Guyana Times - Monday, December 19, 2022

New Market St vendors

City Hall allowed situation to deteriorate to crisis before Govt intervened – VP Jagdeo

Clearing encumbrances and vendors from outside the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on New Market Street, is just one of the several responsibilities of City Hall that Central Government has been forced to shoulder.

This is according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who noted in a recent interview that City Hall neglected its responsibilities despite successive hospital Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) appealing to them for help with the vendors, until it reached crisis levels and the Government was forced to step in to remove the vendors – a move that Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine resisted.

“Coming back to what

the Mayor said, he is responsible. The Government took over his responsibility to remove the vendors. Because from 2015, they were more interested in collecting money illegally from vendors than cleaning up the city of Georgetown.”

“Georgetown Hospital, from 2015, there were a few

vendors there. Every CEO of the hospital, under the PPP from Mike Khan, to the last one who was there. Two CEOs under APNU in the five years, wrote the City Council about this problem. So, it’s not just the PPP that complained about it or PPP administrations of the Georgetown Hospital. But

you’re blocking the entrance to the main hospital. People have to go through there, ambulances, taxis, etc.”

According to Jagdeo, instead of helping the situation, the Opposition saw it as an opportunity to protest and stir up trouble. The Vice President noted that while the Government supports vendors, it must be done in a legal manner.

“We will support vending across the country, once people want to start a small business. But as a vendor, you can’t do it to discomfort other people or to prevent some vital function of the places you’re vending in. You have to do it in a responsible manner. And you would get the full support of the PPP Government. Because we believe that ev-

eryone should earn a living.”

“We had five Christmases from 2015. And they couldn’t find an opportune time. It’s not a now (issue). It’s actually seven years now, this has been going on. It’s becoming a crisis, even more so now because of the Christmas season. The ambulances can’t pass at all. Because you have congregations of people there,” Jagdeo said.

Accountability

Jagdeo further noted that the “cabal” at City Hall has a poor track record of accounting for money they get from Central Government. According to him, City Hall’s lack of accountability is part of the reason why Central Government has been forced to take on more responsibility in the city.

“The taxpayers of this country must sit down every year and hand City Council billions of dollars. They collect all the revenue from the city, which runs into billions too, and spend it on themselves. And we must then take additional taxpayers’ money, give it to them and then they can’t account for it. That’s the logic.”

“They do get a subvention. A substantial subvention every year. Adequacy is based on their perception. But that is why we look at the total spending in the city. If we hand the money to them to do a single road, they would spend every cent of the money and the road would never be built,” Jagdeo said.

According to Jagdeo, the Government has had this very experience with City Hall before, whereby money

was

weren’t fixed.

“The responsibility for roads is the city. The responsibility for drainage is those of the city. The responsibility for garbage collections is that of the city. The council there, the PNC council, has not been fixing roads in the city for the last 15 years. Every road you can drive on in the city has been fixed, billions of dollars, by the Central Government,” the VP said.

Jagdeo pointed out that Central Government has also fixed the outfalls and the drainage systems in the city. Additionally, traffic lights have been installed. He noted that Central Government has spent billions on infrastructure in the city, taking on responsibilities that rightfully belong to City Hall.

Mayor Narine is presently before the courts on charges related to certain remarks he made while protesting the removal of the vendors from the positions they occupied in front of GPHC at New Market Street in Georgetown last week.

Backed by the vendors, Mayor Narine lay on the roadway to prevent trucks from carrying away the vendors’ food caravans and stalls. He then descended into making a series of serious accusations against President Dr Irfaan Ali, including that the Head of State is creating an Islamic State in Guyana. (G3)

given to them to fix Kitty and Stabroek Markets. The Vice President noted that at the end of the year, City Hall had used the money for something else and the markets still

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Mayor Ubraj Narine resisting the removal of vendors, despite multiple appeals to City Hall by GPHC for them to be removed

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, Dec 19 – 01:00 –02:30h and Tuesday, Dec 20 – 02:00h – 03:30h.

Massive D&I exercise planned along

to address flooding – Agri Minister …says vacant house lots without proper drainage hampering efforts

Monday, Dec 19 – 13:10h – 14:40h and Tuesday, Dec 20 – 13:55h – 15:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 13:15h reaching a maximum height of 2.45 metres.

Low Tide: 06:45h and 19:18h reaching minimum heights of 0.86 metre and 0.73 metre.

The Agriculture Ministry, which has oversight of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), has installed several pumps throughout

ing massive Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) works along the East Bank.

“We’re hoping that the problem the people were experiencing, they wouldn’t experience that anymore. Because when the sluice closes, the pump will come into action. And then at the other areas, Jimbo Bridge I installed two additional tractor pumps. In Grove I did another one there. And Diamond. So,

four additional pumps between Diamond and Grove, I would have installed today (Sunday).”

“And the areas that were flooded in Diamond that I visited yesterday (Saturday), last night we did impoldering and we drained out the area. Today I went back and the residents were very satisfied because water came out their yard.

the Grove/Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), area in a bid to stop flooding in several communities caused by persistent rainfall.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha visited several flooded areas on the EBD and oversaw installation of the drainage pumps, including one at the Peters Hall sluice, which is expected to compliment the sluice to assist with draining flooded areas.

In an interview with this publication, Mustapha explained that already their efforts at addressing flooding are bearing fruit. However, he noted that factors such as empty lots with blocked drains, have not helped matters.

“What I discovered is that there are a number of vacant lots that the drains are blocked in front of those lots. People should go and take up their lots or the Ministry of Housing should take back those lands. Because people are claiming that people received house lots for years and are not building there,” he explained.

Mustapha, who was accompanied in his visits by NDIA Chairman,

Lionel Wordsworth, engineers from the NDIA and other officials, meanwhile detailed where the pumps were installed. He also committed that his Ministry will be conduct-

The Peters Hall pump being installed

A section of Peters Hall that was flooded on Saturday

Inside a home along the EBD

Editor: Tusika Martin

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COP 27 Bridgetown Initiative

While the commitment to retain the 1.5-degree Celsius rise in global temperature was a significant victory, the establishment of a “loss and damage” (L&D) facility was also a specific positive victory for threatened poorer countries. However, we have to recognise that it was not accompanied by any commitment on funding. After the experience with the other previous commitment over a decade ago: by the wealthier countries to contribute US$100 billion annually to the poorer ones to assist them in mitigating associated damage etc, which was never met, there is justified widespread skepticism about the new promise. And this even though one would have hoped that the devastating effects of climate change in their own countries, such as drought – in addition to countries like Pakistan - would awaken them from their slumber. Even the funds that were claimed to have been contributed were shown to be highly inflated

But at least it is agreed now that financing is the key constraint, going forward, on confronting the challenge of Climate Change overall, and not only in the L&D facility. But even though Barbados PM Mia Mottley has been lauded for her eloquent presentation at COP 27, sadly, not enough attention was given, especially in the region, to the seminal proposal – dubbed the “Bridgetown Initiative” – that proposed a novel approach involving the Breton Woods institutions to funding overall funding for Climate Change, which would eventually add up to trillions. Persons like France’s President Emmanuel Macron and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva supported the Initiative, so that it is now part and parcel of the final COP 27 cover text which calls for “the multilateral development banks and financial institutions”.

The Bridgetown Initiative is based on a special facility created in 1969 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called “Special Drawing Rights” (SDRs). They “are supplementary foreign exchange reserve assets defined and maintained by the IMF. SDRs are units of account for the IMF, and not a currency per se. They represent a claim to currency held by IMF member countries for which they may be exchanged.” In effect, the IMF creates SDRs which can be allocated to member countries in proportion to the size of their economies, which can then be exchanged for actual currencies of a particular country to repay a debt or purchase foods, and does not have to be paid back to the IMF. For instance, in August 2021, the IMF had issued SDRs the equivalent of US$650 billion to various countries to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. In November, at COP 26 in Copenhagen, Mottley had called for an additional $500bn worth of SDRs to be issued every year for 20 years, to unlock the carbon-cutting investments needed to limit heating to 1.5C. Unfortunately, her innovative proposal did not gain traction.

The plan had been crafted by a team headed by her economic advisor Avinash Persaud, and this year they refined it by involving a wide array of experts from the world of finance in a series of workshops in Bridgetown during last July. The plan was unveiled at COP 27, and called for the IMF to issue SDRs to the tune of US$650 billion, but as a one-time event, and not annually, as suggested the year before. She also called for development banks to issue $1 trillion in low-interest loans for climate spending in developing countries. Mottley pointed out that standard borrowing costs on international markets are generally around 1 to 4 percent in G-7 countries, but can be as high as 12 to 14 percent for much of the global south.

After Mottley’s formal presentation, Persaud published a fleshed-out version of the Bridgetown Initiative, which also called for a tax on oil companies to finance reconstruction grants that would be allocated to developing countries affected by climate disasters. He also proposed that a moratorium be declared on loan repayments from affected countries after such disasters. The Bridgetown Initiative should be backed by Caricom.

Managing expectations in the holiday season

It is good that in the face of adversity people can still take time to celebrate. If we take the collective misfortunes of the past months it could be that, overall, our people are facing challenges that have the capacity to set the holidays as a thing apart. But we are resilient people who seem to be able to wipe away tears and fears with revelry.

Not unexpected, we seem to have come out of COVID-19 lockdowns and other severe restrictions with far more angst. That time could have provided contemplation that could have impacted our civility but, undeniably, what appears more evident is a level of collapse in some people’s capacity to live peacefully, and we keep picking up the bodies as proof.

Still, the year 2022 may be the first in the last three where people can fully observe Christmas and that has to be a welcome respite for those who look forward to the festivities.

For my part, over two decades ago I found my way with managing Christmas expectations. It took a while to separate necessity from tradition and when the lesson was learned I found that the festivities had less weight than what previously obtained.

The weightiness for most people is a financial one. If you have the money to be extravagant at

Christmas and you chose to so do, then it is nobody’s business to police you. No one should grudge another person’s choices–even the bad ones. In the latter circumstance, if you are close enough to someone to gently guide them to better decisions, do that and then leave it alone.

Holding to tradition is expensive. I remember in years past wanting to have a “good” Christmas, wanting to ensure we had the curtains, gifts, and especially all the foods and drinks we are expected to consume, and over-extending my spending to the detriment of expenses that came so quickly in January. I recall (shaking my inner head disapprovingly) one year I borrowed curtains.

Christmas spending always landed me in a vicious debt cycle. I was reflecting recently that my months of dread as a single parent, or more correctly, a parent raising a child singly, were September after buying books, uniform, and paying for a holiday camp or other activities, and January.

I recall—while hearing myself suck in a breath— the many years when I was unaware of the manic phases of the illness which prompted some really irresponsible conduct, including over-spending.

Much later, I would read the work of scholars who also lived with bipolar disorder II and observe that a major factor in the

journey had to do with the mismanagement of finances.

Before that though, the after-Christmas debt had long become too much of a burden and many times an embarrassment for me. I do not remember the year it began, but there came a time when I refused to “spend what I did not have.”

At first, it made me miserable, but I could not tell if the wretchedness was not having money to spend, not spending the money I had set aside for other things or just a bout of depression. Eventually, I learned it was a combination of things, mostly prompted by the melancholy of the disorder I had been managing.

The holidays were depressing for many reasons and were the periods of some of the worst decisions I have made. But as I weaned myself off the expected celebrations and demands, as I lowered my expectations and crafted my own way to mark Christmas, I began having a better overall experience.

I am now a certified no-bother Christmas celebrant. There is no extra cleaning. There are no curtain changes. There is no excessive grocery shopping. There are no parties or loud entertaining.

At first, that withdrawal felt strange, but I think I have sufficiently groomed everyone around me to understand I experience better well-being when I do it

my way. Last week, my son asked me what I was doing for Christmas and my answer, given without any self-judgment and feeling no condemnation, was “nothing as usual.”

As a part of my self-management, years ago I recognised and accepted that I do not cope well in “crowded fellowship” during Christmas. Even the ovezealous ton loads of greetings (from people you did not even remember were in your contacts) can be overwhelming.

I mostly want to wake up on Christmas Day quietly and receding—some new pyjamas, clean sheets, and a quiet morning are sufficient for my celebration. It is important to create the Christmas that is best for you.

And, while you are at it, remember that there is greater exposure to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and influenza, with higher interactions, and more visitors from home and abroad, so protect yourself and shield the vulnerable among us.

Love and light to you as you carve out your celebration! (T&T Guardian)

Caroline Ravello is a strategic communications and media professional and a public health practitioner. She holds an MA with merit in mass communications (University of Leicester) and is a master of public health with distinction (UWI).

A child is facilitated to meet cartoon character Minion at the annual Children's Christmas Party of the Guyana Police Force on Friday (GPF photo)

B y C aroline r avello

Institute of Academic and Vedic Studies launched at Uitvlugt

will become better with their studies,” he is quoted as saying by DPI.

He urged persons who will attend the school to honour their core principles, so that they may set a good example for the organisation.

“In every human life, there are four seasons that every person goes through. There is the planting season, which is when you put in the hard work. There is the growing season, where you must make sure you are not stagnant or stuck in your life. You have to grow, and become better as a person. Then there is the reaping season. This is where all your efforts culminate, and you start seeing the benefits. And after you have reaped, there is the diminishing season. Everyone has to die at some time.

The Guyana Chapter of the Arya Samaj on Sunday cut the ribbon for the official launch of the Maharshi Dayananda Gurukula Campus at Ocean View, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara.

The learning centre will

target academic education, while simultaneously serving as an Institute of Vedic Studies.

Speaking at the ceremony for the launch on Sunday, Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar welcomed the school

on behalf of the Government, noting that it will play an important role in the community and country at large.

“It’s not about the building. It is about what happens in the building…. In this facility, young minds will develop, and old minds

“But within that cycle of life, every one of us has a responsibility to do good, to help others, to speak for those who don’t have a voice… It is our responsibility, individually. That is what the Vedic study is about: how to be a better

human being,” he explained.

According to the DPI report, the Minister expressed the Government’s commitment to embracing all religious practices, and noted that all of Guyana’s major religions are represented in the Cabinet, a testament to the diversity embraced in Guyana.

In January 2021, Maharshi Dayananda

Gurukula launched its online classes for persons interested in learning Hindi and Sanskrit.

The second phase will see the completion of the building, furniture added, and courses expanding to cater to several age groups.

Persons from all religions are invited to register once the school commences operation.

Dear Editor, A headline for Sunday, December 18, is as follows: “Government tells IDB not to disclose all information on $97M loan for Health Sector”. This statement is a complete lie; there is no need to be diplomatic.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) completely rejects the headline, and unequivocally makes it clear that the MoH has never requested the IDB to not disclose any information relating to this project. It is not just nonsense, but is another desperate attempt by Kaieteur News to create its own ulterior and wicked narrative.

Beyond the misleading headline, a section of the local press then proceeded to state all the details of the loan that the headline claimed the Government asked not to be disclosed.

On December 7th, the Board of the IDB approved a project as part of a $160M CLIP loan. The project is for $97M. The $97M loan has three components, all of which this newspaper reported from information that the IDB published.

Component 1 is an infrastructure project which will see new construction and upgrading of seven hospitals. The hospitals to be reconstructed or upgraded include four hinterland hospitals, and this particular newspa-

per had that information, which it reported. Outside of the hinterland hospitals which the Government had indicated now for about a year, the other hospitals included in the project are Linden Hospital, New Amsterdam Hospital and GPHC.

Component 2 will continue to build on digital health, and expand telemedicine in the country. Guyana recently piloted a telemedicine programme which was widely reported by the media. This pilot will be expanded by robust Government investments, including from this IDB project. Outside of the teleconsulting health programme, which the Government recently has been piloting in four remote health posts in Region 9, the IDB project expects to see the programme expanding to remote health posts and centres around the country, in addition to ensuring that all hospitals and polyclinics with diagnostic imaging become part of the teleradiology programme, and that up to twenty centres become part of the teleophthalmology programme.

Component 3 will focus on health system strengthening, including strengthening the supply chain and ensuring that the package of services which the Ministry published earli-

er is rolled out across the country, strengthening the Government’s push for equity.

The details of the reconstruction and upgrading have not yet been developed, as this will be part of the project. Technical consultants will be contracted to develop the reconstruction and upgrading work to be done. However, the Government has already indicated that every region and several sub-regions in the hinterland will see hospitals reconstructed and upgraded to be able to deliver Level 4 services. The Government has indicated that, for this project, the upgrading and reconstruction of hinterland hospitals and Linden Hospital will be a priority.

This loan is adding to the Government’s overall drive to transform the health sector. Every hospital in Guyana will be upgraded as part of the total transformation of the health sector that the Government announced in August 2020.

Already work has started on the construction of six hospitals in a project with China. In addition, the construction of a children and maternal hospital in Ogle has also started. Work had started to reconstruct Bartica, West Demerara and Suddie Hospitals. More

than $1.5B was invested in Budget 2022 to upgrade health posts and health centres.

This newspaper continues to be mischievous, misrepresenting, misinterpreting and misinforming the public using announcements from the IDB. Previously, KN had used information published this year by IDB from studies done in 2018/2019 as findings from this year. Not only did the newspaper not inform the public that the information was from 2018/2019, but they failed to inform the public that they were given a comprehensive walk-through of the report by the MoH. More recently, they reported that the IDB had placed Guyana second to last for access to COVID-19 health care. They failed to say that this was from a report in 2020, when Guyana, because of the recklessness and sloth of the APNU/AFC Government, had not put together any sensible COVID-19 response. They failed to tell the public that, since 2020, the PPP Government led by President Irfaan Ali had completely reversed that situation and developed an internationally-acknowledged robust response.

Given the fact that all information that is usually published by IDB when a new project has been agreed

Sincerely, Ministry of Health Public Relations Unit

Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, cutting the ceremonial ribbon to commission the school with assistance from Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr K J Srinivasa

The Maharshi Dayananda Gurukula campus in Uitvlugt

Foundation

The diagrams below represent the cross-sections of two circular pizzas, A and B. The pizzas are similar but vary in size. Pizza A has a diameter of 15cm and Pizza B has a diameter of 30cm.

Clothespin Christmas Characters

Transform clothespins into adorable winter and Christmas characters!

Materials

Clothespins Paint Paintbrush Foam Sequins Fuzzy Sticks

Instructions

Step 1: Paint your clothespins as shown. Black

& White for a penguin, brown for a gingerbread man, and paint half of one green to create an elf!

Step 2: Paint faces onto your characters. Give your gingerbread man some icing details, like buttons!

Step 3: Glue 2 gold sequins on your elf as buttons. Then cut out a foam collar and hat, and glue into place as pictured!

Step 4: Wrap a red fuzzy stick scarf around your penguin to keep it warm!

Step 5: Decorate your tree or garland with the characters, as many as you need. (craftprojectideas.com)

By The BroThers Grimm

Determine, by calculation, if Pizza B is TWICE the size of Pizza A.

Pizza B is cut into 5 equal slices and is sold at $6.95 per slice, while Pizza A (is sold as a whole) at $9.95. Determine, with reason, which of the two options, (a slice of Pizza B or Pizza A), is the better buy for the customer.

CONTINUED FROM SATURDAY

Bidders for Marriott Hotel must have at least US$250M net worth ...as NICIL sets January 10 deadline

The National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) has set January 10, 2023, as the deadline for interested persons to submit bids to be prequalified for the purchase of State shares in Atlantic Hotels Incorporated (AHI), the State-owned holding company for the Marriott Hotel.

According to a notice, NICIL is seeking Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from individuals or companies who may come separately or in consortiums to purchase Government shares in AHI. But in order to be prequalified, they must have financial capability.

This financial capability is defined by NICIL as a minimum net worth of approximately US$250 million, audited financial statements for the last

three financial years and letters of financial capability from a recognised financial institution.

“The deadline to submit your application is 14:00 hours on January 10, 2023. After this time and date, the prequalification process will be closed. NICIL will not be accepting applications for pre-qualification after 14:00 hours on January 10, 2023,” the notice stated.

AHI is the NICIL special purpose company that owns Marriott, a 197-room hotel that opened in 2015, whose financing structure had depended on a casino and entertainment centre to make enough money to repay up to US$30 million in debts to the banks and other creditors.

But prior to the change of Government in September 2020, AHI had scrapped its plans to construct the casino, despite

the previous rationale that this would make the hotel financially viable.

Atlantic Hotels Inc had previously faced several setbacks regarding the entertainment complex and casino. In 2017, an advertisement by the company stated that it was “interested to receive EoIs (Expressions of Interest) from either persons or companies, either individually or as part of a joint venture/consortium”.

AHI had said preference would be given to submissions by applicants who are established in the gaming and entertainment industry. The tender itself was eventually scrapped under dubious circumstances involving a rival casino.

While in Opposition during the 10th Parliament, the APNU and AFC had individually criticised the construction

Massive D&I exercise planned...

Some of them whose house had water, are now dry. And I intend to do a massive D&I work in the area’s internal drains,” Mustapha added.

The Hydrometeorological Service of the Agriculture Ministry has forecasted wetter-than-usual rainfall conditions across all regions of Guyana until January 2023, as the country experiences the secondary rainfall season. The current rainy season is expected to be wetter and longer than normal, according to the Hydrometeorological Service.

The usual secondary rainfall season will be augmented by persistent La Nina conditions during the season. Rainfall is expected to increase considerably at least until January. During the rainy season, water levels in conservancies, reservoirs, and inland rivers across Regions One to Eight and 10 are likely to increase, and a high risk of flooding is expected.

It was only recently that Prime Minister Mark Phillips urged persons in low-lying and flood-prone areas to take precautions in the coming days, as Guyana continues to expe-

rience heavy rainfall.

FROM PAGE 3

Director General of the Civil Defence Commission, Colonel (retired) Nazrul Hussain has added that the CDC has embarked on a public awareness campaign on its social media platforms, and is urging residents to take all necessary precautions.

Meanwhile, residents countrywide are urged to take precautions where necessary and to report any impacts to local authorities or the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on telephone numbers 600-7500 or 226-1114 at any time. (G3)

of the Marriott Hotel and other major projects undertaken by the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

They had conducted picketing exercises in front of the hotel when construction started in 2011 and also when it was being opened in 2015. In fact, during the 2015 elections campaign, the coalition party had talked about selling off the multi-million-dollar tourism flagship project as well as making it into a hospital facility.

APNU and AFC had also threatened to charge the then Chairman of NICIL Winston Brassington and Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh for their role in securing lands in Kingston

for NICIL’s subsidiary AHI to construct the hotel, after they entered power.

The US$58 million Guyana Marriott Hotel was completed in 2015, the same year ExxonMobil first found oil in Guyana’s waters. The hotel has since gone on to play an important part in Guyana’s developing oil and gas sector, as it has hosted numerous events connected to the oil and gas sector.

In fact, the Government has said on several occasions that Guyana needs more rooms and hotels, to meet the demands of the growing economy. New, brand-name hotels are springing up all over Guyana, with the sod having been turned earlier this year for an AC

Marriott Hotel in Ogle (East Coast Demerara) and the Sheraton Hotel in Providence (East Bank Demerara) that will together add over 300 rooms to Guyana’s hospitality industry.

Globally recognised hotel brands like the Hyatt, Hilton, and Radisson hotels have already expressed an interest in investing in Guyana. In 2020, the Government of Guyana, through the Tourism and Commerce Ministry and the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with investors for a US$90 million Hilton Hotel to be constructed at McDoom, Greater Georgetown. (G3)

The Marriott Hotel

2 couples robbed of $2.7M in bogus vehicle sales

…Police looking for accused fraudster

Two couples from Plaisance on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and the West Bank of Demerara (WBD) have come forward accusing an alleged fraudster of robbing them of millions of dollars in bogus vehicle sales.

These incidents occurred on November 4, and December 5, 2022.

As such, Police are looking for Devindra Moteeram, also known as “Vickash Singh”, and “Richard”, 24, of East La Penitence, Georgetown.

The first incident involved a couple from Plaisance, ECD. According to the couple, they were interested in purchasing a vehicle and on Friday, November 4, they allegedly handed over the sum of $700,000 to Moteeram, whom they claimed is known to them.

At the time of the transaction, Moteeram was reportedly acting as the middleman for an unknown person whom he claimed was selling a minibus for $1.8 million.

The couple claimed that they were told that they had to make a down payment of $300,000, with monthly instalments of $50,000 until the bus was completely paid for. They claimed that the bus was inspected, and they paid the cash to Moteeram, who promised that all documents would be handed over

shortly. They agreed and left.

However, after that day, efforts to contact Moteeram proved futile. He was later spotted by the husband last Wednesday morning on Church Street, between Cummings and East

The husband claimed that he immediately deflated the tyres on the car the man left behind.

Upon further investigation, the couple found out that the man is a known fraudster and the bus that he was selling them, did not

The man said they were then told that they would have to go to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to do a name transfer. The couple claimed that on Wednesday, they headed to GRA with the men. When they arrived at GRA, they were told by Moteeram and her uncle that they had a broker who had to come and inspect the vehicle.

“We went, we gave him the vehicle we bought from him, and we gave him $500,000 more and the rest of the money in jewellery, but it was more because the jewellery was worth like $500,000. He told us we had to pay him off because he said he will not be doing any more business until he collected all his money.”

“This guy ended up giving the broker the vehicle, put we in his vehicle [the same car used in the robbery in November], 15 minutes later the broker called and tell him to come and sign some paper, so he turn and say what kind paper I have to sign and he cut off he phone.”

“The broker call him back and tell he that he has to sign the paper, and he come out of the parking lot at GRA on Camp street, carry we down at the back, put we out and he made a U-turn, and he drive away. I call him and he said he by some side gate. I asked if this a robbery and he said no,” the victim said.

Righting wrongs… …on Indigenous lands

An interesting thing happened when the European nations spread across the world after Old Columbus accidentally stumbled across the Americas. Being legalistically-minded, they invented all sorts of laws to settle land disputes among themselves. But all of those laws were thrown out of the window when they “discovered” us natives inhabiting some of the “new lands”!! The legal principle of “terra nullis” – land belonging to no one – was promulgated, even though there might’ve been millions of people living there!! Might makes right, baby!!

In fact, the entire continent of Australia was declared “terra nullis”, and to hell with all those aborigines who’d arrived there thousands of years before; and were living quite happily, thank you!! Anyhow, after a lot of legal challenges, exactly THIRTY YEARS ago – even as we’re getting our country back because of free and fair elections - the Australian Courts, in the now famous “Mabo” case, decided that the indigenous peoples DID have rights to their lands!! So, it’s a bit of serendipity that the CJ (ag) Justice George just decided a case about land rights for some of our own Indigenous Peoples in Mazaruni that had been brought TWENTY-FOUR years ago!! The wheels of justice do turn rather slowly!!

Thing is, our country was NEVER declared “terra nullis” - by either the Dutch, who first squatted here, nor by the British, who took over their land laws and customs. In fact, both European nations made treaties with our Indigenous Peoples on one matter or another – including land usage – explicitly recognising their occupancy. So, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that, when Burnham finagled “independence” from the British, he had to take along Amerindian leader Stephen Campbell. And our Constitutional order for Independence had an Annex C which recognised Indigenous Lands they’d occupied from “time immemorial”!!

Streets, after the husband saw Moteeram’s vehicle.

The man claimed he approached Moteeram and asked for his money. Moteeram reportedly said he would bring some of the money the same afternoon but the man refused and insisted that he needed his money immediately.

Moteeram, during the argument, asked the man to give him a few minutes to go get some of the documents, after which he jumped into another car and sped away.

belong to him. The matter was then reported to the Criminal Investigations Department, where a probe was launched.

Meanwhile, another couple from the West Bank of Demerara contacted Guyana Times on Sunday accusing Moteeram of robbing them of over $2 million on December 5, 2022.

The man, who asked not to be named, told this publication that they were looking to buy a vehicle and his wife made contact with her uncle, who told them that he knew someone they could purchase the vehicle from.

“My wife uncle told we that the vehicle is a repossessed vehicle and he carry we to Khan Auto Sales to check some vehicles, but when we checked, we didn’t like the vehicles. So we went to Giftland. He [the uncle] call we and told we he knows somebody else that got a vehicle and that was repossessed vehicle.”

“They, we uncle and Moteeram come and reach we at Giftland and we see the vehicle and we asked for the price and he said $1.8 million, so I told them that we have $1.7 million. The next day, the Tuesday, they come over to my side at GBTI bank and collect $1 million; they collected $800,000 in cash and the rest in jewellery and they give us the car.”

The couple said the man never returned, and all efforts to contact him and their uncle since then proved futile. The matter was later reported to the Brickdam Police Station and an investigation was launched.

The couple also claimed that they returned to GRA with the car’s licence plate number, and they were able to make contact with the owners of the vehicle which Moteeram was selling them, who then informed them that Moteeram had rented the vehicle on contract from their dealership for more than a month.

“So, he rented the car, told us it was a repossessed car, and then he tried to sell me and my wife the car. We later realised that this man has nothing, he is just a convict that is robbing people. The same thing he did with the bus story, he did with us, using the same car,” the man said.

The couple said they are hoping that the man is found soon because he continues to rob people of millions of dollars.

“$2 million is not easy to lose, especially at this time,” the man said.

Moteeram was among five persons who were accused of forging several cheques to the value of $19.4 million in the name of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). They were charged with the offences last year. He was released on bail.

This, of course, was the need for the Amerindian Land Commission of 1969 - even though Burnham futzed around by not giving the Indigenous Peoples titles to their lands till 1978, when the Amerindian Land Act was amended, and they got title in some villages. It wasn’t till 2006 – long after Mabo!! - that the PPP went the whole hog and started giving title, once villages satisfied the criteria of “occupancy from time immemorial”. Which isn’t as onerous as it sounds!!

Anyhow, in 2013, in the case of Chang v Guyana Geology & Mines Commission and the Isseneru Village Council, it was decided that once non-tribals had been allocated lands BEFORE titling, they acquired “property rights”! This, according to our Constitution, trumped the Amerindian Act, and couldn’t be taken away.

Isn’t this the principle that Justice George reiterated this week?? No wonder she apologised for the delay!!

…on GT vending

The old cliché about the secret of success in real estate is “location, location, location!!” And when it comes to success in the retail business, it’s all the same - location!! So that’s why people pay millions and billions to buy stores in prime locations - like the Georgetown business district in general, and streets like Regent Street in particular. But it doesn’t end there; they pay proportionate rates and taxes for their property.

Now, imagine the Mayoralty allowing folks to set up vending operations - with the same goods the stores sell –on the pavement right in front of them. They pay no rent; block people from entering the stores; and, most of all, make the city look like some refugee camp in Syria!! Some even erected shacks in front of the major hospital in the COUNTRY – to sell food, but also block ambulances etc rushing the sick to be treated!!

And the Mayor and Opposition oppose giving them a separate location to ply their trade!!

…or

poaching??

Looks like Pres Ali’s determined to continue pushing his “One Guyana” strategy into areas the Opposition consider their transported territory and residents!! They’ve fixed the Buxton ground and just given some Youth Developers Gy$1M!! Ouch!!

Reaction??

Alleged fraudster Devindra Moteeram The car that Moteeram used to transact the business

The rented car that was sold to the WBD couple

No need to wait on promotions to access grants –Small Business Bureau to entrepreneurs

Persons do not have to wait on the Small Business Bureau’s promotions to become eligible for grants from the agency. This is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Small Business Bureau, Muhammed Abraham.

The Bureau last year went on a countrywide outreach encouraging entrepreneurs to become compliant and have their businesses registered.

Those who registered

and had their businesses registered and got their compliance became eligible for business grants.

Abraham said entrepreneurs do not have to wait on such promotions.

“We do continuous registration. Our focus is not only on grants; we are focused on developing businesses – sustainable growth,” Abraham told this publication.

He was at the time speaking of the distribution of grants in Region Six

Thieves caught on camera stealing Jet Ski

of the Jet Ski and later instructed them to lift it and move it toward the canter.

The men were later seen struggling to move the Jet Ski, since it was too heavy for just three men to carry. After struggling for some time, the men began dragging the Jet Ski Towards the canter that was parked not too far away.

(East Berbice-Corentyne) on Saturday. More than one hundred business persons received grants to the tune of $150,000 in Region Six. A similar exercise is slated to take place in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) on Thursday.

Abraham said once a person becomes a client of the Small Business Bureau, they will have access to all services offered by the Bureau which include grants, loans and training.

“We have unlimited training because we can develop training based on the needs of a group of clients and we help with promotions.”

On Saturday, the Bureau held a promotion at the Port Mourant Market for small business operators.

“The clients came out to market their products and do some sales. We also help with persons from different industries to go on special market days.”

The Bureau also helps with marketing products produced by its clients.

“If you want to become a client you can apply and become a client anytime. We have over 4000 live clients in our database. However, for the grants, because we have such a large backlog, we try to finish with those that we had before we move on but we will have more in the new year for the new registrants,” he added.

Police are looking for a group of men who were caught on camera stealing a Kawasaki Jet Ski in Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The incident occurred sometime around midnight on Friday, reports revealed.

A video recording that was seen circulating on social media by this publication showed the Kawasaki

Jet Ski parked in front of a house in Providence, EBD, when a canter pulled in front of the house and three masked men exited the vehicle.

The men were seen running towards the house and then in the direction in which the Jet Ski was parked. One of the suspects was seen instructing his accomplices to hold the corners

They later lifted the Jet Ski into the canter, entered the vehicle, and made good their escape. It wasn’t until the owners of the home woke up the following morning, that they noticed the Jet Ski was missing. Upon running the cameras, they saw the unknown men moving the Jet Ski from in front of their home. The matter was reported to the Police, and a probe and hunt for the suspects has been launched.

The cost of the Jet Ski was not revealed. (G9)

The suspects stealing the Jet Ski from the home at Providence, EBD

Small Business Bureau CEO, Muhammed Abraham

From kerosene lamps to solar power: transformation of Samville

When 59-year-old ‘Amanda’ moved into the community of Samville in March of 2014, there was no electricity there. The single mother of six had decided to move into her own house, leaving a tenuous temporary situation in the nearby community of Kuru-Kururu, just off the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

“Gyul, when I fuss come hay, de chirren had to study with kero lamp,” Amanda told this publica-

tion.

Another resident stated that when she moved to the village in 2009, the place was “bare bush”, and everyone started to clear their part. As time went by, she stated, more persons came to live there, and the area became more populated.

Samville is a small residential area consisting of approximately two hundred persons. It supposedly got its name from one of the first residents, Sammy,

who has lived there since its inception. The community, however, received electricity only in 2015, and not by integration into the national grid, but via the provision of solar panels.

59-year-old ‘Amanda’ stated that when she moved there, her household and those of other residents were relying on lamps as their primary source of light at the time.

This, however, changed in early 2015 after the dis-

tribution of solar panel systems to the community.

The package, distributed by the PPP/C Administration, consisted of one 65Watt solar panel; one solar power GEL battery, two Edison screw light bulbs and bulb sockets, and a switchboard with attached solar power-charging systems. Packages were distributed one per household to everyone living there at the time.

Transitioning from kerosene lamps to solar panels was very impactful, as residents were now able to do more to ensure the comfort of their families, and not just survive on their basic needs. They were then af-

forded the use of electrical appliances such as fridges, TVs and microwaves, and had access to WI-FI systems and more, enabling residents to live more comfortably.

The lives of their children have also been improved, and they can now access proper information from researching the web for school projects, assignments, SBAs, and even homework. And they can now study under the comfort of an electric bulb, which reduces strain on the eye and is more convenient at night.

Solar power is energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or

electrical energy. Its technologies can harness this energy for the generation of electricity, providing light and a lot more.

Photovoltaics, one of the three ways to harness solar power, generates electricity directly from the sun via an electronic process, and that electricity is then used to power anything, from small electronics to homes and even large commercial businesses.

Today the appliances of most residents of the community are still powered by solar system-generated electricity, whereas other residents who moved there following said distribution use generators to assist.

A solar panel on a home in Samville

There are plenty of smart alarm clocks out there, but sometimes it’s preferable to go with something simple. The Jall Digital Alarm Clock has a sleek wooden look and lights up to display the temperature and humidity in addition to the time. It’s “simple,” but its minimalist aesthetic is nothing to scoff at.

Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim (four-pack)

If you want your floor lamp to operate on a timer or your aging coffee maker to automatically brew a cup of joe as soon as you wake up, the right smart plug can do the trick. Thankfully, Kasa's four-pack of smart plugs has you covered even if you don't own a hub and works with Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.

Ruggable x Star Wars Washable Rug

Help the obsessed Star Wars fan in your life level up to adulthood with something that still excites them. These machine-washable Star Wars rugs feature subtle enough designs that many people might not even notice they're adorned with X-wings, beskar helmets, and all sorts of geekiness. That's because each rug looks sleek and tasteful, regardless of the pattern.

Philips Hue Smart Bulb Starter Kit

Nothing helps set the mood or get you into the holiday spirit quite like a set of color-changing light bulbs. For those unfamiliar, the Philips Hue Smart Bulb Starter Kit remains one of the easiest ways to outfit your home with smart light ing, especially since the in cluded A19 bulbs offer help ful timers and automation options on tap. It even comes with a Hue Bridge, giving you access to a range of ad ditional features.

The ultimate whole home cleaning machine combines the trusted powerful cleaning performance and exclusive Matrix Clean Navigation which enables the robot to clean in multi ple passes, leaving no spots missed. Innovative cleaning technologies like CleanEdge technology, removes debris out of corners and edges, and Sonic Mopping, scrubs 100x per minute, ensure confidence and convenience in a deeper, smarter clean every time.

Internet Rebooter

"Have you tried turning it off and turning it on again?" No matter how advanced your home network is, it's bound to unexpectedly drop from time to time. The Rebooter does it for you automatically, though, making it an especially helpful gift for family members who usually just call on you for free tech support.

2021 Apple 10.2-inch

iPad

Apple's base iPad from 2021 remains a multifaceted tool that's worth having in the household, even if there is a newer model available. The affordable last-gen slate is great for streaming content and sharing control of various smart home tech as well as entertaining kids and taking notes with optional accessories like the first-gen Apple Pencil.

APC Back-UPS 850 VA

A backup battery with surge protection may not be a particularly exciting gift, but your giftee will thank you for it when their power goes out and their router and desktop keep humming. APC's chonky 450W offering features nine outlets in total as well as two USB ports for charging various electronics.

Furbo 360° Dog Camera Ikea Symfonisk (second-gen)

With Furbo's latest interactive pet camera, you can keep an eye on the dog when you're not at home (and play with him, too). The little de vice can fully rotate, packs night vision and a wide-angle lens, and can toss your pup a treat to keep them entertained when nobody's home. The best part is that you don't even need to own a dog — it works for cats, too.

The latest Ikea Symfonisk is as cheap as connected Sonos speakers come. Yet, despite its affordable price tag, it still sounds quite good for the money. The clever bookshelf speaker also comes in both a white and black finish, allowing it to match most home decor, and can be positioned either horizontally or vertically (no assembly required).

Eero 6 Plus (two-pack)

Reliable Wi-Fi is a musthave these days, whether for work or pleasure, and a mesh router setup makes it easy to blanket your home with a speedy internet connection. The Eero 6 Plus allows you to cover a 3,000-square-foot home and achieve gigabit speeds without spending big money for Wi-Fi 6E support and cutting-edge features that may go unused by most.

Ecobee

Amazon and Google are always slugging it out for smart thermostat supremacy, but Ecobee is a great choice if you're looking to monitor the temperature in rooms with problematic insulation and keep things comfy. The premium version comes with a remote temperature sensor and a sleeker design than previous models, not to mention an easy-to-use interface.

It's 2022, meaning you no longer have to leave the comfort of your windowless apartment just to touch grass. The Grow Smart Garden 3 has everything you need to get started growing your own veggies and herbs indoors, including a handy LED light, a self-watering tank, and an expansive selection of pre-seeded pods that let you skip the nursery.

Google Nest Hub Max Ninja Fit blender

Google's Nest Hub Max is a terrific smart display for taking video calls, filling a room with music, and displaying shared photos in a never-ending slideshow. The 10-inch display also features a wealth of smart home controls and, thanks to a recent software update, allows you to call up Google Assistant just by looking at it. So much for the whole "Hey Google" thing, huh?

The Ninja Fit is perfect for blending up some healthy, protein-rich shakes for pre- or post-workout nutrition — or you can use it to make your own version of a McDonald's Shamrock Shake. No judgments here, especially since the 16-ounce blender is the perfect size for just one person and can take on frozen fruit, ice, nuts, and pretty much anything you want to throw at the 700-watt motor.

FROM PAGE 14

Bodum Sustainable Coffee Press

(34-ounce)

Good coffee shouldn't require you to spend a fortune on some advanced contraption, but there's something to be said about ponying up a little cash for a brewing method that looks attractive on your kitchen counter. Thankfully, Bodum's minimalist French press is simple to use, relatively affordable, and looks stylish as hell in its all-black finish.

Marsno Meat Thermometer

An instant-read thermometer is a handy tool to have in the kitchen, one that's as helpful for grilling burgers in the summer as it is for baking a holiday ham in the winter. This simple one from Marsno lists a range of target temps alongside the current one, lest you forget, and it has a bottle opener, so whoever is tasked with cooking this year can keep bright and cheery.

Baratza Virtuoso Plus

Stepping up your cof fee game starts with a good grinder. The Baratza Virtuoso Plus might be pricey, but it can perfectly grind beans for a slow drip, cold brew, or even an espresso. The luxe workhouse also fea tures a straightforward digital timer and, best of all, is built using sturdy, commercial-grade com ponents, rendering it as apt for a small office as a household of coffee fiends.

235 applications approved for steel and cement initiative

Atotal of 235 applications of the Government’s steel and cement programme have been verified and approved for the final stage of the application process. This was revealed by Housing Minister Collin Croal when speaking to this publication on Sunday.

During the recent distribution of land titles to residents of the Kokerital Hill, Mabaruma sub-district in Region One on Saturday, the Minister seized the opportunity to clarify that only those persons with a

land title or transport document are eligible to benefit from the programme.

He added that persons with leased lands and lands owned by an Amerindian Village Council are not qualified to access the programme.

“Lands that are under the purview of GLSC [Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission] cannot qualify for this programme because leases, by definition, are for a particular period. When you’re on a land by a certificate of title it signals permanen-

cy, it signals lifetime and no one can come back and trouble your land,” Croal explained.

He also added that the Ministry is seeking to acquire additional lands to address the backlog of over 170 pending applications for Region One within the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) database.

Land title beneficiary, Sharon Santiago, who was elated to receive her land title document after waiting for over 22 years, told the members of the

media that her next step will be to apply for the Government’s cement and steel support programme.

This, she said, will assist her with the construction of her home.

“I am looking forward to some help and I’m glad that they [the Government] launched the cement and steel subsidy that will help so it can complete my house,” Santiago stated.

Another beneficiary, Cynthia Leung is also hoping to capitalise on the homebuilders’ support programme to commence the construction of her home after receiving her land title document.

Over the past two years, the current Administration has accelerated its national housing programme, moving beyond the coast and including hinterland

Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine. Minister Croal said the aim is to ensure all Guyanese have access to the affordable housing opportunities being offered by the State.

The steel and cement initiative which was announced by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali earlier this year will see homeowners benefitting from the receipt of steel and one sling of cement for homes being built under $6 million. And the receipt of two slings of cement for homes being built between $6 million and $25 million.

Persons can register for the steel and cement support by uplifting forms from various offices of the Housing and Water Ministry, as well as from the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s Head Office; or from any of the sub-offices.

Private developers embarking on home construction are encouraged to utilise the housing support as well.

Essequibo Coast duo charged for narco trafficking

the Essequibo Coast when Marks was observed attempting to dispose of a transparent plastic bag from a shop. The bag instead hit the wall and fell back into the shop. As the ranks moved closer, the man retrieved the bag.

Ranks approached the suspect and conducted a search on his person, unearthing the plastic bag which contained ganja.

Two Essequibo Coast men were charged for trafficking ganja and cocaine. The men, Michael Whaul, 36, a labourer of Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast, and Odingo Marks, 29, a shopkeeper of Sand Reef, Queenstown, Essequibo Coast, were charged separately.

They both appeared at the Anna Regina Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Esther Sam on Thursday.

Whaul was charged with the offence of possession of 3.75 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. It is alleged that he was caught with the cocaine on Tuesday last at Onderneeming Sand

Pit, Essequibo Coast. He pleaded not guilty to the offence and was released on $10,000 bail. The case was adjourned to January 27.

Marks, on the other hand, was charged with the offence of possession of 76.9 grams of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. He too pleaded not guilty to the charge, and bail was also granted in the sum of $10,000. The case was also adjourned to January 27.

Police reported that they arrested the two men last week following the discovery of a quantity of cocaine and marijuana during separate operations.

They said that at about 18:00h on Monday, ranks were on mobile patrol along

A further search conducted in the shop resulted in the discovery of a black plastic bag with another quantity of cannabis. Marks was arrested and taken into custody. The cannabis was weighed and amounted to 76.9 grams.

Meanwhile, ranks, while acting on information received, went to Onderneeming Sandpit, home of Whaul, and conducted a search.

They unearthed an orange bottle with a white cork, and when the bottle was opened, it was observed to contain several pieces of a whitish-cream, bricklike substance that was at the time suspected to be cocaine.

Whaul was told of the offence, cautioned, arrested, and taken to Suddie Police Station, where the cocaine was weighed and amounted to 3.75 grams. (G9)

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal

Charged: Odingo Marks Charged: Michael Whaul

Silvie’s Industrial Solutions recently made a donation to RyRy's Restaurant for their Toy and Hamper Drive, as well as to the Love & Laughter team for their annual Christmas giveaway programme. In photos, Mark Kazim from Love & Laughter and the owner of RyRy's Restaurant, Ryan Fredericks, receiving their respective donations from representatives of the Silvie’s team

Modernisation of Guyana’s social services, infrastructure discussed by Diaspora in Florida

mentation such as permits, passports and birth certificates – something which the participants supported.

However, the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Administration has long been talking about using the resources from the country’s petroleum sector to enhance its primary services along with the country’s physical landscape.

In fact, back in July, the Head of State announced a national healthcare initiative in collaboration with the Mount Sinai Health System and Stabroek Block partner, Hess Corporation, to improve the quality of and access to healthcare for the people of Guyana.

ing around the world in the healthcare sector.

“We can’t go in a straight line, train the people then get the people and then investment. We have to cut short. So, we have to bring the technology in and we have to bring the human resource in at the same time – cut the distance to getting there and to do that, we need to get into the people with the experience, the know-how and with the technology,” the President had stated.

In his address, the Guyanese leader urged the hundreds of school children present to take up the opportunity being offered and assured them that the Government would continue to invest in them.

With Guyana undergoing unprecedented development, the Guyanese Diaspora in Florida, United States, has underscored the need for the country to modernise its social services such as public healthcare, education and law enforcement as well as physical infrastructure.

These were some of the highlights of a recent oil and gas forum held in Miramar, Florida last week. The event was hosted by Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) in collaboration with the Guyana Business Journal (GBJ)

and the Caribbean Policy Consortium (CPC). It featured several key presentations on the Pathways to Guyana’s Future Prosperity in the Era of Oil and Gas.

According to an article published by the South Florida Caribbean News, the forum provided participants an opportunity to contribute their ideas about how best the financial resources derived from Guyana’s burgeoning oil and gas sector could be spent to improve the country and the lives of its people.

“Participants from the floor in their comments and questions pointed to the

need for the country to have modern and efficient healthcare services, a professional Police Force to effectively fight rising crime and an overhaul of the education curriculum to make it more responsive the needs that drive economic transformation,” the article detailed.

Meanwhile, one of panellists at the forum, Guyanese Economist Joel Bhagwandin, also outlined during his presentations the need for Information Technology be utilised to digitise access to efficient public services thereby providing for easy and speedy access to pertinent docu-

This initiative is a three-component plan that focuses on enhancing the country’s primary healthcare services, improving patient care and management at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) and developing specialised services in cardiology and oncology with the private sector.

At the time, President Ali had pointed out that technology is critical to achieving these goals. Noting that Guyana is lagging far behind in the medical field, he posited that the country will have to find a shortcut to keep abreast or come up to par with what is happen-

In fact, to bring healthcare workers on par with others in the Region, President Ali last week announced some $1.5 billion in salary increases for over 5000 healthcare workers in various fields.

Meanwhile, in the area of education, the Guyana Government has already begun working on modernising education delivery and setting up young children for the future.

Last week, Government launched Guyana and the Region’s first-ever coders initiative, which will see at least 150,000 youths across the country benefiting from skills training to equip them to join the more technologically advanced workforce being developed by the Government.

“This step is about you taking our country forward in 2030 and beyond, ensuring that you are competitive, resilient, functional… ensuring that we as a country have the tools that will take us forward, and our economy is among the strongest,” the Head of State added.

Speaking at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (GCCI) Annual Awards Gala on Thursday last, the President spoke of the establishment of ICT hubs across the country, particularly in hinterland communities, and plans to build smart classrooms in every school throughout the country.

“We believe that all our children must have equitable access to education,” he asserted.

Moreover, he disclosed that already, some 1571 Guyanese have successfully completed programmes under the GOAL Scholarship initiative since its launch in 2020. (G8)

IDPADA-G calls for “meaningful dialogue” with Govt

The International Decade for People of African Descent –Guyana (IDPADA-G) has called for “meaningful dialogue” with the Guyana Government to address issues facing Afro-Guyanese.

In a statement on Sunday, IDPADA-G Chief Executive Officer, Olive Sampson said they have been trying to meet with President Dr Irfaan Ali to bring to his attention the issues of concern to the Afro-Guyanese community so as to collaborate on the best way forward.

The organisation claims the initiatives by the Government over the past two years “do not address the fundamental concerns of the Guyanese of African descent…”

Sampson’s statement comes on the heels of her delivering remarks at the United Nations First Session of the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent, which was held in Geneva earlier this month. She spoke of “deteriorating conditions” Afro-Guyanese face in Guyana and pleaded for international intervention locally.

According to the IDPADA-G official, their outreach to the interna-

tional community is a response to being ignored by those who manage the affairs of this country.

However, these claims were rubbished by the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry in a subsequent statement. It said the claims of discrimination by the Government of Guyana against people of African descent, and their marginalisation from significant economic opportunities is totally erroneous and misleading.

“The Government of Guyana refutes the contents of Ms Sampson’s

statements in their totality; statements which must be condemned, and that can only serve to incite hatred, intolerance and mistrust in our society – defeating the very purpose of the Forum,” the missive detailed.

It reminded of the consistent support which the People’s Progressive Party Administration has given to the efforts of the international community to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. In fact, the Ministry recalled that Guyana was among the 170 coun-

tries which were represented at the 2001 World Conference that resulted in the adoption of the historic Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

Moreover, it was noted that Guyana supported the resolution to establish the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent last year.

“The inclusive policies being undertaken by the Government of Guyana speak for themselves, and can be proven. It is unfortunate that at such a significant forum, Ms Sampson chose to export the divisive policies of her organisation, and to demonstrate the narrow racist bias that continues to cloud the judgement of its members.”

“The Durban Declaration affirms that ‘all peoples and individuals constitute one human family, rich in diversity’. This Government will vigorously continue to promote unity in diversity, and pursue its One Guyana vision to ensure that every citizen is accorded a dignified existence, and with due respect for their rights and with equality before the law,” the Foreign Ministry contended.

Nevertheless, the IDPADA-G CEO in her presentation had made recommendations for special procedures at the level of the UN to ensure the protection of land ownership, compensatory measures for land unjustly dispossessed of and return of land under illegal possession. They also want a collection of disaggregated data and/or ethnic disparity audits as the basis for developing policies and programmes targeted at improving the lives of African descendant people. Calls were also made for the establishment of na-

tional oversight and monitoring agencies to ensure Government respects the Human Rights of People of African Descent.

Moreover, there was also a call for the international community’s intervention in having IDPADA-G’s monthly grant from the State restored after it was ceased back in September.

Government had cited the lack of accountability and transparency in the agency’s use of its funding from the State when it stopped the disbursement of the grant.

IDPADA-G CEO, Olive Sampson

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Some of the panellists at the recently held Guyana Oil and Gas Forum in Florida (Photo: South Florida Caribbean News)

International legal body agrees to hearings for opinion on climate justice for small States

Regional Parliament prorogued in Antigua and Barbuda

The Parliament in Antigua and Barbuda has been prorogued, by Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, who was asked to do so by Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Friday.

Proroguing Parliament refers to the act of discontinuing a session without dissolving it.

This move comes as there is heightened speculation that the Prime Minister could announce the date for a general election very shortly.

Speaking during the

recent post-Cabinet press briefing, Information Minister Melford Nicholas hinted that an announcement could be made during the incumbent Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) campaign launch today.

“I think the smart money is on that – even I as one of the Prime Minister’s trusted deputies can’t say with any certainty what the final date will be – but I think it is fair to say that anybody who follows politics would know that at such an auspicious event

it is more than likely that the Prime Minister will announce the date that he has indicated to the Governor General.

Opposition parties have been on a state of high alert for over a year after Browne hinted in summer 2021 that the election would be held early.

The election is constitutionally due in March 2023.

The election took place on March 21, 2018 with the ABLP claiming 15 of the 17 seats. (CMC)

Antigua and Barbuda

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that the effort by a group of small island states to seek justice for damage caused by the impact of climate change has won more success.

Prime Minister Browne disclosed that on December 16, the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) decided to hear “oral proceedings” on the issuing of an Advisory Opinion on the obligations of States to reduce, prevent, or control the deleterious effects that result from climate change.

The request for an

Advisory Opinion was submitted by the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS) of which Prime Minister Browne is a founder and CoChair.

ITLOS has issued an invitation to all States that are party to the International Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as COSIS, to make written submissions by May 16, 2023.

Prime Minister Browne declared “The decision by ITLOS to hear the case brought by COSIS and to set a firm date for receipt of submissions indicate that the international body re-

gards the request for an Advisory Opinion as deserving of investigation”.

He added that the Governments that were members of COSIS are “greatly encouraged by the decision of ITLOS which sends a clear signal to all polluting countries that the impact of their action may have a legal consequence”.

Calling on all small island States in the Caribbean to join the COSIS effort, Browne said: “All our Governments have a duty of care to our people to safeguard the interests of our homelands for this and future generations”. (Antigua Observer)

Man, 62, dies after falling from roof in T&T

A62-year-old man has died after he fell from the top floor of a Diego Martin house while cleaning windows on Saturday afternoon.

Police said Neville Johnson, was cleaning windows on a landing at a house on Sapphire Drive, Diamond Vale, at around

12:15h when he slipped and fell.

Johnson's head was damaged during the fall.

The owner of the house saw the accident and called an ambulance which took Johnson to the St James Infirmary where he was treated and forwarded to the Port of Spain General

Hospital.

Johnson was declared dead at around 16:00h.

Police from the Western Division Crime Scene Investigations Unit visited the scene.

The death has thus far been classified as an unnatural death. (Trinidad Newsday)

Opposition MP: Migrants' situation in T&T needs to be assessed

As the world commemorates International Migrants Day, the Opposition is calling for the creation of an InterMinisterial Task Force that can assess the conditions of migrants in Trinidad and Tobago.

According to the Member of Parliament for Couva South, Rudranath Indarsingh MP, the Government’s handling of incoming migrants – mainly those from Venezuela – has been careless, insensitive, inefficient, and inconsistent with global best practices.

“This Government failed to protect migrants against critical issues such as the illegal seizure of passports, the extended detention of migrants at the International Detention Centre, and the rise of Venezuelan gangs,” Indarsingh said.

The Opposition MP noted that from a labour per-

spective, the integration of Venezuelan labour into the local economy continued to be a concern, as they continued to be exploited by unscrupulous employers.

He added that Venezuelans continue to be subject to economic and sexual exploitation.

Peru's “forgotten people' rage against political elite after Castillo arrest Barbados Govt to build more houses

Government is starting to deliver on some of the promised housing solutions for Barbadians.

More than 150 Barbadians in the lowerand middle-income earning brackets will be spending Christmas in their own homes in the Ridge Meadows Development in Christ Church.

They are among 200 homeowners who have already invested in the private-public sector project executed by BJ Investments, which will ultimately see 565 houses built on the 75acre site in two phases.

After taking a tour of the project with Chairman of BJ Investments, Bjorn Bjerkham, accompanied

by officials of the Ministry earlier this week, Housing and Lands Minister Dwight Sutherland described the venture as “a wonderful

project for home ownership where ordinary Barbadians cannot just have a piece of the rock, but can own a home”. (Nation News)

Leopoldo Huamani, 60, a farmer from Chalhuanca in southern Peru, travelled for three days to reach the capital Lima and march in support of ousted and jailed leader Pedro Castillo, whose fall has sparked deadly protests around the country.

Huamani is one of Peru's "forgotten" people, marginalised, rural groups Castillo tried to represent – often falling short –whose anger has been fired up by his arrest, threatening to derail a fragile new Government and a reviled Congress.

In the South American nation, voter anger has

long bubbled close to the surface over years of tumultuous politics that has seen six Presidents in five years. Most former leaders have been jailed or investigated for corruption.

The situation has exploded in the last two weeks. Protesters have blocked highways, set buildings on fire and taken over airports in the wake of Castillo's December 7 ouster, hours after he illegally tried to shutter Congress to avoid an impeachment vote he feared losing. At least 18 people have died.

Many of the protesters – some Castillo supporters and others simply angry –

said they felt ignored by political leaders. Castillo, a former teacher and son of peasant farmers, had at least been one of their own, they said, despite his many flaws.

"Nobody represents me now," said Huamani, who blames Congress and new President Dina Boluarte, Castillo's former Vice President, for the protest deaths. Many like him carry banners calling her a " Castillo rose unexpectedly to the presidency last year on a wave of support from rural voters fed up with the status quo and what they saw as a corrupt Lima-based political elite.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

MP Indarsingh also recalled nine-month-old baby Yaelvis Santoyo Sarabia, who was shot in the head by the Coast Guard earlier this year, pointing out that the Government mishandled that situation as well.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh

Housing and Lands Minister Dwight Sutherland (left) speaking with real estate developer Bjorn Bjerkham during a tour of the Ridge Meadows housing project in Christ Church (Picture by Gercine Carter)

The era of cheap oil has come to an end

In its latest monthly report, OPEC revealed it had yet again failed to produce as much oil as it agreed to produce the last time it discussed output. And it wasn’t by a few thousand barrels per day, either. The shortfall was some 1.8 million barrels daily, but more importantly, that sort of undershooting of its own target has become a regular thing for the cartel. Meanwhile, the United States federal government needs to buy some oil for its strategic petroleum reserve after releasing close to 200 million barrels from it this year as a way of countering fuel price inflation. Yet US drillers are not in a rush to boost production. On the contrary, it seems production growth has lost its place among these companies’ top priorities.

Of course, there are also the sanctions against Russia, which many expect will hurt the country’s oil production, and that may well happen, but it has not happened yet. In fact, the oil sanctions— in the form of a price cap on maritime exports and an embargo on exports to the EU—have had no effect on oil flows out of Russia. For now.

Investment banks expect higher oil prices, despite a recent slump prompted by expectations of an economic slowdown pretty much across the globe. The expectations, now beginning to seep into trader circles, too, are largely based on China’s reversal of its zero-COVID policy. But they also probably take into account the fact that oil remains an indispensable commodity. And the era of cheap oil may well be over for good.

“We remain constructive on oil prices driven by recovering demand (China reopening, aviation recovering) amid constrained supply due to low levels of investment, risks to Russia supply, the end of SPR releases, and slowdown of US shale,” Morgan Stanley said this week in a note.

Yet the situation may be a lot more serious with regard to supply, as noted in a recent market commentary by TortoiseEcoFin’s President and Portfolio Manager, Matt Sallee.

“Global oil inventory is at the lowest level since 2004, the Department of Energy has released 200 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve this year, OPEC continues to struggle to produce at their stated quota and US producers are helping but can only do so much.”

This s a pretty succinct description of the global oil supply situation, but the picture is not one that would invoke positive emotions. It is one that is more likely to evoke concern, and with a good reason. Because there is little evidence that any of these trends will change meaningfully any time soon.

OPEC, for example, has zero motivation to try and boost production, Sallee noted in follow-up comments for Oilprice. It would only do so if it knows oil will remain over US$100 per barrel for a longer period of time, but there is no way to be confident about this right now.

Then there are the purely physical constraints on OPEC production, as evidenced by the consistent failure of the group to hit its own—reduced—production targets. Most OPEC members have ambitious production growth plans, but they remain plans while actual production remains subdued for reasons such as natural depletion at mature fields and, ultimately, not enough investment.

As Sallee notes, OPEC has not consistently produced more than 30 million bpd since 2015-2018 when it did so deliberately in a bid to destroy US shale and, to a great extent, succeeded, temporarily. And that’s because it neither wants to nor can it do so.

Underinvestment is turning into a thing in US shale as well, at least from the perspective of the White House. According to the Biden Administration, all US producers need to do is spend more on additional production. According to the US producers themselves, the long-term outlook for oil demand is too uncertain about investing in more production.

Then there is the issue of prime acreage, which several experts have been warning is running out. TortoiseEcoFin’s Sallee is among them: “Best acreage has been drilled, the industry is struggling to attract labour and has limited sources of financing,” he told Oilprice.

According to him, US oil production is unlikely to ever again record annual output increase rates of 1 million bpd or more, as it did in the recent past. A growth rate of 500,000 to 750,000 bpd is far more likely, he believes. And that’s not good news for consumers because demand, although targeted by the energy transition camp, is not going down soon.

The International Energy Agency, one of the most active members of the energy transition movement, in its latest Oil Market Report revised upwards its forecast for global oil demand next year because of an unexpected increase in consumption this year.

Chances are this is a sustainable trend in the absence of viable alternatives to oil products. And this means that demand and supply will be in a precarious balance in the future, constantly on the brink of a shortage or even deep in a shortage, should Big Oil’s pivot to low-carbon energy continue, as it requires they reduce their oil production to hit their net-zero goals. What all this means is that the era of cheap crude oil may well be over for good. (Oilprice.com)

Around the World

Ukraine: Russia to deploy musicians to frontline to boost morale

Russia says it will deploy musicians to the front lines of its war in Ukraine in a bid to boost morale.

The Defence Ministry announced the formation of the "front-line creative brigade" this week, saying it would include both vocalists and musicians.

The UK's Ministry of Defence highlighted the brigade's creation in an intelligence update on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited frontline troops in Ukraine, the Government said.

In a statement posted to Telegram, the Defence Ministry said Shoigu "flew around the areas of deployment of troops and checked

the advanced positions of Russian units in the zone of the special military operation".

It added that he "spoke with troops on the frontline" and at a "command post" - but the BBC cannot confirm when the visit took place or whether Shoigu visited Ukraine itself.

The reported visit comes as UK defence officials said low morale continues to be a "significant vulnerability across much of the Russian force".

The UK said the new creative brigade - which follows a recent campaign, urging the public to donate musical instruments to

troops - is in keeping with the historic use of "military music and organised entertainment" to boost morale.

But they questioned whether the new brigade would actually distract troops, who have been primarily concerned about "very high casualty rates, poor leadership, pay problems, lack of equipment and ammunition, and lack of clarity about the war's objectives".

According to the Russian outlet RBC news, the brigade will consist of troops mobilised under President Vladimir Putin's recruitment drive, as well as "professional artists who voluntarily entered military service". (Excerpt from BBC News)

19 killed, dozens injured in fire in Salang tunnel

At least 19 people have been killed and dozens injured in a fire inside a road tunnel in Afghanistan, local officials say.

An oil tanker overturned and caught fire in the Salang Tunnel - which links the capital Kabul to the northern provinces - on Saturday evening.

The blaze spread to other vehicles before it was put out the next morning.

Pictures posted on social media showed several vehicles totally charred after the incident.

"The fuel tanker exploded... I fell down. My clothes caught fire," one witness, who was wounded in the tunnel, told Tolo

news.

Some of the bodies were severely burned, a senior health official in Parwan said in quotes cited by AFP news agency.

"Among the dead it was very hard to identify who was a male and who was a

female," Abdullah Afghan Mal said, a senior health official in Parwan said, according to AFP news agency.

At least 32 people were wounded, another official said. It's thought the number of casualties could still

rise.

The Ministry of Public Works said the pass had been closed to traffic while rescue operations were carried out.

The Salang Tunnel is 2.6km (1.6 miles) long and is located at an altitude of around 3400m (11,154ft).

Hailed as an engineering masterpiece on its completion in the 1960s by the Soviet Union, the major route through the Hindu Kush mountains is often shut for days because of accidents and avalanches.

A fire in the tunnel in 1982 killed at least 400 people, although some estimates put the death toll in the thousands. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Qatar says information ‘inaccurate’ in Belgian corruption probe

AQatari official has said that a Belgian investigation into an alleged attempt to influence the European Parliament relied on “inaccurate” information and could “negatively” impact relations between the two countries.

The statement on Sunday from a diplomat of Qatar’s mission to the European Union reiterated a previous rejection of attempts to associate the Gulf country with misconduct.

“Qatar was not the only party named in the investigation, yet our country has been exclusively criticised and attacked,” the statement said. “We have observed this week’s selective condemnation of our country with great alarm.”

According to media reports, Moroccan interests also face scrutiny in the investigation.

The diplomat added: “It

is deeply disappointing that the Belgian Government made no effort to engage with our Government to establish the facts once they became aware of the allegations.”

Four people – including Eva Kaili, a Greek European Parliament Vice President – have been charged in Belgium after investigators said a series of

raids uncovered about 1.5 million euros (US$1.59 million).

Prosecutors said the money was part of an influence campaign by a Gulf state, which various media outlets later identified as Qatar, the country currently hosting the 2022 World Cup.

Last week, the European Parliament voted to suspend

Qatari representatives’ access to the body. Members also paused legislative work related to Qatar, including a visa waiver for Qataris and Kuwaitis travelling to the bloc and an EU-Qatar aviation agreement.

The Qatari diplomat condemned those moves on Sunday, saying they were premature. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A member of a Russian military band in Moscow last year

The entrance to the Salang tunnel, pictured in 2010

Belgium has charged several people over allegations of attempting to influence European Parliament [Frederick Florin/AFP]

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Tidy up loose ends, take better care of yourself and don't believe everything you hear. Having personal papers in place before the year ends will put your mind at ease.

(March 21-April 19)

You'll thrive with change. Embrace what life has to offer and continue full steam ahead until you are happy with the results you achieve. Use your experience and connections to conquer your goals.

(April 20-May 20)

(May 21-June 20)

(June 21-July 22) (July 23-Aug. 22)

Focus on what you are trying to achieve, and you'll make headway. Demonstrate your skills, knowledge and talent, and you'll raise awareness and whatever else you need to reach your goal.

Share your thoughts and feelings. Express your interest in what others do or think, and you'll gain input and support to turn your dream into a reality. Pay attention to meaningful relationships.

Think before you say something you'll regret. Do your homework and refrain from initiating change prematurely. Get the facts, find the best solution and work with anyone your plans might influence.

Personal growth is in the stars, and the path to discovery and a positive change will give you hope for a brighter future. Educational pursuits, travel and communication are featured.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Choose your words wisely when dealing with sensitive issues. Shared expenses or space will try your patience. Put guidelines in place to avoid a run-in with someone. Keep busy.

Look at every angle before you make a statement or start something new. Approach others with charm and finesse, and you'll have better luck getting your way. Set the standard.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Be careful whom you trust. Broken promises will leave you in a difficult position. Focus on what you can achieve, and protect your reputation and assets. Self-improvement is featured.

Dig in and make progress. The more intent you are to crack a challenge, the less interference you'll encounter. Do what's best for you and leave nothing to chance. It's time to make a change.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

A sensitive issue will surface. Listen, but don't share your opinion. Engage in activities that require physical, not mental, energy. Don't let what others do disrupt your day.

You can't put a price on love. Choose to dazzle others with charm, kindness and hands-on help. Spend less, do more and build strong relationships with the people you care about most.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

ARCHIE PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

DILBERT

India vs Bangladesh: Test 1 of 2…

India ace Chattogram challenge to go 1-0 up

It took India only about fifty minutes to pick up the last four wickets on the final day of this first Test against Bangladesh and go 1-0 up in the twomatch Test series.

The two overnight batters - Mehidy Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan - came out with a vision to counterattack early in the day, and Hasan creamed a cover drive off Siraj and looked set to support his skipper, but was soon dismissed in driving Siraj uppishly to backward point.

This, however, did not deter Shakib, who went into overdrive, particularly against Axar Patel. He slog-swept and lofted him for sixes, brought up a quick fifty, and proceeded in the same manner enroute to his 84. The blows did not worry India, who

managed to keep the fields up even as Shakib cleared the boundaries. That eventually paid off, as Shakib tried one shot too many

and was bowled trying to sweep Kuldeep Yadav after a knock that contained six sixes and as many boundaries.

Kandy Falcons win 6 games of 7 played in Lankan Premier League 2022

– Thomas's 3-20, Fletcher's 44* handy

West Indians Oshane Thomas and Andre Fletcher have provided handy contributions to help the Kandy Falcons secure a nine-wicket win over the Colombo Stars in the Lankan Premier League on Saturday.

Economical with the ball, Thomas finished his four overs on 3-20 to help restrict the Stars to 106 all

out, after they had won the toss and chosen to bat.

Sri Lankan pacer Chamika Karunaratne was the spearhead of the Falcons’ attack with a brilliant 4-11 off 3.1 overs, while Captain Angelo Mathews (41) and Dinesh Chandimal (20) were the only batsmen to provide any resistance for the Stars.

The chase was made

simple thanks to a 101-run second- wicket partnership between Kamindu Mendis (51 not out) and Andre Fletcher (44 not out). The pair got together after Minod Bhanuka had lost his wicket for just six runs in the second over, and they guided the Falcons to 108-1 after 16 overs for their sixth win in seven matches. (Sportsmax)

Post that dismissal, the last two wickets fell in quick succession, as Kuldeep had Ebadot caught at short leg, while

Axar

de-

wickets

8-113.

The 188-run victory ensured that India

not lose the series, and gave them their seventh win in the World Test Championship. (cricbuzz)

SCOREBOARD

Bangladesh 2nd Innings

Najmul Hossain Shanto c

†Pant b Yadav 67

Zakir Hasan c Kohli

b Ashwin 100

Yasir Ali b Patel 5

Litton Das c Yadav

b Kuldeep Yadav 19

Mushfiqur Rahim b Patel 23

Shakib Al Hasan (c)

b Kuldeep Yadav 84

Nurul Hasan †st †Pant b Patel 3

Mehidy Hasan Miraz c Yadav

b Mohammed Siraj 13

Taijul Islam b Patel 4

Ebadot Hossain c Iyer

b Kuldeep Yadav 0 Khaled Ahmed not out 1

Extras (b 4, lb 1, nb 1) 6

TOTAL 113.2 Ov (RR: 2.85, 454 Mts) 324

Fall of wickets: 1-124 (Najmul Hossain Shanto, 46.1 ov), 2-131 (Yasir Ali, 49.6 ov), 3-173 (Litton Das, 68.4 ov), 4-208 (Zakir Hasan, 78.2 ov), 5-234 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 87.1 ov), 6-238 (Nurul Hasan, 87.6 ov), 7-283 (Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 104.5 ov), 8-320 (Shakib Al Hasan, 110.6 ov), 9-324 (Ebadot Hossain, 112.5 ov), 10324 (Taijul Islam, 113.2 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Mohammed Siraj 19-4-67-1

Umesh Yadav 15-3-27-1

Ravichandran Ashwin 27-3-75-1

Axar Patel 32.2-10-77-4

Kuldeep Yadav 20-3-73-3

Savory is

Essequibo

Cricket Board "Player of the Year"

Kemol Savory, the Guyana Harpy Eagles and Essequibo wicketkeeperbatsman, has been named “player of the year” at the Essequibo Cricket Board’s awards ceremony, held in the boardroom of the Anna Regina Town Council after an absence of three years.

Bruce Vincent has been named “junior player of the year”, and Kumarie Persaud has been named “female cricketer of the year”. Left-arm spinner Garfield Phillips, who had been a shining star in the recent GCB Senior Inter-County tournament, has been named “emerging player of the year”.

In honouring past cricketers, the ECB has awarded Jeff Jones for being the first Essequibian player to score a century in Senior Inter-County Cricket, while Elbert Stephens has been awarded for being the first

Essequibian player to obtain a five-wicket haul in a final against Berbice, which occurred during a match played at Hampton Court.

The Guyana U13 players Ravid Fredricks, Ethan Silas and Darrius Pearson have emerged as the most outstanding performers at the U13 level, and have accordingly been rewarded, while Zandon Rose and Nicholas Lovelle, who excelled at the U15 level, have also each been awarded.

Gowkarran Chullai has received an award in the U17 category, and Bruce Vincent has received an award for outstanding performances at the U17 and U19 levels.

Cyanne Retimiah and Lavina Ragobeer have been rewarded for being the top female cricketers at the Under-19 level, while Kumarie Persaud received an award for being tops in the

senior level.

As for senior national players Quintin Sampson, Ronsford Beaton, Anthony Adams, Kemol Savory and Keemo Paul, they have each been awarded for their outstanding performances at the senior level.

Coaches Courtney Gonsalves and Forbes Daniels have been recognised for their contributions to cricket development, while Coach Ryan Hercules has been recognised for his Level Three qualification and for becoming Head Coach of the senior national team.

Moreover, Dasroy Balgobin has been recognised for being the first national umpire to hail from Essequibo.

Minister Charles Ramson graced the ceremony with his presence, and expressed congratulatory remarks.

Patel got past the

fence of Taijul Islam. The two left-arm spinners ended up sharing seven

in the innings, with Kuldeep also bagging his best-ever match haul of

could

Stumps flew as Pant effected the stumping

Awardees of the 2022 season posing with ECB President Deleep Singh

Thomas and Fletcher starred in action in Sri Lanka

2022 was one of the better years for Berbice Cricket

By Brandon Corlette

Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)

President

Hilbert Foster has described 2022 as one of the better years for Berbice Cricket, despite the challenges posed by the constant rainfall. In an exclusive interview with this publication, Foster reflected on the highlights of the year, and what has been most pleasing to the BCB in terms of performance.

Highlights

The BCB dominated the senior inter-county tournament in 2022, claiming the championship. It dominated all female tournaments, and hosted West Indies legends. Sir Curtly Ambrose, Dr Desmond Haynes, Jimmy Adams, Sir Andy Roberts and Roland Butcher all made appearances in Berbice to host special clinics/sessions.

However, Foster has said he deems the major highlight of 2022 as Berbician cricketer Ashmini Munisar being appointed captain of the West Indies Women's Under-19 team.

A very encouraging devel-

opment, he said, has been the Irfaan Ali-led Government of Guyana having an all-handson-deck approach towards cricket in Berbice.

"The main challenge for BCB in 2022 was the weather. The rainy season took away 3/4 of the season for us, and it affected our ability to host tournaments on a regular basis, and do development programmes on the cricket field. Apart from that, everything went well, and we would describe our 2022 as one of the better years," Foster explained.

Performance

In regard to what has been most pleasing for the BCB in 2022, he disclosed:

"I think it was the performances of our players at the Regional and West Indies levels. Berbice cricketers continue to dominate selection into the Guyana teams at all levels. I think we had about 60 Berbicians representing Guyana at the different levels in 2022, (and)

the performance of them was quite pleasing."

Speaking about Ashmini Munisar's elevation to lead the WI Women’s U19 team, Foster declared: "The most pleasing thing for BCB this year was to see the appointment of Ashmini Munisar, who is the captain of the West Indies U-19 Women's team. As we all know, she and Realanna Grimmond are heading to the U-19 World Cup, the first ever. I think this is a big achievement, not only for BCB, but for the Rose Hall Canje Community Centre Cricket Club.

"We also had seven or eight players in the historic Guyana Under-13 team, with Berbice captain being the vice-captain."

Players from Berbice have also earned selection at the senior West Indies team in 2022, including notable players Romario Shepherd, Shimron Hetmyer, Gudakesh Motie, Shemaine Campbelle, Shabika Gajnabi and Shenata Grimmond.

Government’s assistance

Foster has also expressed great appreciation for the assistance the BCB has been having from various Government Ministers.

"We were happy that several Government Ministers came on board… We had Minister Nigel Dharamlall, who assisted us to obtain the services of coaches; Minister Collin Croal, Minister Susan Rodrigues… They all assisted, and our Patron (Minister Vickram Bharrat) continues to be a good patron. The Ministry of Sport continues to invest in grounds across Berbice, and this is important for our development," Foster said.

Foster also noted that the grounds of clubs such as Young Warriors, Rose Hall Town, Port Mourant, Skeldon and Blairmont need rehabilitative work, and this is something the BCB is looking forward to see happening in 2023.

"We would also want the

Trinidad beat Guyana to clinch U-13 Goodwill Series 3-1

Trinidad and Tobago’s off-spinner Shaan Ramtahal was again among the wickets, claiming two to bowl TT to a ninerun victory over Guyana in the fourth and final match of the Bilateral/Goodwill series played yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.

Ramtahal’s six overs bowled produced six runs as he tormented the Guyanese batsmen, and his two-wicket haul took his tally in the series to 13.

Guyana needed 79 runs for victory in 30 overs to level the four-match series, but TT dismissed them for 68 with 3.3 overs to spare. Guyana lost wickets regularly, even though they were above the required run rate for most of the innings.

For the second consecutive match, Khush Seegobin top scored with 15, while Rayaz Latiff made 14 and Nathaniel Ramsammy was left on 11 not out when the

last wicket fell. Three TT bowlers each took two wickets: Ramtahal (2-6), Ra Ed Ali Khan (2-11) and Tyler Ramroop (2-21).

The match started at 15:00h because of consistent rainfall on the previous night and during the entire morn-

ing period, and was consequently reduced to 30 overs. TT batted first for the first time this series, after winning the toss under gloomy conditions. They were dismissed for 78 in 26 overs, Mikael Ali and Zakarriya Mohammed being the only

batsmen to reach double figures, with 14 and 12 runs respectively.

Left-arm spinner Brandon Henry, the Guyana captain, starred with the ball in registering figures of 4 for 9 off six overs, while leg-spinner Khush Seegobin bowled with

great control to finish with 2 for 9 off four overs. Pacer Raffel McKenzie took 2 for 25 off his five overs, and economical off-spinner Richard Ramdeholl conceded 14 runs from his six overs.

Rayaz Latiff was also miserly, conceding just six runs from his four overs as the Guyanese bowlers showed great control in the harsh wet conditions.

At the end of the match, TT spinner Shaan Ramtahal was presented with the trophy for Most Wickets Taken (13) and the Player of the Match Award. The Most Runs accolade went to TT Vice-captain Mikaeel Ali, who scored 57. TT took home the winning trophy for the 3-1 series win in the fourmatch series, while Guyana received the runner-up trophy. Each team member was presented with a medal.

This fourth match concluded the first-ever Bilateral/ Goodwill series played between the two teams.

Government to assist in getting some practice pitches; some bowling machines - at least six - to be distributed across the counties; and construction of concrete pitches in four sub-areas in Berbice," he said.

While this BCB is arguably the best administration in terms of getting sponsorship, several tournaments are still left to be completed; but Foster has explained that those tournaments would be completed in the near future, and would not be written off.

The BCB was able to provide cricket nets, cricket gear and pitch covers, among other equipment, to various cricket clubs during the year.

Schools cricket is known for producing talented players, and Foster and the BCB have placed emphasis on this aspect. The BCB has been able to donate more than Gy$2M in cricket gear to schools’ cricket and coaching programmes in 2022.

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Guyana showed good fighting spirit during the series

BCB President Hilbert Foster

Berbice won the senior inter-county title in 2022

Roland Butcher, Jimmy Adams, Dr Desmond Haynes and Sir Andy Roberts at Albion in 2022 (Brandon Corlette photo)

– support from Government of Guyana hailed as Foster and the BCB continue to set high standards

Lionel Messi has finally achieved his World Cup dream, as Argentina won their third crown on penalties following one of the greatest finals in the tournament’s history at Lusail Stadium.

Argentina won the shootout 4-2 after a spectacular game which developed into the much-anticipated confrontation between the 35-year-old maestro Messi and his France opposite number Kylian Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick – the first in a World Cup final since 1966 – but still ended up on the losing side.

Messi looked to be securing the one major honour missing from his glittering collection in comfort as Argentina cruised into a two-goal lead, only for an explosive intervention from Mbappe to turn a spectacular encounter on its head with two goals inside two minutes late on.

Messi had given Argentina the lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute following Ousmane Dembele’s foul on Angel di Maria. It made him the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final of a single tournament.

He then contributed a delicate touch within a magnificent counter-attack that ended with Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister setting up Di Maria for the second goal 13 minutes later.

Argentina were untroubled until the closing stages, only for Mbappe to give France a lifeline from the penalty spot with nine minutes left; then restore equality with a magnificent

volley moments later.

Messi bundled Argentina back in front in extra time, but Mbappe completed his treble from the spot two minutes from the end of a frantic, chaotic added spell.

And so it went to penalties, with the two greats opening the scoring. But Argentina and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saved from Kingsley Coman, before Aurelian Tchouameni missed, leaving Gonzalo Montiel to win the World Cup.

Messi, a World Cup winner at last, collapsed to his knees in the centre circle, and was engulfed by jubilant Argentina team-mates.

Messi stood at the pinnacle of his career as Argentina closed out time in the World Cup final, only for great rival Mbappe to threaten to knock him off and leave him in despair. Instead, this World Cup – which will now have Messi’s name attached to it forever, along with a final that will rank alongside the greats –

gave the iconic Argentine the conclusion he wanted.

Messi was imperious for 80 minutes in his final World Cup game as Argentina exerted complete control over a strangely laboured France, scoring his penalty with ease before contributing crucially to a second goal, which was a team creation of beauty finished off by Di Maria.

And then came Mbappe. And then also came France.

In an atmosphere of disbelief among the massed ranks of Argentina fans who were starting to celebrate victory, Lionel Scaloni’s team had to lift themselves once more from the double blow inflicted by Mbappe.

Inevitably, it was Messi who gave them hope again, showing he was happy to do the dirty work by turning home a scrambled finish in the box in the second period of extra time – only for Mbappe to answer again.

But Argentina prevailed on penalties, and Messi was the centre of attention when Montiel sent the decisive penalty past France keeper Hugo Lloris.

Amid wild scenes of celebration, Messi fell to his knees in tears, and raised his arms to the skies before disappearing beneath a mountain of team-mates. Messi then took to the microphone to address Argentina’s jubilant fans, his Holy Grail reached, another piece of evidence assembled in the argument that would have many declare him the game’s greatest player.

Mbappe cemented his status as one of the game’s modern greats with only the

second hat-trick in a World Cup final, following that of Sir Geoff Hurst when England beat West Germany in 1966. But the 23-year-old still suffered the pain of defeat.

Mbappe was as anonymous as most of his team mates for the first 80 minutes, ill-served amid an unfathomably poor France display – which they put in despite seeking to become the first side to retain the trophy since Brazil did so 60 years ago, and only the third ever after Italy won in 1934 and 1938.

Manager Didier Deschamps even made two substitutions before half-time, replacing Olivier Giroud and Dembele with Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo

Muani. And yet it was Mbappe who revived France in those sensational seconds when they went from looking like timid losers to potential winners, then getting his third from the spot after Messi had put Argentina back in front. In a stunning period of extra time, during which both sides exchanged chances, France could have won, but for a superb last-gasp save by Martinez with his outstretched boot from Muani.

Instead, Mbappe will find history no consolation, as he was embraced by his team-mates and French President Emmanuel Macron at the end of this enthralling spectacle. (BBC Sport)

Dean's four wickets help England seal T20I series

England made three changes to their XI from the second T20I, bringing Nat Sciver, Amy Jones and Sophie Ecclestone in for Dani Wyatt, Katherine Brunt and Lauren Bell. West Indies, meanwhile, brought in Trishan Holder and Sheneta Grimmond.

Sophia Dunkley and Lauren Winfield-Hill opened for England, and got off to a strong start after opting to bat, putting up a 60-run stand. Dunkley was the more aggressive of the two, hitting six boundaries on her way to a 31-ball 44.

Afy Fletcher drew first blood for the hosts, bowling Winfield-Hill for 24. Sciver then joined Dunkley at the crease, and hit two boundaries before falling for 13. West Indies further dented England with two wickets in the 14th over, first removing Dunkley with a run-out, and Grimmond then having Jones caught.

Heather Knight then helped rebuild with a 27-ball 43 that was laced with five fours and a six, before falling in the 19th over to Hayley Matthews. England scored 10 runs off their last over to take the total to 157 for 6.

Matthews helped West Indies start positively in the chase, but Aaliyah Alleyne's stay at the crease was shortlived, with Dean dismissing her for a five-ball 3. Dean then produced a doublewicket maiden in the eighth over, dismissing the wellset Matthews for 35 and Shemaine Campbelle for a duck.

Rashada Williams and Holder tried to resurrect the

innings with a 40-run stand, but this time Ecclestone had the latter bowled to break their momentum. After Alice Davidson-Richards dismissed Fletcher for 6, Dean returned to pick up her fourth wicket of the day, getting Kycia Knight bowled. Ecclestone then removed Williams, West Indies' top-scorer on the day, for 38.

West Indies needed 22 off the last over, but could score just four runs, falling 17 short.

"On the bowlers, we've obviously mixed up the team a little to offer opportunities and work out a bit about a few different players, and someone like Charlie Dean has really come in and grasped

hers," Knight said. "We're so lucky we've got such depth in the spin department. I don't think we're too far away from knowing our best team is, and knowing potentially what that T20 World Cup squad looks like. It's all been a bit of a factfinding mission, and getting to know a few people and how they work in slightly different places.

"In T20, it's all about trying to find the boundaries and play to your strengths, and I felt on that wicket that my strengths were being a bit funky and hitting square of the wicket. So, it was nice to contribute to a team win, and nice to feel in good form."

West Indies head coach Courtney Walsh remained positive despite the series’ loss. "The effort we've shown in the last two games, in particular this one, is very pleasing," Walsh said after the match. "It's also good that we've got some youngsters around who are showing the fight. We're trying to create a different team culture and approach, and learning is taking place all the time. It's a loss in terms of the series, but I am pleased with what I am seeing, with the bigger

picture of what lies ahead for the Tri-Series [against South Africa and India] and [T20] World Cup."

The fourth and the fifth

(ESPN Cricinfo)

of wickets: 1-22 (Aaliyah Alleyne, 2.6

1-48, 2-63

Matthews, 7.1 ov), 3-63 (Shemaine Campbelle, 7.6 ov), 4-103 (Trishan Holder, 14.1 ov), 5-114 (Afy Fletcher, 15.5 ov), 6-132 (Kycia Knight, 17.4 ov), 7-136 (Rashada Williams, 18.6 ov), 8-136 (Shabika Gajnabi, 19.1 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Nat Sciver 3-0-27-0

Freya Davies 3-0-28-1

Charlie Dean 4-1-19-4

Sophie Ecclestone 4-0-28-2

Sarah Glenn 2-0-17-0

Heather Knight 1-0-3-0

Alice Davidson-Richards 3-0-17-1

Offspinner Charlie Dean followed up her 3 for 22 in the second T20I with her career-best figures of 4 for 19 in the third match against West Indies to help England seal the five-match series.

matches of the series are scheduled to be played on December 18 and 22 respectively in Bridgetown.

Messi celebrating the win

Mbappe scored a hat-trick in vain

England Women's tour of the West Indies 2022…