Infrastructure development crucial as Guyana emerges as tourism hotspot
Families of missing men desperate for closure 6 months later
"We have plans, but we are short on resources" – GT Mayor on city’s drainage & irrigation
Reg 2 farmers to receive additional machinery as Govt moves to boost agricultural production Govt & civil society must collaborate to address lagging males in schools, society – Teixeira
Mazaruni boat mishap
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Monday, December 16 – 03:45h05:15h and Tuesday, December 17 – 03:45h- 05:15h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Monday, December 16 –05:10h- 06:40h and Tuesday, December 17 – 05:45h- 07:15h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Sunshine is expected during the day, interrupted by light rain showers in the mid-morning hours. Clear to partly-cloudy skies are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.
Winds: East North-Easterly to Easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.92 metres.
High Tide: 17:01h reaching a maximum height of 2.70 metres.
Low Tide: 10:34h and 23:06h reaching minimum heights of 0.71 metre and 0.53 metre.
Govt has saved 60% of all oil revenues in NRF – VP Jagdeo
...US$3.2B saved as of September 2024
As of this year, as much as 60 per cent of all of Guyana’s revenue from the oil and gas sector has been saved in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo recently confirming that less than half of Guyana’s oil revenue so far has been spent.
During a recent press conference, Jagdeo addressed pieces of misinformation put out by Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Nigel Hughes, who was questioning the whereabouts of Guyana’s oil and gas earnings. Jagdeo took the AFC leader to task, however, particularly since the Government makes all inflows to the NRF public for persons to read for themselves.
“I don’t know if this guy thinks before he talks. He said the $5 billion in oil money is missing. I will draw (attention to) a post that Joel Bhagwandin made, to your attention. He said they’re divorced from reality because they don’t even look at the numbers. Nigel Hughes asked, where’s the $5.4 billion as if its missing,” Jagdeo said.
Jagdeo pointed out that as of September of this year, US$3.2 billion ($665 billion) remained in the NRF. This year, the NRF received inflows from six oil lifts from the Liza Unity, Destiny and Prosperity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels… four of those lifts occurring in the third quarter.
“As of September 2024, the NRF balance was $3.2 billion. So, 60 per cent of the money we’ve earned to date from oil resources, remains untouched. It's in the account. But he asked where is the money, the $5.4 billion,” Jagdeo recounted.
“We’ve only spent $2.2 billion so far or 40 per cent. And Nigel Hughes (acts as if) the money is missing. Does he even know that within the NRF, we have 60 per cent of all the money collected? And only 40 per cent has been spent so far. The 40 per cent that’s spent, was through an appropriation process in parliament. It’s not missing money.”
US$81 million ($16.9 billion in local currency), was received for a profit oil payment that was depos-
ited on July 17, 2024. On July 26, another profit oil payment was deposited on July 26, 2024, this time for the sum of US$86.5 million ($18 billion). These profit oil payments were for lifts from the Liza Unity and Prosperity FPSOs, respectively.
Only on July 29, 2024, there was a royalty payment of US$101 million ($21 billion), that was related to the production of oil in the 2024 second quarter. The next profit oil payment occurred on August 29, 2024, in the sum of US$79.9 million ($16.6 billion). This payment was
courtesy of oil production from the Prosperity FPSO.
In September 2024, there were three profit oil payments. The first one, US$79.4 million ($16.5 billion) occurred on September 4, 2024, and it was payment for a profit oil lift that occurred on August 6, 2024, from the Liza Destiny.
The remaining two payments, US$78.2 million and US$76.4 million, occurred on September 9 and 30 and were for lifts from the Liza Unity and Prosperity FPSOs that occurred on August 9 and August 30.
The funds in the NRF have their origins in the
oil-rich Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where US oil major ExxonMobil and its partners – Hess Corporation and CNOOC – are producing light sweet crude using the Liza Destiny, Liza Unity, and more recently, the Prosperity Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels.
In 2022, for the first time, Guyana used oil funds to finance a national budget. In fact, in 2022, the Government withdrew a total of $126 billion (US$607.6 million) in three tranches from the NRF which went towards financing Guyana’s national development plans.
In 2023, US$1.002 billion was withdrawn to finance national development priorities. The last of eight withdrawals for last year was made on December 27, 2023, from the NRF to the Consolidated Fund, to the tune of US$152.1 million (equivalent to $31.6 billion).
In October 2024, the Government made a withdrawal of $62.3 billion (US$300 million) from the NRF, marking the fourth tranche of the $329.8 billion in withdrawals approved by Parliament for 2024.
One of the enduring refrains in this space has been the need for the administration to become more directly involved in the economic development of the country. We have persistently called for the creation of a “Catalytic Entrepreneurial State” (CES). Such a State would firstly, and obviously, have to be a very responsible State, with a strong commitment to the development of all communities and simultaneously working assiduously to increase its legitimacy.
The former process would greatly help to achieve the latter goal. In light of the Government’s revival of its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and diversification drive with oil funds coming in, we repeat our call. Left to the Private Sector alone, even the new direction will not provide the robust growth rates necessary to make a sustained positive impact on our standard of living.
We understand the background to the Opposition PNC’s reluctance to adopt a more dirigiste approach. Guyana, under the PNC, along with many other Third World States, had a disastrous experience with State involvement in development during the 70s and 80s and this soured the IMF/World Bank’s enthusiasm for such policies. The flawed premise of this fear, however, is to assume that the form of the State itself has to be constant, as it is used to perform large and more varied tasks. History has shown that not all State actions are negative and in fact, there may be the necessity for Government interventions when the free market or community coordinating mechanisms are stymied for one reason or another – market failure or community breakdown.
The expansion of the role of the State does not mean that Guyana must repeat the mistakes of her past. The PNC’s development plans during the 70s and 80s were driven by State ownership of production (State Capitalism) which destroyed the market and community forces necessary for competition and other coordinating activities necessary for sustainable growth. The socialist dogmas undergirding the then-development policies were inimical to the free market and self-reliant communities and spawned a culture of special interests seeking to benefit from the State policies (rent-seeking).
Apart from the fact that there may be other, non-economic factors inhibiting investment – such as political instability –investment and the consequent economic growth is not just a question of creating institutional environments but rather one of creating institutional arrangements. Theory must be guided by successful practice. Even theory supports this position. The efficacy of markets depends on the presence of markets for all contingencies, i.e. that markets are complete. The important point is that when some markets are missing, they will not be clear and the resulting allocation can be improved.
The history of Europe, the US and the Far East has shown that the State played a major role in their development, “by mobilising savings, providing infrastructure, shaping sectoral priorities, and in many cases forcing individual agents to engage in marketoriented activities through taxation The World Bank/IMF have now accepted a role for the State in achieving desired growth rates by proposing Public-Private Partnerships in infrastructural and industrial development. The litmus of proposed activities would be for the State to implement policies that strengthen market and community coordination to promote growth and development.
A pragmatic approach to development is necessary, because the cause of our underdevelopment is to some extent strategic rather than structural. Korea and Singapore were right where we were fifty years ago, if not behind us, not only statistically but structurally. Their Governments, as catalysts, identified and set strategic goals and then did what was necessary to back into them. They followed the Japanese example and explicitly tied assistance to selected private industries based on their commitment and ability to export. This strategic decision had two significant and faithful results: firstly, the assisted firms were subjected to the market discipline of the competition of international trade. Secondly, the exports brought in foreign exchange to purchase goods not produced locally. The Government’s decision on the gas-to-shore project and its downstream development is a step in the right direction and must be massively increased.
Relentless Medicare investment bodes well for Guyana
Dear Editor, This “New nursing school for New Amsterdam (slated) to be operationalised next year” must be contextualised. You see, Readers, the paucity of nurses worldwide is staggering. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the overall shortage of healthcare workers, and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there were 27.9 million nurses globally in 2020, making up nearly 60 per cent of the health professions and the largest occupational group in the health sector. However, there is still an estimated shortage of up to 13 million nurses worldwide.
Currently, the world can make use of millions of nurses to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.c on health financing and workforce. On this note, we all need to appreciate that “Health has a central place in SDG 3: (that is to) Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, as “Almost all of the other 16 goals are directly related to health or will contribute to health indirectly (NB. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 goals with 169 targets that all 191 UN Member States have
agreed to try to achieve by the year 2030).
So, yes, even as efforts are ongoing to improve healthcare delivery across the country, the bigger picture is that Guyana is a key player globally in aiding with the SDGs. The news is that “The construction of a new nursing school at the site of the old New Amsterdam Hospital is expected to be completed sometime next year.”
And Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony “… emphasised that the new institution will be providing modern facilities and resources to train nurses and medical workers effectively.” And it goes without saying that at the end of it all Guyana’s Health Care Sector will be in a better position “… to enhance the quality of healthcare services by ensuring that nursing professionals be well equipped with the latest knowledge and skills” (in this ever-evolving world of Medicare). Kudos to the People’s Progressive Party Government, as this venture proves that we have a”… government who is committed to advancing the healthcare system, and addressing the growing demand for skilled healthcare workers.”
A good thing to take note of is that there is a kind of parity that is in the offing,
that will be quite evident and which will bring ‘ease’ and ‘comfort’ to the general public. I mean Guyana is not some little remote island, with a tiny land mass and a few people. It is a massive place, and so diversification and decentralisation are quite the order to go by. That is why “The new nursing school … is being constructed simultaneously with a new hospital in the township.” As we recall, back in January of this year, “President Dr. Irfaan Ali had turned the sod for the construction of this US$161 million hospital (in New Amsterdam), which is intended to be a major hub, linking both the regional and country-wide healthcare facilities.”
I just love this network that was pointed out back then: “This hospital in Region Six is expected to be the hub, and everything around it will be the mechanisms … all the specialists and will all be connected through telemedicine to every other facility in this region whether in Canje Creek or Baracara (as) all the health centres and hospitals will be connected to this hospital through telemedicine.”
It gets better since on completion, “… the new facility will be linked to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation
(GPHC), which will be connected to the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and other major hospitals around the world through telemedicine.”
Enough said, but a final note is in order.
‘Editor, the issue of nurse shortages has become even more urgent in all countries. What makes matters worse is that an increasing number of nurses across the globe are expressing their intention to leave the profession due to heavy workloads, insufficient resources, burn and stress related to COVID-19.
In March 2023, in its report, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) stated that “… the worldwide shortage of nurses should be treated as a global health emergency. It says health systems around the world will only start to recover from the effects of the pandemic and be rebuilt when there is sufficient investment in a well-supported global nursing workforce.”
Imagine how wellpoised Guyana is in talking up the slack, as a new nursing school for New Amsterdam is likely to be operationalised next year.
Yours truly, Hargesh B Singh
Prime Minister Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, and his wife, Mignon Bowen-Phillips distribute gifts during the annual Christmas tree light-up and toy distribution at Diamond, East Bank Demerara on Saturday evening
New solar mini-grids for communities in Regions 8 & 9 – PM
In keeping with the Guyana Government’s commitment to bridge the energy divide across the country, several communities across Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) will soon benefit from new solar mini-grids.
This was recently announced by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, who has responsibility for the country’s energy sector.
Speaking at the commissioning of a 0.7-megawatt (MW) Hydropower Plant at Moco Moco Village on Friday, the Prime Minister disclosed that Cabinet recently approved four new solar mini-grids for the communities of Yupukari, Nappi, Awaruwaunau in Region Nine and Paramakatoi in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
“This is another example of us delivering on our promise to bridge the development divide. More particularly, what we're doing is bridging the energy divide,” Phillips added.
As part of its objective of bridging the energy divide and transitioning to renewable energy, the Government has been setting up solar mini-grids within the remote and hin-
terland areas across the country. These efforts aim to increase Guyana’s solar energy capacity to over 39MW by 2025.
Earlier this month, Phillips commissioned a 0.65MW grid-forming solar photovoltaic (PV) farm in Mahdia, located in the Potaro-Siparuni region. The solar farm, which includes a 1,500-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery energy storage system, enhances Mahdia’s energy infrastructure. It integrates seamlessly with the existing mini-grid, ensuring a stable and resilient power supply.
Aligned with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, the Mahdia solar PV farm is part of a broader initiative that has already installed solar PV systems in Lethem and Bartica. Improvements are also slated for Wakenaam and Leguan, among other regions.
Meanwhile, Region Nine’s energy landscape has already been significantly transformed in recent years and this was further bolstered with the commissioning of the Moco Moco Hydropower Plant last week.
Originally commissioned in 1999, the Moco Moco
Hydropower Plant was rendered inoperative following a landslide that damaged its infrastructure in 2003.
According to the Prime Minister, the revitalisation of this long dormant facility represents a broader effort by the Government to ensure that all regions, including hinterland communities, benefit from its national developmental agenda particularly its pursuit of an energy mix which features renewable energy at the fore.
“You're making history,” the Prime Minister declared, “because for the first time in our country's history, we have a hydropower plant, solar farm, and diesel generators working togeth-
er to provide energy, and this is happening for the first time in Region Nine right here,” he stated.
With the newly recommissioned hydropower plant now contributing 0.7 MW of power, Region Nine now boasts a sophisticated energy system combining the hydropower plant with a 1 MW solar farm and 2 MW diesel generators, delivering a total capacity of 3.7 MW. This capacity, according to Phillips, is set to increase to an impressive 5.2 MW by February 2025 with the addition of the 1.5MW Kumu Hydropower Plant.
“In Lethem, at your maximum capacity right now, you are only using 2 megawatts. You will have almost two and a half times the amount of electricity that you can use right now… this is the development that we're talking about, bridging the divide, the development divide, and we have successfully bridged the energy divide with this one project,” the Prime Minister noted.
On this note, PM Phillips spoke about how this increased energy capacity can drive economic growth in the region. He urged the residents across the region to capitalise on the opportunities created by the high levels of electricity, while highlighting the potential for cottage industries, particularly in agro-processing, to boost local economies.
“Start cottage industries—monetise what you already have,” he encouraged. “The wastage of mangoes and cashews can be turned into products in demand locally and internationally. This is how we create economic value from our resources,” he stated.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of modernising agricultural practices to enhance productivity and achieve food security. He said that by utilising the energy and integrating technology, such as irrigation systems, communities can overcome the challenges of climate variability contributing to their ability to become food secure and earn revenues.
He pointed to the Government's role as a facilitator of development as he emphasised the collaborative approach needed to maximise these opportunities. “We have to put our
brains together at the village council level, at the individual level, homes and with your neighbours, form ourselves into groups, pool our resources, utilise this energy and make it work for us to improve our lives and livelihoods,” Phillips stated.
Addressing the younger generation, the Prime Minister focused on the critical importance of STEM education. He said, “You are the future of Guyana. I want you to focus your effort, and your studies, on STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That's going to help us to make the great leap into modernity.”
Residents were also assured that electricity rates would remain unchanged, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to affordable energy and linking renewable energy development to community benefits. (G-8)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2024
Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, at Moco Moco Village, Region Nine
A solar mini-grid established in the hinterland community of Karaburi, Region One back in September
Metric Units of Length
You may have noticed that metric units are based on the powers of
Remember:
How many cm = 45m?
Step 1: Think: 100cm = 1m
Learn these prefixes:
Step 2: Multiply the number of metres x 100.
You can do this by regular multiplication: 45 x 100 = 4500
However, it is much easier to move the decimal point two places to the right. 45m = 4500cm
1) 375cm = ______m
2)
How many m = 575mm?
Step 1: Think: 1000mm = 1m
Step 2: Divide: 575 ÷ 1000 = .
You can also do this calculation by moving the decimal point three places to the left.
575mm = 0.575m
Exercises: Calculate
Orange Clove Pomanders
Not only does this craft look good, it also smells delightful. Gather clean and fresh citrus of your choice – navel oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes or grapefruit will work! Using a skewer, poke shallow holes through the skin of the fruit. Place the stem of a whole clove into each hole. Place the finished pomanders on a platter or in a bowl for a lovely warming scent that will last for about a week. (goodhousekeeping.com)
By Henry VaugHan
Awake, glad heart! get up and sing! It is the birth-day of thy King.
Awake! awake!
The Sun doth shake
Light from his locks, and all the way
Breathing perfumes, doth spice the day.
Awake, awake! hark how th’ wood rings; Winds whisper, and the busy springs
A concert make; Awake! awake!
Man is their high-priest, and should rise
To offer up the sacrifice.
I would I were some bird, or star, Flutt’ring in woods, or lifted far
Above this inn
And road of sin!
Then either star or bird should be Shining or singing still to thee.
I would I had in my best part Fit rooms for thee! or that my heart Were so clean as Thy manger was!
But I am all filth, and obscene; Yet, if thou wilt, thou canst make clean.
Sweet Jesu! will then. Let no more
This leper haunt and soil thy door! Cure him, ease him, O release him!
And let once more, by mystic birth, The Lord of life be born in earth.
WORD SEARCH:
Increased collaboration needed among regional investment agencies – Ramsaroop
...as Guyana’s investment chief elected CAIPA President
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) Dr Peter Ramsaroop was recently elected President of the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) and has, emphasised the need for the respective regional investment agencies to work together.
Ramsaroop was elected during CAIPA’s recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), which saw the end of Grenada’s Investment
Development Corporation Head, Ronald Theodore’s tenure as CAIPA President.
Ramsaroop, who was elected in his stead, stated that a key objective of his term in office will be to foster closer collaboration with fellow investment agency CEOs across the region.
“Our focus this term will remain on aligning CAIPA initiatives more closely with CARICOM objectives. As the Region emphasises sustainable investment in climate resilience, energy, and agricultural security, we will pri-
oritise both Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and local investments to foster and enhance prosperity across all member nations.”
“Success will be measured by our ability to create synergies between key sectors such as tourism, manufacturing, blue economy, agriculture, ICT (Information and Communications Technology), and other strategic industries. This will be a major objective of my term in office, working in close collaboration with fellow Board Members and ev-
2 pedestrians killed by drunken driver at Tuschen
Two pedestrians were killed in the wee hours of Sunday after a speeding motor car struck them down along the Tuschen Public Road, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).
The dead men were identified as 54-year-old Yvette Daniels, of Lot 616 Tuschen Housing Scheme, EBE and 48-year-old Vishnudat Mohabir, of Lot 604 Tuschen Housing Scheme. Both were at the time crossing the main access road when the accident occurred.
Based on reports received, the accident occurred at about 2:00h and involved
a motorcar bearing registration number PKK 9890 which was at the time being driven by a 29-year-old resident of Tuschen, EBE.
According to investigations, the motorcar was proceeding along the Tuschen Public Road at a high speed when the front of his vehi-
cle collided with Daniels and Mohabir.
The impact of the collision caused both pedestrians to be thrown into the air before landing on the roadway. They sustained severe injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
After striking the pedestrians, the motorcar collided with a stationary motorcar, PGG 5073 and eventually came to a halt about 100 yards from the scene of the collision.
The driver reportedly fled the scene but was later apprehended by police. A breathalyser test revealed that he was above the legal limit of alcohol consumption. He was arrested and is expected to be charged shortly.
ery Investment Agency within the Region,” Ramsaroop explained.
During the AGM, the CAIPA also elected a new Board of Directors. They include the CEO of Invest Barbados, KayeAnn Greenidge, as 1st Vice President and Acting Director of the St Kitts Investment Promotion Agency Stanley Jacobs, as 2nd Vice President.
Additionally, President of InvesTT in Trinidad and Tobago, Sekou Alleyne; Executive Director of BELTRAIDE in Belize, Ishmael Quiroz; Interim Managing Director of CINEX in Curaçao, Jeanette Bonet and Managing Director, Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), Kendaree Burgess, as Directors One, Two, Three and Four respectively.
Further, Theodore returns to the board as an ex-officio member.
Only in July 2024, Ramsaroop had been calling on investment promotion heads of the world to adopt a united approach to maximise investment opportunities in this part of the hemisphere. He issued the call to regional investment agency heads and their representatives, at the opening of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) Central America and the Caribbean Regional Meeting that was held in the Dominican Republic.
In his presentation titled, “Guyana Case: Investment Possibilities in New Industries,” he had underscored the importance of integration in the region and noted the use of artificial intelligence to create thriving agriculture and tourism sectors.
The local investment chief had also used that opportunity to promote Guyana as an
investment hub in the region, pointing out that Guyana is open to green and sustainable investments in tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, ICT, forestry, and efforts to tackle climate change.
With a surge in economic growth in recent years coupled with heavy investments in social development, food, climate, and energy securities, Dr. Ramsaroop had also told the forum that Guyana has emerged as the Jaguar economy in this part of the world.
He had also touched on relations between Guyana and the Dominican Republic. Guyana and the Dominican Republic enjoy cordial bilateral relations. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1970 but in recent years have ramped up collaborations. In 2023, President Dr Irfaan Ali visited the Dominican Republic, and in the same year, President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, paid a reciprocal visit to Guyana.
In 2023 alone, the two nations signed 10 cooperation agreements. The Dominican
Republic has also established an embassy in Guyana, and today the private sectors of the two nations enjoy a stronger bond as they collaborate in tourism, energy, and construction, among other areas.
The Caribbean Association of Investment Promotions Agencies (CAIPA) was launched in 2007 in Jamaica with funding from the European Union (EU) and support from the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA). CAIPA’s membership base consists of 25 Investment Promotion Agencies within 24 Caribbean territories.
Those territories are Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Sint Maarten, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The aftermath of the accident that claimed the men’s lives
GO-Invest CEO, Dr Peter Ramsaroop
Judiciary must pay due regard to human rights conventions – CJ
Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George recently urged the Judiciary to pay due regard to human rights conventions, particularly when it comes to legally interpreting cases that involve fundamental rights.
Justice George recently participated in an anti-corruption panel discussion organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, where Minister Gail Teixeira was tasked with representing Guyana’s human rights record before the United Nations (UN). In fact, Guyana is due for its fourth cycle of the UN Universal Periodic Review next year.
In her presentation, the acting Chief Justice pointed out that the judicial system must pay due regard to human rights conventions and laws whenever handing down decisions. According to her, there are a number of UN bodies that lay out recommendations on human rights, including the rights of the child.
“We must have continued education of all of us, as state actors, to ensure that we always uphold the fundamental rights provisions and so I will have less court cases and you wouldn’t have to pay out any damages from the consolidated fund.”
“When interpreting the fundamental rights provisions, the courts must pay due
regard to the human rights conventions and law, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was mentioned this morning. And we can also consider recommendations of the United Nations bodies.”
The Chief Justice gave as an example the UN Committee on Human Rights, as well as the Rights of the Child Committee and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
“Of particular importance is Article 154(a) of the constitution, which calls on every one of us to protect, ensure, fulfil or implement human rights. This applies to the executive, all Government Ministries and agencies, the legislature, which is the parliament, the judiciary, which includes all judges, magistrates and court staff and every one of us, whether natural persons (human beings) or companies. If we do not uphold human rights, then Guyana as a state will be held accountable for all actions or inactions,” she added.
And emphasising the need for continuous education on human rights principles for state actors, Justice George also noted that persons who feel as though their rights have been breached always have the recourse of the courts.
“The fundamental rights provisions are meant to guide all public officers and servants, Government agencies that provide services. And if any of the fundamental rights is likely to or actually breached, persons can sue the state by filing a case in the court.”
“If they prove their case, the fundamental right that was breached will be so declared as having been breached. And the court can also award damages or a sum of money, which unfortunately has to be paid with taxes,” she pointed out.
Last month, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance had hosted a Civil Society Consultation on Tuesday as part of its preparations for Guyana’s 4th Cycle of
Mazaruni boat mishap
the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
The event served as a vital platform for engagement between the Government of Guyana and civil society organisations (CSOs), aimed at shaping Guyana’s national report, which is due in January 2025.
The UPR is a key mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council that enables the periodic review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. Guyana’s review in the 4th Cycle, scheduled for May 2025, presents an opportunity to report on the progress made in strengthening human rights protections since the last review, as well as to address ongoing challenges.
Families of missing men desperate for closure 6 months later
Six months have passed since Troy Anthony Joseph, 35, and Cranston Davidson, 43, went missing after a devastating boat collision along the Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and their families are still seeking answers and closure.
The tragedy, which occurred near BK Quarries Inc on July 5, has left their loved ones heartbroken and grappling with financial and emotional challenges.
Felicia Edwards, the sister of Davidson, shared the struggles her family has endured. Despite initial searches by the police, she revealed that law enforcement only assisted twice before ceasing all efforts. The family was left to conduct their own search for two months, a process that quickly became too costly to sustain.
“Sometimes we had three or four boats searching with us,” Edwards explained. “We had to pay $15,000 per boat for gasoline each day, plus food and other supplies for the search teams. We’d spend about $20,000 on food alone per day. When you calculate everything, it was nearly $65,000 daily just to keep the search going.”
With such high expenses and many of the volunteer searchers needing to return
to work, the family was forced to halt their efforts. Ewards described the financial and emotional toll this has taken, especially as the Christmas season—normally a time when Joseph and Davidson would return from work in the interior to spend time with their families—brings fresh waves of grief.
“My mother cries every day because they’re not here,” Ewards said. “Cranston has seven children, and Troy has three. They were the breadwinners for their families...”
The family is also frustrated with the lack of progress in the investigation. According to Haley, the last contact they had with the police was a month ago, when they were asked to sign a statement. They were in-
formed that the case had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice, but there has been no communication since.
Meanwhile, she said the boat captain and other individuals involved in the collision have reportedly been released and are living freely. “It’s frustrating,” Edwards said. “We don’t even know where our loved ones are.”
As the family prepares to face the Christmas holidays without Joseph and Davidson, they are appealing to the authorities and the wider community for support and answers. Edwards emphasised that this tragedy has left their families in despair, with no closure or justice in sight.
The boat accident occurred when a vessel piloted by
Another…
…day in paradise
There are ongoing efforts – with the US Embassy’s cooperation - to encourage Guyanese to visit America as tourists. Imagine that!! Seems like it was only yesterday that Guyanese were shelling out US$10,000 a pop to that US consular officer Carroll to have him stamp your visas!! Other Guyanese without the connections were doling out more than twice Carroll’s vig on the other less safe “backtrack” routes!! What a difference 11 billion barrels of oil makes, eh??
Now your Eyewitness can understand those backtrackers shelling out all that dough, because they were jobless in Guyana and without any prospects. They had the example of their relatives who’d schlepped to New York with just a borrowed shirt on their back and in a few years had emerged from basements to become homeowners in Queens – with a fancy car parked in the driveway!! But now that Guyana has so many job openings – and the Govt just announced they’ll transport the jobless to where the jobs were – why go to the US??
On your Eyewitness's last jaunt a month ago, all that struck his eyes were the homeless on the streets. Not just the ho’s on 8th Ave to Times Square. They’ve been there forever – even in other cities. Back in 1989, Genesis’ Phil Collins had released the mega-hit “Another Day in Paradise” with the lyrics: “She calls out to the man on the street/ Sir, can you help me?/ It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep/ Is there somewhere you can tell me?/ He walks on, doesn't look back// He pretends he can't hear her/ Starts to whistle as he crosses the street/ Seems embarrassed to be there/ Oh, think twice/ 'Cause it's another day for you and me in paradise?”
Collins explained “I wrote this after being in Washington, DC where I was amazed by how many people I saw living in boxes.,.. these people were trying to sleep on the grills where all the hot air was coming up, and you could see that it was in the shadow of Capitol Hill. I thought it was an extraordinary contradiction.” Your Eyewitness wants you to know that things have gotten WORSE since Collins’ epiphany. The flotsam and jetsam of America that fall through the cracks are now not only ALL over the five boroughs of NYC and other cities – but in all the small towns that form the Rust Belt between the two coasts!!
Oswald Hudson Sr, 60, collided head-on with another boat steered by Shavez Thomas, 29. The impact ejected all passengers into the water. While six people were rescued, the body of Hudson Jr was later recovered, leaving two others unaccounted for.
Since the accident, the families of the missing men have voiced frustration over the insufficient support from authorities. Although police initially reported Hudson Jr’s death, it was later revealed by the families that Davidson and Joseph had also been aboard the boat.
On the day of the incident, an article highlighted the families' growing concerns over the limited assistance provided by law enforcement. In response, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and police joined the families in search efforts, conducting operations in the Mazaruni and Essequibo Rivers on July 6, 9, and 10.
Despite their efforts, no further discoveries were made. Another team arrived on the following day to assist, but according to Edward, their involvement lasted just one and a half days.
Davidson’s sister also noted that Thomas, the operator of the second boat, was arrested and later released on bail.
(LaWanda McAllister)
The Guyanese who backtracked to NYC now buy vacation homes in Florida to escape the homeless horror. So rather than shock our sensibilities going up north, why don’t we mosey over to Mainstay or Arrowpoint or any of the dozens of resorts that sprung up across our fair land??
…colonial-minded
There’s this fella who signs his prolix letters as “Chairman, The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana”. Who are these “cooperative republicans”?? Are they the ones who reject the “capitalist Republicans” now headed by Trump in the US of A? In his most recent missive, the fella gets his bukta in a knot to complain that it’s most infra dig for the Ministry of Education to say that Bishops’ is well on its way to being a model VocTec High School!!
He snorts that Bishops’ “is filled with some of the best young minds in the nation. To have their talents used for vocational education… appears to be the reversal of a firmly-established education strategy.” What’s that strategy?? The colonial one that insisted “bright minds” shouldn’t use their hands but only their minds?? Isn’t this why Naipaul could say we in the West Indies have produced “NOTHING”??
And what’s that crack about the “bright students” can’t respect a head teacher who doesn’t speak “proper English”? Gwan da side, peasant!!
…bonus
It was just announced that all 12,000 members of our Disciplined Forces gonna be getting one month's pay as a bonus. Now last your Eyewitness heard, the Police – about half their number – are corrupt and non-functional. And they get a bonus??
Acting Chief Justice Roxane George
Missing: Troy Anthony Joseph and Cranston Davidson
54 items cleared for free trade when regional ferry service commences – Minister Indar
...ground provisions, fresh fruits among products
As Guyanese manufacturers and producers continue to bemoan the restrictions that hinder export to Caribbean countries, more than 50 items have now been given clearance for trading when the highly-anticipated regional ferry service commences operation between Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.
This was revealed by the Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, who is Guyana’s lead representative on the regional body that was set up to oversee the operationalisation of the regional ferry service.
Indar made this announcement at the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce of Industry (GCCI) Annual Christmas Dinner and Awards ceremony held last week in Georgetown. During the event, GCCI President, Kester Hutson called for the regional trade barriers to be addressed frontally so that Guyanese companies can have equal opportunities as their trading partners in the Caribbean.
In response, Minister Indar indicated that current trade restrictions on some 54 products including ground provisions and fresh fruits would be removed when the
Regional Ferry Service. This, he explained, was agreed to by officials from Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.
According to Indar, a total of 67 items were identified as problematic when it comes to trading within the region and these were divided into two priority groups, ‘A’ and ‘B’, to have the trade restrictions on them removed.
“They have about 13 items in Priority B which are difficult that the countries need to fix to get normalised procedures [for free-trade]. But there were 54 items that you can work with – ground provisions, fresh fruits; different items that you can normalise
between the three countries and we have a memorandum to clear those 54 items. So, at least you can start a ferry operation with 54 items from the get-go whilst you work on the others. And that is what we approved,” the Minister told the gathering of business stakeholders.
Indar pointed out that each country had their own type of barriers that impacted free trade.
Honey restrictions Guyanese exporters have long been complaining about the trade restrictions from CARICOM Member States like Trinidad and Tobago, where certain products like
honey are banned.
“If we go with honey, you can’t start the conversation because honey can’t go nowhere. Honey could only go in your kitchen in Guyana. If you take it to Trinidad, there is a law in Trinidad from 1933 that says if it comes 10 nautical miles within the boundaries of Trinidad, it can’t go in. So, it can’t go in, and it can’t transship. So, how are you getting it to the rest of the islands when we don’t have our own cargo operations in Guyana,” the Minister
stressed.
Currently, the Twin Island Republic’s honey and bee products are guided by the country’s archaic Food and Drug Act of 1960 and the Beekeeping and Bee Products Act of 1935. According to the Beekeeping and Bee Products Act, only honey from the Windward and Leeward Islands can be transshipped to the twin-island Republic –something which Guyana and Grenada have long been arguing goes against the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas,
which facilitates free trade and movement of goods and people within the region.
At Thursday’s event, the GCCI President said these practices cannot be allowed to continue.
“We continue to allow the free flow of goods from other Caribbean States into the country while our products are being barred from entry into some countries for negligible reasons, stymying our progress and development.
Minister Deodat Indar with his counterparts from Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago at a meeting back in February to discuss the Common Transportation Ferry System
Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, speaking at the recent GCCI Annual Awards in Georgetown
Guyana becomes 1st Caricom nation to join Int’l Council for Respiratory Care
In a groundbreaking achievement, Guyana has become the first member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to join the prestigious International Council for Respiratory Care (ICRC). The ICRC, in partnership with the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), is a globally recognised authority in advancing respiratory care practices.
This recognition not only highlights Guyana’s commitment to excellence in respiratory care but also places the country at the forefront of respiratory health development in the region.
Excellence in International Respiratory Care.
This award, the second highest in the field, is given to leaders demonstrating vision, passion, and a significant impact on advancing respiratory care globally.
The Governor’s role involves promoting the art and science of respiratory care, developing evidence-based practices tailored to Guyana’s unique needs, and facilitating collaboration across medical disciplines and industries.
ry health risks and disease prevention, among others.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Respiratory Care (BSRC) at the University of Guyana (UG).
Currently, no other Caribbean member state offers a degree programme that equips students with the expertise and requisite knowledge to diagnose and treat breathing issues and lung disorders.
As a member state, Guyana has been granted representation on the ICRC committee, with a Governor appointed to oversee initiatives. This milestone comes as Guyana actively develops and implements respiratory care programmes and services to meet international standards.
The honour of representing Guyana on the ICRC has been bestowed upon a distinguished healthcare professional, Dr Waleema Bacchus-Ali who has also received the prestigious Hector Leon Garza, MD, Achievement Award for
Key responsibilities include establishing and maintaining high-quality standards for respiratory care, enhancing educational resources and training programmes for healthcare providers, encouraging the growth of respiratory care organisations within Guyana and the region, and advocating for public awareness campaigns to educate citizens on respirato-
According to Dr Bacchus-Ali, joining the ICRC allows Guyana to access valuable resources, including training, diagnostic support, equipment acquisition, and curriculum development.
She noted that these efforts aim to ensure that respiratory care services in Guyana align with global best practices while meeting the country’s specific needs.
Membership in the ICRC provides an opportunity for
Guyana to contribute to the global respiratory care community, given that the nation will now have a voice in reviewing and shaping policies, procedures, and standards that impact member nations worldwide.
“As Guyana continues its journey with the ICRC, its commitment to excellence, collaboration, and innovation ensures a brighter future for respiratory care both locally and globally”
Dr Bacchus-Ali noted.
Back in July, Guyana became the first country in the region to offer a
The programme, administered by UG, stems from a holistic collaboration between the tertiary institution, the Ministry of Health, and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The Bachelor of Science Degree in Respiratory Care (BSRC) programme gives students a foundation in cardiopulmonary care and prepares them for careers as respiratory therapists providing patient care in hospitals, paediatric clinics, extended care facilities, sleep labs, and more. (Trichell Sobers)
Java Coffee celebrates 10 years of serving coffee
ava Coffee Bar cele-
Jbrated its 10th anniversary on December 13, 2024, and reflected on a decade of growth, innovation, and unwavering commitment to serving quality coffee with heart.
From its humble beginnings in Sharon’s Mall in 2014, Java Coffee Bar has grown into a multifaceted enterprise with locations in Giftland Mall, MovieTowne Mall, Duncan Street, a mobile event bus, and a private canteen serving the oil and gas sector.
Java Coffee Bar’s journey has been fueled by a
deep connection to the communities it serves. With a salute to “10 Years of Serving Coffee with Heart,” this milestone celebrates not just its success as a business but its role as a community hub, a workplace of choice, and a provider of thoughtful, high-quality services that go beyond coffee.
Over the years, Java Coffee Bar has expanded its footprint and offerings to meet the evolving needs of its customers. The company now provides meals, hosts pop-up events, and operates a 24/7 mobile coffee bus that
services the oil and gas industry, a testament to its adaptability and innovative spirit.
From coffee to community impact
Java Coffee Bar’s mission has always been about more than coffee. By creating welcoming spaces and offering exceptional service, the company has cultivated a sense of belonging among customers, employees, and partners.
The company has over the years supported many charities, BSOs, social causes, and micro-entrepre-
neurs. Ensuring that there was always space, support and a warm cup to help anyone along.
A vision for the future
As it enters its second decade, Java Coffee Bar remains committed to making a difference. The company aims to deepen its impact through innovative collaborations, expanded community engagement, and continued excellence in delivering services that touch the heart.
“Our 10-year journey is a reflection of the incredible people we serve and the
passionate team that drives us forward,” said Evie Gurchuran, Co-Founder and CEO. “As we celebrate this milestone, we are inspired to continue making an impact.”
Anniversary celebrations
To mark this special occasion, Java Coffee Bar will host a series of celebratory events, including pop-up experiences, community givebacks, and special promotions across all locations.
The company invites its loyal customers, partners, and community members to join in the festivities and cel-
ebrate 10 years of shared memories and growth.
About Java Coffee Bar
Java Coffee Bar is a dynamic coffee and food service brand that has been at the forefront of creating exceptional customer experiences since its founding in 2014. With a strong presence in malls, private corporate canteens, and the oil and gas sector, Java Coffee Bar is dedicated to blending innovation with a personal touch. Java Coffee Bar was founded by Miguel and Evie Gurchuran.
Appointed Governor of Guyana for ICRC, Dr Waleema Bacchus-Ali
The staff at Java Coffee Bar
Miguel and Evie Gurchuran
Govt & civil society must collaborate to address lagging males in schools, society – Teixeira
– cites societal importance of helping male
Males falling behind in schools and society has for some time been recognised as a problem, and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, is urging civil society to work with the Government in finding solutions to address this issue.
During a recent expo, Minister Teixeira addressed the issue of males and their roles in society. With more and more males lagging behind and even dropping out of school, this is a matter that, according to Teixeira, requires urgent attention.
“There are social issues in our country, it requires more
than Government. The number of boys that drop out of school, the number of girls doing well in schools and the inequality in schools in terms of academic performance.”
“That’s going to lead to all types of social issues. And how do we work on that? To work with young boys, help them to stay in school, and be good citizens. To be good fathers. By teaching them certain issues,” Teixeira said.
Teixeira acknowledged that Governments and civil societies do not always see eye to eye, but there is still hope for collaboration. According to her, Government and civil society can work together to address scourges such as
54 items cleared for...
I echo our previous calls for the strong enforcement of common external tariffs and rules of origin… As a country, we cannot comfortably subscribe to the selective application of a free-trade framework in the region in a manner where our businesses do not benefit,” Hutson argued.
Time for reciprocity
Only earlier this month, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had told business stakeholders that Guyana may have to impose its own restrictions in response to the continued regional trade barriers faced by local exporters.
“I said it’s time for reciprocity in many areas. If you don’t take our stuff, we’re not gonna allow free access [for] your products,” Jagdeo said at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Annual Awards.
He was at the time responding to concerns raised by a local businessman, who complained about not being able to get his coconut products into the Trinidad market. According to the Vice President, some countries unfairly use phytosanitary restrictions.
For dry coconut, Trinidad requires this to be treated with methyl bromide – a substance that is banned in most territories.
“There is a phasing out of it. But for you to take certain items from Guyana into Trinidad, you’re required to treat them with methyl bromide – which you can’t get. The Government has to give you a special condition to buy it because it’s something that everybody signed up to get rid of. So, if you gotta carry dry coconut to another one of those countries, you gotta treat it with methyl bromide,” Indar noted at the GCCI event.
Moreover, local produce like peppers and fruits also encounter trade restrictions.
“If you have to take wiri pepper from Guyana to any one of those [countries] you got to break off all the stems – that introduces labour, time and carries up the cost so
when it lands, it’s uncompetitive. If you got to take pineapple… to certain countries in the Caribbean, they tell you that you have to break off the [head]…but the minute you take the [head] off the top, it starts to rot… These [restrictions] were designed by folks who know about [these challenges but they do it] to make sure that there’re protectionist [measures for locals] in those countries,” the Minister stated.
Nevertheless, representatives from the customs, immigration and plant quarantine departments from Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad have worked out a common platform to normalise the process of trading these products freely via the ferry service without compromising public health, security, and safety.
“They have a normalised customs procedure and normalised immigration procedure because Barbados hosted the [Cricket] World Cup and a lot of their immigration procedures we used. And Guyana has the GuyanaSuriname ferry operation so we use that [procedure] and mimic it to have a [process for the] regional ferry. What we have to do now, we have to build the facilities – one at Parika and one in Barbados so that ships can come and dock because [they are] rollon-roll-off, they are not side loaders… So that is where we are now with that ferry that will deal with trade barriers,” Minister Indar posited.
It was envisioned that the regional ferry service, in addition to being a cost-effective means of moving citizens of the three countries, will also play a critical role in CARICOM’s food security initiative – Twenty-Five by 2025 Initiative, which is to reduce the regional food bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025.
However, it was recently reported that the operationalisation of the ferry service is being delayed due to the high cost of a roll-on-roll-off vessel, which would be needed to transport both people and cargo between the three countries. (G-8)
students improve in school
gender-based violence.
girls? Let’s start with that premise in the religious communities if we can teach, real equality between men and women. And how can we say to boy, we’re not raising our hands at no woman, no girl, etc.”
According to Teixeira, there is also a need to teach these things to females, pointing to instances of female violence in schools.
(HFLE) curriculum, the students will benefit from a programme that not only targets literacy but also aids in their development of interpersonal skills. Dr Jules had also described male underachievement as a crisis that was not recognised early enough because significant investment was made in the education of girls.
“Civil societies and Governments don’t always see eye to eye. That’s understood. We have interest groups and representatives that play their own roles. But there must be some space in the dialogue between civil society and Government, where we agree to disagree and we agree what are the things we can have common interests on,” the Minister explained.
“How can we work together on child protection? Reducing abuse. Reducing gender-based violence. How do we bring up our boys to not think that it’s okay to hit
Last year, the Ministry of Education launched the Male Achievement in Education Programme to aid male learners who failed to pass the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). At the launch, Loyola University Professor, Dr Tavis Jules explained that the programme aims to help male students who exhibit behavioural problems.
Using the Health and Family Life Education
“What we have seen now is that because we’ve spent the last decade focused on getting girls in school, we have neglected the boys. Because we’ve neglected the boys, everything from absenteeism to traumatic incidents, whether they are at home or school, are now causing a distinctive set of behavioural problems. Those behavioural problems are ultimately impacting their academic achievement,” Dr Jules had said.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira
66 new CHWs, MLTs to boost health care in Region 9
Atotal of 66 persons from various sub-districts in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) are now certified Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLT) following the completion of their training programme.
The graduates received their certification at a ceremony held at the Amerindian Hostel, in Lethem which was attended by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and other officials.
Of the batch of 66, 27 are the region’s first batch of Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLT) while the remaining 39 are from the region’s second batch of CHWs.
These new healthcare workers are expected to return to their respective communities and apply the knowledge and skills they
acquired during their training. Both programmes were headed by the Health Sciences Division with the
years, the Ministry was able to train some 377 different categories of healthcare workers through the
the various health facilities within Region Nine.
Dr Anthony further related that the Government
ucation.
He reminded the new healthcare workers of the crucial role in this transfor-
Watt encouraged community involvement and positive representation of health services and said the graduates will soon be deployed within the 62 health facilities to provide service for a population of approximately 33,000.
Further, Deputy Director of Health Sciences Education, Chandroutie Persaud congratulated the new batch and encouraged them to connect with their communities and provide quality healthcare, embodying empathy and compassion.
While emphasising the role of Health Sciences Education in providing training opportunities in health careers, Persaud stated that the department
CHW lasting six months while the MLT lasted 12.
Dr Anthony during his remarks told the graduates that within the last three
decentralised training programme.
All of whom, he said strengthened capacity since their integration into
remains committed to enhancing healthcare in the region through training, telemedicine, improved facilities, and community ed-
mation, acting as the face of health services in their communities.
In addition, Regional Health Officer Dr Cerdel Mc
currently offers over 16 clinical and technical programmes, including the hybrid Nurses Training Programme.
Infrastructure development crucial as Guyana emerges as tourism hotspot – British diplomat
As Guyana positions itself to become one of the most buzzing tourism destinations both regionally and internationally, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller believes that the country must make significant infrastructural investments to fully capitalise on its tourism potential.
She was at the time speaking during an edition of the Energy Perspectives Podcast during which she highlighted some of the strategic steps authorities must take to elevate Guyana as a world-class destination.
“I mean, first, it'll be about infrastructure. We're already seeing that being developed. So, I think that's really important. It's very expensive to get into the interior and I think how infrastructure is being improved, that will become more accessible.”
Whilst infrastructure enhancement will play an integral role in bolstering the country’s tourism sector the
British High Commissioner added that stakeholders must also invest in the capacity building of staff within the country’s tourism industry.
“I think the other thing is training, it’s about really improving opportunities for people to understand hospitality and what worldclass hospitality looks like. You know, in Georgetown, the number of new hotels is growing enormously. And in the interior, there are new
lodges, there's new eco-destinations. But having good training, I think, is going to be really important to really nail Guyana as a real global eco-destination.”
Moreover, Miller highlighted even though Guyana is now becoming popular due to its booming oil and gas sector which has led the country to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. She added that Guyana has another unique feature that sets it apart from
other competitors, its biodiversity.
“The world is beginning to hear about Guyana now and I think they're beginning to hear about oil and gas and economic growth. But one thing I think is unique about the country is the incredible biodiversity. When you go into the rainforest, when you go up the creeks, the wildlife, the bird life is incredible. So, I think that makes it a very unique country at the moment.”
Additionally, she revealed that to strengthen diplomatic ties with Guyana the United Kingdom (UK) in the coming years will partner with Guyana in several areas such as trade. Particularly she noted that the UK is eyeing opportunities in the areas of biodiversity and forestry.
“The third area is forestry and biodiversity and the nature of the country. So, we work on sustainable forestry, working on indigenous people's rights and their livelihoods. So those are the areas I see amazing opportunities
for collaboration, where we can bring in expertise from around the world, where we can learn as well as Guyana learning from our experience elsewhere.”
Earlier this month, during
President revealed that come 2025, the tourism sector will reach its all-time high. Only recently, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) launched seven new tourism experiences, in col-
the launch of the Annual One
President Dr
Ali announced that, thanks to robust policies and government interventions throughout the year,
sector has experienced significant growth in 2024.
On this point, the
laboration with the
These include the
and ATV adventure, Essequibo River Jungle Trip and Jonestown Memorial Tour.
Guyana Christmas Village,
Irfaan
Guyana's tourism
tourism private sector.
Rupununi Hiking and Cultural Expedition, Jaguar Tour, Jungle Survival Tour Rockstone, Kato Hiking
British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller
The newly-certified Community Health Workers along with Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and other officials
The new batch of Medical Laboratory Technicians and officials at the graduation ceremony
OnAir Media shares Christmas cheer in vulnerable communities
Mark Murray was born in Linden, Region Ten before relocating to live with his grandmother in Georgetown at three years old. Raised by someone who worked as a cleaner in the public sector, his Christmas holidays were met with having to choose between the delicious pepperpot and black cake or a toy; almost always, the food came first. Now with his own business, Mark finds ways to bring smiles to the faces of less fortunate children at Christmas time.
Mark recalled that his grandmother grew older quickly leading to her retirement and the house being taken care of with just her pension. However, she did her best to ensure Christmas was celebrated the traditional way with the Guyanese dishes all have come to love.
“She decided to make the house feel like a home and provide food so at Christmas time I did not really have a toy and that made me feel a type of way when I see other children in the community with their toy,” he remembered.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the young journalist started a YouTube channel, OnAir with Murray, which received a positive response as family and friends encouraged him
to launch a business.
A year later, he launched OnAir Media Consultancy, which provides a platform for young creatives to showcase their talents on projects for major companies in Guyana.
Resulting of his childhood memories, Mark decided that his business’ first project in 2021, un-
After completing his secondary education at the East Ruimveldt Secondary School, Mark joined the local media at Channel 2 as a Transmission Operator. He soon developed a love for the media and two decades later, remains in the field of media consultancy. During his career, his interest has always been in providing a voice for Indigenous people, the poor, and the “powerless”.
der its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) branch, would be a Christmas giveaway.
“I decided I'll do a toy drive because honestly, I remember what it felt like not having a toy on Christmas morning...and Since it's the pandemic, a lot of people lost their jobs, they didn't have enough money to survive and they were just dependent on whatever help they can get,” he explained in an interview with the Guyana Times Newspaper.
To pull off this feat, he began advertising the toy drive through social media and many corporate sponsors including Ansa McAl and the First Lady’s Office who donated toys for distribution.
“Persons were excited to get on board with me,” he said.
In 2021, OnAir Media Consultancy successfully donated 300 toys to children and in 2022, this increased to 600. Growing further, the business donated 800 toys in 2023.
The team has visited less developed communities in Regions Three, Four, Six and 10 on each Sunday in December. The children are also provided with juices and snacks to keep them occupied as the team organises the items for distribution.
“We understood that
there is a need for support in these communities and this was just our way of putting this little smile on children's faces come Christmas morning,” he said.
“And one woman made me cry because she was in tears. She was like, ‘you guys don't know how much y'all make me feel happy now because I had nothing to give these children and I didn't expect y'all to come in our community to share this thing, and I really do appreciate it’. So it's like those little things that keep you going and motivate you to keep on going,” Murray told Guyana Times.
He noted that the exposure of the communities also lent to upgrades in the road infrastructure and other amenities.
He pointed out that there have been instances where the children indicated that other toy drives were done in their communities and asked for them to give to those who did not receive them.
This year, the toy drive was scaled down as Mark is currently travelling abroad but all is not lost as friends and family stepping in to distribute toys in a Region Three Community. The team on Sunday travelled to Belle West squatting area on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) to share
the Christmas cheer with those children through a partnership with the Office of the First Lady.
This year also assisted in delivering toys, comforting snacks, and personal care items to children living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
However, if anyone is interested in donating toys to OnAir Media Consultancy, they can reach out to the social media pages and another distribution date can be arranged during the season.
“Next year, we're going to go bigger and go harder,” Mark noted.
Toy distribution exercise
Mark Murray
Mark when he started as a media practitioner
Mark Murray and his grandmother
‘‘We have plans, but we are short on resources’’ – GT
Mayor on city’s drainage & irrigation
As the rainy season creeps in, Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore recently revealed that the City Council has plans that will ensure that the city is not affected by flooding but due to a lack of resources, these plans are yet to come to fruition.
The Mayor made this revelation last week during a press briefing to update the public on waste disposal and garbage collection in and around the city.
In light of several areas being prone to flooding, particularly during the rainy season, explained that whilst the city council does have plans to tackle
flooding in the city, a lack of financial resources has delayed the council’s execution of them.
“We always have plans, but we also are short on resources. Anybody could plan, you know, anybody could dream up anything and say, I want to build this skyscraper here, I want to do this thing here, but you still got to get the bread in which to address it.”
The Mayor attributed the lack of financial resources to organisations failing to pay their rates and taxes in a timely manner.
“We function on rates and taxes and also other fees from markets and
other guys. There are lots of people who have outstanding indebtedness to us, including the Central Government on rates and tax matters.”
The Mayor added “I've seen significant improvement in those Ministries that are paying or honouring their obligation, but there are still significant obligations by them to treat with and handle matters. It's coming to the end of the year. I would assume that they would try to honour their obligation before they go into the next budget cycle and for us to have our keeps so that we could deal with a number of these matters of treating with the city and our drainage.”
Moreover, the Mayor revealed that the city council would sometimes get assistance from the Central Government to tackle drainage and irrigation issues but noted that these works are done through a collaboration with the council engineers.
“So even though they might not give us the money directly, they collaborate with our city engineer, drainage section and other
sections to seek out those areas that need to be addressed. And they spend the money towards doing it. It's not something that we discount from our rates and taxes, but it's a case where they have some additional monies and they repurpose those monies towards these things in collaboration with our city engineer's department.”
Also chiming in on the matter was Councilor Clayton Hinds who highlighted that through a collaboration with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) over the past two years several canals have been cleared and maintained within the town.
Over $113M in SLED grants distributed
Some $113 million has been pumped into the local economy in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and is expected to see several small businesses directly benefiting from it.
On Sunday persons who were recipients of the $100,000 cash grant which was distributed in October under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) Programme were re-issued due to several errors.
Additionally, persons who did not turn up to collect their cheques in October were able to collect them on Sunday.
One person told the Guyana Times that she had applied for the grant and it was approved but at the
time to collect same, she was imprisoned.
The activity at the Berbice High School saw over 100 cheques being disbursed totalling over $113 million
Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Anand Persaud who was at the exercise pointed out that the distribution was separate from the much-anticipated $100,000 grant, which will be available to every Guyanese over the age of 18 starting January 1, 2025.
“This grant is not related to the $100,000 for every Guyanese 18 year and over that will begin in January,” Persaud emphasized.
“I want to remind you that this is a continuation of the SLED Programme,
and while we have had some hiccups in the past, we are working tirelessly
already dawned upon us and I want to ask you to spend this money wisely, it is a season for sharing and a season for giving; the males will say it is a season for drinking, but you had the whole year of drinking – some of you. Utilise this $100,000 wisely; if you will indulge be safe on the roadways because we want to have an accident-free season,” the Minister admonished.
Meanwhile, Delawarie Baldeo, a seamstress thanked the Government for the SLED grant and stated that she was going to use it to expand her business.
“I have plans to use the funds to purchase threads,
“We currently, as a result of the paucity of funds at the council, we have been able to get an arrangement in place with NDIA for eastto-west canals and the outfalls. And that in itself, that arrangement is not new. We have been able to establish that kind of collaboration over the past two years.”
in Berbice
“I am so happy and thankful for this gift, it is a
to ensure that everyone receives their support.”
“The festive season has
needles, and other materials for her sewing business,” she explained.
big help for me as a single parent. I will use the money to start a small busi-
ness selling finger foods,” Slyvanie Cummings, a single mother told this publication.
Another resident, Abiola Graves from Caracas, West Canje was also elated to have benefitted from the grant.
“The first time, my name was not spelt right, and I was told to wait two weeks. I was a little disappointed, but now I am happy because it came at the right time, just before Christmas...”
Brandis Joseph who was hospitalised when the distribution was done in October, in expressing application said he will be putting the grant to good use. “I am hustling to get a roof over my head and this will help,” he said.
Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore
Sylvania Cummings receiving her cheque at the Berbice High School on Sunday
Region Six residents collecting their SLED grants
Brandis Joseph was hospitalised when the cheques were distributed in October
Reg 2 farmers to receive additional machinery as Govt moves to boost agricultural production
The Guyana Government is in-
tensifying its efforts to transform Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) into a thriving agricultural hub through increased funding and the provision of cutting-edge machinery.
This is according to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who has pledged the administration’s unwavering commitment to this initiative, which aims to enhance crop production and agricultural activities across the region.
During a recent community meeting with farmers and residents at the Rice Producers Association Bond in Anna Regina, Minister Mustapha disclosed that the region will be provided with additional amphibious excavators and small machines.
He noted that the tools are part of broader efforts to modernise agriculture and establish Guyana as a leading food hub in the Caribbean.
“We are producing 60 per cent of the food that we are consuming in our country. The President said we must strive to produce all. We must produce all the food.
So, what he gave us is direction, the vision that he has. He wants Guyana to be that food-production country. He wants Guyana to ensure that we are a food hub in the region and we are striving towards that. We have gone into new areas for the first time. For the first time, we are now producing our own corn and soya. We are hoping by the end of 2025 that we can produce all our needs and also be a net exporter to the region.
“So, we will continue, we will continue to revolutionise this sector … Region
2, you are in for a massive transformation,” the Minister told the gathering.
Over the last four years, farmers in the region have received over 12 new pieces of machinery, as well as numerous upgrades, including the rehabilitation of thousands of lots, the restoration of over 60 canals, and the distribution of free planting materials.
These initiatives, the Minister noted are paying off significantly, with Region Two achieving a record-breaking harvest of over 725,000 tonnes of
rice—a remarkable milestone in one of Guyana’s key agricultural exports.
“And today, I want to tell you, with the leadership that our President has given us as a country, we have seen a massive transformation. For the first time on the Essequibo here, we have seen the last crop, we have planted 36,000 acres of rice, and that will continue to increase. And this came about because of the investment
over the last four years.
Approximately $10 billion was expended in the agriculture sectors alone. We as a Government, we never thought that rice, activity of rice growing is a private business. We addressed the situation when we got back into Government,” he added.
On this point, the Agriculture Minister reaffirmed that more trailblazing initiatives are on the horizon, further solidifying
Region Two’s role as a pillar of the nation’s agricultural success. He also emphasised that Guyana’s strides in agriculture are drawing the attention of foreign investors. While the oil and gas industry has been a major focus, agriculture is seeing renewed interest and investment, with many returning to capitalise on the sector’s growth.
Diet is key in managing diabetes – Part 2
– Understanding good and bad fats, portion size control and calculating your glycaemic levels
By ShaBana Shaw
Fats play a very important role in a human’s body; hence they must be included in their correct portion size in your diet.
Nutritionist Abigail Caleb, Senior Technical Officer - Food Security and Nutrition at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) explains that fats are nutrients / nourishing substances required by the body to fulfil a wide range of functions and form part of the body structure.
“Fats provide cushion and protect all the organs of our body; they provide warmth, carry and store the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) around the body and provide important chemicals the body needs for its functions (e.g. hormones), among others,” she said.
However, fats play a complex role in the management of diabetes. Eating too much fat can lead to the body taking in more calories than it otherwise needs which can result in weight gain which can affect a patient’s diabetes control.
The three different types of fat are unsaturated, saturated and trans.
Good Fats – Unsaturated Fatty Acids
According to Caleb, unsaturated fatty acids, categorised as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated come in the form
of liquids even when refrigerated. They are found mostly in plant sources (vegetable oils) and fish and may improve insulin control.
“Unsaturated fats are found in olive oil, peanut oil, canola or rapeseed oil, avocado pear, flaxseed, wheat germ, nuts & seeds - walnut, soybeans and fishes, especially salmon, sardines, trout, herring, mackerel, anchovies, tuna,” she stated.
Bad Fats – Saturated Fatty Acids
Saturated fatty acids are the ‘hard’ fats which are found in foods from animals (high in red meat), except for coconut and palm oils. High intake of saturated fats may increase insulin resistance and increase one’s risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease.
“Full cream dairy products (milk, butter, cheese, cream; red meats (pork, beef, lamb), meat fat (bacon, chicken skin, pork fat); coconut oils and milk; lard; ghee; and mayonnaise contains high amounts of saturated fats,” the Nutritionist counselled while emphasising that most junk and fast foods contain this type of fat.
Trans Fatty Acids
Trans-fatty acids are made artificially by adding hydrogen which aids in giving processed foods a longer shelf life.
They are known for being low in nutritional value and negatively affect cholesterol levels by increasing ‘bad cholesterol’ and decreasing the ‘good cholesterol’.
“This is the most unhealthy and dangerous type of fat which can lead to elevated increased risk for cardiovascular (heart) diseases and poor glycaemic (blood sugar) control,” she warned.
Trans fats are commonly found in margarine (hard), vegetable shortening commercial baked products and fast and junk foods.
Therefore, persons living with diabetes should avoid foods that contain trans-fatty and avoid consumption of simple sugars (sugar, honey, molasses, syrup, jam, jelly, chocolate, sweets, candies, pastries, cakes, pies, cookies, carbonated drinks, packets juices mixes and fruits canned with sugar).
On one hand, healthy fats can play a beneficial role in managing diabetes by stabilising blood sugar levels and contributing to good heart health once consumed in small to moderate amounts. On the
other hand, unhealthy fats can cause a spike in blood sugar levels and increase a person’s risk of heart disease.
It should be noted that overconsumption of any type of fat/high-fat diet worsens blood glucose/ sugar control and increases the risk of (type 2) diabetes and cardiovascular (heart) diseases.
Understanding Glyceamic Index (GI)
The Glyceamic Index (GI) is the ranking of foods based on their effect on blood sugar levels. Caleb clarified that GI is measured by how slowly or quickly carbohydrate (carbs)--containing foods are digested and increase blood glucose/sugar levels over a period of time, usually 2 hours.
“It is best to control total carbohydrate intake, that is, balancing among the carbohydrate content categories - high carbs, moderate carbs, low carb and zero carb foods,” she expanded.
Foods with a high GI are rapidly digested and absorbed, leading to a swift increase in blood sugar while low GI foods are digested more slowly, resulting in a gradual rise in blood sugar levels.
High GI Foods
Some Fruits: mango, banana, avocado
Some Vegetables: ripe tomatoes, carrots, beetroot
Ground Provision: sweet potato, cassava, boiled and baked potato
Shellfish: shrimp, prawn, lobster, squid
All Sugary Foods, for example: white bread, rice cakes, bagels, cakes, doughnuts, croissants and most packaged breakfast cereals and instant oatmeal
“These foods should be eaten in moderation or temporarily avoided (with the exception of sugar foods which should be avoided at all times) if complications arise or if there is poor control of blood glucose/sugar levels as they tend to elevate blood glucose/sugar levels more than other foods,” the Nutritionist advised.
However, it is more effective to eat a variety of foods from the Caribbean’s Six Food Groups while controlling the total carbohydrate intake of the diet, she added.
Vegetables: green leafy vegetables (callaloo, pakchoi, spinach, lettuce, cabbage), ochroes, christophene/chocho, eggplant/ baigan, squash, bell peppers. broccoli, carrots, cauliflower
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha addressing farmers and residents
The gathering at the meeting
Dr Tariq Jagnarine Fam meD, enDocrinology/ DiabeTes
It’s Christmas Day, and you want to enjoy yourself; that’s only natural, Christmas does not need to overturn healthful living completely. The holiday period is commonly a time of overindulgence. With almost infinite food at our fingertips, it can be difficult not to go overboard on the cheeseboard.
Studies have found that during the holiday season, people usually put on a little extra weight. This finding is no surprise, but research has also shown that people typically don’t shift that weight before the next holiday season rolls around. Some scientists believe that this seasonal weight gain might be one of the reasons why people tend to get heavier as they age.
Of course, eating poorly is not the only seasonal hazard that we face. Below are a few simple tips to help you cruise through Christmas Day without denting your health (too much).
1. Christmas spirit
During the Christmas period, there is often more alcohol in the home than usual, which can increase the temptation to indulge. At this time of year, people also tend
HEALTH TIPS
HEALTH TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
to socialize more, providing a spike in the number of opportunities to drink alcohol. Although taking it easy can be challenging, moderation will make Christmas Day much more pleasant. Here are some quick alcohol-related tips:
At parties, intersperse alcoholic drinks with soft drinks
Eat before you drink, and avoid salty snacks, as they make you thirsty
Refrain from starting to drink early in the day
Remember that you are not under any obligation to accept every single party invitation
No need to stay until the bitter end of every event
Remember that it is not necessary to accept every offer of a free drink
Assign yourself as the designated driver, and stick to soft drinks once you’ve passed your limits.
Stay hydrated
• Add more mixer to your glass, so that your drink lasts longer
• Try nonalcoholic beers
Choose drinks with lower levels of alcohol
• Drinking slowly Avoid rounds, and drink at your own pace
2. Do not remain seated
On Christmas Day, it can be tempting to stay sitting on the couch for most of your time, other than the hour or two that you spend sitting at the dining table. Many families gather around to watch seasonal movie marathons. Of course, there is nothing wrong with indulging in some sofa time, but it will benefit your general sense of well-being if you also get up and move around now and again.
A quick walk in the park, a game of frisbee, or even some star jumps in the middle of the lounge will suffice.
If nothing else, a brief spate of activity will reduce the time available for consuming candy and roast potatoes.
3. Obligatory overeating Christmas Day is, for many of us, the most gluttonous day of the year. Dinner
Diet Is key in managing...
Legumes: lentils, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans
Meat and Seafood: chicken, turkey, duck, all fishes especially tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines
To ensure you eat a low GI diet, choose whole grains over refined grains, fish and skinless poultry over red meats, incorporate lots of vegetables with moderate consumption of fruits and add legumes and nuts as a source of protein.
Portion Size Guidelines
Portion size refers to the amount of food served in one meal and is crucial in maintaining a healthy diet and overall health.
Caleb explained that when food is placed onto a
9-inch plate, one should divide the plate into four equal parts.
Here is a breakdown of how you can maintain portion control.
¼ for starches (provision, rice, pasta, flour products, etc)
¼ for protein (fish, chicken, peas & beans, etc.)
¼ for cooked vegetables (carrots, okra, cabbage, etc.)
¼ for raw vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, tomato, etc.)
Caleb recommends that the largest meal(s) should be had at the time of day when the diabetic is more active, and more likely to avoid blood glucose/sugar spikes.
She also emphasised that maintaining a consistent meal schedule and avoiding skipping meals can be beneficial for blood sugar management.
“This will help maintain blood glucose/sugar levels
FROM PAGE 16
steady throughout the day, avoiding spikes and dips that create an incessant feeling of hunger and can lead to hypoglycaemia (abnormally low blood glucose/ sugar levels) which if not adequately treated may result in a coma,” the Nutritionist cautioned.
Persons living with diabetes should avoid unhealthy foods and drinks (high in fats, sugar and sodium salt). It is important that you work closely with a registered dietitian or nutritionist for personalised dietary advice on how to pair healthy fats with meals. Limiting processed foods is one way of reducing the consumption of unhealthy fats, sodium/ salt and added sugars. Mindful eating in a consistent manner and the appropriate portion size is also key in managing diabetes.
is vast, and there is an accompanying array of biscuits, cheeses, chocolates, and snacks to choose from throughout the day. Of all the topics on this list, reducing food intake is perhaps the hardest at this time of year. If you are tempted to go in for a second helping of dinner, force yourself to wait 20 minutes and then assess whether you truly need any more turkey or nut roast.
Once your meal has had time to reach your stomach,
more vitamins and minerals, you might find that you will be fuller, and therefore more unlikely to tuck into the less healthful options surrounding you.
When you are shopping for the holiday season, make sure to add some healthful food items to your list.
Some people find that starting Christmas Day with a large, healthful breakfast is helpful. It means that you are less inclined to begin snacking
you might realize that you are not hungry and that the additional calories are not in your best interest.
4. Eat something healthful
As we have established, Christmas Day is bursting at the seams with sinful cuisine, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t opt for a little light relief. Perhaps try to replace a few calorific snacks with one or two pieces of fruit. Alongside the obvious benefits of taking in
early, and that you have had a good dose of nutrients before the onslaught begins.
5. Mind your mental well-being
There are numerous ways to look after your mental health during the holidays. Consider doing something for someone else. Not everyone enjoys the holiday season, so a little bit of kindness might do wonders for someone else… and for you.
Being kind brings re-
wards to both the giver and the receiver. Some research has shown that altruism might boost self-esteem. Another study concluded that carrying out acts of kindness increased self-reported life satisfaction. Although there are many ways to guard your mental well-being over the holiday season, being kind guards someone else’s mental well-being, too.
6. Be careful!
Accidents do happen, and they often happen around the holidays. Alcohol and a hot stove do not mix. Then there are batteries for children to swallow, Christmas trees that the cat can pull down, and sharp knives cutting through lumps of meat. First and foremost, although candles are nice to look at, they are still open flames. Avoid placing candles near your Christmas tree, even if it is plastic. Limit your candle use wherever possible. Make sure that toys are age-appropriate, and that children remain under supervision. Turn off all your lights before you turn in for the night. Santa always carries a torch, so he won’t need lights from your tree. And finally, although leftovers are a delicious treat, make sure that you refrigerate them as soon as possible, and reheat them thoroughly before eating them.
People often view the holiday season as an open invitation to do whatever they please. Instead, this year, consider it an invitation to be good for your mental and physical health. From the Jagnarine Family to yours : Happy Holidays!
Regional
Lula leaves hospital, speaks publicly for 1st time since surgeries
Doctors discharged Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from a São Paulo hospital on Sunday, after a pair of emergency surgeries last week to treat and prevent bleeding in his head.
The 79-year-old leftist leader also spoke publicly for the first time at a hospital press conference, appearing upbeat wearing a hat and gesturing frequently with his hands as he talked. He stressed that he was eager to get back to work as soon as possible, which his medical team said they approved, along with advice to avoid long-haul international flights until further notice and exercise for up to a month.
"I'm here, whole," Lula said after spending most of last week at São Paulo's Sirio-Libanes Hospital, where he had been receiving care. "I'm healed. I just need to take care of myself."
The President also commented on the Saturday arrest of Walter Braga Netto, the former Defence Minister and vice presidential running mate to far-right ex-President Jair Bolsonaro. Braga Netto, a retired general, is accused by Federal Police of plotting a coup to overturn Lula's narrow election win over Bolsonaro, and assassinate him shortly after the 2022 vote.
"It's unacceptable that in a generous country like
Brazil we have people of high military rank plotting the death of a president," said Lula.
Lula's latest health scare has provoked doubts among political analysts, with some arguing that succession plans within Lula's Workers Party would be cast into disarray if he cannot run again in 2026.
Doctors said Lula will continue his recovery at home in São Paulo before going back to the capital Brasilia. He is unlikely to make the trip before next Thursday, when he is set to undergo a CT scan, a medical procedure used to obtain detailed internal images of the body. (Excerpt from Reuters)
1 captured, another dead as manhunt continues for prisoners who escaped Jamaica lock-up
One of the five men who escaped from the Barnett Street Police Station in St James, Jamaica on Saturday has been recaptured.
He is 36-year-old Fidel Ferguson of Mountain View, Greenwood in the parish.
Reports are that about 03:00h on Sunday, lawmen were summoned by residents of Paisley district in the parish, after Ferguson told them he was shot by unknown assailants.
Upon the arrival of the Police Officers, Ferguson who was identified as one of the escapees was seen suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. He was taken to the hospital where he is being treated under Police guard.
In the meantime, one of the other four escapees, 42-year-old Edgar Spence, a labourer of Belinda district,
Flower Hill was fatally shot during a confrontation with the Police about 11:45h on Saturday.
The other three escapees remain at large and are being urged to turn themselves in at the nearest police station. They are 22-year-old Tyrese Brown of Albert Town, Trelawny
charged with murder and rape; 23-year-old Daniel McIntosh of Peddlars Lane, Mount Salem, St James charged with possession of a prohibited weapon et al; and 43-year-old Maurice Belnavis of Greens Paradise, Norwood, St James charged with simple larceny. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
Industry banking on higher demand for Caribbean rum
Caribbean rum is set for a comeback over the next five years.
West Indies Rum and Spirits Association Chief Executive Officer Vaughn Renwick said it was a tough year for rum in the Caribbean.
“Coming out of COVID, we saw a resurgence of demand in 2022, but that did not continue. It sort of levelled off in 2023 and while we expected another resurgence in 2024, it didn’t quite happen. We think it’s due to a combination of international instability, a certain amount of politics and issues with supply chains, but generally, 2024 has not been a great year,” he said.
Renwick was speaking to the media on Friday after the launch of Mount Gay’s newest barrel bond in St Lucy. He said predictions indicated international demand for Caribbean
rum would rise again.
“We think things will pick up. The overall outlook for the next five years is very good and premium rum, which is the Caribbean’s and Barbados’ top export, is going to be doing well in the long term. That’s what we’re banking on.
“One of the things that we are doing is looking at how we tell our stories. For instance, here at Remy Cointreau, one of their mantras is drink less, drink better.
“So they premiumise and premiumise and premiumise by offering innovative new spirits and saying to people, ‘You’re going to pay a bit more for this, but it’s going to be really a great product for you to enjoy’. And so drinking less, but drinking better products and more premium products is part of that strategy,” he said.
The CEO said they still had strong faith in the quality of Barbados’ rum and rum in the Caribbean in general so they felt confident about the future. He said the launch of the barrel bond was also a major step.(Excerpt from Nation News)
Trinidad: Murders in Laventille, Maraval push toll closer to 600
The murder of a 39-yearold man in Laventille on Thursday and the killing of a pensioner in Maraval on Saturday have brought the toll closer to 600.
Police said around 11:40h on December 12 they received a report of gunshots at Picton Road near the WASA tanks.
They arrived and saw a man in a track behind the tanks with gunshots to his body. He was still alive.
They took him to the Port of Spain General Hospital where he was pronounced dead around 12:15h.
He was identified as
Glen O'Garro of Vega De Oropouche, Sangre Grande.
Police believe his killing to be gang-related.
In a separate incident, a 68-year-old man was killed after being stabbed in his neck multiple times at his Maraval home.
He has been identified as Bertram Greenaway of Herrera Trace, Morne Coco Road.
Police said around 08:00h on December 14, a woman went to drop food for Greenaway when she noticed the meal she delivered the day before was still on the
front wall of his porch. Further attempts to contact Greenaway were unsuccessful. She opened his front door and saw his body lying on the floor of the living room, in a pool of blood. She called the Police. The Police blocked off the area and the district medical officer saw several wounds to the left side of Greenaway's neck.
Police said investigations are ongoing into both incidents.
As at December 15, the murder toll was 587. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)
Sandals appoints former Massy CEO to Board
Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart has named former Massy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President Gervase Warner as one of four new members of the all-inclusive resort group’s board.
In a post on his LinkedIn page, Stewart described Warner as a “leading voice in Caricom Business”.
Stewart also announced the appointment of Nicholas Lok Jack, the recently-appointed Chairman of Associated Brands Industries Ltd to the Board of Sandals Resorts. Joining the board of the hotel company, as well, are Christopher Levy of Jamaica Broilers Group and Peter Melhado of the ICD Group.
“These accomplished leaders bring diverse expertise and strategic insight that align with our ambitious plans for innovation and regional development.
“Their contributions will help us enrich guest experi-
ences and create greater opportunities for the communities we serve,” Stewart outlined in the post.
The Sandals Chairman outlined that with a portfolio of 20 hotels and 18,000 employees, “we remain deeply committed to fostering growth and prosperity across the region”.
He also said that 2025 is on track to be a milestone year for Sandals Resorts as it ad-
vances to Sandals 2.0, redefining the future of luxury travel in the Caribbean.
Sandals was founded by Gordon “Butch” Stewart in 1981 when he purchased an old hotel (the Bay Roc Hotel) on one of Montego Bay’s largest beaches, and opened it as Sandals Montego Bay. Butch, the father of Adam, died on January 4, 2021. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva waves while leaves the Sirio-Libanes Hospital on December 15, 2024 (Reuters/Felipe Iruata photo)
West Indies Rum and Spirits Association CEO Vaughn Renwick
Former Massy CEO Gervase Warner
Around the World
TOIL NEWS
2 Russian oil tankers wrecked in Black Sea
wo Russian oil tankers have been badly damaged in the Black Sea, causing an oil spill, authorities in Russia have said.
Footage released by Russia's Southern Transport Prosecutor's Office showed the bow of one tanker completely broken off, with streaks of oil visible in the water.
Both tankers are believed to have drifted before running aground offshore. At least one crew member was reportedly killed.
The incident took place in the Kerch Strait, which separates Russia from Crimea – the Ukrainian peninsula illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014.
A rescue operation involving tugboats, helicopters and more than 50 personnel saw 13 crew members rescued from one tanker, before being suspended due to bad weather.
The 14 remaining crew members aboard the second tanker are said to have "everything necessary for immediate life support" on board with them, but look set to be stranded until conditions improve.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered a working group to be set up to deal with the incident, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev – and authorities are investigating for criminal negligence.
Michelle Bockmann, an analyst at shipping industry journal Lloyd's List, told the BBC the two vessels are owned by the company Volgatanker and were relatively small.
They had been carrying around 4300 dead weight tonnes of oil each, according to Russian officials quoted by Tass news agency.
A tanker used for trading Russian crude oil internationally generally has a much larger carrying capacity of around 120,000 dead weight tonnes, Bockmann said, meaning it is likely these tankers were used for transporting oil through Russia's rivers or in coastal waters.
The Kerch Strait is a key route for exports of Russian grain and it is also used for exports of crude oil, fuel oil, and liquefied natural gas.
In 2007, another oil tanker – Volgoneft-139 – split in half during a storm while anchored off the Kerch Strait, spilling more than 1000 tonnes of oil.
Russian oil imports have been heavily sanctioned by allies of Ukraine since the Kremlin ordered the full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
In recent years, Russia has been accused of using a so-called ghost fleet of tankers, which are often poorly maintained and lack proper insurance, to move oil and circumvent sanctions –though Bockmann said it did not appear the tankers involved in Sunday's incident were part of that fleet. (BBC News)
Israeli forces carry out air, ground attacks in Gaza; dozens dead
Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 53 Palestinians, including a Journalist and rescue workers, medics said, and the Israeli military said its air and ground forces in the north of the enclave killed dozens of militants and captured others.
An airstrike hit the civil emergency centre in the Nuseirat market area in the central Gaza Strip, killing Ahmed Al-Louh, a video Journalist for Al Jazeera TV, and five others, medics and fellow Journalists said. Another strike on a house in Nuseirat camp killed five persons, including children, according to medics.
The TV network said AlLouh was working when he was killed and condemned
Palestinians check the site of an Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced people amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, December 15, 2024. in this screengrab taken from a video (Reuters TV/via Reuters)
Israel.
The Israeli military said the strike had targeted Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants operating from Gaza's Civil Defence's Nuseirat office. It named Al-Louh as a
member of the militant group Islamic Jihad, without providing evidence.
Al Jazeera did not immediately comment on the Israeli allegation, but has condemned previous claims
by Israel naming some of the Qatari-owned network's Journalists killed in the Gaza war as members of militant groups.
Hamas media said the head of the civil emergency service in Nuseirat, Nedal Abu Hjayyer, was also killed.
"The civil emergency headquarters in Nuseirat camp was hit during the crews' presence, they work around the clock to serve the people," said Zaki Emadeldeen from the civil emergency service to reporters at the hospital.
Another airstrike hit a group of Hamas-linked men tasked with protecting aid trucks west of Gaza City, and medics said several were hurt, but exact figures were unavailable. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Several hundreds, maybe thousands, may have died in Mayotte cyclone
Several hundred people and possibly even thousands may have been killed when the most powerful cyclone in nearly a century hit the French Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte, a senior local French official said on Sunday.
"I think there will certainly be several hundreds, maybe we will reach a thou-
sand, even several thousands," prefect FrancoisXavier Bieuville said on local media channel Mayotte La 1ere.
Asked about the death toll from Cyclone Chido, the French Interior Ministry said "it will be difficult to account for all victims" and a figure could not be determined at this stage.
West Africa bloc offers junta-led States 6 months to rethink exit
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger will have a six-month grace period after their scheduled exit from West Africa's main political and economic group next month during which the ECOWAS bloc will try to persuade them to stay, the bloc's leaders agreed on Sunday.
The summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was seen as a chance to address the impending withdrawal of the three countries on January 29, a year after they jointly announced they would leave in a reversal of decades of regional integration.
ECOWAS has so far failed in its goal to push them to reconsider, while the three countries in the insurgen-
cy-torn central Sahel region have set up their own alliance, sought ever-closer alignment in defence and other areas and mooted abandoning the West African currency union.
While January 29 remains the official withdraw-
al date, the effective date for their departure has been extended to July 29 – a transition period during which mediators from the bloc will seek "to bring the three member countries back to ECOWAS without prejudice", commission president Oumar Touray
said at the end of the summit.
On Saturday, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso reaffirmed their decision to leave as irreversible and jointly declared that their territories would remain visa-free for all ECOWAS citizens post-exit.
This move could be an effort to address warnings that their departure threatens the bloc's freedom of movement and its common market of 400 million people.
Their withdrawal would cap a tumultuous period for the Sahel, where a string of coups since 2020 has swept military authorities to power who have fostered closer ties with Russia at the expense of former colonial ruler France, and other one-time allies from the region and elsewhere. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte overnight, MeteoFrance said, with winds of more than 200 kilometres per hour (124 mph), damaging housing, Government buildings and a hospital. It was the strongest storm in more than 90 years to hit the islands, the forecaster said.
"Honestly, what we are experiencing is a tragedy, you feel like you are in the aftermath of a nuclear war… I saw an entire neighbourhood disappear," Mohamed Ishmael, a resident of Mayotte's capital Mamoudzou, told Reuters by
phone. Aerial footage shared by the French gendarmerie showed the wreckage of hundreds of makeshift houses strewn across the hills of one of Mayotte's islands, which have been a focal point for illegal immigration from nearby Comoros.
In the last few decades thousands of people have attempted to make the crossing from Comoros, off the coast of East Africa, to Mayotte, which has a higher standard of living and access to the French welfare system. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Trump and Netanyahu
discuss Gaza hostages and Syria, Israeli PM says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US Presidentelect Donald Trump about developments in Syria and a recent push to secure the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, he said on Sunday.
Netanyahu said he spoke with Trump on Saturday night about the issue, which will loom large as one of the main foreign challenges facing Trump when he takes office if it is not resolved before he is sworn in on January 20.
Hamas-led militants killed 1200 persons and abducted more than 250, including Israeli-American dual nationals, during their October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, according to Israeli tallies. More than 100 hostages have been freed through negotiations or Israeli military rescue operations. Of the 100 still held in Gaza, roughly half are believed to be alive.
Israel's response has killed almost 45,000 persons, mostly civilians, according to authorities in the Hamas-run
Gaza Strip, displaced nearly the entire population and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, warned last week during a visit to the region that it would "not be a pretty day" if the hostages held in Gaza were not released before Trump's inauguration.
Trump said earlier this month there would be "hell to pay" in the Middle East if the hostages were not released before he came into office.
A Trump spokesperson on Sunday declined to give further details about the call.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that Israel's Government has approved a plan to encourage the expansion of settlements in the occupied Golan Heights.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move was necessary, because a "new front" had opened up on Israel's border with Syria after the fall of the Assad regime to an Islamist-led rebel alliance. (Excerpts from Reuters and BBC News)
Damage caused by the Cyclone Chido, Kaweni, Mayotte, December 14, 2024 (@foulani2.00 via TikTok via Reuters)
Mali's Assimi Goita, Niger's General Abdourahamane Tiani and Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore pose for photographs during the first ordinary summit of Heads of State and Governments of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in Niamey, Niger July 6, 2024 (Reuters/Mahamadou Hamidou photo)
Discipline and hard work will pay off. Focus on home, family and potentially lucrative sidelines. Approach a challenge with hope, and something good will transpire.
Gather the facts and assemble a plan that suits your needs. Speak from the heart; don’t take it personally if someone opposes you. Protect against injury and illness.
Live in the moment and address every matter as it arises instead of obsessing and stressing yourself into panic mode. Assess problems and get back on course.
A unique approach to work-related matters will help you prepare for new beginnings or get on a path that leads to something that excites you. Head in a direction that offers financial opportunity.
Pick up the pace and put your back into every move you make. Mix business with pleasure, and you’ll discover that you have more in common with someone who can help you advance than you realize.
Consider your current situation and the changes that will ease stress. Reach out to people heading down a similar path and who are willing to work alongside you.
Get involved in events that offer insightful options. An open mind will lead to food for thought and put you on a course that helps you figure out how to proceed.
Take better care of yourself. Don’t jeopardize your health by attending a risky event. Pay attention to what makes you happy and adjust your life to fulfill your needs.
Take a moment to consider what’s best for you and your loved ones. It’s the time of year to reflect, revise what’s not working, mend fences and go the extra mile.
Make your feelings about someone or something clear. Honesty is the best policy if you want to reach your personal or professional goal. A little charm will go a long way.
Pull out all the stops and finish what you start. A high-energy approach to home, relationships and tidying up loose ends will put your mind at ease, giving way to an enjoyable end to a hectic year.
Stand alone if necessary. A heartfelt refusal to follow someone down a path that doesn’t suit your needs or is excessive will ease stress. Observe, but don’t buy into someone else’s dream. Do what makes you happy.
ARCHIE
Centuries from Travis Head and Steven Smith, those two great India tormentors, put Australia in control of the third Border-Gavaskar Test at the Gabba, on a fast-moving second day that produced 377 runs and seven wickets. Five of those wickets fell to the exceptional Jasprit Bumrah, who kept India in the contest almost singlehandedly while swelling his overall Test tally in Australia to 49; Kapil Dev (51) is now the only Indian bowler ahead of him.
Almost singlehandedly, because Bumrah wasn't the only India quick to trouble Australia here. Akash Deep kept landing the ball in testing areas and induced almost as many false shots (45) as Bumrah did (46), but ended the day wicketless. Mohammed Siraj put in a solid shift too, and for most of the first session, India applied
pressure from both ends and had Australia on a tight leash.
The lack of depth in India's attack began to tell as the day wore on, though, and Australia pulled away as Head and Smith added a rollicking 241 for the fourth wicket in 302 balls. The second new ball gave India some respite, with Bumrah dismissing Smith, Mitchell Marsh, and Head in the space of 12 balls, but Australia were already in a superb position by then.
At stumps, they were 405 for 7, and in a position to dictate the shape of the rest of this Test match, although time (all but 13.2 overs of day one were washed out) and the weather may yet complicate their push for a win.
India yet again had no answer to the thorny problem Head poses: how do you bowl to a batter whose stock response to the top-of-off line
and length is a fast-hands square cut? They tried various options, but nothing really worked, and their attempts at going short proved particularly futile: their bouncers weren't hostile or accurate enough to cramp Head consistently for room, and the pace and bounce of this Gabba pitch too true to cause indecision. Instead of tucking him up and making him look awkward, India typically allowed Head to lean back and ramp the ball away over the slips.
ond new ball which was 10 overs away. They started with Reddy and Jadeja, and went on to concede 63 runs in the first 10 overs of the session.
Smith, in particular, blossomed during this period, and surged in confidence after having had to struggle through his first half-century. He came into this innings with the big, back-and-across trigger movement that he had shelved following his first-ball duck in the first innings in Perth, and it took him a while to find any fluency. He was beaten numerous times in the corridor, particularly by Deep, and had played 30 false shots by the time he'd reached his half-century. It was a measure of how much he was struggling, because each of the other 11 innings in Smith's Test career with 30 or more false shots were centuries. But perhaps it was a portent too, and his wagon wheel blossomed after he brought up his fifty, with India no longer able to restrict him to just the leg-side scoring shots. Smith's first fifty took him 128 balls, and his second just 57. And he only played eight false shots after reaching the half-century mark.
issue for India was their lack of sustained wicket threat beyond their three main quicks. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja, their fourth and fifth bowlers, gave away 141 runs over a combined 29 overs, while picking up just the one wicket. That wicket was a vital one, leaving Australia 75 for 3, but it was revealing that it was the result of a loose drive from Marnus Labuschagne rather than a genuine wicket-taking delivery.
The problem of the fourth and fifth bowler was particularly pronounced after the tea break, when India resumed with a 70-over-old ball. It left them with a conundrum: they could either start the session with their best bowlers, or preserve them for the sec-
The last of them was an expansive drive off Bumrah that he edged to slip after India had taken the second new ball. In his next over, Bumrah struck two more times to send back Marsh and Head, and like the wicket of Smith, these two also came from balls that landed in the perfect length to bring the batters forward without allowing them to drive safely, in the perfect channel to force them into playing, and with just enough seam movement to find the outside edge.
It's the most fundamental thing about bowling in Test cricket, but finding that right area for a particular pitch can be a long and arduous process for even the best of bowlers. Bumrah had himself taken his time finding it on day one.
It was almost inevitable, however, that he would find it as soon as day two dawned. His six-over spell in the morning was all but unplayable, with 14 of his 30 balls inducing false shots, and two of
them sending back Australia's openers.
He drew Usman Khawaja onto the front foot and got him feeling for the ball three times in a row, beating his bat with the last two balls of his first over of the day and finding his edge off the first ball of his second.
An over later, Nathan McSweeney had fallen to Bumrah for the fourth time in his five-innings Test career, squaring up and edging an away-seamer to second slip, where Virat Kohli took the first of his three catches on the day. Bumrah had bowled five overs on day one, but McSweeney had only faced three balls from him. Now he was out, having been exposed to his nemesis for three balls in a row, leaving their overall Test-match headto-head reading 52 balls, 12 runs, four dismissals.
A tense period followed, with Labuschagne and Smith putting on 37 off 89 balls, with their doggedness at leaving the ball on length standing out as the main feature of their partnership.
It may not have made the pulse race, but it served an important
function for Australia, allowing Head to walk in when the ball was 33.2 overs old and doing significantly less than at the start of the day, and when the three main quicks had already bowled 29 overs between them.(ESPNcricinfo)
Travis Head and Steven Smith brought up centuries in a 241-run stand
Smith found his hands...and more
Nitish Reddy struck on the second morning to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne
Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the first Australia wicket
An aggressive 81run stand between Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana combined with some excellent catching gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20 International (T20I) series against West Indies.
Deandra Dottin led the fight in the 196-run chase with a 28-ball 52 along with Qiana Joseph, but in the end West Indies fell 49, short with young medium pacer Titas Sadhu taking three crucial wickets for India.
hand India 81-run win against WI women
after opting to bowl first, bringing in left-arm spinner Zaida James to bowl to Mandhana. Thirteen runs came off it, with Mandhana pulling her for a four first ball and Chetry punishing her with back-to-back boundaries through the covers. Hayley Matthews brought herself on in the fourth over to bowl against the left-handed Mandhana, but she was instead taken for two consecutive fours off the first two balls. Mandhana found her flow, making more than half of
Mandhana's new opening partner
With Shafali Verma dropped, Mandhana had a new opening partner in Uma Chetry, who was playing her fifth T20I. West Indies introduced spin as early as the second over
the runs in the openers' 50run stand at the end of the powerplay.
Despite getting a life on 14, having been dropped in the slips, Chetry couldn't capitalise on it, struggling to score in the legside and slowing down against offspinner Karishma Ramharack. She was eventually bowled trying to flick Ramharack for a 26-ball 24.
India's catching under the lights has previously been a subject of scrutiny, they did the job quite neatly on the day.
right after being smacked for a six. Joseph ended up hitting the ball towards mid-off for a simple catch and departed for a 33-ball 49.
ly ended up smashing it into the hands of Radha, who moved left from longon to take the catch. While
Dangerous Dottin, cool Sadhu Sadhu made her comeback after an injury layoff in the Australia One-Day Internationals (ODIs) earlier this month, but that did not go well. But on Sunday, with plenty of dew around, she kept mixing up her lines and lengths, managing to get three crucial wickets. While an excellent catch by Mani accounted for Matthews, she caught Qiana Joseph by surprise by shortening her length
But with Dottin going strong, West Indies still had a chance to turn the game around. Dottin was at her usual best – she got off the mark with an 80m hit over deep midwicket and single-handedly kept the scoring rate up despite little help from the other end. After being dropped the first time on 40, she went on to smash a six and a four to get to her half-century off just 26 balls. But she could not capitalise on her second life after being dropped on 52, getting out the next ball to Sadhu. That was pretty much the game for West Indies, who at that point needed 70 off 31 balls. (ESPNcricinfo)
Rodrigues on fire
The wicket, however, ended up being a positive for India, with Rodrigues joining Mandhana in the middle. Rodrigues stuck to her strengths, sweeping and reverse-sweeping the ball well from the getgo for her boundaries. Mandhana, meanwhile, went on the back foot to put the spinners away and was scoring boundaries at regular intervals as well, as the duo went hard at the balls that were pitched up. Together they took on Matthews for 19 runs in the 13th over. Their partnership just crossed 80 when Ramharack came back to dismiss Mandhana for 54.
Richa Ghosh, coming in at number four, made sure India did not slow down, hitting two fours and a
six off the first seven balls she faced. But she did not last long, with Dottin having her caught at deep midwicket. Rodrigues, however, continued to pile on the runs, bringing up her fifty off just 28 balls. She hit boundaries all around the ground and also ran quickly between the wickets without tiring. She was run out in the last over for 73 off 35 balls, but not before giving India a massive total.
Minnu Mani, super sub With Harmanpreet Kaur not taking the field for the chase, Mandhana took over captaincy duties and Minnu Mani filled in as a sub. Mani made sure to make the most of her chance by taking excellent catches both in the infield and outfield on a foggy evening in Navi Mumbai. In the second over, when Sadhu had Matthews top edge a pull, Mani ran back diagonally from mid-on, dived, and caught the ball that came down from a height with stretched hands. She took another one near long-on when Chinelle Henry miscued Radha Yadav straight up in the air.
The dangerous Dottin was dropped first by Rodrigues and then by Mandhana, she eventual-
(Connell/†Campbelle) 73 Richa Ghosh † c Mangru
b Dottin 20
Harmanpreet Kaur (c)not out 13
Sajeevan Sajana not out 1 Extras (w 10) 10
Total 20 Ov (RR: 9.75) 195/4
Did not bat: Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Renuka Singh Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Uma Chetry, 6.3 ov), 2-131 (Smriti Mandhana, 13.5 ov), 3-155 (Richa Ghosh, 16.2 ov), 4-190 (Jemimah Rodrigues, 19.4 ov) •
Qiana Joseph's late acceleration lifted her strike rate to 148.48
Minnu Mani's athletic catch, running back from mid-on, led to some hearty celebrations
Deandra Dottin started with a bang
Titas Sadhu took 3 for 37
Karishma Ramharack picked up the first wicket of the match
PMTC Showdown of Champions...
Olympic Kremlin steals the show
Olympic Kremlin stole the show by a comfortable margin in Sunday’s Metro-sponsored Mile, the feature event of the Port Mourant Turf Club's Showdown of Champions.
Coming from 10 lengths back, the Slingerz Racing Stable icon showed its full potency in the hands of Jockey A Gulart by hunting 2023 Horse of the Year Spankhurst (C Paria) and Jagdeo Racing Stables’ Loyal Company (D Khelqwan) in daunting fashion to win.
Spankhurst left the blocks like a rocket, pulling out just over 11 lengths to the rest of the field a quarter way through the race.
And as Loyal company caught Spankhurst, the duo had a short duel in the J's Supermarket and Jumbo Jet-sponsored event
But true to form, the Slingerz horse sliced through the field, taking down horse after horse in chasing the third win on the trot.
Spankhurst finished second ahead of the Jagdeo Racing Stables duo of Loyal Company and Frontline Warrior (N Patrick).
Meanwhile in the co-feature event, the Guyana Star Sprint sponsored by SHI OIL, Slingerz Racing Stables’ Ritorna Vincentori had to dig deep to overturn the challenge of Jagdeo Racing Stables’ Oy Vey, winning by half a length.
Rounding the final bend neck in neck, the duo duelled down the stretch as the raucous crowd spurred them on; Jockey A Gulart finding a little bit more than his rival, D Khelawan aboard the close second.
The Simply Royal Stables pair of Stormy Victory (V Ramnarain) and Morning Colors (R Appadu) finished third and fourth.
In the opening race, the Sandeep Poultry J/K/L Maidens, sponsored by Big G Lumber Yard, KP Jagdeo General Contractors and
AJM Enterprise, Security Rock (Y Drepaul) finished just ahead of Enemy Maker (K Blake), Three D Movie (K Pierreia) and Perfect Gold (V Ramnarain).
Points galore as day two culminates at Titan
Bowl and Tertiary Knockout Tournaments
The National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue was a haven of basketball prodigies as day two of the 13th edition of Titan Bowl, and the third edition of Tertiary Knockout Tournament bounced off on Saturday. President’s College girls, Queen’s College boys, Kwakwani Secondary boys, St Stanislaus College boys and the Government Technical Institute recorded wins.
The first game of the day saw President’s College recuperating after their first game loss. They managed to penetrate their opponents’ defences, securing a blowout win of 38-6 against the Bishops’ High Girls. Their offensive attack was led by Jenelly Paddy, who scored 10 points and four rebounds, followed by Ronaya Grant, Jemima Moseley, Akeelah Campbell, and
Sarah Williams, each with four points. With their offensive unit driven by Darren Dublin, who scored 11 points, and Allan Patterson, who scored eight points, Queen’s College showed their class with their ability to put the ball through the net against a weak defensive unit of President’s College, as the scoreboard displayed 35-22.
St Rose’s High School fell victim to a Simeon Sinclair-led Kwakwani Secondary, suffering a nine-point defeat. Sinclair scored 11 points, and he was supported by Marlon Mendonca and Hayden Sampson, who each contributed eight points for Kwakwani Secondary.
St Stanislaus College, despite losing some important players due to the age limit, rose to supremacy in the culminating match
of the Titan Bowl as they claimed an 11-point victory, 34-23. Daniel Chisholm led the scoring with 11 points, supported by Ralson Pollard with 10 points and Kadeem Beckles with eight points for St Stanislaus.
The lone game of the Tertiary Knockout Tournament saw the Government Technical Institute (GTI) overcoming a seven-point deficit from the first half as they went on to secure a one-point lead against a very fastpaced New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI). Peter Langevine with 10 points and 7 rebounds proved to be pivotal for GTI’s victory.
The two year-ending tournaments are sponsored by Francis-Lau Boyce Construction Co Ltd, ENET, John Fernandes, National Sports Commission, and Real Value Supermarket.
Race two, the Archway Snackette K&L class sponsored by rice farmer Laka Ramrich, Rohan Auto Spares, ARMCO Construction and K Haniff Construction, saw a blinding effort from Bin Landen and Jockey Blake to come from fourth to win. Down the home stretch,
Blake opened up Bin Laden who blazed past Princess Sasha (Z Mahsood), Sarkar (Appadu) and late entry Kiss (Kishan).
The Permaul Trading and Distribution two-yearold Juvenile Stakes saw another come-from-behind win, this time Irish Eyes (K
Razzak) upstaging the field down the final stretch. Second, third and fourth respectively, sponsored by Orvin Mangru Construction, Satesh Liquor Restaurant and Tanna Rice Farmer of Black Bush, was Ruff Time (R Appadu), Miss Simron (V Ramnarine) and Secret Traveller (Y Kissonchand).
Red Ruby won the G Class and Lower SHI OIL and OBL Lounge-sponsored race with Jockey D Khelawan holding off the challenge of Jagdeo Racing Stables mate Theory of Colors (N Patrick) Ruby's almost flawless ride broke the streak of come-from-behind victories down the homestretch as Stroke Of Luck (K Paul) and American Traveller (C Ross). In the GuyAmerica Construction-sponsored H Class, Amicable Kate (N Abrigo) followed suit in the same vein as the earlier runs, getting an average start but storming to victory around the outside of Blinding Lights (Y Kissoonchand), Haley (N Patrick), and Amazing Grace (Y Drepaul).
Guyana U17s triumph in 2nd leg of friendly series
On the heels of losses in the first leg, Guyana’s Under-17 boys’ and girls’ national teams are having a successful return leg in the friendly series against Suriname, with both registering victories on Saturday.
The first two games of the return leg in Guyana was hosted at the Guyana Football Federation’s National Training Centre (NTC) at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), where the girls’ team got the ball rolling with 3-1 victory over Suriname’s girls.
After several tense build-ups, Guyana’s Ellie Biffin was able to break the ice between the teams of the two neighbouring countries, finding the back of the net in the 33rd minute. Five min-
utes later, Aliya John beat the keeper, to give Guyana a 2-0 lead at the half.
In the second half, Kimora Edwards, who had been entrusted with the captain’s armband for the encounter, rose to the occasion, scoring in the 69th minute.
Suriname had managed to pull one back in the second half, but it was not enough to match Guyana’s dominance at home, as the hosts won the first of two friendlies over the weekend, 3-1.
An aggressive battle between the boys followed the girls’ game, keeping the smattering of parents and other supporters gathered at the NTC on the edge of their seats.
Both Guyana and
Suriname had their fair share of near-misses, but neither side was clinical enough in the first half to complete a solid finish, resulting in a deadlock at the half.
However, an exhilarating build-up in the 18-yard box resulted in Guyana’s game-winning goal at the top of the second half. Macaiah DeFreitas drove the ball into the box and passed it off to Ezekiel Baldeo in the middle for the finish, but when Baldeo was unsuccessful, the ball found its way to the right wing, where Quancey Fraser was waiting to send the shot into the corner of the net. The second game for both the boys’ and girls’ were scheduled to be contested on Sunday at the same venue.
Javid Ali of Slingerz Racing Stable collects the Metro Mile trophy with race winner Olympic Kremlin in the frame
A glimpse of the action between the Government Technical Institute and New Amsterdam Technical Institute
A look at Guyana’s boys’ U17 team (yellow) in action against Suriname
