Guyana Times - Monday, January 23, 2023

Police on hunt for “Snakey” after he dropped gun, ammo

As the Police were trying to apprehend him, he jumped into a trench and made good his escape.

The firearm was retrieved by the ranks, and when it was examined, it was found to be a 9mm Sig Sauer P226 made in Germany with three matching live rounds of ammunition and a magazine with the serial number filed off.

Efforts are being made to have the suspect arrested since he is known to the Police and is currently before the court on a narcotic charge of 2.277 grams of cannabis.

Ganja found in box shipped from USA

An Essequibo Coast resident managed to escape from Police custody after he dropped an illegal firearm and several rounds of ammunition in the wee hours of Sunday.

It was reported that on the day in question at about 02:30h, Police were on mobile patrol in the Henrietta, Essequibo Coast area, when the observed the suspect acting in a suspicious manner.

He was later identified as Davenand Dwarka, also known as “Snakey”, who is no stranger to the law. However, at the time, an object was seen projecting from his waist but as the ranks got closer to him, Dwarka escaped into a parking lot.

The ranks went after him and while trying to retrieve the firearm from his waist after falling into a pool of mud, it fell from his hand and into the muddied area.

In fact, in October last year, he was arrested with a quantity of ganja. He was reportedly at Good Hope Stelling Road when he was seen acting in a suspicious manner.

Having noticed the Police, Dwarka jumped off the stall and attempted to hide by lying flat on the ground. At the time of his arrest, he was carrying a navy-blue haversack which when inspected contained three compressed brown paper parcels with ganja which when weighed amounted to 2.7 kilograms.

He was charged and granted bail.

Aquantity of imported cannabis was intercepted in a box shipped from the United States on Friday at Muneshwers Shipping Limited.

Based on information received, on the day in question, agents of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) were contacted by the shipping company after several packages of cannabis were discovered in a box.

Upon arriving at the location, CANU officers conducted additional searches before taking possession of the box which was subsequently transported to its headquarters along with an employee of the shipping company who made the discovery.

The cannabis was weighed and amounted to 1.920 kilograms. Investigations are ongoing.

Only recently, CANU Head James Singh noted that the unit wants to send a strong message that the Government is serious about fighting narcotics trafficking within Guyana and also that Guyana will not be used as a transhipment point for narcotics to other territories.

He made these comments earlier in the month when CANU destroyed 140.6 kilograms (kg) of seized cocaine and 454.7kg

of seized marijuana. This totals around 596kg of narcotics that were destroyed and are from cases that have concluded in the Magistrates’ Courts.

But in 2022, 3.7 tonnes of marijuana and over 124kg of cocaine were seized from various ports of entry and through operations conducted by CANU. Some matters are pending in the Magistrate’s Court.

On this note, Singh raised concerns about the amount of time it takes for a person found with narcotics to be prosecuted.

“While I do not want to criticise the Judiciary, I guess there’s a backlog but it doesn’t help when you arrest someone today and they’re placed on bail and their cases are being called until four, five months after. It’s been seen as not mocking us but here it is we have seized you with the drugs, we have seized the drugs, we have arrested you, we have put you before the court only for you to be placed on bail. It’s a bit disheartening at times,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn assured that Government will continue to support the unit as they work to prevent Guyana from being used as a transhipment point for drug trafficking.

The gun and ammunition that were found

The imported ganja found at the shipping company

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, Jan 23 – 04:15h – 05:45h and Tuesday, Jan 24 – 04:15h – 05:45h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, Jan 23 – 05:30h – 07:00h and Tuesday, Jan 24 – 06:10h – 07:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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 clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 20 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 17:59h reaching a maximum height of 2.81 metres.

Low Tide: 11:41h reaching a minimum height of 0.54 metre.

Pres Ali optimistic about enhanced cooperation between Guyana, China

– lauds country's contributions to Guyana in Chinese New Year's message

In his message hailing the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit and lauding the contributions of the Chinese community to Guyana’s development, President Dr Irfaan Ali also expressed optimism that the year would bring enhanced cooperation between the two countries.

According to the President in his New Year message, he extended greetings on his behalf and that of his Government, to all those observing the lunar Chinese New Year 2023, which is being observed as the year of the rabbit.

“These greetings are also extended to Her Excellency Guo Haiyan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Guyana and to the staff of her Embassy, and by no means least, the not insignificant Chinese community in our country.”

“The Chinese New Year is an occasion marked by feasts, festivals, and other celebratory activities. It is a period of effusive joy and happiness for Chinese people all around the world,” the President also said.

Noting that this year is designated the ‘Year of the Rabbit’, he described some of the well-known attributes of the rabbit. For instance, the rabbit is known for “its swiftness, smartness, and nimbleness”.

According to the President, however, the rabbit is also gentle, calm, and peaceful. And Ali noted that the Year of the Rabbit symbolises the need for adeptness, vigilance, perseverance… virtues he pointed out are at the heart of the successes of China and Chinese nationals. He was optimistic that the lunar new year would offer the chance for enhanced bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

“I am confident that in

this new year, these qualities will allow China to overcome its present challenges and to bring greater prosperity and peace to its people. Guyana and the People’s Republic of China are enjoined by imperishable relations, strengthened by ties of blood, history, friendship, and furthered by shared interests,” the President said.

“The Lunar Chinese New Year offers the promise of enhancing cooperation between our two States and between our peoples. The members of the Chinese community in Guyana continue to make a valuable contribution to national transformation and de-

velopment. We are therefore pleased to join them in commemorating the Lunar Chinese New Year – the Year of the Rabbit.”

In her remarks to mark the Chinese Spring Festival, Ambassador Guo Haiyan pointed out that the rabbit’s most famous attribute - its ability to jump - is symbolic of overcoming difficulties and surpassing oneself.

When it comes to the Spring Festival, she had said the occasion is no stranger to Guyanese. According to her, the Chinese community and the Spring Festival, are deeply integrated into Guyana’s multicultural landscape. In fact, 2023 marks the 170th

anniversary of their arrival in Guyana.

“Spring Festival, the Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important traditional festival in China, with a history of more than 4000 years. The Spring Festival culture is an important part of Chinese culture. The year 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, a beloved animal ranking fourth in the Chinese zodiac. It is a common species but with rich cultural connotations,” she said in her statement.

“Recently, the Chinese community held the Guyana 2023 Chinese Spring Festival Temple Fair in National Park, Georgetown, where more than 2000 friends from all walks of life, including Hon Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, joined the celebrations. Many Guyanese friends, dressed in Chinese costumes and holding folding fans, gathered to witness various displays of Chinese culture including food, song, lion and dragon dances, and fireworks show.”

Ambassador Guo also made reference to developments in bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields between Guyana and China, which she said has been further strengthened. She also noted that China is pleased with Guyana’s achievements in the past year, as the economy grew by 62.3 per cent and the Government made significant progress in economic and social transformation.

President Dr Irfaan Ali with Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Guo Haiyan

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Examining the Budget

Yesterday, we offered a perspective on considering Budgets in general, and with the Budget Debate kicking off this afternoon, we want to offer a framework for considering the substance of this year’s Budget based on the general objectives that Governments seek to achieve. Unlike the early years of our republic, of recent, Governments have been taking a more pragmatic rather than ideological approach to budgetary (i.e. fiscal) policies as they moved away from socialism as the theoretical formulation to direct economic development.

Overall, the total budgeted amount is a historic GY$781.9 billion under the theme: “Improving Lives Today, Building Prosperity for Tomorrow”. Augmenting revenues from duties and taxes, which have not been increased, $209 billion was transferred from the Natural Resource Fund. In a developing economy such as ours, one of the primary objectives would be to promote the growth of the economy creating more paying jobs to improve the lives of the citizens. In one seminal initiative, the Government budgeted $43.3 billion to facilitate moving the landed Natural Gas to the Wales Development Zone, where it will fire a 300MW generating plant to halve the cost of electricity.

This will reduce manufacturing costs and make the goods produced more competitive. $24.6 billion was allocated to kick off the latter project in addition to a Liquified Natural Gas facility. $4 billion was injected into GuySuCo to stabilise its operations in addition to the reopening of the Rose Hall Estate. The infrastructural programme, which also promotes growth in the economy by facilitating transportation, included $5.2 billion towards the New Demerara Fixed-Span Bridge and $131 billion towards roads and bridges in all 10 Regions.

A second initiative, and one most closely watched in poor countries, is the “reducing of inequalities in income and wealth”. This is generally achieved by imposing greater taxes on the rich and passing them on to the poor. However, there were no additional taxes imposed yet the poor was assisted because of the oil revenues transfer. Some of these measures include the Income Tax Threshold being raised from $65,000 to $75,00 monthly; old-age pensions from $28,000 to $35,000; Public Assistance from $14,000 to $16,000; Student Grants from $25,000 to $35,000 and a further $10 billion for the part-time jobs programme.

Another objective of the Budget is to maintain economic stability, in which the inflation rate looms very large along with the related interest rates in the banking sector for loans to businesses. Because of supply-chain disruptions due to the COVID pandemic and the Ukraine War, inflation has reduced the purchasing power of the citizenry. At the macro level, the Bank of Guyana utilises two instruments in the conduct of monetary policy. These are Reserve Requirements and Open Market Operations.

Are interest rates on business loans too high? The cash grants and other income increases mentioned above should assist citizens but since the causes are exogenous, this will remain a challenge. The Government has maintained, the exemption of shipping costs for taxation on imports to assist. In local agricultural production, the Government has a welter of waivers of taxes, duties on machinery, etc, to reduce the cost of food production.

The reduction of regional disparities is another objective of Budgets and as mentioned above, the infrastructural spending was tailored to achieve this. Because of the inaccessibility of our interior regions, air transport is critical and in addition to the road investments, $1.6 billion has been allocated for upgrading interior airstrips. Notably, $1.8 billion has been budgeted for solar PV lighting systems for 30,000 households. Additionally, 15 per cent of the carbon credits sold to Hess – this year amounting to $2.3 billion will be distributed to hinterland projects. In a similar manner, there are job creation projects in other regions.

In Guyana, recognising that health is a fundamental right, the largest component of our health sector is State-owned and the Budget allocates $84.9 billion for new hospitals, training health workers, and modernising the sector in all the regions. Education is recognised as critical in the new economy being created and as such, the $94.4 billion expenditure reflects the Government’s commitment to this end.

Let the debate be informed.

No letting up from the Government on COVID-19

Dear Editor, This is good news that some 7000 bivalent COVID shots will arrive in Guyana by the end of this month. According to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, “The bivalent vaccines are more effective… (and he is) … expecting to have those vaccines by the last week of January.”

On this good note, I remind all that COVID-19 is leaving and will continue to leave a lasting imprint on the world economy, causing permanent changes and teaching important lessons. In fact, the prediction is that virus screening will likely become a part of our life, just like how security measures have become ubiquitous after 9/11. So, according to the Minister, “Once we get those vaccines, we’ll urge people to come out and get the bivalent vaccine.” And why not?

Well, it is indeed safe to receive a COVID-19 vaccine following infection, as vaccination is very important, even if a person has had COVID-19 shots already. While infection alone provides some protection, vaccination after infection helps to improve

the immune response, it provides better and longer-lasting protection, and importantly, the evidence indicates that waiting for a period of time, after a COVID-19 infection before getting a booster dose can help improve the overall immune response. Most authorities recommended that patients receive their booster dose 6 months after being tested positive or started having symptoms. However, a shorter interval of at least 3 months may be recommended in some circumstances.

On the local scene, the information to absorb is that “… the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines include a component of the original virus strain, to provide broad protection against COVID-19, and a component of the Omicron variant, to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant.”

I note that Minister Anthony is urging that citizens capitalise, reminding them that Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, and Sinopharm vaccines remain available for the population at present. His call is well supported by the World Health

Organisation, who continues to implore nations that “… everyone, everywhere, should have access to COVID-19 vaccines.”

For their part, “WHO is determined to maintain the momentum for increasing access to COVID-19 vaccines and will continue to support countries in accelerating vaccine delivery, to save lives and prevent people from becoming seriously ill.”

They explained that “Countries should continue to work towards vaccinating at least 70% of their populations, prioritising the vaccination of 100% of health workers and 100% of the most vulnerable groups, including people who are over 60 years of age and those who are immunocompromised or have underlying health conditions.” The bottom line is that the COVID-19 issue is still very serious and must be treated as such.

So, I am with Dr Anthony, who explained that “… as cases continue to rise, (the PPP/C) Government is encouraging persons to get their booster shots and still take the necessary precautions.” He iterated that “It is recommended that for

persons to get the bivalent vaccines, they should get their primary doses –which means the first and second dose. This is something we will be looking at. Once we get it, we will put out suitable advisories so that people can access these vaccines.”

Editor, it is still possible to get COVID-19 and spread it to others after being vaccinated. Therefore, all must continue to do everything to keep themselves and others healthy. This means to continue keeping a safe distance from others and avoiding crowds, wearing a well-fitting mask covering the mouth and nose, keeping indoor spaces well-ventilated, cleaning hands regularly, and covering coughs and sneezes. There is no place for complacency. So, I too am “… urging persons who have not received their booster doses to visit one of the local vaccination sites and get their booster doses.” Too much is at stake and we know that with Omicron, there are at least 500 different subvariants.

truly, H Singh

Yours

People perform a fire dragon dance under a shower of sparks from molten iron during the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays in Wuhan, Hubei province, China on Sunday (Reuters/Stringer)

Aubrey Norton has real problems that he cannot solve

Dear Editor,

Aubrey Norton is in desperation mode and evidence of that is well before him, he is worried sick about his future both as a political leader of his party and as a politician. Because not being the leader of the party means it is the end of his tether, finito! He is not welcomed in his party, evidence being only 30 per cent of the electorate in the PNC supported him being the leader of the party in the last party elections. When a man can only muster 30 per cent of the electorate speaks volumes, which is quite clear that he is an unwelcomed figure within that APNU/PNC/PNCR, whatever you would like to call it, messed up grouping. Even more distressing is the fact that among that 30 per cent support base, they are deserting him one by one. Poor Norton is in

a quandary, of what to do and how to do it.

With the recent NoConfidence Motion served on him, he is on the ropes, if not down on his knees, wounded, and crying out for help. But he is not going down on the canvas just yet, because he has resorted to the usual PNC strategy of selecting a soft target to pick on in order to survive. He has picked on the party's treasurer Mursaline, he is the culprit. Let us portray him as another Charrandas in our midst, turn the searchlight on him, he is the snitch.

Well, of course, that move will get some traction within a party that has an abhorrence for the Indian, pick on the defenceless Indian as the reason behind the party's poor showing. So, Mursaline has to take the fall for his outspoken bit on being a signatory to blank cheques, there -

fore the setup is complete in that leaked conversation between Mahipaul and the "sympathetic Forde" in that taping. It was all meant to cast blame on the weakest of the weak in the party.

So, in quick succession Mursaline recanted his position and recalled his resignation letter, coming up with all the platitudes he can muster saying he and Mr Norton are "good buddies" and it was a miscalculation on his part that he offered to resign. But what Mursaline must realise is that the deed is done, and the matter is way out in the open. Whether his recantation would result in a resumption of party funding, only time will tell, but from the looks of things, the North American financial support base is badly damaged.

They said that if you hit a man in his pock -

et, he is hit hardest, and this is what is happening right now. The PNC party is cash-strapped, the lack of funds is taking a toll on the party, and the coffers are drying up. Funds that flowed from the main Indian racial grouping in the North have all but ceased, so things are not going well for the party. The Black financial supporters have also run into difficulties with one languishing in prison and the other on the run from Interpol, the PNC is in real trouble!

With the drought in funds comes the party's negative image, relations on all fronts are awful. So to regain some standing, whatever little there is, there is the widespread opinion that the party leader must go and go now!

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Chancellor is always handpicked

Dear Editor,

It is unbelievable that after 18 years the ‘powers to be’ have failed to confirm the appointment of the two top justices in the country.

Two women have been acting in these positions for more than three years and before that two qualified men had been acting for more than a dozen years without being confirmed. One has died and the other retired. It is a shame and disgrace for both the PPP/C and APNU/ AFC Administrations.

Both are holding out to have the Chancellor and Chief Justices who they feel would serve their political party and not justice. They completely ignored calls from former President of the CCJ Sir Denis Byron and current head Adrian Saunders and other distinguished legal luminaries and renowned Caribbean citizens Sir Shridath Ramphal, and PJ Patterson et al.

From all indications, it seems as if the Opposition APNU wants acting chancellor Yonette Cummings to be confirmed, but the PPP/C is not in agreement because she has ruled time and time against that party - one ridiculous decision in which she ruled that 33 is not the majority of 65.

Sources say that the Irfaan Ali Administration prefers Chief Justice Roxanne George to be at the helm but Guyana has a history of handpicking/cherry-picking the chancellor starting with Sir Kenneth Stoby, the first chancellor who was brought in from Barbados by Forbes Burnham to head the Judiciary, bypassing the brilliant Chief Justice Sir Joseph Luckhoo.

Several years later Burnham as Head of Government forced a brilliant criminal lawyer to take up the position. After

Haynes refused to leave his lucrative practice, Forbes threatened to report him to the Inland Revenue for failing to pay his income tax.

Now coming back to the inordinate delay in confirming the two top judicial positions since both the Government and Opposition leader must agree.

Consultation has been replaced by agreements under

the amended Constitution introduced many moons ago. Now, how and when this impasse will end?

The leaders should realise that there is a well-rounded CCJ that comprises the best and fair-minded justices.

A comment on MP Ferguson’s observations on crime

Dear Editor, I write with reference to MP Annette Ferguson’s missive on crime fighting in Guyana. No one would or should disagree with the Honourable Member of Parliament on the urgency of upping the fight against crime. In this regard, I do have a few observations and recommendations for Ms Ferguson and expect she will see the larger picture before us.

Editor, before I get to street crime, I must underline that the PPP/C is not a “regime”. It is the democratically elected Government of this country. Use of the appellation “regime” has no other consequence other than to besmirch the will of the Guyanese people. If fact, I must remind Ms Ferguson that the attempt to rig the elections on 2020 was criminal in every respect.

The first victory against crime in Guyana was won after a long and difficult period between early March and early August 2020. Justice prevailed over those in Ms Ferguson’s political apparatus that were bent on electoral fraud. Put simply, the fight against election theft was crime fighting and the current Administration saved the day.

Now, I have a few recommendations for Hon MP Ferguson. Firstly, please ask the APNU, and per-

haps the AFC also, depending on your relationship as of late, to desist in legal law enforcement efforts in the country. You cannot support illegal squatting, and illegal occupation of public spaces for the purpose of vending, and then go against law enforcement against these transgressions.

Secondly, ask your own APNU to stop calling for “action” that amount to threats. These notes of incitement in furtherance of political objectives are likely to graduate into a symphony of discontent, and at the end of it all, the marauding forces of destabilisation will be difficult to contain. That is a different level of criminal conduct, the sort that threatens the very fabric of public security and democratic governance. Recent pronouncements from many within APNU or connected to it have been intimating forms of political lawlessness.

Third, and finally, why not take a constructive role on Sub-Committee of Cabinet on Security alluded to in your correspondence. The time is ripe for real leadership from anywhere within the APNU. Make effective use of the opportunity, if I may respectfully recommend.

Respectfully, Oscar Ramjeet

Sincerely, Dr Randolph Persaud

Materials: Acrylic paints

Straws, small paint brushes, or short pieces of yarn

A toothpick Water

A plate or plastic container

Dish soap Artists’ paper (sketchpad paper, watercolour paper, or Bristol board work well)

Cups or containers for paint and soap

Instructions: Cover your work surface with paper towels.

In the cups, mix two or three paint colours with water in roughly equal parts.

Add a drop of soap and a few drops of water to another cup. Pour enough water

onto the plate to cover the bottom.

Using the straws, add drops of paint to the surface of the water by dipping a straw into a paint cup, then gently touching the surface of the water with the straw.

Use a toothpick dipped in soap to break up the paint colours and form patterns.

Take a piece of paper small enough to fit on the surface of the water and lay it gently in the centre of the plate. Let it soak for 5-10 seconds, then carefully lift it off and set it onto a paper towel. Use another paper towel to gently pat the surface of the paper dry.

How it works:

The surface of the water is made up of mil -

lions of water molecules. These tiny molecules like to be together, and create surface tension where they meet the air. Surface tension keeps the paint from sinking (mostly). This is how water beetles stay on the surface of ponds and rivers without sinking!

Extra experiments:

Try different colors to see which ones show up well.

Acrylic paints aren’t the only types that work with this method. Oil paints and watercolours may work, certain nail polishes give very colourful results (new polishes work better than old bottles, creamy colors tend to work better than transparent ones). (sciencefun.org)

FROM SATURDAY

CONTINUED

The witch flew into a rage, jumped to the window, and as she could see far into the world, she saw her stepdaughter hurrying away with her sweetheart Roland.

"That won't help you!" shouted the witch. "Even if you've already gone a long way, you won't escape from me!"

She put on her many-league boots, in which she covered an hour's walk with every step, and it was not long before she overtook them. However, when the girl saw the old woman striding toward them, she used the magic wand to transform her sweetheart Roland into a lake, and herself into a duck swimming in the middle of the lake.

The witch stood on the shore and threw in pieces of bread, trying with great effort to lure the duck to her. But the duck did not give in, and the old woman

By The BroThers Grimm

had to return home that night without success. Afterward the girl and her sweetheart Roland returned to their natural shapes, and they walked on through the whole night until daybreak. Then the girl transformed herself into a beautiful flower in the middle of a briar hedge, and her sweetheart Roland into a fiddler.

It was not long before the witch came striding up toward them.

She said to the musician, "Dear musician, may I pick that beautiful flower for myself?"

"Oh, yes," he replied. "And I will play for you while you're doing it."

She crawled hastily into the hedge and was just about to pick the flower, knowing perfectly well who it was, when he began to play. She was forced to dance, whether she wanted to or not, for it was

magic dance music. The faster he played, the more violently she was forced to jump. The thorns tore the clothes off her body, pricking her until she bled, and as he did not stop, she had to dance until she fell down dead.

They were now free, so Roland said, "Now I will go to my father and arrange for our wedding."

"I'll stay here and wait for you," said the girl. "And I'll transform myself into a red boundary stone, so that no one will recognise me."

So Roland set forth, and the girl, in the shape of a red boundary stone, stood there and waited for her sweetheart. But when Roland arrived home, he was snared by another woman, who caused him to forget the girl. The poor girl waited there a long time.

TO BE CONTINUED

Almost 50% of backlogged claims cleared at NIS since 2020

Efforts by the Guyana Government to improve the quality of service offered by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) to contributors and pensioners have proven to be fruitful after the agency disposed of nearly half of its backlog in some two years.

During his presentation of Budget 2023 last week, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh commended the NIS and its Board for the large reduction in pending NIS claims since the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s (PPP/C) return to office.

“As of August 2020, the backlog of claims outstanding and on query was 20,106. It is encouraging that as of December 2022, the backlog was reduced to 10,902. Further, of the 1,362,734 [suspended] and invalid numbers existing in the database, the Scheme was able to resolve 1,103,835 during 2022,” Dr Singh stated.

The NIS has historically been the provider of social security when earnings are interrupted by illness or accident, for exceptional expenses related to birth or death, and for retirement by age. In fact, for many

pensioners, this is their only source of income.

According to the Minister, it is for these reasons that the efficiency of the operation of the Scheme is critical, because in many instances, lives, health and wellness are dependent on this source of income.

To this end, he pointed out that Government has been proactive in its support of the agency and has in the immediate term urged the newly appointed Board of the Scheme to prioritise: resolving the inherited backlog of long outstanding matters; addressing the deficiencies in the systems within the Scheme; and implementing programmes to improve compliance by delinquent employers to protect the interests of all working people.

Nevertheless, in addition to reducing the backlog, the NIS operationalised the connection for electronic transfers into the national payment system architecture in October 2022. This has resulted in 750 pensioners being paid directly into their bank account at one commercial bank.

“It is anticipated that this will be expanded to cover all commercial banks

during 2023, thereby enabling thousands of pensioners to be paid directly into their bank account. In addition, the use of WhatsApp to make claims and submit video-styled life certificate validations served to reduce the need for travel to the NIS office,” Dr Singh noted.

The Finance Minister further disclosed that compliance campaigns and expanded outreaches will continue to be an active strategy to ensure that both employers and workers are educated of their benefits from joining the Scheme. This is especially critical given that the financial vi-

ability of the Scheme has over the years depended primarily on the contributors’ payments.

Notwithstanding, Minister Singh further posited that medium-and longer-term solutions, most importantly, continue to be actively examined with a view to ensuring the longterm viability of the NIS.

While speaking at the 53rd anniversary of NIS last October, Dr Singh had stated that the PPP/C Government remains committed to improving the quality of services provided by the NIS by making the agency more accessible to contributors in addressing issues, bringing contributors’ records up to date and ensuring that they receive their benefits in a timely manner.

He had noted that the public outreaches are serving as a medium to tackle the backlog of cases across the country. However, he contended that there is no need for such exercises since the same services they provide during the outreaches can be offered at the local NIS office across the country.

“I am, once again, tasking the NIS, its Board, its management, and its staff

to make the rapid transformation that is necessary to eliminate the need for these outreaches,” the Finance Minister had said.

Moreover, he had also called on the Scheme to reinstate the annual statements to contributors in order to ensure they keep abreast with their contributions as well as verify their accuracy.

This system was introduced under the Chairmanship of Dr Roger Luncheon, whereby employers would be given a contribution statement annually for their employees to be appraised of their con-

tributions. However, this practice had stopped.

To this end, Dr Singh urged, “I’m asking you to reinstitute this practice. As a matter of fact, every contributor should get a statement every year… Every contributor should get a statement once a year and be encouraged to regularise and fix any gaps they observe.”

This way, according to the Finance Minister, any inaccuracies can be fixed early and not when the contributor reaches retirement age and qualifies for benefits.

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

National Insurance Scheme (NIS) office

Alexander loses another bid to appeal $2.5M defamation judgement

had ordered Alexander, the Guyana National Newspapers Limited – the publishers of the Stateowned Guyana Chronicle, and its former Editor-inChief Nigel Williams to pay a total of $4.3 million to Vishnu Persaud.

After his original appeal was struck out, Oppositionnominated Commissioner at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Vincent Alexander, had filed a Notice of Motion for an extension of time to file another appeal against the $2.5 million judgement against him in the Vishnu Persaud defamation case but this application was also dismissed last week.

The Motion was refused on January 17 by a panel of Judges at the Guyana Court of Appeal led by Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Justice Dawn Gregory and Justice Rishi Persaud.

Guyana Times was told that the court threw out the motion on the basis that the application was filed almost two years late and that the appeal had no merit.

In August 2020, High Court Judge, Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry

Persaud, who at the time was a former Public Relations Officer at GECOM but now serves as the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the electoral body, had filed the lawsuit against the three defendants over articles published by the newspaper within which Alexander made certain remarks which he argued were untrue and defamatory. Both articles were in relation to the controversial appointment of Roxanne Myers as the Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), even though Persaud, who had also applied for the position, was more qualified – a position which was confirmed by an investigation conducted by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) following a complaint filed.

Justice Beharry had ruled, among other things, that the defamatory statements made and published tarnished Persaud’s professional and personal reputation.

She had said, “The extent of the damage was compounded by the fact that the publications were made by the first-named Defendant [Alexander] who was a long-standing GECOM Commissioner and a significant figure in civil society and whom the

average Guyanese would tend to trust and believe, more so because he was well placed to know the facts.”

“He ignored the demand letter sent by the Claimant’s attorney. Rather than publishing a retraction of the article and an apology he defended the statements as true in spite of plain evidence to the contrary,” she further outlined.

Moreover, the High Court Judge had found that the repeated publication on the part of Alexander after Persaud was not selected for the position of DCEO in 2018 is “indicative of malice” as it served no other purpose than to damage the Claimant’s reputation.

Consequently, Alexander was ordered to pay Persaud the sum of $2,500,000 in damages as well as another $150,000 as costs on or before September 30, 2020.

However, the GECOM Commissioner had ap-

pealed Justice Beharry’s decision but Appellate Judge, Justice Rishi Persaud, in June 2022, found that his challenge was not filed within the sixweek timeframe required –a point argued by Persaud’s lawyer, Attorney Devindra Kissoon – and as such, the appeal was dismissed. This meant that Alexander had to pay the $2.5 million damage to Persaud.

But instead of doing this, the GECOM Commissioner went ahead and filed a Notice of Motion in June last year seeking an order extending the time within which to file the Notice of Appeal against the judgement delivered by Justice Beharry as well as an order extending the time within which to serve the Intended Notice of Appeal against that said ruling.

Alexander was also requesting an order staying the execution and enforcement of Justice Beharry’s judgement until the hearing and determination of his application. In addition, he also sought an order that he be permitted to lodge the judgment sum with the Registrar of the Supreme Court pending the hearing and determination of the Notice of Appeal.

However, the three-member Appeal Court panel indicated that after hearing from both Alexander’s lawyer, Roysdale Forde SC, and Persaud’s lawyer, Attorney Kissoon, “It Is Ordered that this motion be and is hereby refused.”

Additionally, the Appeal Court also ordered that each party bear their own costs.

Guyana Times understands that Alexander is yet to pay the $2.5 million judgement sum, which according to Attorney Kissoon, is subject to enforcement proceedings.

What’s the… …big idea??

Sometimes when we try to correct a failing, we assume we need to overcompensate so that when things settle down, they’d be where we intended in the first place. What your Eyewitness has in mind are the overarching ideas behind the crafting of the Budget being debated today. The point is, while this is Budget 2023, it’s part of at least a five-year plan – one fiveyear term – that comes out of the PPP’s manifesto they campaigned on to get elected in 2020. While some say Manifestoes are just “promises, promises” – which are basically a “bait-and-switch” ploy to attract voters – the PPP’s manifestoes are usually a good indicator of their thinking on “development”.

They inherited this thinking from their founder Cheddi Jagan, who was very serious and upfront about his ideological thinking. Some say ‘too upfront’ since his socialist ideas got him ousted in 1964 after a Budget presentation!! So when he was returned to office in 1992 – after his predecessor Hoyte had imposed an IMF straitjacket neo-liberal Economic Recovery Plan (ERP) that he’d derided by and large as “Empty Rice Pots” for the working class he insisted was his party’s base – he stuck to it with some reservations. For example, while the IMF insisted on the privatisation of all PNC-nationalised companies, he successfully balked on GuySuCo,!! In a word, he accepted that he couldn’t paddle a canoe against the Western tides!!

In this budget and the previous one, we see the PPP continuing to move away from the old PPP socialist orthodoxy and towards the free-market fundamentalism of neo-liberalism. Under this dispensation, the MARKET is allowed to make allocations about distribution rather than the principles of distributive justice that had moved Marx for developing a society like ours – namely socialism. So while the Budget still supports socialised medicine, education and a slew of social services, we note a massive increase in support for the business sector which is promoted as “the engine of growth”!!

The neoliberal theory behind this focus is that at this stage of our development – where we’re so underdeveloped and poverty-stricken – we need the Private Sector to create employment so workers’ wages would lift their standard of living. The fly in this ointment, however, is that owners of businesses are rationally driven to maximise their profits. And the quickest way to do so is to decrease or hold wages constant! And it’s because of this and other dodges, the top 1% of wealthy persons in the world earned TWICE more than the REST OF THE WORLD!

Hopefully – against our socialist heritage – before we become so economically unequal, new policies will be implemented via Budgets to even out the disparities.

…gas

passing??

Most folks talk about our “oil industry” and forget it’s actually an “oil and gas” industry with associated Natural Gas brought up with the oil. The arrangement we have with Exxon is that it can use as much of the gas that’s separated in the FPSOs – for its operations – and can also inject some to help push up oil from under the ocean. But amazingly there’s oodles and oodles left over. What to do??

Well, for one, the Govt early on decided to use some 50 million cubic feet per day to fire that 250MW generating plant and to liquify as much as another 70mcfpd that the 12-inch pipeline can bring ashore to Wales. But that still hasn’t even dented the trillions of cubic feet of available gas. And that’s quite serendipitous ‘cause the Ukraine war precipitated a steep rise in demand for LNG – especially in the US. And we can liquify and export the LNG offshore on floating ships – like with the oil!!

Let’s keep the money…er…gas…flowing!

…Chinese New Year??

January isn’t only Chinese Arrival Month, but the Chinese Lunar New Year. This year is “Year of the Rabbit” – signalling a gentle period focused on self-reflection.

So, will China advise Putin to pull back??

Opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander

Chief Elections Officer

Vishnu Persaud

Govt to clamp down on illegal vessels operating in Guyana’s EEZ – VP Jagdeo …says

support

Hundreds of vessels which are operating in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) illegally have caught the attention of the Government, which will result in a clampdown to protect the country’s sovereignty.

This was disclosed by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday evening, at an event to celebrate a collaborative effort between Government and the United Kingdom to develop a maritime economy plan.

According to Jagdeo, these operations amount to losses of US$100 million annually and will be addressed.

“Hundreds of vessels are fishing in our waters and it’s estimated that we lose over US$100 million a year in leakages through that pro-

cess. We now have to have a greater control or policing exercise of sovereignty over our Exclusive Economic Zone.

The oil and gas resources can help us buy the capability to do that,” the Vice President divulged.

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), as prescribed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is an area of the sea in which a sovereign state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind.

The maritime economy plan is a framework that would put the blue economy into focus with the availability of adequate resourc-

es for growth. The UK has a blue economy fund and will be working with Guyana to achieve this.

Jagdeo underscored that sustainability is of critical importance in every aspect of the country’s operations and governance. One challenge has been gaining recognition for the same level of importance in the blue economy as the green economy holds.

“We have a long way to go in getting it recognised as an important tool for fighting climate change. Another thing is the inclusion of the blue economy in the context of the national planning process. We have included that. We recognise that the blue or maritime economy can make a major contribution to the develop-

ment of our country,” Jagdeo underscored.

The maritime economy plan came into focus when Guyana was developing its revised Low Carbon Development Strategy since focus needed to be placed on both the green and blue economies.

However, British High Commissioner, Her Excellency Jane Miller shared that this blue economy speaks to giving importance to the oceans and resources for the prosperity of a country.

“The low levels of deforestation and more recently, selling of the carbon credits is something that we all feel incredibly proud of. But the Low Carbon Development Strategy is so much more

than just the green economy. It’s about the blue economy as well. Through the UK, we’ve been providing support to articulate this blue economy,” the diplomat underscored.

According to her, the blue economy has incredible potential and massive resources that can be leveraged for the country’s development.

“It’s about sustainable fisheries, biotechnology, investing in rivers and oceans so that it can help economic growth, create jobs, mitigate the impacts of climate change and create food security. The possibilities are endless. The Government is working very hard to diversify the economy and I do believe that the blue economy is a really important element.”

Part of the marine economy plan also focused on sustainability, low carbon, resource efficiency and social inclusion.

Guyana was one of 12 member states in the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), which is an inter-governmental organisation in the Caribbean Community (Caricom), that signed the Copenhagen Declaration in late 2021.

The countries, by signing, simultaneously affirmed their support to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and transnational organised crime in the fishing industry, through their support for the declaration and the Blue Justice Initiative.

robust blue economy beckons with UK

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at the event on Friday last British High Commissioner Jane Miller addressing the gathering A map showing Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone

Huradiah & Acquero residents get 1st-time access to potable water

Services at Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Ramchand Jailal stated that the well was drilled by GWI’s PAT rig and in-house drilling team. Additionally, the installation of the distribution network, pumping system, and construction of the fence was executed by the Santa Rosa Village Council under GWI’s supervision.

Approximately 500 residents at Huradiah and Acquero in the Moruca sub-district in Region One (Barima-Waini) are now receiving first-time access to potable water, with the commissioning of the Huradiah Water Supply System.

The $12 million system was commissioned by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal on Saturday.

Prior to the water system, residents utilised water from the nearby creeks and practiced rain harvesting. Minister Croal stated that the Government has

placed emphasis on providing a better quality of life for Indigenous peoples and will ensure that they have safer water for consumption and also benefit from other Government initiatives.

“More resources will be pumped into your region to ensure that you are equal-

ly benefitting and accessing the development […] in terms of social welfare and equally for infrastructure because what the people on the coastland experience you must experience wherever you are in this beautiful country,” affirmed Minister Croal.

The Minister underscored that when the Government took office in

crease the water coverage to 87 per cent in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.

In the Moruca sub-district, wells are expected to be drilled in several communities such as Santa Rosa, Kamwatta and Parakeese among other villages.

The scope of works for the Huradiah Water Supply System included the drilling of the potable water

This not only provided employment for residents but also reduced the cost of the project. Moreover, Community Service Officers (CSOs) have been trained to assist with the operation and maintenance of the system.

Nalleine James, a resident, related that the project will bring much-needed relief to her family and end their days of “fetching water”.

“Before we had to punish to get water. We had to go to the creek far from our home. So now we’re very thankful and happy that we have water in our area,” James added.

Another resident, Tricia Rodrigues, also noted that the new system will improve her daily life.

2020, an analysis of water coverage revealed that only 46 per cent of hinterland communities had potable water access.

With an investment of approximately $2 billion, the PPP/C Administration has since raised hinterland water coverage to 75 per cent by the end of 2022.

Through Budget 2023 some $1.4 billion is expected to be expended to in-

well (57 metres/186 feet), installation of approximately 4125 metres (4.1 km) of distribution pipes, installation of a photovoltaic pumping system, construction of a perimeter fence, installation of 75 service connections and 3 stand pipes at Acquero Landing & Huradiah/Cabora Junction to benefit persons traversing the area.

Director of Hinterland

“I had to be using only the water from the rain because my pond water was very bad with iron or something that used to have this rust over it, so I suffered a lot for water,” she added.

While the project currently serves 85 per cent of the area, an extension programme will be undertaken in 2023 to serve the remaining residents.

Vice-Chairperson of Region One, Annansha Peters, other local representatives, and residents attended the commissioning.

The ceremonial cutting of the ribbon is done by a pair of students from the nearby school as Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal (third from left) and others watch on

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal enjoys water from the new system

Huradiah Water Supply System

Budget 2023 caters to teachers’ salary increase – VP Jagdeo

– says successive PPP/C Govts have increased money for public servants

While explicit mention of wages and salary increases for teachers was not made during Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh’s budget speech last week, assurances are being given that money has been set aside to cater to teachers.

Giving this assurance was Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, during a recently broadcast interview. He responded to some of the criticisms of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), including the ones regarding teachers.

“APNU (says) put $94 billion to be spent on education and no wages and salaries announcement for teachers. But in the budget, we’ve budgeted for wages and salaries in 2023. Just that the announcement

won’t be made now, it is done at the end of the year,” Jagdeo said.

In fact, Jagdeo noted that the APNU and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, by putting out this statement, are acknowledging the amount of money being invested into the education sector. He also pointed out that successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Governments have invested large sums into public service workers.

“He (Norton) said very little for the workers of this country. But we have budgeted $107 billion for employment costs in the public sector. $107 billion will go into people’s pockets, of the $781 billion, as wages and salaries. And the funny thing is, if you compare 2014, the last year the PPP

was in office, and 2019, the last year they produced a budget, they had five years. Five budgets.”

“The employment costs, that is wages and salaries for public servants, grew by $27 billion in that period. And in the first three years of the PPP… guess how much the wages and salaries increased by. $38 billion. You had five years and the total employment cost grew by $27 billion. And in the first three years, our employment costs grew by $38 billion. And he says nothing for workers.”

With this in mind, Jagdeo pointed out that the PPP/C Government has increased wages and salaries by almost $11 billion more in just their third year in office, than what the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)

MoM launches “at home with dad”

The Men on Mission (MoM) syndicate is inviting all fathers and father figures to spend the day at home with their families, on Sunday, January 29, 2023.

Fathers and father figures are urged to spend quality time with their families, engaging in bonding activities such as cooking, reading, playing sports or watching a movie.

For the opportunity to win special prizes, participants are encouraged to take pictures of the activities with dad and send

to www.facebook.com/ MenonmissionGY, or email play@menonmission.gy.

Spending this day of rest at home with family is set to promote bonding, and the formation strong emotional ties. It can also improve overall well-being and lead to more positive interactions, better communication, and a deeper understanding of each other.

MoM is the brainchild of His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in his effort to combat toxic masculinity and create a posi-

tive environment and safe space for men, promoting integrity, productivity and accountability.

It also forms part of President Ali’s “One Guyana” vision and aims to address the many challenges faced by men, providing them with direction in life through mentorship and humanitarian engagement.

To date, the group has been engaged in a variety of humanitarian activities, including a nationwide clean-up exercise, and the rebuilding of homes for the elderly.

provided between 2015 and 2019. But additionally, the Vice President emphasised that providing benefits to the people is about more than money. It’s about creating sustainable development.

“(Norton) has a philosophy we need to move this country away from. A handto-mouth philosophy. That’s how APNU runs the affairs of their party and they believe they can run the country that way. You will never accumulate anything if you

manage a country that way. You’ll never own a house, you’ll always rent.”

“You’ll never own a business, own a car, or anything else. About 11 new hospitals will start this year. That has an impact on people’s healthcare. We can’t eat every cent out. But that’s what they seem to want,” Jagdeo said.

Last year November, the Government announced an eight per cent salary increase for all public servants, retroactive to

January 1, 2022. This salary increase included teachers, as well as members of the Disciplined Services, constitutional officeholders, and Government pensioners.

Since coming into office in 2020, the PPP/C Government has implemented a number of initiatives towards improving the livelihoods of Guyanese, including public servants, in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the real impacts of climate change.

This includes the $25,000 COVID-19 cash grant per household in 2020; a $400 million special payout in 2021 to health workers on the COVID-19 frontline; and two tranches of one-off grants to old age pensioners – $25,000 in August 2021 and $28,000 in October 2022 – among others.

In 2021, a seven per cent salary increase was implemented which benefited more than 50,000 public servants, teachers, members of the Disciplined Services, and Government pensioners. That retroactive increase coupled with the substantive December 2021 salaries and pensions amounted to a whopping $10.5 billion.

Allegedly drunken pedestrian killed by teen driver

A17-year-old boy was arrested on Saturday evening following an accident along the Leonora Public Road, West Coast Demerara (WCD), which resulted in the death of a pensioner.

The dead elderly man has been identified as 78-yearold Bernard Marshall of Norton Street, Georgetown.

Based on reports received, the accident occurred at about 18:45h and involved a motor car bearing registration number PTT 5545 driven by the teenager of Block X Cornelia Ida, WCD.

Police stated that the motor car was heading east along the northern side of the road at a normal rate of speed due to the heavy rainfall at the time when the pedestrian attempted to cross the road but ended up in the path of the car. At the time, he was allegedly carrying a beer bottle in his hand.

The teen driver alleged that upon seeing the pedestrian, he swerved left to avoid a collision but despite his effort, the right-side front fender collided with the pedestrian, causing him to fall onto the road and suffer lacerations to the left elbow.

He was picked up in a conscious condition, placed into another vehicle, and taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital. There, he was seen and examined by the doctor on duty and referred to the West Demerara Regional

Hospital (WDRH).

He was further treated and subsequently succumbed. The body was later taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem.

The driver was later taken to the Leonora Police Station, where he was placed into custody, and the vehicle was lodged to be examined by the Licensing and Certifying Officer.

A breathalyser test was conducted on the driver but there was no evidence of alcohol in his system.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Deducted contributions not paid to NIS – security officers

– say private firm refuses to pay for overtime work

Security officers attached to the New Amsterdam branch of Sentinel Security Inc are alleging that their National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions are being deducted from their salaries but are not paid over to the Scheme.

In addition, some of the officers are forced to work extra hours and are not paid overtime but on the other hand, several days’ pay is deducted from their salary if they report sick for one day.

Some of the officers who begged to remain anonymous told Guyana Times that they have made several reports to the regional office of the Ministry of Labour in New Amsterdam but they are penalised for doing so.

“Just after you leave the Labour Office, you getting a call from the office; they want you to come in and is all sorts of things they accusing you of. One of my friends even get dismissed because she went to Labour,” one officer told this publication.

Some of them provided copies of documents from NIS which indicate that no contributions had been paid to the Scheme for the period they claimed to have been working with the security firm.

One of them is Stefan

Williams, who worked with Sentinel Inc for just over two years.

The last time contributions were paid on his behalf was in 2021, when 17 contributions were made. Williams had no fear in disclosing his identity since he resigned from the firm back in December. This will ultimately affect the workers from receiving benefits when the time comes.

He said he was also being punished for resigning and has not been paid for the days he worked in December. Williams related that he was told that he will have to go to Georgetown to get his money.

Williams worked as an armed guard and said he was not paid for extra duties.

“I resigned because they are not paying the NIS, they cutting your salary every month – she take out four

days from my salary because I stay home two days. They have me working 12 hours as an arms guard with no precept.”

Williams said that he was on roll to work 12-hour shifts.

“But I have to go to work for 4 o’clock to do escort from Gafoors under the Bridge (Canje Bridge) straight to the Corentyne and I coming off of work till 7 o’clock the next day,” he explained while noting that he was not paid for the extra time he was working.

“They don’t want to raise 12-hour salary.”

Working a 12-hour shift as an armed guard, Williams said he was paid $38,000 fortnightly. However, in November he was paid $27,446 - the difference being punishment for being absent two days.

This is not the first time that workers attached to

2 women drown during outing at Essequibo beach

He was identified as 25-year-old Humal Jaggernauth also called “Avinash” of Lot 3 Spring Gardens, Essequibo Coast.

It was reported that the young man and his family travelled to the Hamburg Beach via a wooden boat for an outing. However, on arrival at the beach, the family members exited and went ashore while Jaggernauth and an uncle remained to moor the boat.

After doing so, the young man and his uncle began to swim towards other family

the security firm have made allegations.

Despite claims by Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton that he would ensure security firms pay their workers in a timely manner and they are treated fairly, workers at Sentinel Security Inc related that the situation never changed.

Meanwhile, the National Insurance Scheme has been

taking persons to court for non-compliance which includes not deducting NIS contributions from workers. They are also taken to court for not paying deducted contributions over to the Scheme.

In an effort to get a response from the office, this publication was directed to the head office on Lamaha Street, Georgetown.

Telephone calls to that office were not successful.

Even a personal visit to the office was not successful but the elderly security officer at the gate collected a number which he claimed will be passed on to the manager. Days have elapsed and this publication is yet to receive a call from the security firm.

MoM builds new home for Berbice family

The lifeless bodies of two women were pulled from Feather Beach at Lima Sands on the Essequibo Coast on Sunday after they were reported missing.

The dead women are 25-year-old Kawattie Lallbacchan of Anna Regina and 24-year-old Akeisha Tyrel of La Belle Alliance, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam). Tyrel would have celebrated her birthday today.

Based on reports reaching Guyana Times, the women, who have three children each, were among family members who visited a popular location in Lima Sands. However, after some time in the water, the women were not seen and an alarm was raised.

After hours of searching, one of the women was found and shortly after the other was found submerged in the water. They were both

rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

Back on October, the body of a dryer operator attached to the Hack Rice Mill, Essequibo Coast, was pulled from the Essequibo River –one day after he went missing whilst swimming to shore after mooring a boat at Hamburg Beach.

members but only the uncle made it to shore. After realising that he had disappeared, a search party was launched but after several hours, his body was not found.

The search continued the next morning and within the first hour, Jaggernauth’s body was pulled from the river.

Afamily of eight of Little Africa, Corentyne, will soon be enjoying the comfort of a brand new and furnished home as part of President Irfaan Ali's “Men on Mission” Initiative.

The effort, which is being led by the Police and backed by stakeholders in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), has so far seen the 'shack' in which the family once lived being demolished, and an elevated one-storey, two-bedroom

house

Sunday

the area

his team along with the Contractor, KP Jagdeo and Engineer Chandradeo Ghansham.

He was thoroughly briefed on the initiative and its expected time of completion

Also present were Regional Vice-Chairman Zamal Hussain and cricketer Devindra Bishoo along with other stakeholders in the region who have thrown their support behind the initiative.

The two-bedroom home will feature a dining/living area, inside bath and toilet and will be furnished with all necessary amenities for the family of eight.

is currently being constructed.

Deputy Commissioner 'Operations' (ag), Ravindradat Budhram on

visited

to inspect ongoing works during which he met Commander of the region, Senior Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus and

Sentinel Security Inc’s head office in Georgetown

Sentinel Security Inc’s office at New Amsterdam

Aggrieved ex-employee, Stefan Williams

Some of the workers who are constructing the house at work

Members of “Men on Mission” who are spearheading the initiative in Berbice

Members of the family and stakeholders

Dead: Kawattie Lallbacchan

Relatives of the dead women at the Suddie Hospital

Dead: Akeisha Tyrel

Govt signals support for 2nd edition of Int’l Energy Conference

anyone to invest in Guyana; Our Government is working assiduously to address the cost of energy production in Guyana, which will allow an even more attractive investment destination."

Meanwhile, Baboolall, during the meeting, related that the secretariat is proud to have the Natural Resources Ministry and, by extension the Government of Guyana's ongoing support.

Natural Resources

Minister Vickram

Bharrat has fully endorsed the second edition of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana 2023 (IECEG), which is scheduled to take place from February 14-17, 2023.

President Dr Irfaan Ali, President Chandrikapersad Santokhi and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley are listed as the keynote speakers at the conference.

Minister Bharrat recently met with the CEO of

the International Energy Conference and Expo, Kurt Baboolall, and he said, “The Government of Guyana is fully in support of the International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana, and we expect this year to be even bigger than 2022, and as we continue to grow our oil and gas sector, we look forward to attract more investors to Guyana. Our Government has been putting a lot of emphasis on the non-oil economy, as well, and this conference will highlight opportunities

in those sectors. It is not just an oil and gas conference; it is an energy conference that focuses on renewables, sustainability and investment opportunities across all sectors.”

Further, the Minister added, “Guyana is one of the most exciting destinations in the world right now, it is the opportune time to not only visit Guyana but to explore our immense investment opportunities. There are so many opportunities now as we develop all the sectors. Now is the right time for

“Their indication of support for the conference and expo demonstrates the Government’s confidence in our secretariat and our ability to provide a reputable avenue for energy discussions. The conference and expo offers a forum for the Government to drive the energy conversation by addressing the demands of the industry and its stakeholders.”

In line with the goals and objectives of the Local Content Policy, it is anticipated that the conference and expo will promote Guyana as an oil and gas investment destination, establish and strengthen productive industry relationships,

and offer a platform for local businesses to access collateral and joint ventures. In the short to medium term, the conference plans to promote its portfolio of spin-off oil and gas assets in addition to national infrastructure projects.

The conference and expo has been able to attract over 30 sponsors and 150 exhibitors. This year, the IECEG Secretariat confirmed that

the conference will have more delegates, sponsors, and exhibitors than last year.

This year, the conference and expo is being hosted under the theme “Harnessing Energy for Development” and is expected to assemble Heads of State and Government officials, policymakers, academics, industry professionals, and global energy thought leaders.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

CEO of the International Energy Conference and Expo, Kurt Baboolall and Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

Prime Minister of Trinidad, Dr Keith Rowley

President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday evening led a tree-planting exercise along Lamaha Street (between Albert and Camp Streets). Also part of the exercise were Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and other officials

Karanambu – home to over 700 species of fish and 600 bird species

operator explained.

The lodge is very remotely located in the North Rupununi - 69 kilometres from the town of Lethem. Aircraft can land but there are not many people who live in Karanambu. Access is mainly by road.

Mc Turk noted that expeditions across the savannahs are also organised for tourists.

By Andrew CArmiChAel

In Guyana, there is one place where you can find over 700 species of fish and 600 species of birds.

Karanambu, located in the North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), is a protected area and home to most of Guyana’s bird species and a lot of wildlife.

The North Rupununi District is known for its mixture of forest, savannah, and wetlands ecosystems and is considered one of the most diverse areas in South America.

The Karanambu area is 117 square miles. It has a lodge that allows visitors to experience a wide variety of plants. It is operated by Melanie Mc Turk and offers nature and eco-tourism tours and can cater to up to 18 persons.

This is where the first privately protected area in Guyana is.

There are five habitats within the Karanambu area – river, flood forest, true savannah, swamps, and ponds and lakes. Each of which is unique in terms of the wildlife found there.

“And because of that range of habitat, it is an incredibly diverse area. So, many of Guyana’s giants live here at Karanambu. We are a critical breathing ground for things like jaguars, tapirs, and other large mammals. We are also a very important spawning

ground in the wet season for fish. Here in the Rupununi, fish is not just about tourism; fish is about livelihood because much of the region gets its protein from fish,” Mc Turk told Guyana Times

Special events include a bird festival between October and November at which information on conservation and habitat detection is disseminated. Annually, there is also an open day during Easter Weekend.

“Looking for birds, looking for anteaters – this is one of the more popular excursions. On the rivers you can look for Giant Otters, you can look for caimans, snakes and Karanambu’s bird list is almost 600 species strong. So, almost a third of the birds accounted for in Guyana; which is 900 right now, can be found here at Karanambu.”

Mc Turk added that the area is also a wonderful place for tourists to go fishing.

“Because of the fact that the water is shared between the Amazon River system and the Guyana river system; this actually occurs here at Karanambu where the two waters meet and mix, this is considered to be one of the most aquatically diverse systems in the world,” Mc Turk explained while noting that over 700 species of fish are found at Karanambu.

Asked whether the caimans and jaguars that are found there make the area dangerous, Mc Turk replied

in the negative.

“A lot of people forget that wild animals are more afraid of humans than humans are of wild animals. Given the choice, most wild

Most people use 4x4 vehicles and minibuses to get around. Mc Turk said they like to think of the lodge as being a snapshot in time. As a result, a lot of the features at the lodge reflect the 1920s and the way life was in those days.

The roofs of buildings at the resort are made of palm branches while there is a

animals will avoid us. This is one of the challenges in offering nature-based and wildlife tourism because it means that you have to meet nature on its own terms. That means getting there when it is active, also creating a level of trust so that animals aren’t afraid of you and will allow you to approach them,” the tour

modern flair to the walls of the buildings in that they are made of clay bricks.

These, Mc Turk explained, are made by the Indigenous people and baked in handmade ovens until they are ready for usage. This, she pointed out, gives the unique multicolour to each block.

GOAL certificate programmes launched in Reg 1

Over the weekend, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal launched the 2023 certificate scholarship programmes of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) in Region One (Barima-Waini).

The Minister, who also holds parliamentary responsibility for the region

visited the Moruca sub-region on Saturday and the Mabaruma sub-region on Sunday.

He was accompanied by the Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley and ViceChairperson Annansha Peters.

Minister Croal during his address to the gathering stated that the educa-

tional advancement of citizens is crucial to Guyana’s development. As such, $94.4 billion is budgeted for the education sector this year and $1.8 billion will be expended for GOAL.

"We want to see a better country and having a better country is not just about infrastructure development," the Minister said.

He continued, "It is also about a better education system and to have a much more educated nation.”

Croal explained that under this phase of the GOAL programme, persons without formal qualifications such as the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) can register for certificate pro -

grammes, which can pave the way for them to pursue diplomas and degrees.

With the part-time job initiative expected to be rolled out in Mabaruma soon, the Regional Chairman also urged residents to take full advantage of the scholarships and qualify themselves.

Programmes in technology, banking and finance, business management and marketing, agriculture, health and environmental sciences etc are be-

ing offered at institutions such as the University of the West Indies and Jain University in India.

Region One has over 150 GOAL Scholarship students to date. With regard to internet connectivity and computer devices, resources are being provided to ensure that the region's ICT hubs are functional.

A team is also expected to visit the Matarkai sub-region to launch the initiative this week.

Minister Collin Croal addressing the meeting

Residents of Santa Rosa at the meeting

A section of the gathering in Mabaruma

The Rupununi trail

Melanie Mc Turk

A boat ride in the Karanambu River

One of the cabins at the resort

Guyana aims for self-sufficiency in corn, soya bean production by 2025

Guyana’s corn and soya bean production has been on the rise, with the Government committing to the cultivation of these crops in the intermediate savannahs in order to become self-sufficient by 2025.

The commitment to expand the cultivation of these crops is in keeping with the Government’s manifesto promise.

Notably, the Administration plans to invest some $150 million in the construction of a wharf

in the Tacama area to further support the industry this year.

The project will provide critical riverine access to the area under cultivation, making it more accessible for farmers to transport and export their produce.

The Government has played a crucial role in supporting the growth of the industry, with a commitment of over $1.2 billion to infrastructural development in the Tacama area.

In 2021, the Government started the trial of 125

acres of corn and soya bean, which showed major success.

Previously, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha told the Department of Public Information (DPI), that the intention is to continuously increase production to cover at least 25,000 acres by 2025.

The Minister believes the aim of becoming self-sufficient by 2025 is ambitious, and with the continued support of the Government and the private sector, it is achiev-

able.

The key stakeholders in the massive corn and soya bean cultivation include the Government, farmers, and private companies. Last year, the Government improved access to the area by constructing 40 kilometres of road, with the remaining seven kilometres scheduled to be completed in 2023.

Additionally, the Government invested in a drying and storage facility for corn and soya bean which will be completed by the first quarter of this

year, establishing the first such facility in the country.

The Government’s investment in infrastructure and facilities is expected to significantly increase the yields and profits of farmers, and boost the country’s economy.

Minister Mustapha has already announced his Ministry’s plans to start cultivating corn and soya bean in Moco Moco Village, North Rupununi.

The Ministry is also assessing the capacities in other regions, with the aim of taking the project there

in the future.

Meanwhile, the PPP/C Government has provided farmers with subsidies and training programmes to help increase their yields and improve their livelihoods.

In addition, the Administration has also been investing in infrastructure such as irrigation systems and storage facilities to help farmers improve their crop management, and ensure their produce reaches markets in a timely manner.

Roads, other development for communities along Soesdyke-Linden Highway

Following an outreach by President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday to several communities along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Minister Deodat Indar and Minister Kwame McCoy engaged residents to address key issues.

Residents and sandpit operators met with Minister Indar at Tower Road, Yarrowkabra, to address concerns surrounding contaminated water and the use of the road.

The residents were reassured by the Minister that 60 black tanks will be distributed to them.

This is to allay fears that the sandpit operators may have contaminated a spring that supplies water to the community.

“Next week, we will start

distributing these black tanks. Every household will get a black tank, so that you could use,” Indar stated.

However, the Minister informed sandpit operators that they will soon get a formal letter warning them

not to utilise the community’s road for trucking operations. He added that the reckless use of the road will not be tolerated given the adverse effects on residents.

He also advised residents to be alert and re-

port any instances when the truck drivers may act in violation of the notification while suggesting that speed limit signs should be installed along the roadway.

Further, Ministers Indar and McCoy met with other residents at Satie Square, Yarrowkabra, where the issue of road infrastructure took precedence.

As such, some eight concrete roads will be constructed within the community, which will bring major relief to the residents and create job opportunities. The contractors at the meeting were encouraged to submit their bids for the road works.

In relation to agriculture, McCoy informed residents that Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha will soon visit several com-

munities to address the issues.

Meanwhile, the Ministers inspected ongoing road works at JP Patterson Road, Kuru Kururu, which is scheduled to be completed by May. The works are valued at $90 million.

Speaking about other roads (Laluni main access road and Seven-Day Adventist) within the community, Minister Indar stated that, “One is 100 per cent complete and the other is 95 per cent complete in this community. We spent about $250 million already in Kuru Kururu.”

Residents of Swan were also engaged at Swan Community Centre.

Minister McCoy reaffirmed that the President Ali-led Government remains committed to trans-

forming the agriculture sector and making Guyana a significant player in the global economy.

“There is a lot that we’re doing and we want to do for agriculture and you will see us doing this continuously.

So, I’m looking forward to working with this group in making the agriculture ventures successful,” Minister McCoy related.

Minister Indar underscored that a concrete road will be constructed from the main access road and in keeping with the Government’s commitment to creating jobs countrywide, he urged contractors to employ persons from within the community to execute the road project.

The Minister added that the road construction will commence within a month.

Corn cultivation in Guyana

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during a recent visit to Ebini, Upper Berbice River

Minister within the Public Works Ministry Deodat Indar and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Kwame McCoy engaging residents at Yarrowkabra

Minister Indar engaging residents at Tower Road, Yarrowkabra

A resident raised a concern during the meeting

Aishalton village to get Internet access to facilitate GOAL Scholarship beneficiaries – over 900 Reg 9 residents benefited from programme in 2021

Residents of Aishalton in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) will soon receive internet access to upskill themselves and bridge the digital divide between the coastal and hinterland regions.

This was disclosed by Toshao Michael Thomas on Saturday.

“One of the programmes that we have is catering for the development of our village, where we see the GOAL Scholarship and all those other programmes necessary, and where we can contribute towards meeting the Government’s programmes halfway.”

The announcement was made while Public Service Minister Sonia Parag was also in the community to launch the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) Scholarship. Minister Parag explained that the programme is intended to make tertiary education accessible to all. She said internet access will em-

power residents to upskill themselves.

Some $2 million has been set aside to provide internet access to the village, according to the Toshao.

“Aishalton Village Council sees it key for our people to get qualified and for our people to complete what they have started. We want to thank the Ministry of Public Service for meeting us halfway,” Thomas explained.

He said it was important for Village Councils to work with the Government to bring development to communities.

“What we should do is come up with innovative ways of how our village can operate, and we can use our human resources and what we have, and bring together our resources and make sure that our people are benefitting from whatever form is there for us.

He related that the coming week will see installation works commencing. The Guyana Tourism Authority

(GTA) will also provide equipment to assist with the installation.

Meanwhile, residents of Karasabai, Annai, Lethem and Aishalton signed up for the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) Scholarship programme during an outreach.

Minister Parag led the outreach, accompanied by

will visit these areas in February to address the issue.

She explained that the programme is intended to make tertiary education accessible to every Guyanese including those in the hinterland.

“Take the opportunity and I really do hope that you do because it will give

ing our people and developing our people and the hinterland will never be left behind. We are developing more programmes that are inclusive and will be closing the gaps as it relates to access to the hinterland,” Parag emphasised.

However, several applicants lauded the Government’s effort to make tertiary education easier for those in the hinterland.

Michael Pio, a Karasabai villager, told DPI, “I am happy about this programme. It’s coming to us in South Pakaraimas and we are happy to apply…this will be first time that we are doing online and I do hope that it will upgrade ourselves.”

at the Aishalton Secondary School and a GOAL scholar expressed, “I really like it. They’re reaching out to us. It’s cheap for me because every two weeks I have to buy a prime bundle with Digicel but if I have to compare it to going to the actual university, it’s manageable and I like it.” Over 600 Region Nine residents have already benefitted since the programme was rolled out in 2021.

This is the first phase of the GOAL Scholarship programme that is being rolled out in 2023 with persons having up to January 29 to submit their applications.

staff from GOAL who assisted persons in the application process.

Addressing the issue of internet connectivity, Minister Parag assured residents that a team from the Office of the Prime Minister

you a sense of pride and a sense of dignity because you have earned something and you have learned to do something, and nobody can take that away from you.

“This Government will always commit to educat-

Annai resident, Cammilia Rampersaud added, “I think it is a good programme for us because going out there (Georgetown) is very hard. I have family at home, I have my children to look after. So, for me to go out there will be difficult. So, it’s very easy for us online.”

Nikita Pauline, a teacher

Government is on track to fulfil its commitment of delivering 20,000 online scholarships in just over two years, with a budgetary allocation of $1.8 billion in Budget 2023.

This is a collaboration between the Ministries of Education and Public Service to build human capacity to advance and sustain the ongoing transformation.

Jamaican trade delegation to arrive in Guyana this week

AJamaican trade mission led by Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator Aubyn Hill, is expected to arrive in Guyana this week to follow up on their visit last year and seek out more areas of opportunity and collaboration.

In a missive, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) announced that the delegation will be in Guyana from January 24 to 27, following up on a previous and highly successful Jamaican trade mission that visited Guyana in October 2022.

During the October trip, a number of Jamaican companies that specialise in various sectors met with Government agencies and potential business partners in Guyana. It was explained that following discussions from the first mission, this mission will focus on construction, technology, tourism, and finance sectors as well as training.

“The delegation will consist of over 45 private sector companies, and 5 Government entities from Jamaica. The Government entities include; the Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce (MIIC), Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), the Human Employment and Resource Training/National Service Training Agency Trust (HEART/NSTA Trust) and the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA),” GMSA explained.

GMSA has been providing support to JAMPRO for this trade delegation. The association explained that it is helping to facilitate business-to-business networking, through the establishment of linkages with companies visiting from Jamaica.

They further explained that they are working along with these stakeholders to ensure that their members

can fully participate and be exposed to opportunities. Among the events planned is a Doing Business in Guyana seminar at the Guyana Marriott hotel on Tuesday.

Among those scheduled to participate in the Doing Business in Guyana session are GMSA, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Guyana Office for Investment (GOInvest), Guyana Revenue

Authority, the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority, Guyana National Bureau of Standards, Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

While addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) think tank recently, Senator Hill had explained the purposes of the trade mission to Guyana and his

hope that the two countries can build business, commercial, and even political ties.

“Jamaica is very optimistic about this trade mission, and I believe that it will help us to cement those original arrangements we made. I see the relationship that we are seeking to build with Guyana as a vital one [especially] for Jamaican construction companies,” he was quoted by the Jamaica

Information Service as saying.

Meanwhile, the acting President of JAMPRO, Shullette Cox, told JIS that Guyana currently has a high demand for construction services and supplies. She said that they will have companies in that sector within the delegation.

“With export being a primary focus for JAMPRO, one of the important inroads that we want to make in Guyana is to expose our exporters, both on the manufacturing and agricultural side, to new buyers and new distributors in the Guyanese market,” she was quoted by JIS as saying.

In 2022, a 38-member business delegation from Jamaica visited Guyana during which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between Edwards and Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Peter Ramsaroop.

The Aishalton village in Region Nine

Public Service Minister Sonia Parag

A resident signing up for a GOAL Scholarship

Residents of Karasabai who turned up to learn more about the GOAL Scholarships

Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator Aubyn Hill (centre) during a recent discussion on his upcoming trade mission to Guyana (Jamaican Information Service photo)

Dr. Tariq Jagnarine Family meDicine, enDocrinology/DiabeTes

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cervix. Most cervical cancers begin in cells on the surface of the cervix. Cervical cancer used to be a leading cause of death, but that’s changed since screening tests became widely available.

Most cases will be diagnosed in people with a cervix between the ages of 35 and 44. Hispanic, Indigenous and African women are the ethnic groups most likely to get cervical cancer. The death rate from cervical cancer has dropped over the years. From 2002 to 2016, the number of deaths was 2.3 per 100,000 women per year. In part, this decline has been due to improved screening.

RISK FACTORS

HPV is the biggest risk for cervical cancer. Other factors that can increase the risk include:

HIV Chlamydia Smoking Obesity

Family history of cervical cancer

Diet low in fruits and vegetables

Birth control pills

• Three or more fullterm pregnancies

• Younger than 17 when you got pregnant for the first time

Even if persons have one or more of these factors, they’re not destined to get cervical cancer.

CAUSES

Most cervical cancer cases are caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV). This is the same virus that causes genital warts. There are about 100 different strains of HPV. Only certain types cause cervical cancer. The two types that most commonly cause cancer are HPV-16 and HPV18.

Being infected with a cancer-causing strain of HPV doesn’t mean people will get cervical cancer. The immune system eliminates the vast majority of HPV infections, often within 2 years.

HPV can also cause other cancers in women and men. These include:

Vulvar cancer

Vaginal cancer Penile cancer Anal cancer Rectal cancer Throat cancer

SYMPTOMS OF CERVICAL CANCER

Many women with cervical cancer don’t realize they have the disease early on, because it usually doesn’t cause symptoms until the late stages. When symptoms do appear, they’re easily mistaken for common conditions like menstrual periods and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Typical cervical cancer symptoms are: Unusual bleeding, like in between periods, af-

HEALTH TIPS

CERVICAL CANCER

ter sex, or after menopause

• Vaginal discharge that looks or smells different than usual

• Pain in the pelvis

• Needing to urinate more often

• Pain during urination

CERVICAL CANCER STAGES

After being diagnosed, the doctor will assign the cancer a stage. The stage tells whether the cancer has spread, and if so, how far it’s spread. Staging cancer can help with the right treatment.

Cervical cancer has four stages:

Stage 1: The cancer is small. It may have spread to the lymph nodes. It hasn’t spread to other parts of the body.

Stage 2: The cancer is larger. It may have spread outside of the uterus and cervix, or to the lymph nodes. It still hasn’t reached other parts of the body.

Stage 3: The cancer has spread to the lower part of the vagina or to the pelvis. It may be blocking the ureters, the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. It hasn’t spread to other parts of the body.

Stage 4: The cancer may have spread outside of the pelvis to organs like the lungs, bones, or liver.

TREATMENT

Cervical cancer is very treatable, once diagnosed early. The four main treatments are:

Surgery

Radiation therapy

Chemotherapy

Targeted therapy

Sometimes these treatments are combined to make them more effective.

Fisherman nabbed with ganja at Supenaam

Afisherman is now in Police custody after he was found to be in possession of a quantity of marijuana during a Police operation in Supenaam, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) on Saturday.

It was reported that on the day in question at about 15:30h, Police were on mobile patrol in the vicinity of Supenaam Waterfront area when a male, whose name was later learned to be Ivan Hill, 38, a fisherman of Bethany Canal, was seen acting in a suspicious manner.

As a result, ranks conducted a physical search on his person, and a quantity of cannabis was found in the left side pocket on the

The marijuana that was found in the suspect’s possession

front of his trousers.

The cannabis was shown to Hill, and he was told of the offence committed. Hill was further cautioned and he replied "is me own and me does smoke

it”. Hill was arrested and taken to Aurora Police Station where the narcotic was weighed and amounted to 10 grams.

Hill is presently in custody pending charges.

Surgery

The purpose of surgery is to remove as much cancer as possible. Sometimes the doctor can remove just the area of the cervix that contains cancer cells. For cancer that’s more widespread, surgery may involve removing the cervix and other organs in the pelvis.

• Radiation therapy

Radiation kills cancer cells using high-energy X-ray beams. It can be delivered through a machine outside the body. It can also be delivered from inside the body using a metal tube placed in the uterus or vagina.

• Chemotherapy Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Doctors give this treatment in cycles. They will get chemo for a period of time, then stop the treatment to give the body time to recover.

• Targeted therapy Bevacizumab (Avastin) is a newer drug that works in a different way from chemotherapy and radiation. It blocks the growth of new blood vessels that help cancer grow and survive. This drug is often given together with chemotherapy.

DIAGNOSIS

• Cervical cancer test

A Pap smear is a test doctors use to diagnose cervical cancer. To perform this test, the doctor collects a sample of cells from the surface of the cervix. These cells are then sent to a lab to be tested for precancerous or cancerous changes. If these changes are found, doctors may suggest a colposcopy, a procedure for examining the cervix. During this test, the doctor might take a biopsy, which is a sample of cervical cells.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends the following screening schedule for women by age:

Ages 21 to 29: Get a Pap smear once every 3 years.

Ages 30 to 65: Get a Pap smear once every 3 years, get a high-risk HPV (hrHPV) test every 5 years, or get a Pap smear plus hrHPV test every 5 years.

For cervical cancer that’s caught in the early stages, when it’s still confined to the cervix, the 5-year survival rate is 92 percent. Once cancer has spread within the pelvic area, the 5-year survival rate drops to 56 percent. If cancer has spread to dis-

tant parts of the body, survival is just 17 percent.

Routine testing is important for improving the outlook of women with cervical cancer. When this cancer is caught early, it’s very treatable.

CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION

One of the easiest ways to prevent cervical cancer is by getting screened regularly with a Pap smear or hrHPV test. Screening picks up precancerous cells, so they can be treated before they turn cancerous.

HPV infection causes most cervical cancer cases. The infection is preventable with the vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix. Vaccination is most effective before a person becomes sexually active. Both boys and girls can be vaccinated against HPV.

Here are a few other ways you can reduce the risk of HPV and cervical cancer:

• Limit the number of sexual partners.

• Always use a condom or other barrier method when having vaginal, oral, or anal sex

• An abnormal Pap smear result indicates that precancerous cells may be in the cervix.

Regional

Pope calls for end to violence in Peru, respect for human rights

Pope Francis on Sunday called for an end to violence in Peru, where nearly 50 persons have been killed during anti-Government demonstrations in the past few weeks.

"No to violence, regardless of where it originates. No more deaths," the Argentine Pope said in Spanish at his weekly address to thousands of people in St Peter's Square, briefly departing from the rest of the address, which was in Italian.

Protests have flared in Peru since President Pedro Castillo was ousted in December after attempting to dissolve the legislature to prevent an impeachment vote.

"Violence extinguishes the hope of a just solution to problems," Francis said.

Dozens were injured since tensions erupted again

on Friday, as Police clashed with protesters, with security forces in the capital Lima using tear gas to repel demonstrators who were throwing glass bottles and stones, as fires burned in the streets.

"I encourage all sides to take the path of dialogue among brothers of the same

nation, in full respect of human rights and the rule of law," Francis said.

The unrest, which until this week had been concentrated in Peru's south, has prompted the Government to extend a state of emergency to six regions, curtailing some civil rights.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Brazil declares emergency over deaths of Yanomami children from malnutrition

Brazil's Health Ministry has declared a medical emergency in the Yanomami territory, the country's largest Indigenous reservation bordering Venezuela, following reports of children dying of malnutrition and other diseases caused by illegal gold mining.

A decree published on Friday by the incoming government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the aim of the declaration was to restore health services to the Yanomami people that had been dismantled by his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

In four years of

Bolsonaro's presidency, 570 Yanomami children died of curable diseases, mainly malnutrition but also malaria, diarrhoea and malformations caused by mercury used by wildcat gold miners, the Amazon journalism platform Sudama reported, citing data obtained by a FOIA.

Lula visited a Yanomami health centre in Boa Vista in Roraima state on Saturday following the publication of photos showing children and elderly men and women so thin their ribs were visible.

"More than a humanitarian crisis, what I saw in Roraima was

genocide: a premeditated crime against the Yanomami, committed by a Government insensitive to suffering," Lula said on Twitter.

The Government announced food packages that will be flown to the reservation where some 26,000 Yanomamis live in a region of rainforest and tropical savanna the size of Portugal.

The reservation has been invaded by illegal gold miners for decades, but the incursions multiplied since Bolsonaro won office in 2018 promising to allow mining on previously protected lands and offering to legalise wildcat mining. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Barbados: Stiffer penalties in new crop theft act

Updated legislation to deal with praedial larceny will soon go into effect in Barbados.

The Protection of Agricultural Products Act was passed in the House of Assembly and the Senate in September last year and is expected to be proclaimed in February.

Under the new legislation, any person found guilty of an offence under the Act is liable on sum-

Tobago Chief Secretary promises faster delivery of projects

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley

Augustine has promised there would be an expedited pace in the delivery of projects in Tobago during this first quarter.

“We have a lot of things to deliver,” he told reporters on Friday after the unveiling of the Indoor Sports Floor at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex.

“At the end of the first year in office, I did say quite clearly to everyone that I felt that we did good. But I felt

that we had a lot better to do and I wanted the secretaries to spend their time digging in their heels and doing more work, delivering more wins like this (Sports Floor). That is going to be our focus.

“And you will see some expedited deliveries during this first quarter. The point is we are focused on getting Tobago’s people’s business done and treating with the delivery of the people’s mandate.”

Augustine said a date for the reshuffle within his Administration would be an-

nounced soon.

“It is not just about a reshuffle. It is about restructuring of the governance for greater delivery and also to allow for a lot more checks and balances in the system.”

He also responded to Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke’s call for a meeting to bring peace and healing within the party.

Augustine said if Duke wishes, he could write to him.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Kangaloo ready to serve T&T with love

Christine Kangaloo is humbled by her appointment as Trinidad and Tobago's new President.

Kangaloo was on Friday elected as the President of Trinidad and Tobago, succeeding outgoing head of state, Paula Mae Weekes, and in the process becoming the second woman to be elected to the position.

Kangaloo, who resigned her position as Senate President earlier last week and was nominated by the Government, easily defeated veteran Senior Counsel Israel Khan, who had been nominated by the main Opposition United National Congress (UNC).

In a statement hours after the Electoral College gave her the nod as the seventh President of the Republic, Kangaloo also said she had heard all the public commentary surrounding how the person holding the office should serve and would do her best to discharge her duties in a manner that would put all

concerns to rest.

She also thanked SC Khan, for agreeing to run for office as well.

Kangaloo will replace outgoing President PaulaMae Weekes.

However, Kangaloo said she would not give any interviews to the media until she collects her Instrument of Election.

In the release, Kangaloo said: “I am humbled by my election to the Office of President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. I am grateful to everyone

who participated in the electoral process, and to Mr Israel , SC, in particular, who graciously offered himself to serve. I wish him the very best as he continues serving Trinidad and Tobago.

“Now that the election is over, I look forward to serving our country in the only way I know how –with love for all and with an unwavering belief in the innate goodness of our people.”

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Former SSL boss distances himself from massive fraud at investment firm

mary conviction to a fine of $100,000, imprisonment for five years, or both.

Further, any person in possession of commercial quantities of agricultural products and fails to produce to a Police Officer, within 24 hours of the request, a delivery note or proof of ownership, on summary conviction, can be charged up to $100, 000, imprisonment for five years, or both. (Nation News)

Former Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Zachary Harding has stepped forward with a clear message meant for all and sundry: My hands are clean.

This comes after SSL has found itself at the centre of a massive fraud — thought to be the biggest in Jamaica's history — that has shocked the nation and the world.

"I have nothing to hide. My heart ……………. is clear and my conscience is free," Harding said in an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Saturday.

He also stated that during his two years and nine months (September 2019-June 2022) at the helm of SSL, he was never told that national icon Usain Bolt had an account with the company.

Attorneys representing the Olympian have indicated that US$12.7 million, or nearly J$2 billion, has been fleeced from Bolt's account. They have given the management of SSL until January 27 to pay over the stated sum or face legal action.

Bolt is among at least 30 persons impacted by the still-unfolding fraud which is being investigated by the Police Fraud

Squad and the Financial Investigations Division.

"During my time as CEO at SSL, Usain Bolt's name never came up as a customer of SSL. He was never mentioned in any management meeting, in any strategy meeting, in any client review meeting, [so] it's not a case of, 'How come the runner had so much money in there and it gets stolen and nobody ever saw it. 'I was not aware of him having an account there, his name never came up; it never ever arose while I was there," the former CEO emphasised.

from Jamaica Observer)

(Excerpt

Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican, January 22, 2023 (Vatican Media/Handout via Reuters)

Christine Kangaloo

Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir

Around the World

Ten killed in shooting near Los Angeles during Lunar New Year party

Big oil comes in from the cold on energy transition

Davos 2023:

Adifferent type of energy transition has taken place at this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting.

Unlike 2021's COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, where oil and gas executives were personae non gratae, fossil fuel chiefs and renewable energy bosses sat cheek by jowl in Davos.

Activists like Greta Thunberg don't like it. But some in the solar, wind and hydro industry are warming to the carbon crowd.

Tejpreet Chopra, who heads one of India's clean energy firms Bharat Light and Power, was surprised to be invited to a side-event with more than 60 top oil and gas executives.

"The course of this transition will have to take a more inclusive approach until we all get to the finish line of where we all want to be," he told Reuters.

This shift, partly triggered by the energy crunch after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has been front and centre in Davos, where United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres dedicated his speech to it.

As soaring prices drove up inflation, forced industries to shut production and hiked energy bills, European leaders reversed plans to cut down on investments in new fossil fuels.

OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais, who was in Davos this week, has warned that the sheer magnitude of economic growth means energy demand cannot be met by renewables alone.

That message, echoed by many in the industry, be it traditional fossil fuel producers or renewable energy throughout the past year, found a bullhorn at this year's WEF.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in its 2022 World Oil Outlook, estimated $12.1 trillion would be needed to be invested to meet oil demand to 2045 to avert energy crises.

Thunberg's was not the only voice at Davos with strong objections to the industry's new mantra that the energy crisis justifies new oil investments.

International Energy Agency (IEA) chief Fatih Birol, in a meeting with Thunberg on the sidelines of WEF, said that new investments in oil fields would take years to become operational. They would be too late to allay the energy crunch, but would contribute to the climate crisis.

Like Birol, British opposition leader Keir Starmer said the oil and gas sector has a role to play in the energy transition.

"But not new investment, not new fields up in the North Sea, because we need to go towards net zero, we need to ensure that renewable energy is where we go next," Starmer said.

A consensus appears to be building within the energy industry that demands to immediately drop oil and gas investments and leave it in the ground are counterproductive.

New technologies need the weight of big oil to be able to scale up solutions, McMonigle said.

Apart from expertise, oil firms are also awash with cash after a year of record high prices, giving them the means to fund more solar, wind and hydrogen projects.

But that does not assuage the fears of climate activists. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Aman fatally shot 10 people and injured at least 10 others at a ballroom dance hall during a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration late on Saturday near Los Angeles before fleeing the scene, Police said.

The shooter, still at large 12 hours after the attack in the city of Monterey Park, was believed to be an Asian man between 30 and 50 years old based on descriptions from eyewitnesses, law enforcement officials said.

"We need to get this person off the street as soon as possible," Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters at a Sunday morning news conference in Monterey Park, home to one of the largest Asian American communities in the United States.

Earlier on Sunday morning, the sheriff's department said it did not know whether

the attack was racially motivated. Five of the victims were male and five were female, Luna said. Their identities have not been made public.

Luna later released images of the suspect apparently taken from surveillance camera footage

showing him wearing spectacles, dressed in a dark jacket and a dark beanie hat with white stripes. The sheriff's department said it was releasing the images in an attempt to identify the suspect and that he should be considered "armed and dangerous."

Late on Sunday morning, Police about 20 miles (34 km) away in Torrance, California, were using armoured vehicles to surround a white cargo van that may be connected to the shooting suspect, officials said.

Luna said at a briefing on Sunday afternoon that a man resembling the suspect had been in Torrance and Police believed there was a person inside the vehicle.

Officials were investigating whether an incident at another dance venue in the neighbouring city of Alhambra about 20 minutes later on Saturday night was connected with the massacre in Monterey Park. At the second venue, witnesses said an Asian man walked in holding a gun that patrons were able to grab. No one was shot and the man fled, Luna said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Canada settles residential schools lawsuit for C$2.8bn

Canada has agreed to pay C$2.8 billion (US$2.9 billion; £1.68 billion) to settle a class-action lawsuit seeking compensation for the loss of language and culture caused by its residential school system.

Government-funded compulsory boarding schools were part of a policy meant to assimilate children and destroy Indigenous cultures and languages.

The money will be paid to a non-profit trust independent of the Government.

But the settlement must still be finalised and approved by a court.

The lawsuit was brought by 325 First Nations in 2012, and sought reparations for the abuse Indigenous Canadians

Russia advances towards 2 towns in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region

Moscow’s forces are pushing towards two towns in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhia region, where fighting intensified this week after several months of a stagnant front, Russian state media has reported.

Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed official in the region, said offensive actions were concentrated around two towns: Orikhiv, around 50km (30 miles) south of Ukrainiancontrolled regional capital Zaporizhzhia, and Hulyaipole, further east.

“The front is mobile, es-

pecially in two directions: Orikhiv and Hulyaipole,” Rogov was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.

He said there was active fighting in those areas, according to the agency.

“The initiative is in our hands.”

The Russian army later claimed for a second day in a row that it had taken “more advantageous lines and positions” after “offensive operations” in the Zaporizhia region.

It claimed to have hit Ukrainian positions in the village of Lezhyno, out-

side the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia, which has not fallen to Ukrainian forces.

Al Jazeera was not able to verify the reports.

In its daily report on Sunday, the Ukrainian army said “more than 15 settlements were affected by artillery fire” in Zaporizhia.

Earlier this week, Rogov announced a “local offensive” around Orikhiv and said the Russian army had taken control of the village of Lobkove, near the Dnieper River. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

faced at the Government boarding schools.

Some 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were taken from their families and placed in these schools from the 19th

Century into the 1970s. Many then suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Survivors testified about children who died at the schools, where students

were often housed in poorly built, poorly heated, and unsanitary facilities.

In recent years, Indigenous communities have found evidence of hundreds of mass unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools. These discoveries have reignited debate about the system.

Announcing the settlement at an event on Saturday, Marc Miller, Minister of CrownIndigenous Relations, said it would not "erase or make up for the past" but "what it can do is address the collective harm caused by Canada's past". (Excerpt from BBC News)

First woman pastor in Holy Land ordained

In many parts of the Christian world, female church leaders are no longer unusual. But until now, the Holy Land - where events in the Bible are set - had not seen a local woman ordained.

On Sunday, a Palestinian from Jerusalem, Sally Azar, became its first woman pastor at an event at the Lutheran church in the heart of the Old City, attended by hundreds of international well-wishers.

"I got more excited seeing the excitement of other people," Reverend Azar told me. "It's an indescribable feeling to take this step with the support of the church."

"I hope that many girls and women will know this is possible and that other women in other churches will join us. I know it will take a long time, but I think it could be exciting if this changes in Palestine."

Christians make up a minority in the Palestinian

Territories, Israel and Jordan. Most Christians here belong to the Greek Orthodox and Latin Catholic Churches, which do not allow women priests.

However, the ordination of women has been taking place in a growing number of Protestant Churches in the past few decades. These have

small local congregations and run schools and hospitals in the Holy Land.

"Everywhere where you have a patriarchal society and culture this is a major step," says the recently retired Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, Antje Jackelen. (Excerpt from BBC News)

People look on from a street near the location of a shooting that took place during a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration, in Monterey Park, California, US January 22, 2023

The remains of hundreds of Indigenous children have been found on the grounds of Canadian residential schools

Sally Azar became the Holy Land's first woman pastor at an event at the Lutheran church

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Temptation will occur if you don't take precautions. Too much of anything will lead to loss. Invest in your health, appearance and attributes, and finetune your chance to advance.

(March 21-April 19)

(April 20-May 20)

Listen, but don't believe everything you hear. Someone will take advantage of you if you are too accommodating. Apply what you know. Speak highly of yourself. Strengthen your position.

Put your emotions aside and deal with whatever is weighing you down. Recognize the possibilities and enforce a minimalist attitude; everything will start to fall into place.

(May 21-June 20)

(June 21-July 22)

Rely on your intuition to guide you in the right direction. A problem with authority figures, institutions or government agencies will surface if you neglect to update documents.

Don't take your eye off the ball. There will be plenty going on that needs your attention. A partnership or agreement will need tweaking if it's going to work for you.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

A change of plans will play in your favor. Don't let anger sabotage an opportunity. If someone confuses you, be direct and refuse to falter. Invest in your skills, knowledge and experience.

Plan to get together with like-minded people or attend a networking session; something good will transpire. Take a position of leadership; doors will open. Dress for success.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Don't ignore what's happening around you. Observation is your best friend and will guide you to make the right decisions when dealing with domestic issues.

Step up and do your thing. Your actions will be noted and appreciated. Open your heart and your doors to those you can help, but don't let anyone take advantage of your generosity.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Look over your assets and liabilities and you'll come up with a savings plan that will buy you the freedom you need to follow your heart and your dreams. Stop spinning your wheels.

Press forward with vigor, discipline and hard work, and let your passion carry you to your destination. Expand your interests. Size up situations and pick the best path.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

You can reinvent yourself without going to great expense. Revisit an idea, and you'll discover a new way to use your skills and raise your income. Don't fear change.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

ARCHIE PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

DILBERT

Haaland hat-trick helps Man City see off Wolves in Premier League

Erling Haaland scored his fourth Manchester City hat-trick and took his goal tally for the season to 31 in all competitions as relegation-threated Wolves were swept aside by Pep Guardiola's men.

By his own incredibly high standards, Haaland had been going through a barren spell.

But after ending a threegame drought against Tottenham on Thursday, the Norwegian demolished Wolves in a 12-minute spell either side of half-time.

Haaland initially rose to head home Kevin de Bruyne's cross to put the hosts ahead at the break.

He then drove home a penalty after Ilkay Gundogan had been fouled by Wolves skipper Ruben Neves, before sweeping

scored

championship

Hamstring injury a concern for tennis star Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is on track for a record-extending 10th Australian Open title, but question marks remain over his fitness ahead of today's fourth-round clash with Alex de Minaur as his injured left hamstring continues to cause problems.

Fourth seed Djokovic defeated Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets in the third round, but fears about the durability of his injured hamstring only grew as the Serbian once again struggled.

All eyes will be on the bandages that drape the left hamstring when the 35-year-old takes on home favourite De Minaur who, like Djokovic, has dropped one set in Melbourne so far.

"It's really difficult to say with Novak exactly what's happening physically. He's getting the job done, [but] he certainly doesn't look like he's (100) per cent," seven-times Grand Slam champion John McEnroe told Eurosport.

Asked if De Minaur could cause issues for Djokovic's injured hamstring, McEnroe said: "De Minaur is someone potentially (who could do that), because he relies on speed and grit and making an opponent work.”

Before Djokovic takes

on De Minaur, fifth seed Andrey Rublev will play Danish teenager Holger Rune as the Russian bids to reach the quarter-finals at the season-opening major for the second time in three years.

Rublev, 25, believes ninth seed Rune will not be the underdog in their contest, with the Dane a dark horse at the tournament following his Paris Masters final victory over Djokovic in November.

In the other matches, Spanish 24th seed Roberto Bautista Agut will face American Tommy Paul looking to equal his best result in Melbourne, hav-

ing reached the quarter-finals in 2019, while Ben Shelton will play JJ Wolf in an all-American clash.

Shelton will be competing in the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career – a remarkable achievement for the 20-year-old who a year ago was number 569 in the ATP Rankings and still in college.

In the women's draw, last year's WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia will bid for her maiden last-eight berth at the tournament when she comes up against Magda Linette, the last remaining Pole after Iga Swiatek and Hubert

Hurkacz exited.

Big-hitting Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, seeded fifth, will aim to stretch her undefeated start to the season against Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic, who is also in solid form with a seven-match winning streak.

Czech 17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova, the youngest woman left in the draw, will play Croatian Donna Vekic for a place in the quarter-finals as she looks to maintain her fairytale run, while former world number one Karolina Pliskova takes on Zhang Shuai. (Reuters)

Lopetegui's Wolves stall

This was the first significant setback for Julen Lopetegui since he replaced Bruno Lage as Wolves boss during the World Cup.

If there is comfort for the former Spain and Real Madrid Coach, it comes from the knowledge there are not many more demanding tests than this, even if his side only remain outside the relegation zone on goal difference.

The arrival of Craig Dawson for £3.3 million from West Ham should help shore up a hesitant defence, while a first start for Mario Lemina here, plus a debut for Pablo Sarabia, further creates a team Lopetegui can work with – especially if his other transfer window target, Flamengo's Joao Gomes, can be kept out of

Lyon's clutches.

He clearly wants more width from Wolves' passing, although he does have a week to work on that, with his side not involved in the FA Cup fourth round next weekend.

February will then be a crucial month, with Wolves taking on two sides presently below them, Southampton and Bournemouth, in successive weeks.

Certainly no-one could accuse Lopetegui of not being invested in his job. He was booked along with Neves for arguing over an incident when City's Rico Lewis appeared to bring down Hwang Hee-chan, when the South Korean was about to set off on a long run towards City’s goal before Haaland changed the direction of the contest.

(BBC Sport)

Cristiano Ronaldo made his competitive debut for new club Al Nassr in their 1-0 win over Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday.

The 37-year-old Portugal forward joined the club last month on a deal that runs until 2025, reportedly earning more than £177 million per year.

He led the line

and played the entire game in which Brazilian midfielder Talisca scored the winner.

Al Nassr are top of the Saudi league, a point above second-placed Al Hilal.

Ronaldo – who has played for Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid – was greeted by banners and cheers from his adoring fans at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It comes after he scored twice in Riyadh All-Star XI's 5-4 defeat by Lionel Messi's Paris St-Germain in an exhibition match on Thursday. (BBC Sport)

as many Premier League hat-tricks as Mo Salah, and a third of Sergio Aguero's record 12, which the Argentine achieved across his magnificent de-

in six seasons fails to motivate some City players, Haaland is not among them, and his thirst for goals could be a telling factor as the second half of

Guardiola saw no point in pushing the striker, and replaced him with World Cup winner Julian Alvarez

More good news for City is that Jack Grealish also seems to be finding morees from the left are more reminiscent of his Aston Villa days and would have brought him a first-half goal had Sa not made one superb save and Nathan Collins not been in the right place -

Mahrez had an effort ruled out for offside, after which City cruised home and Haaland was able to take the acclaim of the home fans at the end.

Erling Haaland's 31 goals this season include 25 in 20 Premier League games

Cristiano Ronaldo came close, but could not mark his league debut with a goal

Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts during his third-round match against Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov at the Australian Open, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, January 21, 2023 (Reuters/Loren Elliott)

Rwanda beat West Indies in low-scoring thriller SCOREBOARD

WI Innings

Realeanna Grimmond st

†M Uwase b Usabyimana 18

Zaida James c H Ishimwe

b ZM Ishimwe 7

Naijanni Cumberbatch st

†M Uwase b Usabyimana 0

Djenaba Joseph c G Ishimwe

b Usabyimana 7

Ashmini Munisar (c)lbw

b Tumukunde 8

Trishan Holder b

ZM Ishimwe 1

Jannillea Glasgow c

Murekatete b Tumukunde 9

Lena Scott † b Tumukunde 0

Earnisha Fontainer not out 8

Jahzara Claxton lbw

b Usabyimana 5

Abini St Jean lbw

b Tumukunde 0

Extras (b 1, w 6) 7

TOTAL 16.3 Ov (RR: 4.24) 70

The second day of

Super Six action saw Rwanda stun West Indies, while India dominated with the ball and secured a big win in the International Cricket Council (ICC) U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.

Disciplined bowling from Rosine Irera and Henriette Ishimwe frustrated West Indies openers as they were kept to 11-0 in the first four overs. Hereafter, leg-spinners Zurufat Ishimwe (220) and Sylvia Usabyimana (4-20) utilised the wicket’s

turn by pitching the ball up.

They were aided by some erratic batting aimed at upping the scoring rate, reducing the batting team to 49-5 at the halfway stage. Two West Indies batters were stumped in their pursuit of dominating the spinners.

The introduction of Marie Tumukunde (4-8) in the 11th over further helped the West Indies slide, the team were 58-8 after 12.3 overs. West Indies were eventually bowled out for 70.

In contrast to Rwanda, West Indies backed their pacers during the powerplay overs. This bore immediate rewards, with Jahzara Claxton (1-16) and Jannillea Glasgow (1-16) reducing the African team to 13-2.

Cynthia Tuyizere (12 from 21) and Gisele Ishimwe (31* from 53) gave the batting team some stability with a partnership of 19, but the West Indies spinners wreaked havoc in the middle overs. Rwanda slipped from a stable 32-2

Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Zaida James, 4.4 ov), 2-25 (Naijanni Cumberbatch, 5.6 ov), 3-33 (Djenaba Joseph, 7.2 ov), 4-34 (Realeanna Grimmond, 7.6 ov), 5-38 (Trishan Holder, 8.4 ov), 6-50 (Jannillea Glasgow, 10.2 ov), 7-50 (Lena Scott, 10.4 ov), 8-58 (Ashmini Munisar, 12.2 ov), 9-68 (Jahzara Claxton, 15.5 ov), 10-70 (Abini St Jean, 16.3 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Rosine Irera 3-0-12-0 Henriette Ishimwe 3-1-9-0

to 40-6 in the space of 22 balls.

Hereafter, Gisele and Irera (8* from 14) kept their calm and helped

Zurufat Ishimwe 3-0-20-2

Sylvia Usabyimana 4-0-20-4 Marie Tumukunde 3.3-0-8-4

Rwanda Women Under-19s (T: 71 runs from 20 ovs)

Merveille Uwase †c Fontaine b Claxton 10 Cynthia Tuyizere run out (Jean/Munisar) 12 Henriette Ishimwe c Grimmond b Glasgow 0 Gisele Ishimwe (c)not out 31 Geovanis Uwase c Fontaine b Zaida James 0 Belise Murekatete c Glasgow b Munisar 0 Marie Tumukunde run out (Joseph/Fontaine) 3 Rosine Irera not out 8 Extras (b 1, nb 3, w 3) 7

TOTAL 18.2 Ov (RR: 3.87) 71/6

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Merveille Uwase, 1.6 ov), 2-13 (Henriette Ishimwe, 2.4 ov), 3-32 (Cynthia Tuyizere, 8.3 ov), 4-34 (Geovanis Uwase, 9.2 ov), 5-36 (Belise Murekatete, 10.3 ov), 6-40 (Marie Tumukunde, 11.6 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Jannillea Glasgow 4-0-16-1 Jahzara Claxton 2.5-0-16-1

Djenaba Joseph 3-0-10-0

Ashmini Munisar 4-0-8-1

Zaida James 4-0-13-1 Naijanni Cumberbatch 0.1-0-4-0 Abini St Jean 0.2-0-3-0

Rwanda overhaul the target. Their intentful running was assisted by a few errors in the field by West Indies. (ICC)

RHTY&SC cricket teams launch 2023 “Say Yes to Education” with donations to schools

The cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) recently launched the 2023 edition of their countywide “Say Yes to Education” campaign.

The teams handed over donations to several primary schools in the lower Corentyne area under the supervision of several executives, including Assistant Secretary Jonathan Rampersaud, Organising Secretary Robby Kissoonlall and executive member Tyrone Pottaya.

Club Secretary Hilbert Foster stated that every year, the management of the club mandates the teams to undertake a series of programmes/projects under their respective sponsorships to make a positive difference in the lives of youths, the elderly, and the less-fortunate.

These programmes are done under a wide range of sub-headings including health, charity, education, social, sports, community development, youth development, religious, anti-drug, anti-suicide and anti-alcohol.

The schools which received donations are Rose Hall Town, Tain,

Port Mourant, Fyrish, and Gibraltar/Courtland Primary Schools. The Rose Hall Town Primary received a large quantity of items that included school bags, stationery, detergents, teaching aids, trophies, and files among others.

Kissoonlall, who oversees the cricket section of the club, stated that the teams in 2023 would have to successfully complete a combined target of 200 projects as part of their personal development. The RHTY&SC, he stated, strongly believes that every one of its members should understand the importance of making a positive difference.

Rampersaud, who is the Captain of the NAMILCO Under21 team disclosed that the teams in 2023 would be placing special emphasis on getting youths to understand the importance of education. Three of the schools also received kiddies cricket equipment as the teams seek to assist them to unearth promising talent in the school system.

With the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) introducing an Under11 tournament, RHTY&SC would

be working along with the schools to attract new members. The Under11 team, Rampersaud stated, would

serve as a nursery for the RHTY&SC Under-13, 15, 17 and 19 teams. The

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Rwanda beat West Indies in low-scoring thriller

cricket teams of the club are spon-

sored by Farfan and Mendes Ltd, Poonai Pharmacy, Pepsi, Bakewell, Metro and NAMILCO Thunderbolt.

RHTY&SC Executive Tyrone Pottaya hands over the donation to Paula Perriera of the Rose Hall Town Primary

Alex Hales’ 57-ball 99 went in vain as Gulf Giants overhauled Desert Vipers’ total of 195 for 4 with three balls to spare, to continue their winning streak in the inaugural ILT20. Chris Lynn (42-ball 71) and Shimron Hetmyer (35-ball

70) struck breezy half-centuries to help the table toppers to secure a five-wicket win.

Put in to bat, Vipers made a strong start courtesy of Hales and Rohan Mustafa, who put on a 72-run stand in only 6.4 overs before the latter fell.

Nonetheless, Hales continued the carnage in the company of Colin Munro, who struck a 23ball 39.

Hales was especially severe against Chris Jordan and carted the pacer for three boundaries and a six in his opening over.

BCB Patron Vickram Bharrat to inject $3M into Berbice cricket

The main objective of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) in 2023 is to invest heavily in the unearthing of new cricketing talent in the Ancient County.

This would be done via an aggressive countywide coaching programme in clubs and schools, cricket tournaments at the primary and secondary levels, and assisting clubs and schools with the necessary items for them to fulfil their mandate.

The plans of the progressive Board on Wednesday last received a major boost when two Government Ministers renewed their commitment to play a major role in the county’s cricket development. Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall held separate meetings with BCB President Hilbert Foster, and the discussions centred on the activities of the Board in 2023.

Minister Bharrat, who is also the Patron of the BCB in 2023, would be investing $3 million into the Patron Fund. Under the Fund, First-Division clubs in the county would receive $1 million in white cricket balls while the county would also benefit from coaching equipment, youth development seminars, coaching sessions, and regular upgrading sessions for cricket officials.

One such programme would be a refresher course for coaches and a captaincy seminar for all youth captains in the county. The BCB Patron also committed

to playing a major role in making sure that the plans for a Berbice Under21 team tour to Jamaica in April is successful. The plan is for a 14-man squad and two officials to play three One-Day matches over a one-week visit as part of the county’s developmental programme.

Minister Bharrat also informed the BCB that he would assist two promising Berbice players to fulfil their rich potential on the cricket field by investing in their careers. Minister Bharrat established the Fund when he was appointed Patron in 2020 and has played a major role in the rapid development of the county’s cricket over the past three years. Under the last Patron Fund, clubs received balls, hundreds of youths benefited from the hosting of four personal skills seminars, and dozens of cricketers received educational grants.

Minister Dharamlall last year assisted the BCB with

the employment of 19 cricket coaches under the Government of Guyana’s 10-day parttime working programme and also supported with coaching equipment for the same programme. This year, the Berbice-born Member of Parliament would be working along with the Board to assist in the development of several concrete pitches in the county and the playing of cricket in the primary and secondary schools.

Foster expressed thanks to the two Ministers for their assistance and also hailed the Government’s massive investment in sports this year as a step in the right direction. The BCB, he stated, is very grateful for the investment that the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Government has made in the development and upgrading of several cricketing venues in Berbice. He also expressed confidence that several more venues would be upgraded in 2023.

Jordan eventually dismissed the opener, caught at deep cover one short of his century, but ended up conceding 45 runs from his four-over spell, which included a late assault by Sherfane Rutherford. However, it was leggie Rehan Ahmed, who

SCOREBOARD

Desert Vipers (20 ovs maximum)

Tom Curran b Wiese 0

Sam Billings † not out 3 Extras (b 2, lb 2) 4

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 9.75) 195/4

Fall of wickets: 1-72 (Rohan Mustafa, 6.4 ov), 2-139 (Colin Munro, 13.6 ov), 3-173 (Alex Hales, 16.6 ov), 4-174 (Tom Curran, 17.2 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Richard Gleeson 4-0-19-1

Liam Dawson 3-0-32-1

David Wiese 4-0-35-1

Chris Jordan 4-0-45-1

Rehan Ahmed 4-52-0-1 Sanchit Sharma 1-0-8-0

TOTAL 19.3 Ov (RR: 10.05) 196/5

Fall of wickets: 1-5 (James Vince, 0.4 ov), 2-29 (Tom Banton, 3.3 ov), 3-30 (Rehan Ahmed, 4.1 ov), 4-147 (Shimron Hetmyer, 13.3 ov), 5-162 (Chris Lynn, 16.2 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W Sheldon Cottrell 3.3-0-24-2

Gus Atkinson 4-0-36-1

Tom Curran 4-0-36-1

Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 4-0-47-1

Benny Howell 1-0-17-0

Rohan Mustafa 2-0-21-0 Shiraz Ahmed 1-0-12-0

proved to be the costliest of the lot, conceding 52 runs.

In response, Gulf Giants were left tottering early. After they lost James Vince in the first over, Lynn took the attack to the opposition. However, in the space of five balls, Tom Curran and Wanindu Hasaranga struck to send back Tom Banton and Ahmed cheaply. Reduced to 30 for 3 in only 4.1 overs, Lynn and Hetmyer joined forces to revive Giants’ chase.

Player of the Match Hetmyer got going by hammering Hasaranga for three successive

sixes in the seventh over, soon after Lynn was dropped on 23.

The southpaw did not hold back against Ben Howell either, tonking him for a couple of sixes in the ninth over to keep Giants’ scoring rate at par. Lynn then launched a similar attack on Hasaranga, carting the spinner for two sixes and a boundary. The duo combined to add 117 runs in only 9.2 overs.

Once they departed in the space of four overs, David Wiese (19-ball 22*) and Liam Dawson (9-ball 16*) guided the side over the line. (cricbuzz)

Matthews admits West Indies' batting a concern:

Batting has been West Indies' Achilles heel in women's T20 Internationals for some time now. Their middleorder woes have been hampering them for over the last couple of years. Since January 2021, West Indies' middle order (numbers 4 to 7) averages 12.12, the lowest among the Full Member teams in T20Is. In their first match of the women's T20I tri-series against South Africa, Shemaine Campbelle, batting at number four, made 11 of the 24 that the middle order scored.

While Captain Hayley Matthews admitted it was a concern, she said that bigger contributions were needed from the top order, too.

"We're missing a lot of big players," Matthews said after West Indies' 44-run defeat. "People like Chinelle Henry, who we usually have in the lower middle order that are capable of hitting the ball out of the park and even Chedean Nation, who played today, but just hasn't been able to get going just yet. So yeah, it's the same story all around.

"We need to improve from the top right down to the bottom of our batting line-up in the way that we are playing at the moment. It's pretty clear we are

not being able to put big enough partnerships. At the same time we have a lot of injuries with key batters out."

Their issues are not just restricted to the middle order. Since Deandra Dottin's shock retirement last year, West Indies have yet to zero in on an opening batter to partner Matthews.

Aaliyah Alleyne, primarily a bowling all-rounder, had never batted above number seven in T20Is, but was pushed up to open in nine matches – four against New Zealand and five against England, all at home before the tri-series. The combination had a best partnership of 23 and she was not picked in the XI against South Africa on Saturday.

Brittney Cooper, who returned to the squad ahead of the series, having last played a T20I in September 2021, opened the batting as West Indies added 32 for the opening wicket in their chase of 142. Cooper looked in fairly good touch, hitting three well-timed fours before being dismissed for 14 off 13 balls. Matthews said that West Indies were still trying to find their best combination at the top and backed Cooper to come good.

"At the moment we are trying players and we're giving players

the opportunity to grab that opening spot," Matthews said.

"Britney Cooper didn't look that bad out there today, so hopefully she's the one that can come out there and really produce [what we need]. The [T20] World Cup is the main goal for us and we are trying out different options to see what fits best.

"Sometimes as international cricket goes, it's about digging deeper. At the same time, we need to get some more runs at the top of the order. It's not a matter of what's happening at the toss as we have struggled to get runs both in the first and the second innings."

West Indies also are working around managing Stafanie Taylor, as she makes her return from an injury layoff. She had to retire hurt in the third One-Day International (ODI) against New Zealand last September and is working her way to getting back on the field.

"For now it's just about the physio and medical people and the Coaches managing the load with Stafanie," Matthews said.

"The T20 World Cup is the main picture for us here in South Africa, and we want to try and manage her as best as possible and have her fit and ready for the World Cup."

(ESPNcricinfo)

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