultures and religions into new forms that are accepted by each other without any compulsion and in the process creating a most unique “Guyanese Culture”. Easter exemplifies this synergistic melange as much as any of the other forms.

Brought to these shores by the European colonists, especially the English, who were the last to rule Guyana, Easter is a Christian observance that was transmitted first to the African slaves, several waves of Indentured servants – Indian, Chinese and African, and West Indian – and in an ironic inversion, lastly to the Indigenous Peoples. The Catholic Portuguese from Madeira brought their own Easter traditions.

While at its core, Easter is the commemoration of the rise and ascension of Jesus, who had been crucified three days earlier (now called “Good Friday”), it illustrates the anthropological truism that all practices are culturally embedded. Jesus, for instance, was from a culture that was completely different from those into which Christianity spread, and even in these, historians can trace the changes absorbed or imposed by the various cultures.

Saul, who became Paul, first sallied among the Greeks and the earliest language in which “Christianity” was spread – and the New Testament was written – was Greek. Even today, some of these early Greek words have to be analysed for ideas that may have been ‘lost in translation’. After the Roman Emperors became Christians and spread Christianity in “pagan” Europe at the point of a sword, the form of religious organisation adopted the imperial structure of the Roman Empire – with the Pope replacing the emperor at the apex and Cardinals, Bishops and priests, the lower echelons of the hierarchy.

Most pertinently for our discussion, several European “pagan” traditions were adopted and enculturated into Christian practices such as Christmas and Easter. The word “Easter” itself is from this source, as are hot cross buns, Easter Eggs, and Easter bunnies. The Easter hat parade would have come later from the English. Accordingly, our kite flying, Bartica Regatta, and Rupununi Rodeo are merely continuing a long tradition of change.

For a multi-religious society such as Guyana, this process of cultural cross-pollination and diffusion is important in creating a national ethos. The important caution is that the process should include all the religious practices and not privilege any along the lines of Christianity as it was, for most of Guyana’s history. Hindus recently commemorated Nauratri and Ram Naumi; Muslims are in the midst of Ramadan and now Christians commemorate Easter. Each festival has acquired peculiarly “Guyanese” characteristics around the core “religious” commemoration and it is a mark of our progressive maturity as a nation that we should not allow this process to be short-circuited.

Of recent, there have been individuals who insist they are religious, but preach in a language that spreads hate and exclusion to almost everything and everyone outside their narrow belief system. This goes against the grain of our multireligious tradition. While some speak of “tolerance”, there are growing signs that the new Guyanese standard of religious practice is outright acceptance of the right of the “other” to practise the tenets of their religion without condemnation and hate.

Today, Christian Guyanese will be attending their churches to express their faith and belief in why Jesus was born and what was the meaning of his death and resurrection. Most other Guyanese would be flying their kites with their children in parks and open spaces and enjoying their snacks and goodies, picnic-style, in a manner that brings the family closer together. We would like to believe this is in consonance with the wider message of Easter.

Unfortunately, the somewhat less-than-salubrious practice of heavy alcohol consumption and all its negative effects have also crept into the Easter commemorations – as they have into every other holiday. We ask that Guyanese abjure this aspect of our “culture”, so that all of us could enjoy a “Happy Easter”.

Dear Editor, Reference is made to a letter by the Economic Advisor to the Leader of the Opposition that appeared in sections of the print media on April 9, 2023. The advisor contended that only a corrupt group will rush through these reviews by limiting the timeline for consultation to two weeks.

The argument on the length of time for the review put forward by the Opposition’s economic spokesperson, however, is subjective. To the contrary, the undersigned’s contention is that sixty days as has been proposed by the Opposition is absolutely ridiculous and is indicative of laziness and incompetence on the

part of the parliamentary Opposition. For the simple reason that the hard work has already been done by the Ministry of Natural Resources’ technical team in drafting the new PSA.

Moreover, as far as the undersigned is aware, the Opposition has a diversity of appropriate skillsets that they could have tapped into to aid in a timely review by simply putting together a team and delegate the various sections of the PSA for review to each person or sub-team.

For example, at minimum, the different skillsets needed are: (1) an environmental professional with an engineering background (Dr Vincent Adams comes to mind); (2) a team

of accountants and/or economists (the economic advisor supported by his other accounting and finance colleagues within the Opposition); and (3) a team of lawyers which they do have at their disposal.

Editor, the parliamentary Opposition has a constitutional duty to treat these matters with the utmost importance and urgency required of them. In so doing, the Opposition needs to put in the hours of work necessary and stop complaining if they are truly serious about the country’s development.

Moreover, the Opposition should be embarrassed for complaining about the timeline. Due credit must be giv -

en to Kaieteur News despite their perceived political or mischievous agenda?wherein they have managed to conduct their own review of the PSA within the prescribed timeline.

The undersigned has also submitted comments on the draft PSA which focused exclusively on those Articles in the PSA that relate to the fiscal framework and Annex C which relates to the accounting procedures. And, of note, less than 24 hours was expended in conducting this exercise.

Yours sincerely,

Joel Bhagwandin Financial and Public Policy Analyst

President’s approach is working

Dear Editor, I know the current Administration is quite capable of successfully mounting its own defence against the tabloid-styled reportage in certain sections of the media.

Nonetheless, I wish to address the patently false narrative that the publication continues to foist on Guyanese on a daily basis with regard to the re-

lationship between the Government, citizens, and the media.

I have found that the current Administration has greatly facilitated and successfully engaged both the media and the public.

For instance, there are by far more press conferences facilitated by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali when compared to former President David

Grainger. I can still recall the bold headlines in the press complaining about the lack of press conferences by the former President.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has taken a similar approach when it comes to hosting press conferences. He has even appeared on the Glenn Lall Show.

Other Ministers of Government are accessi-

ble to the media at public events and are oftentimes quoted in media articles as being contacted for comment.

We are witnessing a dedicated focus by the President to engage with Guyanese directly, using social media and in recent months by taking the Office of the President to the people in various communities.

President Dr Irfaan Ali examines one of the ceramic pieces made by locals at the Rupununi Rodeo 2023 on the opening night in Tabatinga, Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo)

Only an incompetent and lazy group would find two weeks insufficient to review PSA

Nature trail in Mainstay/Whyaka to boost tourism sector

community-based tourism will provide various opportunities for residents

Tourists will soon have the opportunity to explore and learn more about the traditional values and culture of the Indigenous people in Mainstay/Whyaka, Region Two, as the nature trail is almost completed.

Tourists will get a unique travel experience, thanks to this venture. The community is embarking on several developmental initiatives to drive economic growth, and community development, and improve the livelihoods of the residents.

As tourism plays an integral role in transforming the economy, Mainstay/Whyaka remains keen that community-based tourism, and the nature trail will help to foster sustainable growth in the sector.

Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI) recently, Toshao Yvonne Pearson (MP) highlighted that the nature trail will be completed soon and is part of efforts to transform tourism there.

The goal is to provide travellers with a genuine experience while also generating income for the local economy as well as aiding the preservation of Amerindian

culture.

When the nature trail is opened next month-end, Toshao Pearson explained that some of the experiences tourists can expect include village tours, camping, village culture and tradition, and nature hikes.

“We want to share with people, our visitors, traditional knowledge, and that is why we say community tourism. Traditional knowledge of the way how we used to use the trees, the forest, and medicinal plants, we want to share with people. So, when we take you to the park, we will be telling you

our stories,” the Toshao noted.

In addition, she said tourists will be provided with information on how charm, or Bena as Amerindians refer to the plant, can be utilised in the traditional way.

Some 25 residents of the community are undergoing continuous training sessions in aquaculture, tour guiding, tourism and hospitality, among others.

“We want to build the capacity of all these 25 persons and they can fit anywhere. That is what we are trying to do,” Toshao Pearson pointed out. Some of the individuals will guide visitors along the trail and provide valuable information about the various trees and medicinal plants.

“And how we used to use them for hunting, fishing, or whatever it is. We’re bringing back that tradition, information that we want to share for people to know that we are here and still knowledgeable of our traditional ways of life,” she added.

The guesthouse at Lake Mainstay will also be extended.

In its pursuit to promote

healthy food, the farming community has intentions to serve Indigenous foods to visitors fresh from the farm.

Toshao Pearson emphasised that, “We’re also talking about cassava processing. We want to take people to see where the vegetables are coming from when we serve them. While we are looking at economic developments for our people and

job opportunities, we are also promoting healthy food. That is our aim.”

Other initiatives include the marine cage culture, the implementation of climate-smart agriculture practices which include a shade house to cultivate crops that are in high demand and the launch of the new bottled water.

The community con-

tinues to create avenues for the residents to be fully involved in the economic opportunities to develop their economy. This will also help the residents to be self-sufficient and food secure. The Government continues to support efforts to promote the tourism industry throughout the country, with focused initiatives benefitting all Guyanese.

Dear Editor, Recently a billboard was set up depicting former President Dr Cheddi Jagan as "The Father of The Nation." It is a fitting tribute to a man who has done so much for his country, over and beyond what an ordinary Guyanese could ever achieve during that period. And for such selfless contribution, he is duly respected as the father of this nation.

Now, this honour granted to our former leader has brought out the ire of the PNC, who have come out swinging in public denunciation of the sign, as well as of the PPP/C party who authorised it. They contend that Dr Jagan was a communist

From all reports, the President’s approach is working.

Therefore, one is led to believe that there is a concerted attempt to dismantle and detract from the successful engagements based on the reportage from a news outlet.

Further, the newspaper appears unhappy with the fact that its principals cannot dictate to the Government how to conduct the affairs of the country. The publication may not like the answers that the PPP/C leaders are giving or the fact that the Government is defending its policies and decision-making.

However, this does not

and a racist, one who should be erased from the political landscape of Guyana. They, in typical PNC style, would go about denigrating him on every available platform they can stand on. But is that narrative true? Does that narrative have any documented proof to support it? And the answer is a resounding no!

The person they want as the father of the nation is Burnham and here's the disgraceful problem they have on their hands, that is, to prove that Burnham was not a racist himself. So, permit me to ask the question, who or what makes one a racist?

The meaning of word racist is defined as one who is prejudicial or discriminates against

give the media entity and others carte blanche to continue the unscrupulous coverage of Government events. The Leonora press conference is a prime example.

KN made the false claim that supporters were heckling and intimidating its reporters at the State-sponsored presidential outreach.

This lie was concocted to fit the publication’s anti-Government narrative. What scientific method was adopted by the agents of the newspaper to determine that residents attending the press conference were actually PPP supporters?

Then entity enlisted in its

people of another ethnicity. That definition if taken as a singular cause does not give the true meaning of a racist, however, further scrutiny of the word racist would reveal that a racist is someone who believes that his race makes them better, more intelligent, and more moral than people of other races, this was Burnham's peculiar problem.

In the first place, Burnham never respected the other races in Guyana, he never saw them as equals to his own race. In that regard he went about shoring up the Black Race as superior to other races; if that is not racism or Black Apartheid then what is? He buttressed that

scheme, the President of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir. Raghubir is no doubt trying to secure her own re-election as head of the GPA at its upcoming election. In her haste to attribute equal political blame, she equated the Leonora press conference to a previously held press conference at Congress Place, the PNC’s headquarters, where a group of confirmed PNC party members led by the infamous Carol Joseph heckled reporters.

The two incidents are not the same. The President’s press conference was not a PPP/C event. The media en-

concept in a strategy of systemic rigging of every election held here in this country, thus ensuring that he stays in power for life. That Black triumphalism theory of his was brutally played out on every front here in Guyana, Burnham ensured that no other race would have that God-given privilege to choose who governs them.

No wonder the present-day dingbats tried that same strategy when for five months they desperately tried to deny another person of Indian descent the right to winning, as well as, the right to govern this nation. It was that inherent racism, the notion that drove them to it!

So, to call for Burnham to

gagement was called by the President to provide information to the country following two days of meetings with residents of Region 3.

When an examination of the issue is done, one can conclude that the true intentions of the newspaper and the GPA’s President were to deflect from the successful presidential outreach to Leonora where residents from all ethnicities and political persuasions had the opportunity to meet with the President and his team to have their long-standing issues resolved.

With regards,

Erin Northe

be acclaimed father of the nation is simply asking for the impossible to take place. The PNC must first free itself of its racist ideology which is institutionalised through the system of rigging. When that mentality is wiped clean

out of their minds, then and only then can that party gain some form of decency or political standing in modern Guyanese society.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Who was the racist? Who was the political opportunist? – Part 1 President’s approach...

A part of the trail

Mainstay/Whyaka Toshao Yvonne Pearson

NGSA Math Questions

Guyanese expanding services in oil & gas linked to enacted Local Content Policy – fmr GCCI President

...lists local content as top highlight during 2-year tenure

Anexus can be drawn between Guyanese companies being able to expand the services they provide to companies in the oil and gas sector and the Local Content Act and related policies that provided the space for them to partner with foreign companies while they built their capacity.

This is according to former Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Timothy Tucker, during a recently broadcast interview with OilNow. In fact, in reflecting on the achievements during his tenure of 2021 to 2023, Tucker put local content at the top of the list.

“I think to see local content to its fruition. The President, I was standing behind him when he signed local content into law. And I think that is something that we started. It took a long time. We were screaming and shouting at people, when they didn’t understand it. We had our internal fights, within the private sector. Within our own chamber. On whether

or not it is what is right for Guyana. We debated that. Of course, we have companies within the oil and gas sector that are our members. And we had to represent them as well.”

“So you’re dealing with companies who want to get into the sector and you’re dealing with companies who control the sector. They thought that local content would slow the sector down. And for us, we were saying to them, you’re not giving us any opportunities. You’re not showing us where the opportunities lie. And we glad to get local content to open those doors,” he said.

Tucker applauded the rate at which Guyanese have expanded the services they can provide to oil and gas companies, stepping out from the previous 40 areas of opportunities for local content and building capacity along the way.

As a matter of fact, Tucker noted that this expansion would not have been possible without local content –which itself would not have been possible without the

Local Content Act of 2021.

“We did a review with the Private Sector Commission, at the local content forum. And we started with 40 areas. And now you’re seeing an additional 25 areas being up. Guyanese have the capacity to now do 65 things and even more. I think the chamber has identified another seven or eight more. So, you’re at all in all, [over] 70 areas. Almost doubling the 40 areas that we’ve recommended.”

“Guyanese are now investing in pipe coating, vessel services, they’re going into things that people said first Guyanese can’t do. We’ve been able to go and find partners, bring them, and get these things done. Mind you, those partnerships would not have happened without local content,” Tucker further affirmed.

Moving forward, Tucker noted that an area the Government can focus on is reviewing the law to ensure all loopholes are closed. According to Tucker, one loophole foreign companies have been exploiting is the

Floor It Guyana wins...

"Working with Dr Doerga has been instrumental in our success," said Cummings. "He has provided us with invaluable insights and guidance, and we are grateful for his ongoing support."

Floor It Guyana has also been a client of ActionCOACH Guyana for seven years. ActionCOACH has been providing the company with business

coaching, training, and support, helping them to achieve their goals and grow their business.

"We are thrilled to see Floor It Guyana recognised for their achievements," said the team at ActionCOACH Guyana. "They are a true example of what can be accomplished when you have a strong vision, a dedicated team, and the right sup -

FROM PAGE 2

port."

The BIZX America Awards are one of the most prestigious business awards in the world, recognising companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective industries. Floor It Guyana is honoured to have been selected as the winner in the Best Import/Export Company category.

definitions surrounding a “local company”, whereby they “rent” a citizen to meet the requirements for a local company. He noted that these infractions and more, are things the private sector must support the Government in tackling.

“Rent extraction will create a foreign currency crisis, and will reduce opportunities for locals in terms of benefitting from local content. Few people will actually be able to get anything from it… it’s important that we work as a private sector organisation, and that we continue to support the Government in terms of the regulations. Basically, calling out those who have been breaching this act and gives the Government the tools to investigate these things and correct the wrongs. At no point should we stand by.”

The Local Content Act lays out 40 different services that oil and gas companies and their subcontractors must procure from Guyanese companies by the end of 2022. For instance, these companies must pro-

cure from Guyanese companies 90 per cent of office space rental and accommodation services; 90 per cent of janitorial services, laundry and catering services; 95 per cent pest control services; 100 per cent local insurance services; 75 per cent local supply of food; and 90 per cent local accounting services.

The Local Content Act

mandates penalties for oil and gas companies and their sub-contractors who fail to meet the minimum targets of the legislation, as well as those who are in breach of the Act. These fines range from as low as $5 million to as high as $50 million. Consultations are meanwhile currently underway, with the aim of updating the Act. (G-3)

Former GCCI President Timothy Tucker

Criminal Bench Book, Disability Awareness Guidelines launched to improve administration of justice

are novel in that they address areas of judicial attention that are newly emerging, constantly developing, and increasingly relevant to Caribbean justice.

These are: Criminal Case Management; Judge Alone Trials; Procedural Fairness; Therapeutic Jurisprudence, and Human Trafficking, Forced Labour, and Modern Slavery. Chairman of the CAJO, CCJ Judge Peter Jamadar described the publications as “useful tools” that have been crafted in record time—14 months.

for contextual adaptation by regional judiciaries and judicial officers.

Go fly a kite… …Guyana!!

Guyana now has a Criminal Bench Book which is intended to aid Judges and other Judicial Officers in improving the administration of justice. The Criminal Bench Book for Guyana, Barbados, and Belize, and the Disability and Inclusion

While the availability of this publication ought to be celebrated, he said that the focus should remain on the meaningful use and application of these tools.

“The use of these tools towards advancing justice across the Caribbean, ensuring that each person has unfettered and equal access to justice. That each person en-

with disabilities, particularly in the administration of justice. The guidelines are fashioned in three parts: (I) the introduction which provides an in-depth look at constitutional, ethical, and international underpinnings of the rights of persons with disabilities; (II) The guidelines themselves which are across

“While many of the guidelines may be readily implementable across judiciaries, the needs and realities of persons with disabilities vary across the Caribbean and as such, the guidelines in each jurisdiction ought to be informed by and reflect such needs,” she advised. To this end, she said it is imperative that judiciaries meaningfully work with persons with disabilities and disability-representative organisations when adapting these guidelines for local use and implementation.

The CAJO, a non-profit organisation that brings together the Caribbean’s Chancellors, Chief Justices, Judges, Masters, Magistrates, Tribunal Members, Executive Court Administrators, and other judicial staff, collaborated with the Canada-funded Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening (JURIST) Project on developing the two publications. The JURIST Project (2014-2023) commenced after the signing of a Contribution Arrangement between the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

The Government of Canada is providing CAD 19,400,000, while the CCJ as the executing agency, and other regional partners will contribute CAD 1,441,689 and CAD 2,883,327, respectively.

Now if you were to tell someone in the States to “Go fly a kite!”, he wouldn’t be so pleased!! In fact, he’d be downright insulted. What you’ve told him was to leave – basically, you didn’t want him around – mostly ‘cause he’s irritating or annoying the hell out of you!! Like in “Go take a hike!”, “Go jump in the lake” or “Beat it”!! Now all of us know about “Beat it!”, don’t we?? It’s only one of the biggest rock songs of all times by Michael Jackson from his monster album, “Thriller”!!

Good for Michael, though, he was giving some solid advice to a young man who wanted to use violence to resolve a beef!! Rather than fight – which doesn’t really solve anything in the hood, just “beat it!!” On this Easter Monday, there’s a whole lot of Guyanese youth who should take Michael’s, rather than those street-corner geriatrics’ advice: They’re out to get you, better leave while you can/ Don’t wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man. You wanna stay alive, better do what you can/ So beat it, just beat it!! You have to show them that you’re really not scared/ You’re playin’ with your life, this ain’t no truth or dare/ They’ll kick you, then they’ll beat you/ Then they’ll tell you it’s fair So beat it, but you wanna be bad!!

Anyhow, today most Guyanese are either going out to “fly a kite” or telling their kids to do so!! And in the latter case, some parents ARE telling the kids to get out of their hair!! So, Dear Reader, did you ever wonder where we Guyanese got this tradition of flying kites on Easter Monday?? After all, we’re the only country in the world to do so other than Bermuda – that dot in the Atlantic that also has a British heritage. This should be researched – and romanced! - -to become the basis for us promoting our dear Mudland and lure in those tourists!!

‘Cause if Christians believe on this day Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven – which is somewhere in the sky, they believe – what better way to represent that than having little humble homemade kites also rise up into that same sky?? Guyana might become a pilgrimage site to the billion or so Christians around the globe, no?? Ok…OK. Maybe your Eyewitness’s head is too much up in the skies!!

Awareness Guidelines, were officially launched on Friday, March 31, by the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (CAJO).

The Criminal Bench Book comprises 28 chapters. The first 23 chapters open with general principles in the subject area of law and then narrow down to provide jurisdiction-specific principles, directions, and guidelines for the three individual jurisdictions respectively. “

The final five chapters

joys the full plenitude of their rights,” Justice Jamadar noted in his speech at the launch of the publications.

The Disability and Inclusion Awareness Guidelines, on the other hand, are intended to provide Caribbean judiciaries and judicial officers with a practical tool for further developing and implementing key practices and procedures that promote and secure the rights of persons

10 key areas of disability inclusion and awareness; and (III) a background to the development of these guidelines, along with additional resources.

Sharing details about the use of the Disability and Inclusion Awareness Guidelines was ViceChairman of CAJO, acting Chief Justice Roxane George, SC. According to Justice George, it is strongly recommended that these guidelines be studied and revised

The JURIST Project, among other things, is working with judiciaries in the Region to support their own efforts to improve court administration and strengthen the ability of the courts and the judiciary to resolve cases efficiently and fairly. The Project is also building the capacity of regional trial and appellate courts, including the CCJ, to facilitate the deepening of economic integration and improve court governance, case flow management, and the timeliness of case disposition.

Teen gets 6 years on 8 counts of armed robbery

Eighteen-year-old Joshua Scott, a construction worker of B Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, who was accused of a spate of armed robberies, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to eight counts of armed robbery.

The teen appeared before Senior Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts last week. According to a Police report, he was arrested on March 29 and charged with the offence of robbery under arms contrary to Section 222 (c) of the Criminal Law (Offences)

Act. Police provided no facts in relation to the robberies.

Also, last week, Neville

Dundas, 29, a construction worker, and 19-year-old Earl Grant, a mason—both of Tucville, Georgetown— appeared before the Chief Magistrate on a joint robbery charge.

It is alleged that on April 4, at Tucville Terrace, Georgetown, they robbed Joseph Inniss of a leather pouch, two cell phones, and cash valued at $415,000. After pleading not guilty to the charge, they were each ordered to post bail in the sum of $20,000.

According to the facts related by the Police Prosecutor, on the day in question, Inniss’s wife was

involved in an accident with Dundas and Grant, who were riding a motorcycle. The trio decided to settle the matter and so the woman called her husband to the scene.

But when Inniss arrived there, he was allegedly attacked and robbed of his belongings by Dundas and Grant, who subsequently escaped on foot. As they attempted to jump over a fence, Dundas, however, cut his hand, resulting in him dropping the stolen items. A Police report was made which led to the arrest of both men and Inniss’ pouch was recovered.

Anyhow, on this Easter Monday, we can think about our OTHER Easter traditions that DO draw in some tourists – like our Rupununi Rodeo and Bartica Regatta. Incidentally, whatever happened to our Rupununi cows?? The one being lassoed was so scrawny, it made the cowboy look like a blimp!!

…GECOM subverters

If there’s one constant in Guyanese politics, it’s the PNC’s messing around with our electoral mechanisms. But then it’s in their DNA, ain’t it?? They went down on their knees and begged and begged the Brits to make that “fiddled electoral arrangement” on FPTP to PR to oust the PPP and ease them into office in 1964!! Then as early as 1967, Burnham appointed a diffident fella named Desmond Hoyte from his law office to the Elections Commission to prepare to rig the mandated 1969 elections!

The latter created the National Register of Registrants (NRR) from which the Preliminary Voters List was extracted – and elections in Guyana were never the same again!! So here we are, just three years after their latest –and most shameless – rigging attempt – and they’re doing their darndest to throw monkey wrenches into every PPPled effort to professionalise GECOM!!

Their latest is to complain about the new DCEO to replace the former one who’s before the Courts!! Seriously, can anyone be LESS partisan than her?!!?

…Brit establishment!

Slowly, the stiff upper lip of the British Establishment is trembling under the pent-up contradictions of insisting it was “fair”!! First, the Liberal Guardian was shown to’ve been founded on slave ownership – and now LSE has honoured Arthur Lewis!!

Jailed: Joshua Scott

CCJ Judge Peter Jamad

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC

Tenders out for reconstruction of gutted Christ Church Secondary School

– following pre-bid meeting; contractors have until April 27 to submit bids

Tenders are out for the reconstruction of Christ Church Secondary School (CCSS), which was gutted in a blaze in January that the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has since deemed to have been maliciously set.

According to the tender issued by the Ministry of Education, bids from reputable contractors are being sought to re-construct various components of the

school in accordance with the National Competitive Bidding (NCB) procedures.

Contractors will be required to reconstruct the school foundation (sub-structure), frame (superstructure), infrastructure and fixtures (electrical and plumbing installation), and installation of air conditioning and fire prevention units, in addition to masonry, finishing works, and furnishing.

It was explained that all bids must be delivered to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) by April 27, 2023. Once that date has passed, late bids will be rejected. All bids will be opened in the presence of contractor(s), supplier(s), and their representatives.

A pre-bid site meeting had been hosted in the Christ Church Secondary School Compound on April

4, where contractors were able to have any questions answered. According to the Ministry, “If there are any additional queries, bidders are asked to submit a written letter of inquiry to the Procurement Unit before Thursday, April 13, 2023.”

The arson attacks on four schools in Guyana over the span of two years have seen the displacement of some 1954 students in the education sector. The most recent fire at Christ Church Secondary, which occurred on January 12, 2023, affect-

ed 503 students, 39 teachers, and nine ancillary staff. From the July 2022 fire at St George’s High School, 397 students, 33 teachers, and four ancillary staff were severely affected.

Seventh-day Adventist conference opens on Wednesday – President, Opposition Leader slated to attend

Oakwood University Church, Pastor Deblearie Snell.

“Beyond the important task of managing the business of the church, the session will also be a reflection of the mosaic of diversity within the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Guyana. A true sampling of the cultural variety of our composition, a flavouring of authentic Guyanese diversity," Communications Director of the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Osley Edwards related.

He further stated

The Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is set to hold its 6th Quadrennial Session from April 12 to 14, 2023, at the Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, followed by a convention and installation of officers at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

The theme of the session is "Anchored in His Promises, Advancing His Purpose," and

it will bring together delegates from across the country to discuss mission goals, receive reports from administrators and directors, make suggestions for future effectiveness, and elect officers to serve for the new quadrennium. The sixty-five thousand-strong Adventist population in Guyana will be

represented by approximately 400 local delegates and will be joined by delegates from the mother organisation, the Caribbean Union Conference, the next higher organisation, the InterAmerican Division and administrators from sister fields across the Caribbean Union. Also joining the large delegation will be an international speaker of the Breath of Life Ministries and Pastor of the

“Through this diverse representation, we are able to make transformational deposits to our society in almost every community across this country in the areas of health, family life, youth development, community enrichment, and spiritual development. These daily outstanding contributions to our society are also a point of acknowledgment at this session.”

Meanwhile, a colourful and solemn opening ceremony is planned for Wednesday, April 12 to kick-start the 3-day session, a major de-

cision-making forum of the church. Also, in attendance at the opening ceremony will be the President Dr Irfaan Ali, the Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, and the Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine.

While the business sessions will remain closed to delegates in attendance, the devotional sessions in the mornings and evenings will be streamed live on the Facebook and YouTube platforms at the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Tenders out for reconstruction...

Likewise, in June 2021, North Ruimveldt saw the displacement of 444 students, 40 teachers, and five ancillary staff; while 610 students, 38 teachers, and 11 ancillary staff were affected by the North West Secondary fire in September 2021.

The Government has warned that persons found culpable will face harsh penalties for such actions.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn had strongly condemned “those trying to wreak havoc and create future weakness and uncertainty within the school system and the nation. It should be noted that of the four school fires within the last two years, two were maliciously set by person/ persons who have no regard for the future development of the nation’s children.”

The Minister had said that school fires will create a negative ripple effect on the education system and called on all agencies and citizens to be vigilant to ensure the protection and sustainability of the educa-

tion sector. He had reminded the public that there are harsh penalties attached to arson attacks, and once identified; the perpetrators will face the full brunt of the law.

Exactly one week before the most recent fire at Christ Church Secondary, there had been another

fire that was determined to have been of chemical origin. It was reported that the Police were also working on a few leads and presumed suspects with regard to the CCSS fire. At present, students of the school have been accommodated at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).

Communications Director of the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Osley Edwards

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton

President Dr Irfaan Ali

A scene from the pre-bid meeting held in the Christ Church School compound last week

Over 2000 Guyanese awarded GOAL scholarships to pursue certificate programmes

partnerships with several international universities, will provide a myriad of pertinent academic and vocational programmes: Certificate,

Diploma, Bachelor’s, PostGraduate, Master’s, and Doctorate. The primary objective is to deliver 20,000 scholarships by 2025 through

a collaboration of agencies including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Service, and the Ministry of Labour.

More than 2000

Guyanese have been awarded scholarships by the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) to pursue certificate programmes at various institutions in 2023.

Late last week, GOAL released the official publication of scholarship awardees who will be studying online at the University of the West Indies (Open Campus), the AA Maritime and Offshore Training Institute, Guyana, and the Jain “Deemed to be” University, India.

Among the over 100 areas of study include Project Management, Marine Cadet (Engineering)

Programme, Accounting and Taxation, Accounting and Finance, Advance Counselling, Agriculture Marketing, Animation and Gaming, Banking and Finances, Artificial Intelligence for Business, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cash Management, Company Law and Management, Computer Knowledge, Cognitive Psychology, Criminal Law, Conversational Spanish, Event Management, FirstAid Training, House Keeping, Human Resource Management, Introduction to Photography, Introduction to Public Relations, Joinery and Cabinet Making, Massage Therapy, Office Tools, Medical Technologies, Pharmacy Assistant, Patient Care Management, Photography, Professional Training for Hotel and Tourism, Photography and Transport Management.

Upon completion of their respective programmes,

graduates will be required to do mandatory community service which will be dependent upon the duration of their field of study.

“Make this opportunity count by fully dedicating your energies towards the successful completion of your programme of study and use the knowledge gained to advance the development of yourself, your community, and our beautiful nation,” Public Service Minister Sonia Parag said in a congratulatory message to the awardees.

Importantly, GOAL has advised that it is aware that there are still persons who have not yet received their scholarship email and others who may have matters to rectify and has assured that these matters will be resolved in the coming days.

Launched in 2021, GOAL is a part of the Government of Guyana’s transformative agenda to have an educated workforce. GOAL, through

Public Service Minister Sonia Parag

Developmental works in Reg 6 likely to push labour costs upwards – Armogan

Over $10 billion in investment is being injected into Region Six’s economy through several projects at Palmyra, with most of it coming from the private sector.

However, these developmental works will result in an increased cost of labour. This is according to Regional Chairman David Armogan, who stated that to date, three

major projects have com-

menced.

These include the Berbice stadium, a call centre and a state-of-the-art business centre for persons living with disabilities (PLWD).

“There is another project going on with Sherriff Medical Centre in which they are now moving apace to set up a private hospital at Palmyra. Also, there were persons who were given lands for private investment and they are also developing the area,” the Regional Chairman explained.

“The entire front area is being cleared because per-

sons have started to develop the lands so that they can put down whatever commercial activity they have been given the lands to do.”

Armogan explained that the projects will provide jobs for residents in the region but on the other hand, there is the unavailability of labour since most of the workers are running towards the projects that are paying more.

“The three chambers as well as the farming community have complained bitterly to me that they are not getting labour to work in their respective businesses and so with this situation here now where lots of construction work is going to go on, the competition for labour is going to become much heavier and so the price of labour will obviously go up. I don’t know

if the ordinary private sector will be able to compete with the rising cost of labour that will be entailed as a result of the demand and supply situation.”

He pointed out that once there is a high demand for labour people are going to pay more.

“I don’t know if it will affect other businesses. But as it is, it is a good thing that is

happening in terms of investment – more money will be in circulation, more persons will be employed and perhaps we will be able to attract more persons to come from outside of Berbice to be employed within the region as well.”

The Chairman noted, however, that the development taking place is good and one that will benefit the region in a major way.

Business Centre

Call Centre

Sheriff Headquarters

Smart Hospital commissioned in Paramakatoi

Residents of Paramakatoi, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and the surrounding communities will benefit from improved access to healthcare with the commissioning of a Smart Hospital in the village.

The Paramakatoi Smart Hospital, previously the Paramakatoi Health Centre, was retrofitted to meet modern standards as part of the Smart Health Care Facilities in the Caribbean Project.

The project saw Guyana collaborating with the United Kingdom (UK) to retrofit five selected hospitals with environmentally-friendly sys-

adding pieces to it, and after a while, it becomes very cumbersome. And when people come, they’re not sure where to go, which room to go in, and sometimes it can be challenging, especially for older patients. So, part of this project is to simplify the layout of the building, so that when people come in, they can have easy and ready access to the building,” he explained.

health facilities to become safe and resilient against various hazards such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, and earthquakes, to become more

to the people of Guyana.”

Last year, the Government commissioned additional Smart Hospitals at Mabaruma, Region One,

tems, and heightened resistance to natural disasters.

The hospitals also utilise colour therapy to lift the spirits of patients, and induce a sense of wellness and calm.

Paramakatoi is the fifth hospital to be retrofitted under this project.

At the commissioning ceremony on Saturday morning, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony expressed that the completion of the Smart facility serves as a demonstration of the Government’s commitment to the modernisation of Guyana’s health sector.

“We have embarked on a project to transform the health sector in Guyana. And

you would have noticed that over the last two years or so, despite COVID, we have placed a lot of emphasis on developing, strengthening and expanding the range of services that we can offer at any one of our health facilities. And [Paramakatoi] is no different, because we need to expand the range of services that we can offer here,”

The Minister noted that one of the most convenient things about the hospital is its simple layout, a key feature many health facilities lack.

“One of the challenges we’ve had with existing facilities is that over time, we keep

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller noted that the overall investment for Smart Hospital initiative in Guyana totals $1.6 billion. She further expressed her satisfaction with its success.

“One of the priorities for the UK Government is tackling climate change, preventing ecological and biodiversity loss, and also building resilience to disasters that might come along. And that’s why this project started…. The idea was to make these facilities stronger and more resilient to whatever the climate is, or whatever might befall them. And this is the last of the five to be handed over to the Government [of Guyana],” she said.

Missing 14-year-old found after days of searching

the Institute of Business Education (IBE) and a resident of Enterprise on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), went missing after he left home to visit the barber.

It was reported that his mother, Mishana Cosbert, became increasingly concerned when he did not return home after his trip to the barber, as it was unusual for him to be out for an extended period without notifying his family.

She added that the initiative has seen success in Belize and St Vincent and the Grenadines, where Smart Hospitals withstood severe natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions and hurricanes.

Meanwhile, PanAmerican Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) Advisor on Disease Surveillance, Dr Rainier Escalada, expressed, “This effort adds a very important layer or dimension to our collaborative work on health here in Guyana. Through this project, we have been retrofitting

environmentally sustainable in terms of water, electricity and power consumption, and very importantly, to improve the operational capacity towards rendering good quality and relevant health services

and Leonora, Region Three. These facilities complement the Smart Hospitals at Diamond, on the East Bank of Demerara, and Lethem, in Region Nine, which were commissioned in 2021.

Fourteen-year-old Jerimiah Smith, who was reported missing two Saturdays ago, has been found and is said to be unharmed. The relatives of the teenager when contacted on Sunday, did not divulge any further details about where he was found.

Smith, a student of

After making a report to the Police, Cosbert and other family members searched the community and surrounding areas for any sign of the teenager, but their efforts yielded no results. The family also took to social media to spread the word about their missing loved one, and sought help from the public in locating him.

As the days went by with no news of Jerimiah's whereabouts, his family and friends grew increasingly worried and anxious. They clung to hope while grappling with the uncertainty of not knowing where he was or what had happened to him.

Fortunately, their search efforts paid off when Jerimiah was found safe and sound. His family expressed relief and gratitude to the community and the Police for their assistance in finding him.

The circumstances surrounding Jerimiah's disappearance remain unclear, and his family has requested privacy as they work through the situation. However, they emphasised their joy and gratitude that he has been found and returned to them unharmed.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony along with British High Commissioner Jane Miller and PAHO/WHO Advisor on Disease Surveillance, Dr Rainier Escalada inspecting the new Smart Hospital in Paramakatoi, Region Eight

The Smart Hospital at Paramakatoi

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller

Pan-American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Advisor on Disease Surveillance, Dr Rainier Escalada

Found: Jerimiah Smith

project Guyana will negotiate for increased gas

supply –

Gas-to-energy

Min Bharrat

...says 12-inch pipeline allows for 130 million cubic feet per day

where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil.

It features approximately 200 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that will run from the 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.

The pipeline’s route onshore would follow the same path as the fibre optic cables and will terminate at Hermitage, part of the Wales Development Zone (WDZ) which will house the gas-toshore project.

In Budget 2023, the gas-to-energy project received a $43.3 billion allocation. This allocation is in

addition to the $24.6 billion injected into the start-up of the transformational project, which includes the construction of an Integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Plant and the 300-megawatt (MW) Combined Cycle Power Plant at Wales, WBD.

The NGL and 300 MW power plant components of the gas-to-shore project, are meanwhile expected to cost US$759.8 million and will be financed through sources that include budgets and loan financing.

At present, the gas-to-energy project is governed by an agreement that will see oil giant ExxonMobil guaranteeing a 50 million standard cubic feet per day (scfpd) supply to Guyana. But according to Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, there is scope for this supply to be increased in the future.

During a recent broadcast interview, Bharrat spoke of the foresight that went into the Government deciding on a 12-inch pipeline for the project, rather than an eight-inch pipeline. He noted that this will cater to the increased supply of gas as the Government develops the Wales Development Zone (WDZ) around the project.

“We’re going to install a 12-inch pipeline, because it makes no sense we install an eight-inch pipeline now, and then two, three years from now, we’re hustling to change

it or to install a new pipeline. We’re incurring that additional cost now,” Minister Bharrat said.

“So, with a 12-inch pipeline, we can bring in approximately 130 million cubic feet per day. We’re guaranteed 50 million upfront. But with the 12-inch pipe that will be in place, we can bring in as much as 130-140 million per day. And that is when we will start building out the industries around that power plant.”

Those industries include plans for a plant to produce fertiliser by converting the gas into ammonia, as well as plans for producing protein pellets that can be used in feed production and livestock.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s focus on agriculture is down to the vision of making Guyana the bread basket of the Caribbean and

reducing the regional food import bill.

President Dr Irfaan Ali has declared that his Government will be pursuing an aggressive campaign to dismantle regional barriers to agricultural trade and that in the next four years, with the assistance of more diversified crops, Guyana would aim to reduce Caricom’s food import bill by 25 per cent. The ability for Guyana to produce its own fertiliser would be a major boost to that goal.

“For example, [we can] make our own fertiliser right here in Guyana. And there are so many other Petrochemical industries we can look at. Of course, that is the more medium term-long term,” Minister Bharrat said.

“The gas is guaranteed, the 50 million cubics. We have put ourselves in a position where at some point in time in the near future, we will increase that. Working with Exxon, we will increase that beyond 50 million cubics,” he added.

The scope of Guyana’s gas-to-energy project consists of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipeline from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana,

our country. The Rupununi is the pioneer in eco-tourism and sport tourism,” she noted.

The Minister urged persons there to continue advancing the sector, underscoring its sustainability. She also assured them of Government’s support in building resilient sectors. “Tourism is going to be a key and leading sector in the country long after oil and gas. It will rival agriculture.

“More innovation and initiative are being taken to

ognised the importance of the well after the Village Council placed it as a top priority and as a result, Minister Sukhai, on Saturday, visited the community to get a first-hand view of the proposed site for the new underground water system.

The Minister also visited the current water supply network. About two dozen residents of Parishara are currently without ready access to water.

Minister Sukhai said the

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai on Saturday presented the Rupununi Livestock Association with $1 million to support the ongoing development of agriculture.

The Minister was at the time witnessing the opening of Rodeo 2023, dubbed “Dust till Dawn”.

Recognising the crucial role that agriculture plays in the country’s economy, the Dr Mohamed Irfaan Aliled Administration has put forward plans to expand agriculture countrywide.

To promote sustainable and inclusive growth in the sector, the Administration has increased the availability of agriculture inputs and services in the hinterland.

Works are underway to improve infrastructure including roads and bridges to facilitate access to markets, while technical support is being provided to farmers to increase their productivity and efficiency.

Further, the Government’s plan will provide viable economic opportunities in the hinterland regions, thus improving the living standards of residents.

Meanwhile, Minister Sukhai said the rodeo adds to the unique tourism brand found only in the Rupununi.

“It is Region Nine that is the fastest growing region in

make this activity more exciting for the visitors,” the Minister added.

Hundreds of persons were thrilled in the wee hours Sunday, by horseback riders, who were nothing short of entertainers.

Members of the audience were at the edge of their seats, when the cowboys and cowgirls performed some fearsome bull-riding.

Meanwhile, residents of Parishara will soon have access to potable water when a new well is drilled in the village.

The decision to construct an additional well followed a request from the village’s Toshao, during the National Toshaos’ Council Conference last September.

The Government rec-

Administration is on a mission to ensure every citizen has access to potable water, to ensure the gap between the coast and the hinterland is diminished. The aim is to achieve 100 per cent access to water services in the hinterland and riverine communities by 2025.

Completing this will mean Guyana has achieved the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number six.

Additionally, the Government has set aside $1.4 billion towards upgrading and extending water distribution systems across Regions One, Two, Seven, Eight, and Nine. Access to potable water in the hinterland has increased from 46 per cent to 75 per cent.

One of the industries earmarked for Guyana’s excess gas, is in producing fertiliser

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

Rupununi Livestock Association gets $1M for agriculture support – Parishara village to soon access potable water

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai

Minister Sukhai and a staff inspect the location for a well

Giftland looking to renew power purchase deal with GPL – Roy Beepat

The power company’s Divisional Director (Power Generation and Distribution) Bharat Harjohn, made this disclosure during an appearance before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in March for a review of GPL’s 2022 Operating Standards and Performance Targets (OSPT).

Region 9 family gets home rebuilt by MoM

Giftland Mall is looking to renew its power purchase agreement with the Guyana Power Light (GPL) after the previous deal, which was inked in early 2020, has expired.

This was revealed by the Chairman of Giftland Group, Roy Beepat, during a recent interview with Guyana Times

“Right now, the lease agreement to supply power has expired and we’ve applied to have it renewed. We’re now awaiting permission [from GPL], so that it will be renewed,” Beepat related.

According to the Chairman, the renewal application was submitted about one month ago after the initial agreement expired earlier this year.

The power purchasing agreement was first signed in January 2020 under the previous APNU/AFC coalition Administration.

However, Giftland only started to supply the GPL grid with electricity in October 2020. It has a system that produces 6.7 megawatts of electricity, 5 megawatts of which is HFO [heavy fuel oil] fuelled. But it only uses 1.6 megawatts during prime operations at the mall.

As such, Government tapped into Giftland’s excess power supply to boost the capacity of the GPL grid, which had a generating capacity of 155 megawatts.

Beepat, when asked, could not say at the time how much power Giftland had supplied to the grid or the cost, since it started to supply electricity three years ago. However, the Government was charged only for the power it used from Giftland.

It was previously explained that a large portion of the sum being paid for power supplied is for fuel costs. The power alone costs at about $9.9 million per month, while fuel racks up an estimated $29.5 million.

According to the Giftland Chairman, they were able to supply as much as 3.2 to four megawatts of power during peak evening hours to the national grid.

However, under the pre-

vious power purchase deal, Giftland had encountered several issues with its generating system, which was out of commission for months in some instances.

Despite this, however, Beepat is confident of having the deal renewed especially since the company is investing heavily in overhauling its generating

Harjohn divulged that a number of factors cause the frequency and duration of outages, including plant maintenance, emergency outages, transmission and feeder line trips, switching activities on the network to allow for maintenance or isolation of a fault, generation shortfall, and generation trips.

“When we compare 2022 to 2021, we are seeing that there is an improvement in plant maintenance…it is related to the duration of the

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday handed over a newly rebuilt home to a Parikwarinau, Central Rupununi family – a project that was undertaken by his Men on Mission (MoM) syndicate in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

Last month, fire destroyed the house which was occupied by 41-year-old Richard Gouveia, 31-yearold Carin Bernard, and their five children, whose ages range from one to 13 years.

The MoM Initiative, in collaboration with the business community and other stakeholders, donated the materials and supplied the workforce for the project.

The couple, who has been living in the commu-

equipment. These works are currently being undertaken and the system is expected to be up and running by June.

“We’ll be ready to go ahead [and supply power] in June. Right now, we’re doing some overhauls of our equipment. So, we won’t be able to go ahead until June should they decide to renew the power [purchase] agreement now,” he explained.

GPL is keen to buy power to boost the national grid. In October 2022, the power company advertised for private contractors to supply 50 megawatts of HFOgenerated power through power purchase agreements.

“The total capacity per Lot shall be base-load and is intended to bolster the current and forecasted demand for a period of 5 to 11 years,” the ad stated.

The required total of 50 megawatt is divided into two lots: Lot 1 - Supply of HFO-fired 25 MW gross capacity interconnected with New Sophia Substation or at the alternative Columbia Substation at 69 kV, and Lot 2 - Supply of HFO-fired 25 MW gross capacity interconnected with Canefield Substation at 69 kV.

Only last month, GPL reported an average of 96 hours of power interruption in 2022, a 10 per cent reduction from the amount experienced in the previous year.

outages. There was also a reduction in emergency repair work…there is a reduction in feeder trips. Generation trips, there was an increase in 2022,” Harjohn said.

The Government has embarked on a host of endeavours to upgrade the country’s energy grid and supply distribution. Chief among them is the gas-to-energy project in Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The 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 250MW 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 construction stage, as well as some 40 full-time workers during the operations stage, and another 50 workers during the decommissioning stage.

nity for over a decade, said they were extremely happy and grateful to have a home again.

Region Nine’s Regional Executive Officer (REO), Karl Singh, who led the project, had previously disclosed that MoM responded to the mother’s plea for assistance.

Construction commenced Saturday, March 25, and saw the involvement of the Departments of Education, Agriculture, and Public Works in the region, along with Police officers, the Lethem Town Council and private contractors.

MoM, the brainchild of President Ali, intends to construct 50 homes for vulnerable persons in all ten administrative regions, in-

cluding the elderly, those living with disabilities, single parents, and victims of natural disasters. Since its launch in October last year, some 40 homes were constructed through this initiative to date.

It aims to tackle toxic masculinity and create a positive environment and safe space for men, promoting integrity, productivity and accountability through mentorship and humanitarian engagement.

The Government allocated $500 million in Budget 2023 towards the initiative, of which a portion will go towards several community projects, the introduction of training and programmes to address issues affecting men and boys.

Digicel Guyana injects over $2M into Easter festivities

Digicel Guyana continues to connect communities throughout Guyana and more so during Easter celebrations with its sponsorship of Bartica Regatta, Rupununi Rodeo and Linden Town Week.

The telecommunications company has invested $2.5 million in the events and celebrations scheduled for Easter weekend and the end of April in an effort to unite

communities and celebrate the occasion.

“At Digicel, we recognise the importance of supporting communities and helping to promote these events. We have been partnering with the Rupununi Rodeo, Bartica Regatta and Linden Town Week committees for a number of years. This year is no different. Additionally, we’ll be at the events so look out for our Digicel tent. We

have some amazing deals on handsets for everyone. We are proud to be the network for everyone, everywhere,” Chief Commercial Officer, Simone Pierre stated.

Digicel customers can also benefit from great Easter handset deals with a free 30-Day Prime Bundle starting from April 4 to 14. The Samsung A037 and the DL4 will be on sale at all Digicel stores countrywide.

Advertising Manager Ramesh Rupchand hands over the cheque to members of the Bartica Regatta and Rupununi Rodeo committees

President Irfaan Ali and other officials watch on as Carin Bernard and her family cut the ribbon to their new home

Giftland Chairman Roy Beepat

Regional Mixed report on deforestation for Brazil's Amazon

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest rose 14 per cent in March from the previous year, preliminary official data showed on Friday, highlighting the continued challenges for the new leftist government.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office on January 1, pledging to end deforestation after years of surging deforestation under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, who slashed environmental protection efforts in the Amazon.

"This rise in numbers reveals that the Amazon still suffers from a huge lack of governance and that the new government needs to act urgently to rebuild its capacity for repression to environmental crime, which had been totally destroyed by the last government," said Marcio Astrini, head of local environmental group Climate Observatory.

Space research agency Inpe's data showed 356 square km (137 square miles) were cleared in the Brazil’s Amazon just last month.

The latest figures present a mixed picture on the government’s anti-deforestation thus far with the destruction for January to

March falling to 845 square kilometers (326 square miles), a decrease of 11% from the prior year.

Brazil officially measures annual deforestation from August to July, to limit the influence of cloud cover obscuring destruction satellite images during the rainy months. For the first eight months of that period, August 2022 to March 2023, deforestation is up 39 per cent year on year.

"There are only four months left to close the final deforestation numbers. This means that a decrease in deforestation in the Amazon final rates in 2023 is unlikely. In fact, it has greater chances of increas-

ing," Astrini says.

At the end of February in Brasilia, US climate envoy John Kerry said that the world cannot meet its climate goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degree Celsius unless it protects the Amazon rainforest.

Washington announced at the beginning of the year it intended to contribute to Brazil's Amazon Fund, which supports conservation projects in the jungle region.

Norway also pledged its support last month for Brazil's efforts to attract additional donor countries for the Amazon Fund.

(Reuters)

Antiguan Police investigate drowning of Canadian citizen

The Police at Willikies are continuing to probe an apparent drowning incident of a 68-year-old Canadian male at Devil’s Bridge in the early morning hours of Saturday.

The man’s body was

fished from the water by members of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force Coast Guard and taken to the Coast Guard Base. A medical doctor arrived on the scene and pronounced the body dead at

approximately 08:42h.

The deceased reportedly arrived in Antigua on April 3 with other family members and was staying at the Pineapple Beach Hotel. He was due to leave on April 10.

(Antigua Observer)

Fox News settles with Venezuelan businessman in election defamation lawsuit

Fox News said on Sunday it has reached a settlement with Venezuelan businessman Majed Khalil, ending a defamation case in which Khalil said he was falsely accused on air of helping to rig the 2020 US presidential election against Donald Trump.

Khalil had filed a defamation suit against the news outlet and former host Lou Dobbs, arguing in filings that they had fabricated claims he and other Venezuelans were involved in "orchestrating a non-existent scheme to rig or fix the election" against

the former Republican President.

A short letter sent to US District Judge Louis Stanton in Manhattan on Saturday said the parties had reached a "confidential agreement to resolve this matter" and expected to file a joint stipulation of dismissal this week.

"This matter has been resolved amicably by both sides. We have no further comment," Fox News said in a statement on Sunday.

Lawyers for Fox News and Dobbs referred Reuters to the statement. Khalil's lawyer did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Growing callousness in the hearts of men, a proliferation of wicked acts, and the trivialising of the preaching of the Church, are among the reasons why Easter remains increasingly relevant today, religious leaders say.

Presiding bishop of the Christian Holiness Church in Jamaica, Reverend Dr Alvin Bailey told the Jamaica Observer that the death of Jesus is God's redemptive provision for mankind to be made right in His sight.

"Easter is that time on the Christian calendar when we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; His death by crucifixion, and the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead — as the Bible teaches — for the sins of humanity so that the sins of humankind might be forgiven by God," he said.

"It is extremely relevant in today's society. As evil and sin increase, and men and humankind become more desperate for the things of life, behaviour be-

comes more decadent and there's insensitivity and cruelty in the world. We see the need, more and more, for God's redemption to be brought to the hearts of humankind so that life and health and holiness and sensitivity can be brought back to humankind. So, as the world becomes more wicked and cruelty increases, the need for the salvation of humanity becomes more relevant and is needed," Bailey continued.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Former T&T CoP files lawsuit to block FIU probe

In January, Attorneys for former Commissioner of Police (CoP) Gary Griffith, and his wife Nicole Dyer-Griffith filed a judicial review claim challenging the lawfulness of the request by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)’s acting Director, Nigel Stoddard, to several financial institutions for information on their accounts. Stoddard and the Attorney General were named as the defendants. Griffith’s claim forms part of the exhibit in a constitutional claim filed by firearms dealer Hugh Leong Poi.

In an affidavit, Leong Poi says after reading all the information in Griffith’s claim, he “became tremendously concerned that the State apparatus, in the form of the Financial Intelligence Unit and members of the

Gary Griffith

Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, was being used to harass my company, myself and other members of the firearms industry, such as the Griffiths, for improper motives in the hope that those entities would obtain information to tarnish our good names and reputations.”

The Griffiths are chal-

lenging the same sections of the Financial Intelligence Unit Act and seeks similar declarations as Leong Poi’s as well as orders and injunctions to quash the FIU acting Director’s requests and from being able to use any of the information he may have already received.

They also contend that Stoddard did not have any suspicious transaction or suspicious activity report from any financial institution on them for him to make such requests.

It also says they are concerned that the request was part of a “continued pattern” of unjustified attempts to use the State’s apparatus to “undermine the character and national reputation of Mr Griffith”.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Florida museum showcasing Caribbean history reopens in larger space

One of the most diverse regions in the United States, South Florida is home to hundreds of thousands of people from the Caribbean and Latin America. While the Spanish history is documented, the same cannot be said of their counterparts from the English-speaking Caribbean.

Trump has continued to repeat debunked claims of widespread voting fraud as the reason for his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election even after they have been roundly rejected by courts, state governments, and members of his own former Administration.

Jury selection is set to begin on Thursday ahead of a separate trial in Dominion Voting Systems Corp's US$1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News and its parent company Fox Corp over their coverage of debunked election-rigging claims. (Reuters)

In late October 2020, the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum was launched at Broward Mall in the city of Plantation. On Saturday, administrators stage a reopening of the museum in a larger outlet at the same location.

David Muir, a co-founder of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, told OBSERVER ONLINE that the new home reflects enthusiasm for the project.

“This larger space, and the more expansive space we aim to procure in the future, will allow Island SPACE to do and be more in all aspects. Our historical archive has become fuller and more com-

prehensive in its content, our combined fine art gallery and exhibition space is able to display a lot more from our esteemed guest artistes, and we are able to host almost twice the number of guests we could before for our various community activities and events. Greater capacity will ultimately bring us closer to our desired status as a

premier cultural ‘edu-tainment’ destination,” he said.

The museum’s Jamaican segment is largest, with artefacts from entertainment, sports and politics. While donations have come steadily from Trinidad and Tobago and The Bahamas, contributions from Cuba and Haiti, are not as robust. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

An aerial view shows deforestation near a forest on the border between Amazonia and Cerrado in Nova Xavantina, Mato Grosso state, Brazil July 28, 2021 (Reuter/Amanda Perobelli/file photo)

Easter now “increasingly” relevant, clergymen insist

Commissioner of Police (CoP)

In this file photo, Dr Lavern Deer, FDWO founder, is pictured with David Muir, Island Space Chairman, during a jersey presentation at the museum

Oil markets are misinterpreting the OPEC+ cut

The surprise announcement by OPEC+ of another production cut totalling 1.16 million barrels per day caused oil prices to rally 8%. I previously wrote about this in my weekly research for Primary Vision Network, stating that the likelihood of a cut remained low and that the cartel was aware of the oversupply in the markets and the lack of imminent demand resurgence. However, when viewed from a different perspective, the cut makes sense precisely for the same reason.

For at least the past year, the prevailing narrative in oil markets has been a tug-of-war between two sentiments. Some have worried about a sudden resurgence in demand due to the post-COVID-19 recovery and the reopening of China, while others have been sceptical of these rosy outlooks. Those who are sceptical about a rebound in demand point out that China already filled its inventories when prices were low and that clouds of an impending recession, or at least a serious global economic slowdown, seem to be gathering on the horizon. The recent cuts by OPEC+ would suggest the demand sceptics are correct.

Recently, it was reported that stockpiles at Fujairah climbed "for the first time in a month". On March 22, data from the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone revealed that the stockpiles of all oil products at the UAE's Port of Fujairah saw a gain for the first time in a month. The data showed that the total inventories surged by 10% in the week concluding on March 20, reaching 21.338 million barrels. This gain marked the first increase in stockpiles since the week ended February 20, as per the FOIZ data exclusively obtained by S&P Global Commodities Insights on the same day. Prior to this, stockpiles had declined by 13% in the three previous weeks, which ended on March 13.

Moreover, data from Vortexa also corroborates the growing bearish sentiment in the oil markets. Total seaborne oil loadings were high, with loading volumes higher than their seven-year range, hitting 50 million barrels per day in March, up by 400,000 barrels per day from February. The demand for products is also at a "multi-year" high in March at 46 million barrels per day.

Russian crude oil exports have also remained stable despite the sanctions. Despite Moscow's announcement of a 500,000-barrel-per-day production cut, Russian crude loadings remained stable month-over-month at 3.6 million barrels per day in March. However, there has been a significant increase in Russian diesel loadings, which have surged by 400,000 barrels per day month-over-month to an exceptionally high 1.5 million barrels per day last month. This upswing in diesel loadings is partially attributed to postponed loadings from February. Nonetheless, it remains at a multi-year high and is contributing to the global market dynamics. I have highlighted in many articles and posts that the entire sanctions-on-Russia saga is not a disruption to oil supply but a re-orientation of global oil flows.

Against this backdrop, it's understandable that OPEC+ producers would be cautious about oil prices in the near future and aim for a level that avoids budgetary issues. Although the breakeven prices for most oil-producing countries have decreased, the countries in OPEC+ are taking into account the grim prospect of a global economic slowdown and adjusting their production accordingly to match the supply and demand dynamics of the market.

According to the CFTC and ICE data, the same bearish sentiment was evident in the paper markets and the trading of futures contracts before the cut. Interest in short positions started to surpass that of long ones, amid concerns about a potential credit crunch. Hedge funds were reducing their holdings in crude oil and refined fuels, with contracts worth 142 million barrels sold in the week ending March 21, while adding 139 million barrels in the previous week. It was also reported that the total sales were the most in any fortnight since 2017 (May).

In my opinion, the markets are misinterpreting the production cuts. OPEC+ has made it clear that they do not anticipate strong demand, they recognise that markets will be in oversupply, and they do not want to experience the budgetary issues they faced during the 2014 and COVID-19 era. The news, in reality, is bearish. (Oilprice.com)

Around the World

Ukraine likely to face bloody Crimea fight, satellite images show

An analysis of satellite images by Al Jazeera has revealed that Russian forces are fortifying the Crimean Peninsula in anticipation of a Ukrainian attempt to recapture it.

Experts say that those defences are likely to make any such effort difficult and bloody.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, eight years before launching a fullscale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As the war grinds on for more than a year, Ukraine’s political and military leadership has made it clear that it defines victory as reclaiming its 1991 borders, which Russia had recognised. The United Nations and all of Ukraine’s Western allies also recognise those borders, which include Crimea.

The investigation by Al

Jazeera’s Sanad news verification and monitoring unit found that between February and March, the Crimean border and surrounding areas were transformed into a fortified barrier ahead of an expected spring counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces.

China simulates striking Taiwan on 2nd day of drills

In particular, an extensive network of trenches and defences was constructed and now extends across the border villages of Crimea. Construction and expansion of several significant military bases also took place during the same period, according to the images pro-

vided to Sanad by SkySat and Planet.com.

Images taken on April 1 also show that authorities in Crimea have set up a sea barrier at a dock of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the Sevastopol port, in addition to several new buildings and infrastructure developments within the port area.

Meanwhile, advertisements for workers to build fortifications have appeared on Russian job sites in Crimea over the past few months. Analysts say a shortage of manpower could be a significant reason why these trenches are not yet fully effective.

The trenches in northern Crimea suggest Russia is acting to deter Ukraine from mounting a ground assault from the north, Ukraine’s only way in, said Faintuch.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Hundreds of South Africans tie the knot in Easter mass wedding

China's military simulated precision strikes against Taiwan in a second day of drills around the island on Sunday, with the island's Defence Ministry reporting multiple air force sorties and that it was monitoring China's missile forces.

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, began three days of military exercises around the island on Saturday, the day after Taiwan President Tsai Ingwen returned from a brief visit to the United States.

Chinese state television reported that the combat readiness patrols and drills around Taiwan were continuing.

"Under the unified command of the theatre joint operations command centre, multiple types of units carried out simulated joint precision strikes on key targets on Taiwan island and the surrounding sea areas, and continue to maintain an offensive posture around the

island," it said.

The Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command put out a short animation of the simulated attacks on its WeChat account, showing missiles fired from land, sea and air into Taiwan with two of them exploding in flames as they hit their targets. A source familiar with the security situation in the region told Reuters that China had been conducting simulated air and sea attacks on "foreign military targets" in the waters off Taiwan's southwestern coast.

"Taiwan is not their only target," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media. "It's very provocative."

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said that as of 0800 GMT on Sunday they had spotted 70 Chinese aircraft, including Su-30 fighters and H-6 bombers, as well as 11 ships, around Taiwan.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

More than 800 couples walked down the aisle on Easter Sunday in one of the biggest mass wedding ceremonies in South Africa since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The International Pentecost Holiness Church blesses polygamous unions, which are common in some African communities, and the church says are authorised by the Bible.

Its mass nuptials take place three times a year – at Easter, in December, and also during the celebrations in September of the church's founding in 1962.

Lebogile Mamatela, 38, a Government employee who became the second wife to the father of her child on Sunday, told Reuters after the ceremony: "It’s a special day, I am very happy. I really, really appreciate this moment of being part of the Mahluku family. It’s a great feeling."

Her new husband, Roto Mahluku, 40, joined the church in 1993 and married his first wife, Ditopa Mahluku, 16 years ago. They have three children.

Ditopa, 37, said her husband's second marriage was "fulfilling what God has created for us, fulfilling the scripture that says women will be leaning towards one man".

Current wives wore colourful attire to the ceremony at the International Pentecost Holiness Church's Jerusalem congregation, 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Johannesburg. First-time brides wore traditional white dresses.

The celebrations were a respite from a long-standing row over the leadership of the church, which has a membership of around three million, making it one of the biggest congregations in South Africa. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia has increased its defensive military reinforcements in Crimea

Priest Vusi Ndala wait during the Easter Sunday mass wedding ceremony, organised by the International Pentecostal Holiness Church Jerusalem City (IPHC), with Philisiwe Ndala and Noko Ndala, his first wife and new bride, to form a polygamous union, in Kgabalatsane, in the North-West province, South Africa, April 9, 2023

A giant screen broadcasts news footage of a fighter jet of the Air Force under the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) attending combat readiness patrols and "Joint Sword" exercises around Taiwan, at a shopping area, in Beijing, China, April 8, 2023

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Your actions will set the stage for what's to come. Finish what you start. Refuse to let luxury tempt you. Don't let people take advantage of you, and be wary of indulgence in any form.

(March 21-April 19)

Take heed of what others ask of you. Choose to take the road less traveled. Embrace change that involves personal or financial growth. Innovation will lead to opportunity.

(April 20-May 20)

Put your thoughts and feelings into perspective before you share them with someone who can influence what happens next. Look out for your interests. Be careful with financial matters.

(May 21-June 20)

PEANUTS

(June 21-July 22)

Leave nothing to chance. Your input will influence how well you do. Don't reveal personal information. Remaining somewhat mysterious to your colleagues will give you an edge.

Mingling with people who can make big decisions will help you tip the scales in your favor. Be confident but not arrogant about what you can do, and you'll gain support.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Take in as much information as possible. Set standards that help you maintain equality and sustainability in personal and professional relationships.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Someone will expect you to prove yourself in situations at work. Don't take a back seat or let someone represent you. Speak from the heart, but don't reveal personal information.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Put your energy where it counts. Learning and exploring will lead to your success. Work alongside dedicated people to reach your goal. A partnership looks inviting.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Confusion will arise if you let someone dictate how you handle matters. Don't second-guess yourself. Your vision can inspire others, and you will drum up the help you need.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Your ideas and solutions will be on target and will help you make positive changes at home. Greater involvement in fitness or health regimens will boost your confidence.

Pick up the pace and do whatever it takes to implement your plans. If you forge the path to victory, others will acknowledge your capabilities and value.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Pay attention to what people around you are going through. Your insight when advising others will help you recognize what you can do to make your life better. Be wise when handling money.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Tripathi and Markande put Sunrisers on the board in IPL 2023

Shikhar Dhawan watched nine wickets tumble around him, but he stood out amid the rubble, his unbeaten 99 taking Punjab Kings to a respectable 143 for 9. That total looked even more respectable when Sunrisers lost their openers Harry Brook and Mayank Agarwal early with the slower balls gripping the Hyderabad surface.

But Rahul Tripathi rose above the conditions to score a sprightly half-century and give Sunrisers their first victory of the season. He contributed 63 in an unbroken 100-run stand off 52 balls with his captain, Aiden Markram to help ice the chase and hand Kings their first defeat of the season.

Bhuvneshwar, Jansen go bang, bang, bang

On Friday, Sunrisers’ seamers were neutralised on a black-soil turner. Two days later, Bhuvneshwar and co were on the money from the get-go on a pace-friendly red-soil Hyderabad track. Bhuvneshwar struck first ball to trap Prabhsimran Singh lbw for a duck.

Much like Bhuvneshwar, Jansen, picked ahead of legspinner Adil Rashid, exploited the early swing on offer. The left-arm seamer struck with his second legal ball to pin Indian Premier League (IPL) debutant Matt Short lbw for 1. He won another lbw appeal from umpire Bruce Oxenford next ball, but Jitesh Sharma overturned the on-field decision on review. Jitesh managed four before Jansen had

him chipping a drive to mid-off in his next over. T Natarajan also found swing in the powerplay as Sunrisers’ seam attack thrived at home.

Dhawan or nothing for PBKS

Once the early movement disappeared for the seamers, Dhawan took some trips down the pitch and hit them over the top. However, at the other end, legspinner Mayank Markande, who was playing his first game for Sunrisers, tore through the middle and lower order with his stock ball and the wrong’un. The innings was going so badly pear shaped that Kings had to Impact Sub a batter for a batter, bringing Sikandar Raza in for the already dismissed Prabhsimran, but it did not really help matters. Together the two players contributed

five runs off seven balls. Markande, meanwhile, came away with figures of 4 for 15 in his four overs. Dhawan quietly played him out, but laid into Natarajan and Umran Malik, taking 61 off 31 balls from them. He reached his fifty off 42 balls by launching Natarajan over midwicket for six and then went 6,4,6 against Malik in the 18th over. Dhawan was dropped three times along the way, but he carried on until the end of the innings. He contributed 52 in an unbroken 55-run partnership for the last wicket with debutant Mohit Rathee – an IPL record.

Dhawan’s 69.2 was the second-highest percentage of runs scored in a completed IPL innings that went 20 overs or ended with a team all out. It was second only to Brendon

McCullum in the first match of the IPL, where he shellacked 158 out of KKR’s total of 222 (71.2 per cent).

Tripathi, Markram see SRH home Sunrisers decided to shake up their batting lineup by pairing up Agarwal with Brook at the top. Brook seemed comfortable with pace on the ball, but when Arshdeep Singh cut it down to 117kph and bowled a knuckle ball, he was bowled through the gate for 13 off 14. Then, when Agarwal dared to sweep Rahul Chahar off the stumps, he spliced a catch to long-on, leaving Sunrisers at 45 for 2 in the ninth over.

Tripathi and Markram then got together to settle the innings. When Chahar darted it quicker and flatter outside off, Tripathi used the pace to

glide the ball behind point. When Chahar slowed his pace down and tossed up his legbreaks, Tripathi stretched out to either drive him inside out over extra cover or sweep him over midwicket. He treated Rathee with even more disdain, smashing him for two sixes and two fours in eight balls.

Tripathi’s high intent and execution allowed Markram to sit back and tap the ball into the gaps. Fittingly, it was Tripathi who finished the game for Sunrisers with eight wickets and almost three overs to spare. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Punjab Kings (20 ovs maximum)

Prabhsimran Singh lbw b Kumar 0

Shikhar Dhawan (c) not out 99

Matthew Short lbw b Jansen 1

Jitesh Sharma † c

Markram b Jansen 4

Sam Curran c

Kumar b Markande 22

Sikandar Raza c

Agarwal b Umran Malik 5

M Shahrukh Khan

lbw b Markande 4

Harpreet Brar b Umran Malik 1

Rahul Chahar lbw b Markande 0

Nathan Ellis b Markande 0

Mohit Rathee not out 1

Extras (lb 1, w 5) 6

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.15) 143/9

Did not bat: Arshdeep Singh

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Prabhsimran

Singh, 0.1 ov), 2-10 (Matthew Short, 1.2 ov), 3-22 (Jitesh

Sharma, 3.5 ov), 4-63 (Sam Curran, 8.5 ov), 5-69 (Sikandar Raza, 9.5 ov), 6-74 (M Shahrukh Khan, 10.4 ov), 7-77 (Harpreet Brar, 11.2 ov),

8-78 (Rahul Chahar, 12.5 ov), 9-88 (Nathan Ellis, 14.6 ov)

GCB/GoG/MCYS Under-19 Boys’ Inter-Club Super-50 Tournament…

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-0-33-1

Georgetown CC secure final spot with narrow win over Peters Hall

– Transport SC demolish Everest to fortify play-off spot against Bel-Air Rubis

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Government of Guyana (GoG)/Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS)

Under-19 Inter-Club Super-50

Tournament 2023 continued on Saturday, April 8, 2023, with wins for Transport SC and Georgetown CC.

Summary scores

Transport record 8-

wicket win over Everest

Transport snatched an easy win against Everest at home after easing to 50-2 in pursuit of the 49 all-out Everest posted.

Shiloh Adams hit an un-

beaten 29 to lead Transport in their batting, as the Everest bowlers toiled.

Earlier, Everest was reduced to rubble, posting 49 after exceptional bowling from Nene (3-7), Riad Latiff (3-10), and Shaquan Walters (2-7), with the Transport bowling line-up enjoying good performances with the leather.

GCC best Queen’s College by 8 runs Batting first, GCC piled on 267 after Mavendra Dindyal stroked a classy 91 with 10 fours and three sixes. Zachary Jodah hit a good 62 in support.

Queen’s College then

made 245 with F Narine scoring 38 and Z Mohammed hitting 32 down the order.

Bowling duties for GCC were shared between Dindyal (2-36), Rovaldo Phillips (3-53), and Jodah (2-37), who ran through the batting opposition for a clean win.

On Sunday, April 9, from 09:30h at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) Ground, Bel-Air Rubis competed against Transport SC in the sole play-off match.

The winner of the play-off will clash with the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), in the Demerara final on Tuesday, April 11, from 09:30h at the Queen’s College Ground.

Rinku Singh scripts miracle win for Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders won their second match in a row as they beat Gujarat Titans by three wickets in a thriller in Match 13 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Rinku Singh (48* off 21) set the stage on fire and did the unthinkable as he smashed five sixes in a row with 28 needed off five balls to pull off a breathtaking win for Kolkata Knight Riders. It was a roller-coaster match which saw Impact Player Venkatesh Iyer sizzle with a blistering innings of 83 off 40 balls, ably supported by Nitish Rana (45 off 29) and Rashid Khan, who took the first hattrick of IPL 2023, but it was Rinku Singh’s heroics that will be talked about for years to come.

Defending 204, Mohammed Shami struck early for the Titans as he had the dangerouslooking Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught at short fine leg off a short ball. Yash Dayal pulled off a fantastic catch as he collided with the keeper who also went for the catch. Shami had given away just two runs in the first over but Rahmanullah had then upped the ante with a six and a four to get to 15 off 12 balls. KKR sent in Impact Player Iyer at number three. He replaced Suyash Sharma.

Josh Little then sent the other opener – N Jagadeesan – back in the next over, having him caught at deep square leg off a short ball.

Iyer, who had come out with attacking intent, hit a six and a couple of fours to take KKR to 43-2 at the end of the powerplay. Iyer took on Dayal in his first over, hitting a four and a six and taking 13 off the over. Captain Rana got into the groove with two sixes off Alzarri Joseph. Iyer and Rana made sure they kept the scoreboard ticking and at least one boundary was hit every over as they reached 86-1 at the halfway mark.

The duo took the attack to Rashid Khan and hit him for 23 runs in two overs. Iyer brought up his fifty off 26 balls as he hammered a four and a six off Dayal and Rana too chipped in with a six to make it 17 off the

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over. KKR scored 60 in the 8-to12-over phase.

Rana continued the attack on Rashid, hitting him for two fours in his third over as the pair brought up the 100-run stand off just 54 balls. However, against the run of play, Joseph struck and had Rana caught at mid-off for 45. Iyer though continued the momentum as he went after Little and hit him for two fours and a six and amassed 17 from the over as the equation came down to 56 needed off 30 balls.

Joseph then picked up another crucial wicket as he had Iyer caught at long on for 83 (40).

With 50 needed off 24, Rashid Khan turned the tables with a superb hat-trick. He provided a huge moment first as he had Andre Russell caught behind. Russell looked to pull, but got an edge onto the pads and it lobbed to the keeper. The umpire did not give it out but Rashid reviewed it and replays showed there was definitely bat involved. He then had Sunil Narine caught at deep midwicket off the next ball and then trapped last match hero Shardul Thakur lbw off a googly. The batter reviewed it, but replays showed all three reds. Rashid gave away just two runs and picked three wickets in the over to finish with 4-0-37-3. With 48 needed from the last three overs, Shami bowled a brilliant over and gave away just five. Rinku Singh led KKR’s fight with a six and a four off the final two balls of the penultimate over, from Little, to bring it down to 29 needed off the last over. Umesh Yadav picked up a single off the first ball of the last

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over bowled by Dayal and with 28 needed off the last five balls, Rinku Singh did the unthinkable, smashing five sixes in a row against Dayal to spark wild celebrations. Rinku remained unbeaten on 48 off 21 balls with one four and six sixes.

Earlier, Gujarat Titans standin captain Rashid Khan, who was leading the side in absence of the unwell Hardik Pandya, won the toss and elected to bat. They made two changes as Vijay Shankar and Abhinav Manohar replaced Pandya and Little.

They named Matthew Wade, Mohit Sharma, KS Bharat, Jayant Yadav and Little as their substitutes.

KKR, on the other hand, made three changes as N Jagadeesan, Suyash Sharma and Lockie Ferguson replaced Mandeep Singh, Iyer, and Tim Southee. They named Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Iyer, Mandeep Singh, and David Wiese as their substitutes.

The Gujarat Giants openers – Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill – got the team off to a steady start. Saha donned the aggressor’s hat as he played a couple of well-timed lofts for fours, one each off Umesh Yadav and Ferguson. Gill opened his boundary account

as he played a nicely-placed flick wide of mid-on as GT reached 31-0 at the end of four overs. Rana introduced spin into the attack in the fifth over as he brought on Narine and he struck immediately, sending back Saha (17 off 17) off his second ball, brilliantly caught by Jagadeesan at mid-wicket. Saha got a top edge on his slog-sweep and Jagadeesan took a very good catch running backwards.

The Titans got moving as Gill creamed a couple of sublime drives for four through the off side off Varun Chakravarthy, who also conceded five wides to make it 16 from the over. GT reached 54-1 at the end of the powerplay. Gill cracked another one through the covers for a four off Narine in the next over.

Gill and Sai Sudharsan got together and mixed caution with aggression to bring up the fiftyrun stand off 32 balls. The duo concentrated on hitting down the ground as Sudharsan hit a four and a six off Suyash and Chakravarthy respectively while Gill smashed a four to long off, off Suyash as GT reached 88-1 at the half-way mark.

With the partnership blooming, Rana brought back Narine and he broke the partnership again, having the set Gill 39 (31) caught at long on in the 12th over. It was a good comeback from Narine, who was hit for a six off the first ball of that over by Sudharsan.

Abhinav Manohar arrived at the fall of Gill’s wicket and straightaway counter-attacked, hitting three fours in a row off Umesh Yadav. He then edged one a ball later and keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz could not hold on to a tough chance.

Manohar (14 off 8) though could not last long as Suyash cleaned him up with a beautiful googly that sneaked through

his bat and pad. Sudharsan, meanwhile, kept chipping away with singles, twos, and an odd four to bring up his third IPL fifty off 34 balls. He along with Shankar ran well between the wickets to take multiple singles and twos to bring up the 150 in the 17th over. Narine though came back to break the partnership again as he had Sudharsan caught at long off for 53 (38).

Shankar then pressed the accelerator button going after Ferguson and hitting him for two fours and two sixes to accumulate 25 off the over. He brought up his fourth IPL fifty, off just 21 balls with a massive

six over deep mid-wicket off Shardul in the last over and then hit two more sixes off the next two balls to make it 20 runs off the over and propel GT to 204-4 from 20 overs.

Shankar remained unbeaten on 63 off 24 balls with his innings laced with four fours and five sixes. Narine was the pick of the bowlers for KKR with figures of 4-0-33-3.

Gujarat Titans brought on Little as their Impact Player, replacing Sudharsan at the start of their bowling innings. They also had to bring on KS Bharat as a substitute keeper in place of the injured Saha. (IPL)

SCOREBOARD

Gujarat Titans (20 ovs maximum)

Wriddhiman Saha †c

Jagadeesan b Narine 17

Shubman Gill c Yadav b Narine 39

Sai Sudharsan c sub

(AS Roy) b Narine 53

Abhinav Manohar

b Suyash Sharma 14

Vijay Shankar not out 63

David Miller not out 2

Extras (b 1, lb 4, nb 1, w 10) 16

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 10.20) 204/4

Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Wriddhiman Saha, 4.2 ov), 2-100 (Shubman

Gill, 11.4 ov), 3-118 (Abhinav

Manohar, 13.3 ov), 4-153 (Sai

Sudharsan, 17.3 ov) • DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Umesh Yadav 3-0-24-0

Shardul Thakur 3-0-40-0

Lockie Ferguson 4-0-40-0

Sunil Narine 4-0-33-3

Varun Chakravarthy 2-0-27-0

Suyash Sharma 4-0-35-1

Kolkata Knight Riders (T: 205 runs from 20 ovs)

Rahmanullah Gurbaz †c Yash

Dayal b Mohammed Shami 15

Narayan Jagadeesan c

Manohar b Little 6 Venkatesh Iyer c Shubman Gill b Joseph 83

Nitish Rana (c) c Mohammed Shami b Joseph 45 Rinku Singh not out 48

Andre Russell c sub

(KS Bharat) b Rashid Khan 1

Sunil Narine c sub (J Yadav) b Rashid Khan 0

Shardul Thakur

lbw b Rashid Khan 0

Umesh Yadav not out 5

Extras (lb 1, w 3) 4

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 10.35) 207/7

Fall of wickets: 1-20

(Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2.3 ov),

2-28 (Narayan Jagadeesan, 3.6 ov), 3-128 (Nitish Rana, 13.1 ov), 4-154 (Venkatesh Iyer, 15.5 ov),

5-155 (Andre Russell, 16.1 ov),

6-155 (Sunil Narine, 16.2 ov),

7-155 (Shardul Thakur, 16.3 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Mohammed Shami 4-0-28-1

Josh Little 4-0-45-1

Alzarri Joseph 4-0-27-2

Yash Dayal 4-0-69-0

Rashid Khan 4-0-37-3

Mangal cops Bruster’s Real Ice Cream & Qualitea Café Cup

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8, Gross 83, Net 75

Regarded as one of the most exciting tournaments hosted by the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), the Bruster’s Real Ice Cream & Qualitea Café Cup did not disappoint. Mike Mangal was once again among the winners’ row; he played his natural game and walked away as the overall champion at the end of the day.

The results for the tournament are as follow:

0-16 Flight

1st: Mike Mangal – HC 8, Gross 75, Net 67

2nd: Patrick Prashad – HC

11, Gross 85, Net 74

3rd:- Martyn Sjöberg – HC

17-36 Flight

1st: Eureka Giddings – HC 28, Gross 95, Net 67 (won via countback)

2nd: Maurice Deo – HC 28, Gross 95, Net 67

3rd: Carlos Adams – HC 28, Gross 100, Net 72

Overall Best Net: Mike Mangal – 67

Overall Best Gross: Mike Mangal – 75

Longest Drive: Martyn Sjöberg

Closest to Flag: Brian Hackett

When all was done and

dusted, Mangal said that he was proud to win the tournament. He noted that he was confident that he was secure his spot for the Suriname Open and the Guyana Open. Mangal also noted that the course played great and the competition was healthy.

Bruster’s Ice Cream and Qualitea Café Managing Director Paton George, in a comment, said, "We are very proud to sponsor this tournament. To Mike, a wellplayed game. We have a new store at Movietowne Mall and we are urging everyone to check it out. We feature a wide variety of ground coffees and

bush teas along with Bruster’s ice cream, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thank you all for coming out, you always support this tournament and I appreciate it a lot and we will be back next year."

After the tournament, the LGC hosted a raffle and auction where a plethora of golf items were up for grabs. The players were in full support, as in no time the raffle and auction was completed.

The Lusignan Golf Club will also be open today, Easter Monday and Tuesday from 09:30h as it is inviting the public to celebrate the Easter season with them.

Mike Mangal was the overall winner Golfers place their bids during the auction

Jagdeo Racing Stables dominates Port Mourant Turf Club Easter Cup

Our Stuie of Jagdeo

Racing Stables

clinched a thrilling feature event at the Port Mourant Turf Club Easter Sunday horse race meet.

Jockey Khelawan, storming from the outside, ignited the packed turf club as the sun set when he finished ahead of top horse Ariana's Vision. Our Stuie's partner, Wild Texas Tom, who was another favourite to win, finished third while Jumbo Jet's Coup D'Etat finished fourth.

Guyana Cup winner

Alado and Jumbo Jet's Looking to Heaven were not present to take the field for the feature event.

The opening race of the day was the J Class and Lower maidens race which ran at six furlongs.

Quiet Warrior, piloted by Kissoon Lal, started with a win. Republic came second while Judge Not came third, and Hurricane Lane rode in fourth.

The second race of the day was the three-yearold and over Guyana bred, which saw Tizway fin -

ishing in first place while Storm Town came in second. Royal Flight and Hardcore rounded out the top four finishers.

Race three, which was the H & Lower, saw Smokin Heels of Jagdeo Racing Stables coming in first, cruising past Bank Note (second); Nuclear Fire (third) and Memories (fourth).

Race four, the L Open race was overshadowed by an accident. Miss Olympic and Tiny were the victims, but it was Republican, piloted by Michael Semple,

Berbice crowned inter-county champions after Grimmond’s exploits

who rode in first. Amazing Grace came in second while Dan Star and Not This Time finished in that order to complete the top four finishers.

Converter of the Slingerz Racing Stables won the E & N/American first starters which was Race five. Newly-imported horse Soca Symphony came in second while Creemore came in third, followed by Nice Company.

Three-year-old Guyana and West Indian Bred Gypsy King was the horse from Jagdeo Racing Stables, who clinched a thrilling win. Piloted by Trinidadian Jockey Nicholas Patrick, Gypsy King finished ahead of Rachel, Red Ruby, and

Eldorado Queen in that order.

Experienced Jockey Colin Ross then displayed his class as he piloted Sarkar to a dominant win in the L Open. In the field of three, Sarkar finished ahead of Perfect Dream and Top Rankin.

Minister with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh was present to make the final presentation at

the feature event. The race meet was deemed satisfying for the spectators, who witnessed high-quality horse racing. The sponsors for this race were Banks DIH, KP Jagdeo General Contractors, AJM, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, Old Broom Lounge, Anil Sawh, Kascon Engineering, Delmur Company Ltd, and Sandeep and Sons Contracting.

Guyanese swimmer cops

5 golds at CARIFTA 50

– Gibbons defends javelin title

Guyana’s Raekwon Noel has copped five gold medals at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship in Curaçao.

After winning the 1500m freestyle, 400m individual medley, 800m freestyle, and 200m butterfly in the 15-17 age group, Noel returned to win the 400m freestyle on day 2 of the championships on Sunday.

West Indies Under-19 player Realanna Grimmond’s allround performance led Berbice to a comfortable ninewicket victory over Demerara to lift the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Women’s Inter-County Super50 title.

The Super50 title followed their victory in the T20 format on March 31 to make it another year where Berbice have showed their supremacy in women’s cricket in Guyana.

In the third and final round between Demerara and Berbice played at GCC, Bourda, Demerara limped to 58 all out off 32.3 overs after winning the toss and deciding to bat. Tilleya Madramootoo once again topscored with 21 to follow the 65

she scored in the first match against Essequibo at Everest. Sarah Amin was the only other batter to score double figures (13). Omadevi Matadin led the way with the ball for Berbice with figures of 3-5 off four overs. Ashmini Munisar (2-6), Shaneta Grimmond (2-11) and Realanna Grimmond (2-21) were the other bowlers to put the clamp on the Demerara batters.

Realanna, a talented West Indies Under-19 opening batter, then led Berbice’s reply with an unbeaten 29 as the Berbice batters only needed 15.3 overs to get to their target for the loss of just one wicket. Grimmond’s performance followed up her Player-of-theMatch performance of 55 in

the T20 final last week against Demerara.

At the presentation ceremony after the game, Realanna Grimmond, in addition to copping the Player-of- the-Match award, was recognised for having the most runs in the T20 tournament (80), Trisha Hardat, the most wickets (5). Tilleya Madramootoo won the most runs award (86) for the Super50 tournament while Ashmini Munisar was the leading wicket taker with six wickets.

The women will now focus on preparation for this year’s women’s regional tournament which will commence on May 7, 2023, in St Kitts and Nevis.

Noel’s performance was dubbed the best by a Guyanese swimmer at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship, which was first held in 1985.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s Anisha Gibbons, Jamaica’s Britannia Johnson, and Caymans’ Andrew Stone each won gold medals in Sunday’s morning session on day two of the 50th CARIFTA Games being held in Nassau, Bahamas.

Nineteen-year-old Gibbons, the defending champion, threw 47.96m on her very first attempt to win the Women’s U-20 javelin. Korann Corlet, 19, of French Guiana, won the silver with her best throw of 45.32m

while 18-year-old Vanessa Sawyer of The Bahamas took home the bronze medal with a throw of 43.37m.

It was a 1-2 finish for the defending champions Jamaica in the Women U-20 shot put as 19-year-old Johnson established a winning mark of 14.54m. Her compatriot Britannie Johnson, also 19, won the silver medal with a throw of 13.74m.

The bronze medal went to St Lucia’s Joy Edward, 19, who put 13.53m to secure the final spot on the podium.

Meanwhile, Stone of the Cayman Islands produced a mark of 7.54m to win the U-20 long jump. The 17-yearold Stone was 10cm better than Jamaica's Demario Prince, who took the silver with his best jump of 7.44m, the same as Mateo Smith of The Bahamas, who was third as the Jamaican had a better series. Prince's second-best jump was 7.43m while Smith's was 7.33m. Prince's third-best effort was 7.37m to Smith's 7.33m. (Modified Sportsmax report)

The winning Berbice team

Raekwon Noel shows off one of five gold medals

Story and photoS By Brandon Corlette

The horses displayed high quality at the races for the packed PMTC

Our Stuie (on the outside) clinched victory

Minister with responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh with the winners of the event at Port Mourant