Guyana Times - Monday, January 30, 2023

New prison at Lusignan, reintegration programmes for females – Benn

Home Affairs Minister

Robeson Benn recently outlined plans of the Guyana Government to construct a new prison for females at Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara as well as educational and reintegration programmes to help their return to society.

Benn made these disclosures during his debate last week on the $781.9 billion Budget 2023.

The Home Affairs Minister acknowledged that there has been a tremendous increase in the entire prison population across the country. In recent years, the prison population has grown by some 14 odd per cent, that is, over 2100 new in-

mates in the system.

While a significant portion of these are male prisoners, Minister Benn spoke about a number of initiatives being un-

dertaken for female inmates.

“We are talking about putting in, with the new prison infrastructure that we’re building at Lusignan, a school, a health centre, a new women’s prison. We’re talking about having education for them,” he indicated.

According to the Minister, focus will also be placed on establishing special programmes geared towards reintegrating these women into society.

“We’re talking about a release programme called ‘Fresh Start’ to enable them to move to gainful employ, reengage and rehabilitation with the society and with their families. We will do these things,” Benn declared.

These plans are part of the Government’s overall reform and modernisation programme for the Guyana Prison Service which targets the transformation of the prison service from a penal to a correctional service, promotes an environment where custodial safety is assured, and inmates are rehabilitated and successfully reintegrated into society.

Already, some $5.5 billion was spent in 2022 on this initiative including $2.4 billion to commence sweeping upgrades to the custodial and correctional facilities across the country.

Nevertheless, a further $2.2 billion of the Guyana Prisons Services $5.5 billion

budget is allocated in Budget 2023 to advance prisons being constructed at Mazaruni and Lusignan, and to commence work for the reconstruction of New Amsterdam Prison. Another sum of $50 million is allocated to ensure “trade shops” at these facilities are fully equipped to facilitate training in carpentry, joinery, masonry, block-making, baking, cooking and other craft and trade activities to allow inmates to acquire life skills so that they can seamlessly re-integrate into society and prevent recidivism.

In 2022, some 1400 inmates were trained in areas such as block-making, basic agriculture and culinary

arts among others, at a cost of $88.9 million. It is anticipated that in 2023, a further sum of $100 million will be expended towards the training of 1500 inmates which will support their rehabilitation and social transformation in preparation for their exit from the prison system.

Additionally, Government has committed to ensuring that the Prison Service is staffed with qualified and competent officers, with the necessary skillset to allow them to effectively navigate this complex environment. To this end, it will invest in prison management training for over 400 prison personnel this year. (G8)

8-year-old succumbs to injuries

Eight-year-old Jermaine Johnson, who was severely injured in a fire which destroyed his grandmother’s home, has succumbed to his injuries.

The Guyana Fire Service reported on Sunday that Johnson, who was injured during a fire on Friday morning, died on Saturday.

Johnson along with his 75-year-old grandmother Lynette Gray had received severe burns, while a four-yearold child also sustained minor burns from the blaze that left six homeless.

Guyana Times had reported on Saturday, that six persons are now homeless after a fire suspected to be electrical in nature gutted a South Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown home.

Reports are at about 02:43h, the Fire Service received a call and was alert-

ed to a fire at Lot 873 South Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown.

According to the Guyana Fire Service, water tenders from the Campbellville, Alberttown, and Central Fire Stations responded to the scene, where it was observed that a two-storey wooden and concrete house was engulfed in smoke and flames.

The building was owned by Gray and was occupied by

herself and five others.

As a result of the fire, the building and its contents were destroyed.

According to the GFS, the suspected cause of the fire is an electrical fan that overheated and ignited nearby combustible materials.

On Saturday, Commander Regional Division 4A, Simon Mc Bean; Deputy Commander, J Barker; Human Resource Officer, J

Sullivan; OC #3, A Fredericks; Imam Persaud and Pastor Vigilance of the Cop and Faith and other ranks of the Division, visited Gray, Johnson Jnr, and five-yearold Jaliyah Johnson, at the Georgetown Public Hospital to offer prayers, words of encouragement and to donate some household items.

Aliyah Johnson and Jermaine Johnson Snr, mother and father, respectively, of Jermaine Jnr and Jaliyah, thanked the Commander and team for the gesture, the GPF had stated.

The Commander had also pledged to donate more items to them which will assist them during this time.

The Guyana Fire Service had said that it is noting the prevalence of electrical fires and admonished citizens to exercise caution and equip their homes with the neces-

sary fire suppression tools (extinguishers, smoke detectors).

According to the GFS, some of the main contributing factors to electrical fires include illegal connections; overloading of circuits; slack connections; malfunctioning of electrical appliances and

inferior drop cords or circuit strips.

“Electrical fires are especially dangerous because they can happen at any time if enough care and attention are not exercised towards electrical outlets and appliances,” the GFS said on Friday evening.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

Cummings Lodge fire

Ranks from Regional Division 4A including Commander Simon Mc Bean walking through the debris

What remains of the house in which 8-year-old Jermaine Johnson lived with his family (Regional Division 4A photo)

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, Jan 30 – 00:00h 01:30h and Tuesday, Jan 31 – 01:30h – 03:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, Jan 30 – 11:20h – 12:50h and Tuesday, Jan 31 – 12:40h – 14:10h.

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 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Northerly to North North-Westerly between 2.23 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 11:17h reaching a maximum height of 2.19 metres.

Low Tide: 17:28h reaching a minimum height of 1.03 metre.

FPSO for Exxon’s 3rd development to sail for Guyana by March 2023 – Hess COO

…Yellowtail 44% complete, One Guyana FPSO to enter dry docks in April

Developments in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana continue at a rapid pace, with ExxonMobil co-venturer Hess Corporation recently confirming that the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel for the third oil development will soon set sail for Guyana.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Hess Corporation, Greg Hill recently confirmed during a web cast that the Prosperity FPSO earmarked for the Payara development is almost complete and will sail for Guyana by March, the end of the first quarter of 2023. An update was also given on their fourth development, Yellowtail.

“The third development, Payara, is approximately 93 per cent complete. The Prosperity FPSO is expected to depart from Singapore in late 1st quarter (2023) and commence hook up and commissioning activities following arrival in Guyana. The project remains ahead of schedule and it’s anticipated to achieve first oil by the end of 2023,” Hill said.

“Yellowtail, our fourth development, is approximately 44 per cent complete and remains on track for first oil in 2025. The One Guyana FPSO hull is completed and is expected to enter dry docks in Singapore in April.”

Hill further explained that work on the topside has commenced, while development drilling is continuing. Both ships are being constructed by Netherlands-based company SBM Offshore. He mean-

while noted that pending Government approval, the Whiptail development may be sanctioned early in 2024.

On the matter of oil production, the COO gave up-

Hill, Hess’ average take for the year was 78,000 barrels per day.

“Net production from Guyana averaged 116,000 barrels of oil per day in the 4th quarter of 2022 and 78,000 barrels of oil per day for the full year of 2022, both above our guidance. For the first quarter and full year 2023, we forecast net production in Guyana to average approximately 100,000 barrels of oil per day,” Hill further explained.

Guyana, with US oil giant ExxonMobil as the operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019, in the Stabroek Block. Guyana’s oil revenues are being held in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) at the New York Federal Reserve Bank, where it is earning interest.

cent interest in the Block.

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027. Production has already started in the second phase, with the Liza Unity FPSO vessel in operation.

The third project –the Payara Development – will target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels, and was at one point considered to be the largest single planned investment in the history of Guyana.

Meanwhile, the Yellowtail development, which will be oil giant ExxonMobil’s fourth development in Guyana’s waters, will turn out to be the single largest development so far in terms of barrels per day of oil, with a mammoth 250,000 bpd targeted.

ExxonMobil is meanwhile seeking project approval for its sixth oil development in Guyana’s waters, approaching the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for environmental authorisation for its Whiptail Project.

dated statistics on what Hess’ take of oil was from the Stabroek Block. Following the start-up of Liza Phase 2, Guyana gradually produced over 300,000 barrels of oil per day last year. According to

The oil rich Stabroek Block, which is producing the oil, is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres).

Exxon, through its local subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is the operator and holds 45 per

The move to seek approval for the Whiptail development comes even as EPA is also considering whether to approve the Uaru oil development in the Stabroek Block, which when established will become ExxonMobil’s fifth development in Guyana. (G3)

Hess Chief Operating Officer Greg Hill

The Prosperity FPSO

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Democracy and compromise

The Budget Debate, which will continue today as the National Assembly transforms itself as the “Committee of Supply” to decide on the specific “line items” of spending, is another opportunity for the politicians in our parliamentary democracy to demonstrate their commitment to its fundamental tenets. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a heightened polarisation of politics which threatens democratic values not only in our country but across the globe and especially in the United States that plays such an important role in our affairs. How do we deal with this phenomenon?

Back in 2012, as the polarisation of politics was becoming intensified both quantitively and qualitatively in the US, political scientists Amy Gutman and Dennis Thompson offered some very salutary advice to our political elites in their book, “The Spirit of Compromise: Why Governing Demands It and Campaigning Undermines It”. Their advice a decade later is even more relevant now that we have witnessed formerly unthinkable physical attacks on the bastions of democracy in societies as diverse as the US and Brazil. The authors declare:

“If politics is the art of the possible, then compromise is the artistry of democracy. Unless one partisan ideology holds sway over all branches of government, compromise is necessary to govern for the benefit of all citizens. A rejection of compromise biases politics in favour of the status quo, even when the rejection risks crisis.

“Compromise is difficult, but governing a democracy without compromise is impossible. Why is compromise so hard in a democracy when it is undoubtedly necessary? Much of the resistance to compromise lies in another necessary part of the democratic process: campaigning for political office. Though valuable in its place, campaigning is increasingly intruding into governing, where it is less helpful. The means of winning an office are subverting the ends of governing once in office. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that in (Guyana) “every day is election day in the permanent campaign.

“Resistance to democratic compromise can be kept in check by a contrary cluster of attitudes and arguments –a compromising mindset – which favours adapting one’s principles and respecting one’s opponents. It is the mindset more appropriate for governing because it enables politicians more readily to recognize opportunities for desirable compromise. When enough politicians adopt it, enough of the time, the spirit of compromise prevails.

“In general, compromise is an agreement in which all sides sacrifice something in order to improve on the status quo from their perspective, and in which the sacrifices are at least partly determined by the other sides’ will. The sacrifice involves not merely getting less than you want, but also, thanks to your opponents, getting less than you think you deserve. The sacrifice typically involves trimming your principles. We call these defining characteristics of compromise mutual sacrifice and wilful opposition.”

What we recommend, therefore, is that starting from this afternoon, the need for “mutual sacrifice and wilful opposition” be practiced as the line items are considered. Take the mundane matters of fixing roads in communities which has now been given a huge bump through funding of the Ministry of Housing. Roads throughout Guyana are in a dilapidated state for a host of reasons – including the fact that local roads were not built to handle the number of “sand trucks” that are necessitated by the housing boom. All of these roads cannot be fixed immediately and the politicians across the divide must accept the need for compromise.

As the authors point out, the almost continuous campaigning with an eye on the next elections has now become a permanent feature of our democratic practice. But in Guyana, because of the changed demographics that now deny either of the two major parties an in-built ethnic majority, only the spirit of compromise for instance, during the voting on appropriations from this afternoon, will signal that the interests of others outside of traditional constituencies are being considered.

In this fashion, for purely partisan reasons, the rhetoric should be less heated and the compromises more habitual.

Rejection of creeping apartheid in Guyana: Theoretical bases

By Freddie Kissoon

It was Karl Marx who popularised the role of the state apparatus in the suppression of weaker classes by dominant class forces. But Marx was not the originator of the crucial role of the coercive state apparatus in the maintenance of hegemony by the wealthier classes.

The elaboration of the role the state plays in stabilising society goes way back to Plato in ancient Greek times. An elementary reading of Plato would inform the reader that he placed extreme emphasis on the role of the state to ensure the survival of the republic.

The Romans found Plato’s role of the state to be sacrosanct and that explains why the state under Roman rule became ubiquitous where everyone, wealthy or extraordinarily wealthy, had to pay homage to the state.

The dissatisfaction with the all-powerful state found expression in 1215 when the barons rebelled against King John’s repressive role. The Renaissance and the Enlightenment were both designed to give more power to social forces while only the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued for the abolition of the state.

Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes and Edmund Burke saw a strong state as indispensable while John Locke went far back to Plato’s Nocturnal Council in arguing that though the state is necessary, it has to offer water-tight obligations to the property-owners

An unlikely philosophical harmony occurred in late 19th century politics when two opposing ideologies found common ground in their treatment of the state. Both communism and fascism saw the coming of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche’s Übermensch as the classless future though the Marxist philosopher

would pour scorn on the importance of the Übermensch.

On the other hand European colonialism and American imperialism in the 19th and 20th century used the state to ensure capitalist hegemony in the world. With the rise of the Cold War after WW2, the state in both the USSR and the USA became Orwellian. What Edward Snowden revealed about the US intelligence community was inevitable, but it is not confined to the US alone.

When we apply the above description of the role of the state, it cannot support a theory of creeping apartheid in Guyana. There were two apartheid systems in the world – White denial of African rights in South Africa and Israeli humiliation and destruction of the dignity of Palestinians. South African apartheid was destroyed. The Palestinians are still in the throes of ethnic subjugation.

In both of these racist systems, the coercive state apparatus preserved the system through control and repression by ethnic profusion.

In Guyana, such ethnic saturation does not exist thus destroying the theory of creeping apartheid.

White perpetuation of apartheid was done through a ubiquitous state system. The security platforms, the judiciary, the bureaucracy, and the education system excluded Blacks for two reasons – they were considered genetically inferior and were not trusted with state power.

In Guyana, it is not only that apartheid does not exist, but there can be room for a provocative argument that East Indians lack sociological and state power therefore they are most likely to suffer discrimination, Police victimisation, and social denial.

In Guyana, the coercive state apparatus is 95 per cent African dominated. State bureaucracy and its re-

lated organs are 95 per cent African dominated. The educational system has a predominance of African teachers in particular Regions 4, 5, 9 and 10. In Regions 2 and 3 and 6 there is no overwhelming numbers of Indian teachers.

In tertiary education, the African presence is graphic. Guyana has only one state-owned university and for the past 30 years it has been controlled by a small incestuous cabal whose hegemony is impossible to dissolve. The university started by the Indian Premier, Cheddi Jagan in 1963 has never had an Indian Vice Chancellor. Simply put in its 60-year-old history, there has never been an Indian Head at UG.

In state medical services, there is no Indian predominance in doctors, nurses and auxiliary staff. In the legal community, there is no alarming numbers of Indian lawyers comparatively speaking. The Indians and Africans are just about equal in the judiciary and magistracy.

In sports, Indians are not represented in basketball, hockey, and soccer. In cricket, there is a marked presence of African players. In the entertainment business, this is an area in which Africans are pronounced.

This leaves us with the economy. The number of wealthy Indian entrepreneurs far outstrips their African counterparts but it is vulgarisation of academia to argue this constitutes an apartheid system. An overwhelming presence of Indians in the investment sector cannot constitute an apartheid system.

In Guyana, poverty is equally pronounced among both major races. My wife and I went to two Muslim orphanages to make donations. None of the children were Africans.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Guyana-born British actress Letitia Wright poses at the “I Love Guyana” sign in Kingston, Georgetown during a tour of the city on Sunday (Tourism Ministry photo)

A close observation of our budget debate

Dear Editor,

We have witnessed five days of debate on Budget 2023. Parliament was alive with debate as Government as well as Opposition made their contributions. It was a time of learning for most of us, as we were educated by all the speakers on the Government side on matters of prudent fiscal management, something the Guyanese public was longing for.

However, when it was time for the Opposition to make its presentation, things changed for the worst, one negativity after another was highlighted. The main thrust of each presenter was to outdo the other with this empty rhetoric of terms that had no relevance to the topic being discussed. And so it was, a horrible lesson in what they would call economics, and not much else. But while one would have

thought that we were at the end of this madness of double talking, we were sadly mistaken, as there was more to come. Next came the loud heckling from Opposition quarters, they heckled at every and everything. It was an unbearable cacophonous sound for which the listener would be at a loss as to the depths Parliament has sunken. We were witnessing a subdued rehash of last December’s assault on par-

liamentary democracy.

They might want to go away with the thought that they were an effective Opposition, with that unbridled lawlessness, but from the vantage point, that backwardness is unforgivable. It also tells you that this vulgar display means that they will always be in a permanent state of Opposition for the foreseeable future. Guyana is watching, the world is watching, and the

people of this great nation would not countenance such backward people to rule over them again.

Some may opine that Speaker Manzoor Nadir was too lenient but I am of another opinion, let them talk their talk and extol, it is summed up in the Merrymen’s song “Enjoy Yourself It’s Later Than You Think.” That foolishness would not be seen in the next Parliament because the

people of Guyana know how to put vulgar people to their places and that is at election time they will deliver.

Finally, as the Deputy Speaker is about to demit office as a way of advice, I would like the Government to select a Deputy Speaker from one of the smaller parties in Parliament.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Stop sporting with sport Embarrassing shifting of blame

Dear Editor, The PPP/C Government allocated a massive $4.3 billion for the further development of sports in our country. In the year 2023 our sport fraternity will certainly benefit from the construction and completion of several sport facilities around the country. It is indeed heartening to know that the sum of $4.3 billion is a significant increase from 2022 when the budgeted sum was $2.2 billion, and this year’s allocation almost tripled the 2021 allocation, which was $1.5 billion.

The world class synthetic track at Lenora, West Coast Demerara was built by the PPP/C Government.

It is indeed a pity, that the Guyana Athletic Association is not making the fullest use of the facility. Further, during the five years that the APNU/AFC was in Government there was no proper management in place to maintain the facility. However, the PPP/C Government is developing that world class Lenora facility which is also the venue for the football fraternity to play International football tournaments.

It was extremely sad and painful to listen to the comments made by the PNC/ “barber” about this world class facility. I am awaiting the condemnation of his deplorable comments during his budget speech by the sport associations.

It was the APNU/AFC Government that decided and started to build the two synthetic tracks in New Amsterdam and Linden. I would like to see the audit of the National Sport Commission during the five years that they were in Government.

Millions of dollars were allocated and spent on the two facilities but there is nothing to show what the money was spent on. However, this transparent and accountable PPP/C Government will complete and make these two facilities available to our athletes in Linden and New Amsterdam.

It is now time for our national sport associations to wake up and stop sporting with sport. All National Sports Associations must hold their Annual General Meetings, all associations must produce their annual financial audits and they must produce proper annual work programmes.

The construction of the National Resource Centre was the vision of the PPP/C Government. It is imperative that proper training programmes be organised and we must follow and make the resource centre the fore-runner of our sport college. All our sport associations must be prepared to work together so that our coaches, managers, physios, physical trainers along with all the sports developers and facilitators can be properly trained and equipped for the challenges and success that we are looking forward to.

The 2023 budget is catering for the construction of several multi-purpose sport facilities in the hinterland. Our schools’ athletics programme has confirmed that there are very good athletes in the Amerindian communities. We need to give our hinterland communities the opportunities to produce world class track and field athletes, footballers, boxers, swimmers and volleyball players.

Our Indigenous population must rise to the occasion and compete with the best in the world.

The development of sport facilities, particularly community grounds, in all the regions will further enable greater participation in sport activities. With this massive investment in sports, it is imperative that we see a greater number of sport clubs in the communities. With the formation of active sport clubs, we will see the development of strong club structures which must lead to better and more functional regional sport associations with the establishment of functional national sport associations.

President Irfaan Ali’s One Guyana initiative will be further strengthened with our nation united by sports.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Dear Editor,

Recently, the Guyana Cricket Board selection panel held a press conference to justify their selection of the Guyana Harpy Eagles team to participate in the upcoming regional four-day tournament and the non-selection of Anthony Adams in the squad. Editor, in all my years watching cricket press conferences, especially in relation to team selection, I have never seen a selection panel giving such ridiculous and nonsensical answers to questions posed by the press. It was so painful and embarrassing to watch that it would have been better that they had remained silent and did not hold that press conference. They only left more questions than answers and embarrassed themselves and the Guyana Cricket Board by shifting blame among themselves and not knowing their individual roles and functions. It is the worst cricket press conference I have ever wit-

nessed.

I do not want to go into the details of the non-selection of Anthony Adams and Leon Johnson, knowing of the team selected by way of the press, that has already been well ventilated in the press and social media. I would like to take this opportunity to call on President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo to disband

the Board and install an interim management committee to save Guyana cricket. This committee can function for a short period of time to put the GCB house in order, until fresh elections are held. Please Mr President, save Guyana cricket.

Yours faithfully, Imtiaz Baccus

Question 1:

Foundation

Sweaty Science: How does heart rate change with exercise?

Exercise is a specifically planned and organised session of physical activity that you do to improve and maintain your fitness. Exercise helps us to have a healthy body and mind. It also helps you to look good by having a well-sculpted body.

In this science activity, you'll measure your heart rate during different types of physical activities to find out which gives your heart the best workout to help keep it fit. For a person to keep their heart healthy, they should eat right, not smoke, and get regular exercise.

CONTINUED FROM SATURDAY

After a while, there was another festival, and then, as before, Allerleirauh begged the cook for leave to go and look on. He answered, yes, but come back again in half-an-hour, and make the king the bread soup which he so much likes. Then she ran into her den, washed herself quickly, and took out of the nut the dress which was as silvery as the moon, and put it on. Then she went up and was like a princess, and the king stepped forward to meet her, and rejoiced to see her once more, and as the dance was just beginning they danced it together. But when it was ended, she again disappeared so quickly

that the king could not observe where she went. She, however, sprang into her den, and once more made herself a hairy animal, and went into the kitchen to prepare the bread soup. When the cook had gone upstairs, she fetched the little golden spinning-wheel, and put it in the bowl so that the soup covered it. Then it was taken to the king, who ate it, and liked it as much as before, and had the cook brought, who this time likewise was forced to confess that Allerleirauh had prepared the soup. Allerleirauh again came before the king, but she answered that she was good for nothing else but to have boots thrown

By The BroThers Grimm

at her head, and that she knew nothing at all about the little golden spinning-wheel. When, for the third time, the king held a festival, all happened just as it had done before. The cook said, fur-skin, you are a witch, and always put something in the soup which makes it so good that the king likes it better than that which I cook, but as she begged so hard, he let her go up at the appointed time. And now she put on the dress which shone like the stars, and thus entered the hall. Again the king danced with the beautiful maiden, and thought that she never yet had been so beautiful.

(THE END)

Exercise that is good for your heart should elevate your heart rate. But by how much, for how long and how often should your heart rate be elevated? This has to do with how fit you are and your maximum heart rate, which, for adults, is about 220 beats per minute (bpm) minus your age. For example, if you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate would be 190 bpm. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends doing exercise that increases a person's heart rate to between 50 to 85 per cent of their maximum heart rate. This range is called the target heart rate zone. The AHA recommends a person gets at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise—exercise that elevates their heart rate to the target heart rate zone—on most days of the week, or a total of about 150 minutes a week.

Materials

• Scrap piece of paper

• Pen or pencil

• Clock or timer that shows seconds or a helper with a watch

• Comfortable exercise clothes (optional)

• Simple and fun exercise equipment, such as a jump rope, bicycle, etc. Alternatively you can do exercises that do not require equipment, such as walking, doing jumping jacks, jogging in place, etc. You will want to do at

least two different types of exercises, both of which you can sustain for 15 minutes. (Remember to always stop an exercise if you feel faint.)

• Calculator

Preparation

• Practise finding your pulse. Use the first two fingers of one hand to feel your radial pulse on the opposite wrist. You should find your radial pulse on the "thumb side" of your wrist, just below the base of your hand. Practice finding your pulse until you can do it quickly. (You can alternatively take your carotid pulse to do this activity, but be sure you know how to safely take it and press on your neck only very lightly with your fingers.)

• Measure your resting heart rate, which is your heart rate when you are awake but relaxed, such as when you have been lying still for several minutes. To do this, take your pulse when you have been resting and multiply the number of beats you count in 10 seconds by six. This will give you your resting heart rate in beats per minute (bpm).

What is your resting heart rate?

Write it on a scrap piece of paper.

• You will be measuring your heart rate during different types of physical exercises over a period of 15 minutes. Do you think the activities will affect your heart rate differently? How do you think doing each activity will

affect your heart rate?

Procedure

• Choose which exercise you want to do first. Before starting it, make sure you have been resting for a few minutes so that your heart is at its resting heart rate.

• Perform the first exercise for 15 minutes. While you do this, write down the number of beats you count in 10 seconds after one, two, five, 10 and 15 minutes of activity. (You want to quickly check your pulse because it can start to slow within 15 seconds of stopping exercising.)

• Calculate your heart rate after one, two, five, 10 and 15 minutes of exercise.

• Repeat this process for at least one other exercise. Leave enough time between the exercises so that your heart rate returns to around its normal resting level (this should only take a few minutes).

• Take a look at the results you wrote down for this activity. Which exercise increased your heart rate the most? Which exercise increased your heart rate the fastest? Which exercise(s) elevated your heart rate to the target heart rate zone (50 to 85 per cent of your maximum heart rate, where your maximum heart rate is 220 bpm minus your age)? Do you notice any consistent patterns in your results? (sciencebuddies.org)

Agencies will soon start training on single-window system – Croal

…says project on track to be operational by June

Training for the various agencies that have integral parts to play in the building process will soon begin, to ensure that once the single-window system is operational by June month end, there would be no hiccups with persons using the system.

This is according to Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal, during the recent budget debates in which he gave an update on the Information Technology (IT) platform for building permits - for which a $202 million contract was signed last year. He also referenced the Planning and Development SingleWindow System Bill that was passed last year.

“We have brought legislation to this House, for the establishment of the single-window system for development permits. This piece of legislation was highly anticipated and it paves the way for a more cohesive, less bureaucratic and more efficient system for the submission, processing and approval of all planning and development applications.”

“As we speak, the IT consultants are here in Guyana conducting meetings with the technical staff, as well as the 16 other partner agencies which are named in the legislation as they are part of the application process,”

Croal also said.

As the Minister put it, the legislation and the single-window system that will be developed, are expected to end the “burdensome, bothersome and endless running around” that home builders and contractors often encounter during their building projects.

“They lose valuable time and expenses from printing and reprinting, chasing after a piecemeal approach to various agencies to enquire

on their approvals. Shortly, we will be conducting sessions with various agencies and our partner agencies so that they can be familiar with the new process.”

“This new system will bring more efficiency and therefore, it will lead to greater transparency. This project is on schedule and is expected by the end of June, we will be going live to fully launch the IT platform.”

The $202 million contract was signed in December

2022 with Global Services –a Guyanese-led consortium with global experience – to make the issuance of planning and building permits hassle-free. The company was tasked with providing a server and network infrastructure; security solu-

tions; and hardware and software maintenance and repairs.

Global Services along with its consortium partners have experience in similar IT development, working with the US Government and the cities of Los Angeles,

Washington, and DetroitWindsor – at the federal and provisional government levels as well as municipal; and in the Middle East with countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar.

The single-window system will feature five key elements including: one-window access to allow the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) to be the point of entry for planning and building applications; as well as a dashboard to show the status of individual applications and generate progress reports, which can also be accessed by applicants.

Another feature of the system is a time-bound element by which the relevant agencies will have to respond to applications otherwise they will automatically be considered approved. Moreover, the scope of the development of the IT platform also includes the single-window system being built in such a way that allows for the accommodation of certain changes including add-ons in the future. (G3)

CH&PA CEO Sherwyn Greaves and Global Services representative George Melville signing the $202 million contract in the presence of Housing Ministers Croal and Susan Rodrigues

Parliamentary Secretaries’ appointments

Pivot…

The Court of Appeal of Guyana’s ruling in Attorney General v Morian does not constitute a binding precedent, and therefore acting Chief Justice Roxane George erred when she used it as the basis to nullify the appointments of Sarah Browne and Vickash Ramkissoon as Parliamentary Secretaries.

This was the main contention of Trinidad and Tobago Senior Counsel

Douglas Mendes—lawyer for Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC—when he addressed the appellate court in his bid to overturn Justice George’s decision. Mendes contended that because the Court of Appeal did not rule on the substantive issue in Attorney General v Morian and only on whether the late former Chief Justice Ian Chang had jurisdiction to hear the case, the case cannot be used as precedent.

He further contended that Justice Chang’s decision was erroneous.

In 2015, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) member Dennis Morian had filed a constitutional motion against then-Attorney General Basil Williams, SC, chal-

lenging the legality of the appointments of former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Technocrat Ministers Keith Scott and Winston Felix.

Felix, who was at the time the Minister of Citizenship, and Scott the Minister with responsibility for Labour, were candidates on the APNU/AFC’s List of Candidates for the 2015 General and Regional Elections. In 2016, the nowlate Justice Chang declared

that both Scott and Felix were unlawfully and unconstitutionally occupying seats in the National Assembly due to their status as elected members (named on the coalition’s List of Candidates).

Williams had appealed Justice Chang’s decision to the Court of Appeal but lost.

At a hearing prior to last week’s hearing, Appeal Court Judge Dawn Gregory had said that she wanted to satisfy herself as to whether she should sit in the extant appeal since she was one of the Judges who had sat in

…to the interior

It’s of more than passing interest that more than three centuries after the founding of the three colonies that became “Guyana”, we still refer to our “interior” – an amorphous, undifferentiated blob behind our coastland where most of us continue to live! What makes it even more interesting was the founders had actually first settled parts of that “interior” – the riverine areas along the rivers and creeks. They established plantations for tropical agricultural crops to sell to European markets. Look how deep in the interior was Cuffy’s Rebellion and Kyk-Over-Al!!

What makes their experience relevant for us today is that when the fertility of those soils were depleted within a century, they moved to the mangrove-and-mosquito infested coast and carved out the now inhabited Atlantic coast! Yet even though we’ve become more densely packed than the tiny Caribbean islands and can’t even get land to build houses – all the while knowing that the rising Atlantic’s gonna engulf us sooner rather than later, we still cling to a single road and look on maps like ants clinging to a string!!

the appeal against Chief Justice Chang’s ruling and what was her and the court’s position on the appeal given Mendes’ arguments.

After perusing court transcripts on the appeal court’s decision, Justice Gregory informed that High Court Judge Franklin Holder, who had also sat on the panel, had affirmed Chief Justice Chang’s decision in the Morian case. “My statement was that the grounds of appeal had included the substantive things and although no submissions had been proffered on them, I affirmed the substantive findings of Chief Justice Chang,” Justice Gregory added.

Bound by CoA decision

According to her, Justice George, in nullifying the Parliamentary Secretaries' appointments, said that she was bound by the Court of Appeal’s decision in Morian and that she saw that court’s decision as affirming Chief Justice Chang’s decision, according to the order of court she had seen.

Justice Gregory said that Chief Justice George also related that she felt bound by that decision because she believed that Chief Justice Chang’s decision was correctly decided.

Responding to Justice Gregory, Mendes submitted that what binds later courts is the ratio decidendi of a case and not necessarily the result of the case, but the reasons given by the court for coming to its conclusion.

“What we are concerned with is the proper construction of a statute in what binds later courts would be that court’s construction of the statute itself and its determination that the statute means a particular thing. If a court just simply assumes, for whatever reason that a preposition of law, a construction of an Act is a correct construction without considering arguments, then it does not constitute a precedent that binds later courts,” he argued while relying on a plethora of case law. TURN

Some will flippantly say, “Well, the Dutch had slaves to do the backbreaking work of moving millions of tons of wet soils”!! But we do have excavators, bulldozers, and draglines, don’t we?? Burnham tried but his National Service, volunteer labour, was bound to fail. The US continent wasn’t opened up by volunteer labour – but by good old greedy robber barons like Vanderbilt who just wanted to make money!! If we had the will of those old Dutchmen – who were motivated by wealth as well! – we coulda long been inland and enjoying the bounty of our continental destiny!! But they say it’s never too late, don’t they??

Pres Ali appears to have that will power – and his party has long abandoned its socialist cant. They’ve openly embraced the principle that “private enterprise will be the engine of growth”!! So while he announced that the building of Silica City will be kicked off this year with the first 100 houses, that’s just the beginning and the plans must be made available to the Private Sector to execute. It’s money that makes the world go round – and will make the opening up of our “interior” a reality.

The completion of the Highway to Lethem will make the “Highway to happiness”, a reality. Can you see the effects on development in having a five-hundred-mile highway opening up 86,000 square miles of real estate for development in an oil-fuelled economy!! Guyanese have to be prepared to follow the slogan “Go South, young man –and woman”. There’s a whole new world beckoning and it will go to the bold.

And maybe we’ll stop killing each other for house lots??

…to Venezuela

Your Eyewitness doesn’t want you to think, Dear Reader, that he’s joined the ranks of the “conspiracy theorists”. But he has a nagging worry about what’s gonna follow the now very clear American pivot to Venezuela. First, we had those exchanges of prisoners, then the renewal of Chevron’s licence to work with PVDSA to ship Venezuelan Oil stateside- and now giving Trinidad the greenlight to exploit the gigantic Venezuelan Dragon gas fields. Even as we’ll be having gas coming out of our kazoos as we continue to bring up our gas-associated light crude.

All of this against the background of the Venezuelan Opposition dumping the hapless Guaidó and installing a new, female head to broker a rapprochement with Maduro. The end game, of course – even if the war in Europe hadn’t roiled the oil markets – are those 300 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves!! That makes our 13 billion look like peanuts.

And peanuts aren’t gonna hold off a united Venezuelan obsession with our land.

…to welfare economics

Your Eyewitness is pleased the Government has continued supporting – and even extending – our socialised medical and educational systems. Now we gotta convince the burgeoning Private Sector that they gotta pay their taxes to support said systems!!

Ruling in Morian v AG does not constitute binding precedent – Mendes …argues it cannot be used to nullify positions

Sarah Browne Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes

Vickash Ramkissoon

8004 non-immigrant visas issued locally by US Embassy in 2022

post-by-post basis beginning in July 2020, as local conditions allowed.

In August 2022, Bloomberg had reported that the US Embassy in Georgetown had the longest wait time for visitor visas. Then, the wait time for a non-immigrant visitor visa was 401 calendar days as compared to student and exchange visitor visas, which was one calendar day, and all other non-immigrant visas, which were eight calen-

Atotal of 8004 non-immigrant visas (visas for foreign nationals wishing to enter another country temporarily) were issued by the US Embassy in Georgetown for the fiscal year 2022, according to the US State Department annual visa statistics report. This shows an increase in visa approval when compared to 2021 when 2862 were issued and the 2255 that were issued in the previous year, 2020. More visas were granted in 2019, with 5296 applicants receiving approval.

Fewer visas were approved in 2018 with 4923 applications granted.

The number of visas granted in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively are as follows:

15,193; 17,284; 30,121; 51,202; and 25,338.

These stats reflect a combination of B1/B2 visas.

According to the US State Department, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, posts were instructed to suspend routine visa services and provide only mission-critical and emergency services in late March 2020. This, it noted, had a significant impact on the provision of immigrant and non-immigrant visa-related services.

The US State Department also noted that posts were only able to resume limited services on a

dar days.

These wait times have since significantly reduced, with the wait time for an interview required visitor visa (B1/B2) being 13 calendar days as of Sunday.

Visas in the B category cover temporary travel to the US and include B1 (temporary business visitor), and B2 (temporary tourism visitor). There are other classes of non-immigrant visas.

The visa application fee is US$160. (G1)

Guyana joins with Caricom in condemning killing of cops in Haiti

The 15-member regional bloc –the Caribbean Community (Caricom), whose members include Guyana – has once again condemn the ongoing violence in Haiti, particularly the killing of Police officers.

In a statement on Saturday, Caricom said it is deeply concerned that the contrasting incidents involving the Haitian National Police indicate the severity of the challenges that the Police face as well as further breakdown in security in Haiti.

“Caricom strongly condemns the killing of Police officers and expresses its condolences to the families of the officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The anger and dismay of the Police at the gruesome killings of their colleagues … are shared by all. However, abandoning the role of the security forces to protect every citizen and maintain public order further destabilises the country. The protest actions by members of the Police service against the Prime Minister cannot be condoned,” the regional body stated.

Approximately 78 Police officers have been killed since July 2021 and of this, 14 were in this month –

January 2023.

Caricom, nevertheless, urged the members of the Haitian National Police to safeguard peace and order as well as to refrain from actions which could only serve to foster even greater damage to the country and its people.

The security situation in Haiti has deteriorated dramatically since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, as rival gangs battle for dominance on the streets of Port-au-Prince. In fact, current Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, survived what is widely suspected to have been an assassination attempt last year.

Caricom had been vocal in condemning the violence in its Member States and only last Tuesday, it sounded calls for a consensus from stakeholders in resolving the country’s crisis.

It recognised efforts being made by various groups of Haitian stakeholders to negotiate political accords since 2021 to contribute to resolving the protracted political stalemate. This includes the latest agreement that was made public by the Interim Prime Minister on December 21, 2022.

“Caricom urges all

Grove family homeless after electricity fluctuation causes explosion

stakeholders to come together in their search for a consensus agreement.

The Community remains willing and ready to assist in achieving this goal and in that regard had commenced sounding Haitian stakeholders over the past few weeks about their willingness to attend a meeting in a Caricom country,” the regional bloc said in a January 24 missive.

Back in December, former Caricom Chairman, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves has warned the Region to tread carefully and limit itself to a “good offices” role in the Haiti’s current political controversy.

Gonsalves noted that Caricom must focus on a “good offices” role where it facilitates political dialogue and assists Haiti in preparing for elections.

Gonsalves pointed out that many Haitians do not recognise the present Haitian Government of Prime Minister Henry, who has requested security support from the United Nations, Canada, the United States of America, and Caricom itself, to deal with the gang violence.

(G8)

AGrove, East Bank Demerara family is now homeless after a fire started by electricity fluctuation caused their home to be gutted.

According to the Guyana Fire Service, it received a call at 13:10h on Saturday about a fire at Lot 243 Downer Street Grove, East Bank Demerara.

The Fire Service said that two water tenders from the Eccles and Diamond Fire Stations responded to the scene where a one-flat wooden building was on fire.

Reports are that the building was owned by Belinda Bunbury and occupied by 31-year-old Ivy David and three others.

The fire, GFS reported, was the result of a fluctuation in electricity that caused an overload in the electrical panel. This, the Fire Service said, resulted in an explosion which ignited and spread to nearby combustible materials.

“Four persons were left homeless as the fire destroyed the building and all its contents before being extinguished,” the GFS said on Sunday. Firefighters at the scene on Saturday

Venezuelan busted with 1kg ganja

AVenezuelan national was busted late Saturday night with just over 1 kilogram of marijuana at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo.

Police ranks from Regional Division Three, acting on information received, went to Tuschen at around 23:15h on Saturday. While there, they saw the 29-year-old Venezuelan, who is a labourer from Tuschen North Squatting Area – standing and holding a bulky black haversack.

Police said on Sunday one of the ranks approached the suspect and identified himself as a policeman dressed in plain clothing.

The rank told the suspect he would like to search him for anything illegal, that is, guns, drugs or ammunition to which the man agreed.

The rank took possession of the black haversack and opened it in the presence of the suspect. Inside the haversack were two bulky parcels wrapped in scotch tape and containing a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The marijuana found by Police

The suspect was arrested and escorted to the Leonora Police Station, where the marijuana was

weighed and amounted to 1053.6 grams. He remains in custody pending investigation and charges.

1 dead, 3 injured after pick-up slams into guests at wedding house

ABerbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) man is now dead and three others are injured after a pick-up truck slammed into a group of persons outside a wedding house in Canefield, East Canje, in the wee hours of Sunday.

The driver of the motor pick-up fled the scene but several hours later turned himself in to Police custody accompanied by a lawyer.

This was confirmed by Regional Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus.

Reports are the incident occurred sometime around 00:55h at Workshop Street, Canefield, Berbice,

the driver suddenly drove off at a fast rate of speed during which he slammed into several persons standing on the northern side of the street.

Eyewitnesses said that Indal died before being removed from the scene.

According to Police, he was taken to New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Indal’s body is at Ramoo’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

and there was a big pick-up, it just made one sudden pull out and into the crowd and he hit four persons.”

Reis said following the impact, the vehicle drove a short distance away and then stopped.

“Then he fired two shots and then just drive away. I had to pick my nephew up and run with him home to get a vehicle to take him to the hospital,” Reis said.

Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Dead is 51-year-old Somdatt Indal called “Fats” of Lot 1178 East Canefield Settlement, Berbice.

Injured are Daniel Sackichand, 21, of Adelphi village; Dion Kistnen, 11, a student of Canje Secondary School and of Lot 23 Good Banana Land along with

Leon Revon, 34, of Lot 1143 East Canefield – all of East Canje.

Sackichand and Revon were treated at the New Amsterdam Hospital and subsequently discharged while Kistnen had to undergo emergency surgery for injuries to both legs. His condition is listed as stable.

Police said that the pickup was stationary facing east on Workshop Street when

Shots fired

Meanwhile, Kistnen’s uncle, Alex Reis, said he was taking his nephew home when he was hit. According to Reis, the vehicle which collided with the group was just a few feet away from him.

“There was a white vehicle and the driver and some guys had an issue and the white vehicle drove away

On the other hand, Revon told this publication that he was present at the wedding reception, but was outside on the street. He said the pickup truck left the location and returned, shortly after the driver got into an argument with one of his cousins.

He said he moved closer

to the scene to see what was happening.

“In the black jeep it was three of four of them and they drive and hit a big man – that is the man that he hit and kill; I went at the back of the man – not too far – that is how I get knock,” Revon said, adding that he could not remember what happened after being hit.

Meanwhile, the now dead man is said to be well-known in the community. According to his mother, Damyanpie Ramnath, her son was dressed in clothing he was wearing for the first time.

“The tags all hanging on,” and he say ‘bye’ but me nah answer he when he say bye. Me continue to water the plants,” the 74-year-old

woman explained.

The grieving mother said hours later, several persons came calling at her home but she did not answer since she thought the persons were calling to get in contact with her son, whom she knew was not at home.

However, she said that someone called her phone and then she was told that her son was involved in an accident.

“They tell me that the speed that he go with, my son pitch in the air and come down; my son one eye come out and all he teeth bruck up and he foot fold up...” the grieving mother said as she called for justice.

“My son ain’t deserve that kinda death,” the woman said as she broke down in tears.

Police have since said that the suspect is a 47-yearold businessman of Glasgow Housing Scheme, East, Bank Berbice. (G4)

...as driver allegedly fires gunshots, speeds away ...“my son one eye come out and all he teeth them bruck up” – mother

Dead: Somdatt Indal called “Fats”

A damaged bicycle at the scene of the accident

Injured: Leon Revon

11-year-old Dion Kistnen nursing injuries to both of his feet

Injured: Daniel Sackichand

Men on Mission: As part of the MoM initiative, Sunday was dedicated as a day for fathers to spend quality time with their children. Photos courtesy of DPI, Guyana Police Force and President Dr Irfaan Ali's social media pages

Men on Mission: As part of the MoM initiative, Sunday was dedicated as a day for fathers to spend quality time with their children. Photos courtesy of DPI, Guyana Police Force and President Dr Irfaan Ali's social media pages

Work on gas-to-energy project remains on schedule – Bharrat

…initial road works to access offloading facility completed

As the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government continues its efforts to operationalise the transformational gas-to-energy project, preparations are well under way, initial road works are completed and the project remains well on schedule.

In an exclusive interview with this publication, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat explained that he has personally visited the construction site, located a few villages past the former Wales Sugar Estate on the West Bank Demerara (WBD).

“I can tell you that the road works, the initial road works have been completed. Because I managed to drive straight to the wharf facilities. The materials offloading facility. It’s being built right now. The early works

are being done through Exxon. So that wharf facility is being built, you can drive up to it right now,” Minister Bharrat said.

“There are a number of equipment on the ground right now, doing the heavy haul road that will lead directly to the site, where the

power plant will actually be. And that calls for a lot of preparation and a solid foundation, because of all the vibration. So, we are on schedule. I was there and spoke to the team and they indicated we are within schedule. So, we don’t anticipate any delay with that

project.”

The Minister noted that Exxon is also moving ahead with its pipeline and at some point in time, physical works will be more apparent. He made it clear that the Government does not anticipate any delays with the project.

Added to this is the fact that a US$759.8 million Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the power plant and Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) plant has already been awarded to United States (US) companies CH4 and Lindsayca

Meanwhile, Engineers India Limited (EIL) was awarded a US$22 million contract to supervise the construction of the power plant and NGL facility. Their contract was signed a few weeks ago, while President Dr Irfaan Ali was in India.

“They will be our site manager or overlook the construction of the power plant and the NGL plant, to ensure it’s built based on specifications and report back to us. And then of course, the gas-to-energy project unit would have oversight too in terms of the actual construction,” Minister Bharrat explained.

In Budget 2023, the gas-to-energy project received a $43.3 billion allo-

cation. This allocation is in addition to the $24.6 billion injected into the startup of the transformational project, which includes the construction of an Integrated NGL Plant and the 300-megawatt (MW) Combined Cycle Power Plant at Wales, WBD.

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

The scope of Guyana’s gas-to-energy project consists of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipeline from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil.

It features approximately 200 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that will run from Liza Destiny and Liza Unity floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the shore. Upon landing on the West Coast Demerara shore, the pipeline would continue for approximately 25 kilometres to the NGL plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The pipeline would be 12 inches wide, and is expected to transport per day some 50 million standard

cubic feet (mscfpd) of dry gas to the NGL plant, but it has the capacity to push as much as 120 mscfpd.

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

Head of the Gas-toShore Task Force, Winston Brassington has previously stated that ExxonMobil Guyana, which is funding the pipeline aspect of the project out of cost oil, has found that there would be substantial savings from combining these two facilities.

Hence, it was agreed that the power plant and the NGL plant would be done under a combined Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) process. The aim is to deliver rich gas by the end of 2024 for the power plant while the NGL facility is slated to be online by 2025.

An in-depth review is meanwhile expected to be conducted on the gas supply agreement from oil giant ExxonMobil for the gas-to-shore project, with the Government going out to tender for a consultant to conduct the review and provide legal and commercial advisory services. (G3)

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

APNU/AFC’s “direct obstruction” caused Amaila Falls Hydro Project failure – Finance Minister

With plans in the pipeline to relaunch the Request for Proposals (RFP) to restart the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) this year, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh has reminded that it was the direct obstruction by the then A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) Opposition parties back in 2013 that caused the project to fail.

The 165-megawatt AFHP was the flagship initiative of the Bharrat Jagdeo-crafted Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). But the project failed to take off despite having a developer in United States-based Sithe Global, which was backed by investment major The Blackstone Inc.

During last week’s debates on the $781.9 billion Budget 2023, Minister Singh and AFC’s General Secretary David Patterson went down a wormhole of the history of the Amaila Falls project and what caused its downfall nearly 10 years ago.

In August 2013, Sithe Global announced that it was pulling out of the project, which it said was too large to continue without national consensus and had cited the lack of consensus in Parliament. The then APNU and AFC oppositions had both expressed concerns about the project and voted down key pieces of legislations which consequently halted the project.

Shelved

Then during its term in office from 2015 to 2020, the APNU/AFC Administration again shelved the project.

“Amaila Falls did not happen as a direct consequence of actions taken by the APNU/AFC in this House… Let me repeat, Amaila Falls did not happen because of direct obstruction by the APNU/AFC,” Dr Singh contended.

Patterson had argued earlier that, “…the Amaila Falls Project, for the records, was not killed by the coalition. Far from it! It was still-born. It died from malnutrition and lack of financial and technical substance as well as bad ‘parents’.”

However, the Finance Minister called out the AFC GS for trying to rewrite history as if the former coalition partners played no role in the downfall of the project.

“Once again, Mr Patterson tried to hoodwink the people of Guyana,” the Minister stated.

He went on to remind the House of the AFC subsequently backtracking on its position in 2013 to give a last minute ‘lifeline’ to the project but this was after Sithe Global had already withdrawn.

“I’m not saying that the AFC did not collude

with APNU in obstructing this project… don’t get me wrong at all. I’m not suggesting that the AFC was not a co-conspirator and did not collude in frustrating and derailing this project but in this instance, voted in favour of this project… But Patterson comes to the House now and conveniently forgets about all of that…”

“[There were] facilities around the world that Sithe Global had built. These people know what they were doing. They were part of a large credible investment group but yet, Sir, the APNU/ AFC… decided upon themselves that [Sithe Global] didn’t know what they were doing and they’re gonna block this project,” Minister Singh posited.

Relaunching

Nevertheless, during his presentation of the 2023 Budget on January 16, Dr Singh had noted that Government will be relaunching a Request for Proposals for the restart of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project.

The revival of the 165-megawatt AFHP was one of the promises made by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic in its 2020 manifesto.

AFHP is expected to deliver a steady source of clean, renewable energy, which is affordable and reliable, and is envisioned to meet approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s domestic energy needs while removing dependency on fossil fuels.

It is expected that the AFHP would be based on a Build-Own-OperateTransfer (BOOT) model, wherein the company would

Court clerk jailed for attempting to pervert course of justice

On February 26, 2020, she told Ramkumar Singh, Adrian Chung, and Drikcpaul Gobin to lie to the Police surrounding the death of Arvin Tulsie Mayhilall.

Reports are that after Mayhilall died, relatives were told that the 25-yearold man of Lot 81 Johanna Cecilia, Essequibo Coast, had fallen from a bench at Zorg and his prone body was discovered in the late evening by residents.

Atypist clerk attached to the Suddie Supreme Court of Judicature was last week jailed for four months for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Mariano Persaud called “Mariam”, 39, of Zorg, Essequibo Coast, appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court where

she had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following a trial before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court, Persaud was found guilty as charged and sentenced to four months’ imprisonment.

She had been out on $50,000 bail pending her trial.

supply electricity to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc at a cost not exceeding US$0.07737 per kWh, and wherein the company would provide the entire equity required by the project and undertake all the risks associated with the project.

Construction on the hydropower project was supposed to start last year, with an expected completion date being in 2027.

The AFHP was awarded to China Railway First Group in November 2021, but the contract negotiations were stalled and the compa-

ny indicated to Government its inability to execute the project in keeping with the BOOT model – an arrangement that Government insists on keeping. CRFG wanted to enter into an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract with the Government instead, but this was not facilitated.

Nevertheless, President Dr Irfaan Ali had indicated in December last that Guyana is currently in bilateral talks with its North American neighbours – the United States and Canada –on the Amaila Falls Project.

The Head of State had told reporters that the Government has received a lot of interest and proposals from different bilateral partners.

“When I was in the US, I had a meeting with the Energy Secretary [Jennifer Granholm] and her entire staff, and I mentioned this project and the importance of the project, and opening it up to the US and investors – just as it is opened up to for any other investor. The Canadians have [also]

expressed some interest,” President Ali had stated.

At the time, the Guyanese leader explained that his Administration was in the process of conducting assessments in order to ascertain the best possible way forward.

“We are doing assessments now… There’s a lot of bilateral talks that are going on, and then we have to make a structured decision on how we go forward,” he had noted stated.

Back in October 2022, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mark Berman, had disclosed that the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) had held discussions with the Guyana Government on the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project. Canada is well known for its hydropower infrastructure. In fact, the clean and renewable energy supplied by hydropower accounts for over 60 per cent of all the electricity generated in Canada, and Berman has said this is an area in which Canada could provide assistance to Guyana. (G8)

Ruling in Morian v AG does not...

Inapplicable

For his part, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, lawyer for Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones, who filed the challenge against Browne’s and Ramkissoon’s appointments, told the court that the case law being relied on by Mendes to support his position is inapplicable.

He said: “I respectfully submit that the Court of Appeal… as is expressed by Justice Gregory is correct. It constituted the affirmation of the judgement of Justice Chang. The affirmation, by virtue of the court order of the Court of Appeal and the expressed statements of the Court of Appeal. What is the judgement that is currently in existence?”

had moved to the High Court challenging Browne’s and Ramkissoon’s appointments.

He had contended that Browne and Ramkissoon cannot be appointed as non-elected parliamentarians since they were named on the List of Candidates presented by the PPP/C for the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

This, he had contended, made them elected members of the National Assembly since their names were extracted from that party’s list.

FROM PAGE 8

Chief Justice erred and misdirected herself in law by failing to appreciate that although there are similarities in the two cases (Technocrat Ministers/Parliamentary Secretaries), there are also differences in the constitutional regime regarding the appointment of Technocratic Ministers in comparison to Parliamentary Secretaries.

However, his mother, Jaiwantie Mayhilall had always maintained that her son was murdered, prompting an investigation. The post-mortem report revealed that Mayhilall died as a result of trauma to his head and a fractured spine.

Subsequently, Nankishore Persaud, 57, a pump attendant of Anna Regina Housing Scheme, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) was charged and remanded to prison for the man’s murder. (G1)

Having regard to the fact that the Court of Appeal affirmed the judgement of Justice Chang and expressly said so, in the context of Guyana’s legal system, Senior Counsel Forde argued that the extant decision which exists in Guyana’s jurisprudence is the judgement of Justice Chang incorporated and accepted and affirmed into the Court of Appeal’s judgement.

Reserved decision

Apart from Justice Gregory, acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards and Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud make up the bench. They have reserved their decision.

Back in December 2020, the Opposition Chief Whip

Acting Chief Justice George, in cancelling their appointments had relied on Attorney General vs Morian, which was first decided by now-late Chief Justice Ian Chang whose decision was later affirmed by the Court of Appeal.

Applying the reasoning in that case, Chief Justice George, in April 2021, had held, inter alia, that Browne’s and Ramkissoon’s appointments violated Articles 113, 186, and 103 (3) of the Constitution of Guyana.

Nandlall had appealed Justice George’s decision to the appeal court, arguing among other things, that not only was Justice Chang’s reasoning wrong but that Chief Justice George’s findings were erroneous and misconceived in law.

“[Justice George’s] decision does not accord with the clear and unambiguous binding language of the Constitution,” he had argued in one of his grounds of appeal.

According to him, the

He had submitted that historically in Guyana, Parliamentary Secretaries were appointed from among members of the National Assembly, and the category of persons who may be appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries was expanded in the 1980 Constitution to include persons who were qualified to be elected.

He reminded that in the ninth Parliament, Pauline Sukhai, now Amerindian Affairs Minister, whose name appeared on the List of Candidates for the PPP/C, was appointed a Parliamentary Secretary to assist the Tourism Minister as a non-elected member of the National Assembly, without any objection for the duration of that Parliament.

Nandlall also reminded that during the tenth Parliament, Joseph Hamilton, now Labour Minister, whose name did not appear on the List of Candidates for PPP/C or any other List of Candidates, was appointed a Parliamentary Secretary as a non-elected member without any objection for the duration of that Parliament. (G1)

Jailed: Mariano Persaud Dead: Arvin Toolsie Mayhilall

Finance Minister, Dr Ashin Singh

Opposition MP David Patterson

Peru bus plunges off cliff, killing at least 24

crash in a statement, without providing a number of fatalities or injuries.

The tragedy, involving a bus for the company Q'Orianka Tours Aguila Dorada, occurred in the district of El Alto in the far north of Peru, SUTRAN said.

SUTRAN said early investigations showed the bus appeared to have an up-to-date safety inspection and accident insurance.

3 men killed in Cunupia in 3rd triple killing for January

Three men were killed on Saturday night making it the third triple murder for the month.

Police reported that about 19:48h officers assigned to the Cunupia Police Station received a report of a shooting at Hassarath Road, Cunupia. On arrival they found the bodies of two men and were told a third man was taken to the Chagaunas Health Facility. He died while being treated.

the scene.

At least 24 persons died in northern Peru after a bus carrying 60 passengers plunged off a cliff early on

Saturday, Police told local media.

Peru's transportation supervisory agency (SUTRAN) confirmed the

Road accidents are relatively common in Peru, with many drivers operating vehicles on precarious roads and without proper training. In 2021, 29 persons died when a bus plunged off a highway in the Andes Mountains. (Reuters)

Earthquake felt in Buff Bay area of West Portland

The Observer Online has received reports from persons in the Buff Bay area of West Portland that an earthquake was felt about 13:41h on Sunday.

The tremor was also felt in the communities of Hart Hill and White River. There were no reports of injuries.

(Jamaica Observer)

Bahamian diplomats leave Haiti

ment: The Caribbean Community (Caricom) is deeply concerned that the contrasting incidents involving the Haitian National Police indicate the severity of the challenges that the Police face as well as further breakdown in security in Haiti.

The men were identified as Kervin Ramjattan, 35, of Dindial Trace, Cunupia; Shawn Thomas, 37, of Boodoo Avenue, Maturita, Arima and Jervon Ince, 20, of Jerningham Junction, Cunupia. Ince died at hospital.

Police said they recovered 13 spent shells, including eight 5.56 mm casings and five 9 mm casings. One live 5.56 round was also found at

The triple killing came hours after two men were murdered outside Roxbury Bar, Southern Main Road Cunupia, also on Saturday.

Those killed in that incident were identified as Shaquille Ferdinand, 28, an offshore worker, of Kernahan Trace, Dyette Road, Cunupia and Shaeed Jaboolal, 37, of Remy Trace, Longdenville.

The other two triple murders include three teenagers, all cousins, who were killed at Boy’s Lane Extension on January 22.

Brothers Jamal Hackshaw, 19, and Andre Singh, 16, were found in the backyard of their mother’s home while their cousin Keron Madoo, 16 was found in a neighbour’s yard behind his aunt’s home. This was the country’s first triple murder for the year

On Saturday, the country’s second triple killing took place in Carapo where two men and a woman were shot while in a beige coloured car at Rose Drive, Carapo. Police are yet to identify them. (Trinidad Newsday)

Tourist dies suddenly whilst vacationing in Antigua & Barbuda

The Police in Antigua and Barbuda are investigating the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of an 89-year-old male tourist.

It was reported that the elderly man went into the water near Jolly Beach for a swim and apparently developed some sort of medical condition that caused him to collapse.

Other beachgoers who were in close proximity went to his assistance and tried to revive him, but were unsuccessful. A medical doctor arrived on the scene and pronounced him dead approx-

imately 12:39h.

The deceased and his wife are American citizens, who arrived in Antigua earlier on Sunday aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise ship

Anthem of the Seas that is docked at the Heritage Quay. They were due to depart the island later Sunday. Further investigations are ongoing. (Antigua Observer)

The Bahamian

Foreign Affairs

Ministry has said that all seven Bahamian diplomats, including the spouse of the Chargé d’Affaires, were airlifted out of Port-au-Prince, Haiti by helicopter on Friday and have since landed in safely in the Dominican Republic.

In a statement late Friday, Prime Minister Dr Phillip “Brave” Davis expressed deep gratitude to the Dominican Republic President, Luis Abinader and its Foreign Minister, Roberto Alvarez for the execution of this process.”

This development comes as on Thursday, the Prime Minister ordered all Bahamian diplomatic personnel in Haiti to leave the

country as soon as security conditions permitted, citing the rapidly-devolving and unstable conditions in the wake of reported violent gang killings of Police Officers and protests in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) Member State.

Over the past few days, outraged rebel Police Officers “paralysed” Portau-Prince in protest of a slew of killings of Police Officers by Haitian gangs.

Last week, more than a hundred protesters blocked roads, shot guns into the air, and broke through gates in the capital’s airport and the Prime Minister’s house.

Caricom subsequently issued the following state-

Caricom strongly condemns the killing of Police Officers and expresses its condolences to the families of the officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The anger and dismay of the Police at the gruesome killings of their colleagues, 78 killed since July 2021 and 14 to date this January, are shared by all.

However, abandoning the role of the security forces to protect every citizen and maintain public order further destabilises the country. The protest actions by members of the police service against the Prime Minister cannot be condoned.

Caricom urges the members of the Haitian National Police to safeguard peace and order, and refrain from actions which could only serve to foster even greater damage to the country and its people. (CMC)

Barbados: Politician says country owed answers on Central Bank Governor’s exit

Former Opposition Leader, Bishop Joseph Atherley is calling on the Barbados Government to tell the nation why the contract of the Central Bank Governor is not being renewed.

During last week’s annual review of the Barbados economy, Cleviston Haynes, who was appointed in January 2018, announced his contract was expiring and he would demit office on January 31.

“I have my concerns that we are not renewing the contract of the Central Bank Governor. The economy is on the rebound, we have been stabilising our-

Bishop Joseph Atherley Bishop Joseph Atherley

selves and doing the right things for the last few years, so why is his contract not being renewed?” Atherley queried.

“We need several ques-

tions answered pertaining to this. Did he not want his contract renewed, or was it a decision by Government to end it? We need to be told why.” (Nation News)

Bodies of victims are transported on the back of a pick-up truck, after a bus carrying 60 passengers plunged off a cliff, in the district of El Alto, Peru, January 28, 2023 (Piura Government/ Handout via Reuters)

Bahamian Prime Minister, Dr Phillip “Brave” Davis

Big Oil set to report record $200 billion profits for 2022

The five biggest oil majors in the world are expected to report record profits for 2022 in the coming days, for around US$200 billion in combined yearly earnings thanks to the jump in oil and gas prices last year.

This year, earnings at ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, and TotalEnergies are set to be around a quarter lower than the combined profits for 2022, but they will still be a whopping US$150 billion for 2023, analysts say.

The record quarterly earnings which the majors reported for the second and third quarters of 2022 have already drawn intense criticism from the White House, which has scrambled to have gasoline prices down from the record levels seen in June. The Biden Administration has accused Big Oil of “war profiteering” and has called on companies to invest in more supply or “face higher taxes.”

In Europe, the record earnings are already subject to windfall taxes, which ExxonMobil has challenged in court.

The five oil and gas supermajors are expected to report at the end of January and early February combined 2022 earnings of US$200 billion, according to early estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ and cited by the Financial Times. Fourth-quarter earnings will still be well above year-ago levels, although lower than the record quarterly profits for Q2 and Q3.

The majors’ earnings for 2023 are set to drop from the 2022 record to around US$150 billion, which – despite the decline – would be the second-highest profit haul for Big Oil, per projections by S&P Capital IQ.

For 2022, the US supermajors alone are set to post combined yearly profits of nearly US$100 billion, analysts say.

Although oil prices traded below US$90 per barrel in the last weeks of 2022 and prices increased on an annual basis by only around 10% last year compared to 2021, extreme volatility and the frequent surges above US$100 per barrel helped all oil firms, including the biggest American integrated companies, generate record or nearrecord quarterly profits and cash flows.

The industry, the top performer in the S&P 500 index over the past year, has boosted dividends and share buybacks in recent quarters thanks to the massive cash flows. And its earnings are set to lead the 2022 earnings growth of all 11 sectors in the S&P 500.

The energy sector is expected to report the highest annual earnings growth of all eleven sectors at 151.7%, John Butters, Vice President and Senior Earnings Analyst at FactSet, said in a report last month.

Lower oil and gas prices in the fourth quarter will impact Q4 earnings at the majors, but refining has held up, and LNG trading at the European majors is also expected to have helped Big Oil in the October-December quarter.

Early this month, Exxon said in an SEC filing that lower oil prices could have an up to US$1.7 billion negative effect on Q4 earnings, while the drop in natural gas prices could have a negative effect of up to US$2.4 billion. Those negative effects will be partly offset by a positive contribution of mark-to-market derivative gains of up to US$1.5 billion.

In Europe, Shell said that trading and optimization at its integrated gas and LNG division is expected to have been significantly higher in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the third quarter, despite a decline in production volumes.

Although Q4 and 2023 earnings at the majors are expected to come off the record highs seen in the previous quarters and full-year 2022, profits this year would still be huge compared to the years before 2022. Analysts expect that Big Oil will continue to seek to reward shareholders with the surplus cash, much to the resentment of the Biden Administration. (Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

Around the World

Ukraine says it repels attack around Blahodatne, Wagner claims control

Ukraine's military said on Sunday its forces repelled an attack in the area of Blahodatne in the eastern part of the Donetsk region, while Russia's Wagner private military group said it took control of the village.

"Units of Ukraine's Defence Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of ... Blahodatne ... in the Donetsk region," the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in its daily morning report, referring to fighting on Saturday.

It added that its forces repelled Russian attacks in the areas of 13 other settlements in the Donetsk region.

The Wagner Group, designated by the United States as transnational criminal organisation, said

on the Telegram messaging app on Saturday that its units had taken control of Blahodatne.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports. With fighting heating

up in the Donetsk region, the exact line of contact has been unclear, especially around the town Bakhmut where some of the heaviest fighting of the war has been taking place in recent weeks. The Wagner Group

has made premature success claims before.

Ukraine has said that the Russian offensive on Bakhmut has not culminated, but the situation along the front line there has been growingly difficult. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that it was acute.

Four civilians were killed, one in Bakhmut, and 17 wounded in Russian attacks on the region on Saturday, Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the Donetsk region said on the Telegram messaging app.

Ukraine has won promises of Western battle tanks and is seeking fighter jets to push back against Russian and pro-Moscow forces, which are slowly advancing along part of the front line.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

More than 50 die in two Pakistan accidents

More than 50 people have been killed in two separate travel-related accidents in Pakistan on Sunday.

At least 41 people died when a bus fell into a ravine and caught fire in the southwest, while in the north-west at least 10 children drowned in a boating accident.

All the dead recovered so far at the lake were aged between seven and 14.

At the bus crash site, a local official said the bodies were "beyond recognition".

The crash occurred near the southern city of Bela, in Balochistan Province, when it was travelling to the port city of Karachi.

Local official Hamza

Anjum told AFP news agency that 40 bodies were found alongside three injured people, one of whom died shortly after. The two remaining survivors were in a "serious" condition.

The bus reportedly hit a pillar on a bridge before the crash.

"We will investigate the causes of the accident," Anjum said, adding that DNA tests would be used to determine the identity of the remains.

The boat capsized on Tanda Dam, a lake near Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, close to the border with Afghanistan.

Local Police official Mir Rauf told AFP that as well as

the 10 who died, 11 children had been rescued, with six in critical condition. Another nine are believed to be missing.

The boat they were travelling on was carrying more than two dozen people on a daytrip from a local madras-

sa - Islamic school - when it overturned.

Furqan Khan, the deputy commissioner of Korat, told Reuters there had been incidents in the past and police had closed the lake for recreational trips. (Excerpt from BBC News)

UK PM Sunak fires Conservative Party Chairman after tax probe

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has fired Conservative Party Chair Nadhim Zahawi after an independent investigation into his tax affairs found a serious breach of the ministerial code.

“Following the completion of the Independent Adviser’s investigation –the findings of which he has shared with us both – it is clear that there has been a serious breach of the Ministerial Code,” Sunak said in a letter to Zahawi on Sunday.

“As a result, I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty’s Government.”

The independent ethics adviser Laurie Magnus

found that Zahawi had been misleading when he said that reports last July over his tax affairs were “clearly smears”.

Zahawi did not correct the record until last week, when he said he had

reached a settlement with the authorities.

The tax issue relates to Zahawi’s co-founding in 2000 of opinion polling firm YouGov, in which he said his father had taken a stake to support its

launch.

However, Britain’s tax office disagreed with the number of shares given to Zahawi’s father, when the issue was raised during his appointment as Finance Minister last year.

Zahawi said on Saturday he had paid dues and settled the matter with the tax office, which he said concluded that he had made a “careless and not deliberate” error. Zahawi reportedly handed over a fine for late payment worth £5 million (US$6.2 million).

Sunak and his government had faced questions for several days about the row, with growing pressure on Zahawi to stand aside. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Ukrainian service members ride a previously captured Russian armoured personnel carrier in the village of Blahodatne, retaken by the Ukrainian Armed Forces a day ago, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kherson region, Ukraine November 11, 2022

The bus crashed in Pakistan's southern Balochistan province as it travelled to the port city of Karachi

Zahawi said on Saturday he had paid dues and settled the matter with the tax office

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Arguing is a waste of time. Align yourself with people eager to work by your side to get the desired results. Focus on what's right in front of you; you will find what you're looking for.

(March 21-April 19)

Don't sit back if taking charge will get you where you want to go. By being aggressive with your plans, you will find the road to victory. Sincerity will pay off.

(April 20-May 20)

Keep your plans secret. Put a limit on spending to avoid being put in an awkward position. Stick to the most efficient way to execute your plans. Be secretive.

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Turn an idea into a profitable venture. Adjust what's necessary to complete your plans. Do your homework and broaden your outlook. Don't invest in someone else's plan if it conflicts with yours.

(June 21-July 22)

Listen and do more but say less. Keeping the peace and taking care of matters that bring you closer to someone you love is in your best interest. A change of scenery will pay off.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(July 23-Aug. 22)

TODAY’S WORD — AMENTIA

(AMENTIA: ay-MENT-shuh: Lack of development of intellectual capacity.)

Average mark 22 words

Time limit: 30 minutes

Can you find 27 or more words in AMENTIA? The list will be published tomorrow.

SATURDAY’S WORD — MANDRILL

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Participate in something that challenges you mentally and sparks your imagination. Some, not all, will welcome how you approach situations at work and home. Don't try to take charge.

Walking down memory lane will help you implement a successful plan. Asking someone to contribute will help keep the peace and build a solid relationship. Stay true to your goals.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Listen to reason and use your attributes to reach your goal. Your intuition won't lead you astray. A change is apparent, but trepidation will hold you back if you aren't ready to take a leap of faith.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Observation will provide insight into how best to handle money, partners and getting things done on time. Deal with opposition strategically to fine-tune your plans.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Look, evaluate and consider how best to use your skills to get ahead. Step up and be the first to take a stand and make a difference. Aggressive action will drum up the help you need.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Stay in touch with trends. Ask questions, make suggestions and do your part to maintain a healthy and vibrant environment. Be a reasonable observer and try to understand what others are going through. You'll make better decisions.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Offer kindness and consideration when dealing with negativity or opposition. Avoid risky or no-win situations. Don't let your emotions and generosity lead to financial loss or conflict.

Dominant Djokovic lands 22nd grand slam title to draw back level with Nadal

Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in Sunday's final to land a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and draw level with Rafael Nadal on 22 grand slams.

The 35-year-old resisted a fightback from Tsitsipas by saving a set point in the second set on his way to a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) victory at Rod Laver Arena as he made it 10 wins from 10 Melbourne finals.

Djokovic, who was blocked from defending his crown last year after being

Novak Djokovic

deported from the country over his COVID-19 vacci-

nation status, dropped just one set across his seven

matches and has now won 28 matches in a row in his favourite tournament.

The Serbian consequently reclaims the world number one spot, as well as equalling Nadal for the most singles slams won by a male player.

Tsitsipas was aiming to become the 27th male singles champion in the opening major of the year, but he was under relentless pressure right from the off and a double fault in the fourth game handed his opponent the first break of serve.

Djokovic, backed by a crowd that occasionally be-

came too vociferous amid warnings from the umpire, served out the opening set with relative ease and continued to trouble Tsitsipas with some strong serving in the second set.

World number four Tsitsipas slowly grew in confidence and, after a string of unforced errors from Djokovic – who exchanged some strong words with Coach Goran Ivanisevic –he forced set point.

But an excellent forehand winner from Djokovic prevented Tsitsipas from levelling up the match, and the Serbian went on to edge

the tie-break in what was a big moment in the contest.

He had the occasional blip, with Tsitsipas earning his first break of serve in the opening game of the third set, but Djokovic responded instantly with another backhand winner to level up.

There was little to separate the two in the next 10 games as another set went the distance, and once again it was Djokovic who held his nerve in an entertaining tie-break to wrap up the victory in a time of two hours and 56 minutes.

India draw level with New Zealand

In a low-scoring thriller in Lucknow, New Zealand almost defended 99, but with three needed from two balls, Suryakumar Yadav swatted Blair Tickner over midoff to help India level the series 1-1 with one match to go.

Before Sunday, the Ekana Stadium had hosted five T20 Internationals, with the team batting first winning on all five occasions. Keeping that in mind, Mitchell Santner opted to bat after winning the toss.

With the red-soil pitch at the Ekana Stadium expected to help spinners, India brought in Yuzvendra Chahal for Umran Malik. That gave them four spin-bowling options, including Deepak Hooda.

All of them troubled New Zealand and restricted them to a mere 99-8. It was New Zealand’s lowest total against India in a full-length T20I. Still, it was far from a cruise for India. New Zealand used five spinners – and eight bowlers in all – and they were as effective as their India counterparts in strangling the scoring rate. India, though, had the advantage of knowing their target. They took the game deep and crossed the line with one ball to spare.

In all, spinners bowled 30 overs in the match – the second-most in any T20I, and the most in a game involving Full Member

teams.

New Zealand lose three to reverse-sweep

Finn Allen looked to take the attack to the opposition straightaway. He was lucky to collect streaky, back-to-back boundaries off Hardik Pandya, but was at sea against spin.

Introduced in the fourth over, Chahal found turn straightaway. His first delivery pitched on the leg stump, beat Allen’s outside edge, and missed off stump.

Allen tried to counter him with the reverse-sweep, only to be bowled via a deflection off his right leg.

After Chahal’s wicket maiden, Devon Conway attempted a reverse-sweep against Washington Sundar in the next over.

The ball, though, brushed his wrist and lobbed to Ishan Kishan.

Glenn Phillips too found it difficult to score against spin and resorted to the

reverse-sweep. In the process, he ended up exposing nearly all three stumps to an innocuous Hooda delivery, and was bowled, leaving New Zealand 35 for 3 in the seventh over.

Kuldeep dents New Zealand further

If New Zealand had any hopes of a recovery with Daryl Mitchell, the Player of the Match in the previous game, and Mark Chapman in the middle, Kuldeep Yadav shattered them. The wristspinner got one to turn back in sharply from outside off to breach Mitchell’s defence and hit the off stump.

Chapman and Michael Bracewell tried to revive the innings. Their stand was worth 20 when Bracewell reverse-swept Hooda uppishly towards short third. Kuldeep slipped and could not go for the catch, but his quick throw to Kishan meant Chapman, who had

taken off for a single, could not retrace his steps in time.

Till the 17th over, Hardik was the only seamer India had used. In the death overs, he and Arshdeep Singh used the bouncer to good effect to pick up three wickets between them. The New Zealand innings featured only six fours and no six. There would be no six in India’s innings either.

India hobble to the target

It was never going to be a cakewalk for India. Jacob Duffy bowled the first over of the chase, but from there till the 18th over, New Zealand bowled only spin from both ends.

Shubman Gill fell for 11, top-edging Bracewell to deep square leg. Ishan Kishan struggled and was run out for 19 off 32 balls by an excellent piece of fielding. Kishan got an inside edge towards mid-

wicket against Phillips and looked to collect two.

The bowler sprinted towards the ball, put in a slide, and fired the throw to the non-striker’s end.

In the meantime, Rahul Tripathi had sent Kishan back and his bat was on the crease when Santner broke the stumps.

Ish Sodhi dismissed Tripathi soon after, reducing India to 50 for 3 in the 11th over. Suryakumar and Washington, promoted to number, calmed the Indian

New Zealand (20 ovs maximum)

Finn Allen b Chahal 11

Devon Conway †c †Ishan

Kishan b Washington Sundar 11

Mark Chapman run out

(Kuldeep Yadav/†Ishan Kishan) 14

Glenn Phillips b Hooda 5

Daryl Mitchell b Kuldeep Yadav 8

Michael Bracewell c

Arshdeep Singh b Pandya 14

Mitchell Santner (c) not out 19

Ish Sodhi c Pandya

b Arshdeep Singh 1

Lockie Ferguson c Washington

Sundar b Arshdeep Singh 0

Jacob Duffy not out 6

Extras (lb 1, w 9) 10

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 4.95) 99/8

Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Finn Allen, 3.3 ov), 2-28 (Devon Conway, 4.4 ov), 3-35 (Glenn Phillips, 6.5 ov), 4-48 (Daryl Mitchell, 9.6 ov), 5-60 (Mark Chapman, 12.4 ov), 6-80 (Michael Bracewell, 16.6 ov), 7-83 (Ish Sodhi, 17.4 ov), 8-83 (Lockie Ferguson, 17.6 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Hardik Pandya 4-0-25-1

Washington Sundar 3-0-17-1

Yuzvendra Chahal 2-1-4-1

Deepak Hooda 4-0-17-1

dugout somewhat. The pair largely dealt in ones and twos to take the side to within 30 runs of the target before a mix-up resulted in Washington sacrificing his wicket.

In the end, it came down to 13 required from 12 balls. Lockie Ferguson conceded only seven off the 19th over despite Hardik finding a boundary. Suryakumar, though, ensured Washington’s sacrifice did not go in vain. (ESPNcricinfo)

Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-17-1

Arshdeep Singh 2-0-7-2

Shivam Mavi 1-0-11-0

India (T: 100 runs from 20 ovs)

Shubman Gill c Allen b Bracewell 11

Ishan Kishan †run out (Phillips/Santner) 19

Rahul Tripathi c Phillips b Sodhi 13

Suryakumar Yadav not out 26

Washington Sundar run out (Tickner) 10

Hardik Pandya (c) not out 15

Extras (lb 1, w 6) 7

TOTAL 19.5 Ov (RR: 5.09) 101/4

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Shubman Gill, 3.5 ov), 2-46 (Ishan

Kishan, 8.5 ov), 3-50 (Rahul Tripathi, 10.4 ov), 4-70 (Washington Sundar, 14.3 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Jacob Duffy 1-0-8-0

Michael Bracewell 4-0-13-1

Mitchell Santner 4-0-20-0

Shaffeeullah Sawmills sponsors BCB Upper Corentyne Secondary School Under19 tournament – R Singh Trucking donates to School Gears project

The massive marketing drive of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) to obtain sponsorship for all of its projected 2023 tournaments before the start of the season continues to bear fruit as Upper Corentyne businessman Imran Shaffeeullah came on board to sponsor an inter-secondary school tournament in that area.

The businessman on Friday last confirmed his support by handing over a cheque to BCB Competition Committee Chairman Leslie Solomon at his Crabwood Creek office in the presence of Board President Hilbert Foster.

Foster, who has been

spearheading the marketing drive, stated that the BCB has so far obtained sponsorship and pledges for more than 90 per cent of its proposed tournaments in 2023.

The Upper Corentyne inter-secondary school tournament would be contested by the Line Path, Skeldon, Tagore, Black Bush Polder, and Central Secondary Schools.

The winner of that zone would then go on to play the winners of the other three zones – West Berbice, New Amsterdam/ Canje and Lower Corentyne for the overall Berbice championship.

The BCB, Foster noted, has already assisted all 23 schools in the coun-

Da Silva cracks century against Zimbabwe XI

Joshua Da Silva scored the second unbeaten century of the innings to leave the West Indies in total command against a Zimbabwe XI on Sunday’s second day of their threeday match at Bulawayo.

The Trinidadian wicketkeeper-batsman retired not out as the West Indies amassed 517 from 132.5 overs. The visiting bowlers then struck early and often to reduce the Zimbabwe XI to 52-5 at stumps.

Da Silva’s ton, which

SCOREBOARD

West Indies 1st Innings

Kraigg Brathwaite (c) retired not out 116

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

c Tsiga b Chivanga 46

Raymon Reifer b Chesa 23

Nkrumah Bonner lbw b Madhevere 3

Jermaine Blackwood c Chivanga b Shumba 17

Kyle Mayers b Tiripano 46

Devon Thomas c Tsiga

b Tiripano 49

Joshua Da Silva † retired not out 100

Roston Chase not out 87

Jason Holder b Shumba 4

Alzarri Joseph c Maruma

b Shumba 11

Extras (lb 11, nb 3, w 1) 15

TOTAL 132.5 Ov (RR: 3.89, 542 Mts) 517

Fall of wickets: 1-137 (Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 42.4 ov), 2-199 (Nkrumah Bonner, 61.5 ov), 3-199 (Raymon Reifer, 62.5 ov), 4-240 (Jermaine

Blackwood, 70.5 ov), 5-295 (Kyle Mayers, 84.6 ov), 6-334 (Devon Thomas, 96.3 ov), 7-492

(Jason Holder, 128.6 ov), 8-517 (Alzarri Joseph, 132.5 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Carl Mumba 12-3-54-0

Faraz Akram 13-1-41-0

Tanaka Chivanga 12.3-4-23-1

Donald Tiripano 13.3-3-34-2

Wessly Madhevere 23-2-85-1

William Mashinge 13-1-60-0

Tapiwa Mufudza 18-0-58-0

Priviledge Chesa 15-1-67-1

Milton Shumba 11.5-0-80-3

Kudzai Maunze 1-0-4-0

Zimbabwe XI 1st Innings

Tanunurwa Makoni

c Bonner b Mayers 13

Kudzai Maunze c †Da

Silva b Joseph 0

Joylord Gumbie c †Da

Silva b Joseph 11

Timycen Maruma not out 15

Wessly Madhevere lbw

b Holder 0

Tony Munyonga c Chase b Gabriel 1

Milton Shumba not out 9

Extras (b 1, lb 1, nb 1) 3

TOTAL 21.3 Ov (RR: 2.41) 52/5

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Kudzai

Maunze, 1.2 ov), 2-12 (Joylord Gumbie, 5.3 ov), 3-30 (Tanunurwa Makoni, 10.3 ov), 4-31 (Wessly

Madhevere, 11.6 ov), 5-36

(Tony Munyonga, 14.1 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W Kemar Roach 7-2-10-0 Alzarri Joseph 4-1-12-2 Shannon Gabriel 4-1-17-1 Kyle Mayers 1-1-0-1 Jason Holder 4-2-2-1

Gudakesh Motie 1.3-0-9-0

came from 149 balls and included 13 fours, followed that of Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who retired on 116 on Saturday.

Resuming on an overnight score of nine, Da Silva, and Devon Thomas (on 42 with the score on 313-5) added 23 to their partnership of 18 before Thomas was dismissed for 49.

Da Silva and Roston Chase then mounted a seventh-wicket stand of 158 before he retired leaving Chase unbeaten on 87 at the end after Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph were dismissed for four and 11, respectively.

Milton Shumba was the best of the Zimbabwe XI bowlers with 3-80. Donald Tiripano took 2-34.

Chasing the mammoth total, Zimbabwe XI were in early trouble when Joseph had opener Kudzai Maunze caught behind for a duck in the second over of the innings.

He later dismissed Joylord Gumbie in similar fashion for 11 in the sixth over to have Zimbabwe XI struggling on 12-2. Kyle Mayers got among the wickets when he dismissed Tanunurwa Makoni for 13 as the side slipped to 30-3.

Holder made it 31-4 when he trapped Wessly Madhevere lbw for nought and Shannon Gabriel dismissed Tony Munyonga for one to make it 36-5.

Timycen Maruma (15*) and Shumba, who is nine not out, managed to inch towards the close of play without further loss.

Joseph has so far taken 2-14 for the West Indies while Holder has 1-2 from four overs. (Sportsmax)

ty with uniforms, balls and some gear, and is on the verge of conducting coaching sessions in every school. In addition to the inter-secondary school tournament, the active BCB would also be hosting a historic inter-primary school tourney.

Each of the 65 schools in both Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) would also receive assistance in the form of equipment to play. Solomon reassured the sponsor that the tournament would be well-organised and expressed gratitude for the support. Shaffeeullah, in response, stated that he was a very passionate cricket fan and was very

Persaud dominates round 1 of 2023 Dakota '100' Endurance race

impressed with the work of the Berbice Board and was delighted to assist. Late last year, he had assisted the BCB to obtain some necessary coaching equipment for its countywide programme.

Meanwhile, the management of R Singh Trucking Service and Sawmills also made a financial contribution to the Board to obtain flannel balls for its upcoming inter-primary school programme. The BCB is aiming to distribute close to $700,000 in bats and balls under the special project. Thanks were also expressed to Raymond Singh of the company for his support.

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Vishok Persaud took a dominant overall win in round one of the 2023 Dakota in his Lotus Exige.

He completed the race in 2 hours, 40 minutes and 29 seconds.

He also set the new Dakota 100 lap record with a time of 1:25.451.

The Dakota 100 Endurance event was hosted by the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) , and was the first event for the 2023 season at the South Dakota Circuit.

Persaud had a best lap of 1:25.451 seconds and finished ahead of a usual front runner at Endurance Races, Adrian Fernandes, followed by Kamal Seebarran and Rameez Mohamed. Fernandes had completed 98 laps in a time of 2:41:27.438 seconds while Seebarran did his 94 laps in 2:41:45.234 seconds.

Persaud also topped the unlimited class while Fernandes was the best performer in the 1501-1601

cc and Romario Dindial, who did 88 laps, was the best performer in the 16012000 cc.

Altabh Khan, who completed 86 laps, was the most impressive for 0-1500 cc.

The race was staged on the extended 1.6-mile track that came to fruition after a strategic partnership between Government, the Private Sector, and the GMR&SC.

The track extension is a promise being fulfilled by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government led by President Dr Irfaan Ali to develop the facility to international standards.

The immediate aim of the Club is to have an FIA Grade 3 course and with further investments, an FIA Grade 2, which would make it the premier racing facility in the Caribbean.

The next event on the agenda for the GMR&SC will be drag racing on February 19 followed by circuit racing on March 18.

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Caption: Evin Lewis and Rashid Khan were teammates at St Kitts & Nevis Patriots last season

Imran Shaffeeullah hands over the sponsorship to BCB’s Leslie Solomon

Joshua Da Silva

Vishok Persaud shows off the chequered flag after his win

Guyana Harpy Eagles depart to Antigua for West Indies Championship

– Assistant Coach pleased with mixture in squad

By Brandon Corlette

The Guyana Harpy

Eagles departed Guyanese shores on Sunday morning for Antigua for the upcoming West Indies championships, the regional Four-Day tournament.

Guyana will open their 2023 season against Barbados Pride at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Team Guyana will be led by Leon Johnson, and Veerasammy Permaul will be performing the role of Vice Captain. According to Assistant Coach of the Guyana Harpy Eagles team, Garvin Nedd, the 13-member squad has a mixture of youth and experience.

"Team is mixed with youth and experience. We have the Captain, Leon Johnson; Anthony Bramble and those guys have been around a while," Nedd said.

For the opening games this season, the Guyana side has four newcomers in Matthew Nandu, Shamar Joseph, Kemol Savory, and Ashmead Nedd. Coach Nedd is looking forward to the young players showing their worth at the First-

Class level.

"With the selection of young Nandu, and Savory and the young [Tevin] Imlach in the team, those guys have been showing their worth, in terms of their skill-set. Hopefully, they can transfer that into the tournament," Nedd said.

Fast bowler Nial Smith is expected to play a key role in this year's tournament for Guyana Harpy Eagles, along with the experienced Ronsford Beaton. Coach Nedd disclosed that the new fast bowler, Joseph has a lot of energy, and he is looking forward to the youngster making that transition into the tournament.

"Shamar Joseph has shown some energy and he took wickets, so hopefully he can bring that to the tournament, and Beaton has been around, so his experience will be important,"

Nedd explained.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles squad is: Leon Johnson (Captain); Veerasammy Permaul (Vice Captain); Chandrapaul Hemraj; Matthew Nandu; Kemol Savory; Tevin Imlach; Anthony Bramble;

Tucber Park Cricket Club congratulates Smith and Joseph

Kevin Sinclair; Nial Smith; Ronsford Beaton; Akshaya Persaud; Ashmead Nedd and Shamar Joseph. The Manager is Albert Clements; the Head Coach is Ryan Hercules; the Assistant Coach is Garvin Nedd; the Cricket Analyst is Keshava Ramphal, and the Physiotherapist is Angelica Holder.

In the opening round of these West Indies Championships, Guyana will play defending champions Barbados Pride from February 1 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

Guyana will then play Windward Islands Volcanoes at the National

Stadium in Grenada from February 8 in the second round of the tournament.

2023 West Indies Championship Match Schedule

All matches start at 10 am Eastern Caribbean time (9 am Jamaica time)

GNS – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada

SVRS – Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua

CCG – Coolidge Cricket

Ground, Antigua

Round 1:

31 January to 3 February

– Grenada

Windward Islands

Volcanoes v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at GNS

1 to 4 February –Antigua

Barbados Pride v Guyana Harpy Eagles at SVRS

Leeward Islands

Hurricanes v Jamaica

Scorpions at CCG

Round 2:

8 to 11 February –

Grenada and Antigua

Windward Islands

Volcanoes v Guyana Harpy

Eagles at GNS

Leeward Islands

Hurricanes v Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at SVRS

Jamaica Scorpions v

Barbados Pride at CCG

Round 3:

15 to 18 March in

Trinidad – Venues to be

confirmed

Trinidad and Tobago

Red Force v Guyana Harpy

Eagles

Jamaica Scorpions v Windward Islands

Volcanoes

Leeward Islands

Hurricanes v Barbados

Pride

Round 4:

22 to 25 March in

Trinidad – Venues to be

confirmed

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Barbados Pride

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Jamaica Scorpions

Leeward Islands

Hurricanes v Windward Islands Volcanoes

Round 5: 29 March to 1 April in Trinidad – Venues to be confirmed

Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Jamaica Scorpions

Guyana Harpy Eagles v Leeward Islands

Hurricanes Barbados Pride v Windward Islands

Volcanoes

Headley Weekes TriSeries

All matches to be played at CCG, Antigua

Match 1: 19 to 22 April:

Team Headley v West Indies Academy

Match 2: 26 to 29 April:

Team Weekes v West Indies Academy

Match 3: 3 to 6 May:

Team Weekes v Team Headley

Horse racing returns to No 36 Village on March 5

The Tucber Park Cricket Club (TPCC) has congratulated Nial Smith and Shamar Joseph for their selection to the Guyana Harpy Eagles senior team to participate in this year’s West Indies Championship.

Smith, who hails from Islington, New Amsterdam, has been selected for a third season. He has played 11 First-Class matches, taking 27 wickets, and is expected to lead the fast-bowling unit which also includes Ronsford Beaton and new selectee Shamar Joseph.

Joseph is enjoying his first call-up to any national team. The 23-year-old who hails

from Baracara, Canje Creek (a riverine area in the Canje River), caught the attention of the selectors and cricket pundits when he struck an entertaining, unbeaten 67 against Essequibo, batting at number eight for the GCB Select XI in last year’s GCB Super50 Intercounty at Everest. Joseph further staked a claim for selection with eight wickets from the two trial matches held at Providence recently.

The Executive and members of TPCC wish both Smith and Joseph well for the upcoming tournament.

Guyana face Barbados in the opening round on February 1, 2023 in Antigua.

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly affected sports around the globe, and for the first time since the pandemic, horse racing action is set for a grand return at Number 36 Village on Sunday, March 5.

The race meet is being organised by the Nand Persaud Group of Companies (NPGC), through its Sky Plus Incorporated Promotion Group.

The races will be held at the Number 36

Village, Macedonia Estate, Corentyne, Berbice, on a straight track that features sprint classics only. This straight track is the only of its kind in Guyana, and races are expected to be run at 660 yards and 880 yards in length.

The NPGC a has the complete package which includes racing track, promotional group, race horses, and stables.

It is known for its innovation, generosity and organising ability and as a pacesetter for such. The

company, with its head office located at its Rice Milling and Packaging Complex, at Number 36 Village, has a number of subsidiaries.

Among them are its Retail and Wholesale Outlet at Corriverton, Blue Sky Tech at Tain, Amazonia Rice Outlet at Black Bush Polder, NPG Packaging and Plastic Inc at Wellington Park, its Agricultural and Machinery Department at No 36, International Communication INC at Tain and East Bank Demerara, the General Store at Rose Hall Town, and printing factory among others.

The company is also a leading player in the country’s green energy drive. On race day, a number of initiatives will be in place including slow-motion replay photo-finish cameras and a big screen for horse enthusiasts.

A number of prizes will be up for grabs including for the champion jockey, trainer, and stable. According to reports, the programme will be finalised and released shortly. Mohendra Persaud, who is well-known as Mohin, will be the coordinator of the event.

Shamar Joseph and Nial Smith

Flashback: Mohin Persaud shares a light moment with the British High Commisioner Jane Miller at a horse race event in Berbice. Also in photo are family of Persaud and Commisioner Miller

Top Horses will be on show during the sprint classic on March 5

Guyana Harpy Eagles Assistant Coach Garvin Nedd