Guyana Times - Monday, March 27, 2023

Arson suspected as Berbice home goes up in flames

Death of baby Daycare facility was uncertified, ordered to close – file sent for legal advice on way forward

Days after seven-monthold Oriyah Gravesande suffocated and died at a private daycare at Ogle on the East Coast Demerara (ECD), Police said the file was compiled and sent to the DPP Chambers for legal advice on the way forward.

The Police stated that it was part of a joint investigation with the Child Care and Protection Agency and the Human Services and Social Security after which it was decided that the file should be sent for legal advice.

However, the owner of the daycare facility was granted cash bail and ordered to report to the Sparendaam Police Station, ECD, on a daily basis. Guyana Times was also informed that the operations at the daycare came to an abrupt halt following the incident.

Officials have also confirmed that the facility was uncertified for years and ought not to have been in operation. This raised questions about

how such a facility could operate without proper authorisation.

On Tuesday, the infant’s mother, Shavanie Gravesande, was called to the facility after being informed that her daughter was unresponsive.

“They called me and tell me that our baby was unresponsive when they took her to the health centre, and by the time they reached the Georgetown Hospital, she was pronounced dead…she left home good, smiling and everything,” the child’s parent told the media.

The mother, devastated by the loss of her child, added that she was contacted two hours after the incident, and by the time she arrived at the hospital, she was told that her baby had died. A post-mortem examination performed on the body of the seven-month-old has revealed that the infant died from haemorrhage and compression to the neck.

The post-mortem examination was conducted on Wednesday by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Mortuary.

Alate-night fire on Saturday has left a hire car driver homeless after his Chesney Front, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) home went up in flames.

The fire was reportedly seen shortly after 21:00h. At the time, however, Safraz Mursalin was not at home.

Mursalin said he had gone to his aunt’s home at Number 62 Village, Corentyne, which is about 35 miles away. He said a friend called him and informed him about the fire.

When he arrived at the scene, there were two units

from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) outside of his premises and the building was already completely destroyed. He explained that his house was fully furnished.

The only part of the building that was spared by the blaze was the washroom, which was situated in the lower flat.

“I did not even get to check and see what happened and the Police came to me and said that they need a statement and took me to the station. When I go there now, they lock me up till just now they loose me… since last

night. Up to now, nobody told me why they lock me up,” Mursalin related on Sunday.

However, a source close to the investigating team told this publication that the fire might have started from the “step area”. The source also said that initial investigations seem to suggest that the fire was deliberately set. The Police and Fire Department are both investigating.

Mursalin said he does not know what his next move is but he would like to rebuild. Persons who wish to assist Mursalin can contact him on telephone number: 629-0143.

Construction worker remanded to prison for attempting to kill “Turkey”

Shervin Allen, a construction worker of Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast, was on Friday slapped with an attempted murder charge committed on Rondelo Benjamin also known as “Turkey”.

Allen appeared at the Suddie Magistrate's Court where the charge was read to him contrary to Section 103 (c) of the Criminal Law Offences Act, chapter 8:01. He was not required to plead to the charge and as such was remanded to prison following

objections to bail by the prosecutor.

Family members and friends of both the accused and the victim were present in court on Friday which resulted in some tension.

However, after hearing the arguments from both the prosecution and the defence, the Magistrate remanded Allen until March 31. The unlawful wounding reportedly took place on January 10 at Onderneeming Sand Pit but the circumstances of the matter remain unclear.

Remanded: Shervin Allen

Dead: Oriyah Gravesande

The uncertified daycare facility

The house that was completely destroyed by fire

The area where the fire reportedly started

Owner of the house, Safraz Mursalin

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, Mar 27 – No retraction and Tuesday, Mar 28 – 22:00h -23:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, Mar 27 – 07:10h – 08:40h and Tuesday, Mar 28 – 07:50 – 09:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 2.68 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 07:50h and 20:22h reaching maximum heights of 2.46 metres and 2.24 metres.

Low Tide: 13:54h reaching a minimum height of 0.8 metre.

“We are delivering on the legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan” – Pres Ali

– points to PPP/C's pro-poor, pro-business policies, food security emphasis

says PPP/C will destroy, completely wipe out weapons of racism

man that is respected globally, we’re delivering on the legacy of Dr Cheddi

Many of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s (PPP/C) policies of today, can be traced back to the policies of the party’s founder, Dr Cheddi Jagan, from its propoor approach and regional leadership on food security matters to its pro-business policies.

This is according to President Dr Irfaan Ali at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Region Six, where he and members of the party went to “Celebrate the life and work” of Father of the Nation and party Founder, Dr Cheddi Jagan on Sunday.

According to Ali, Dr Jagan is inextricably linked with the PPP/C. He pointed to similar ideologies in Jagan’s manifesto of 1992, when he was elected to office as President.

“We cannot divorce Dr Jagan from the PPP. And we cannot divorce the PPP from Dr Jagan. That is why the policies we pursue must be reflective of the core values and principles. Go back to the manifesto of 1992.”

“It spoke about food security, universal education, health, public infrastructure, and investment in human capital. And that is what this Government continues to do every single day. Doing it and delivering is living the legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan,” President Ali said.

Some examples of this are the “Because We Care” grant to help school children, the impending construction of 12 world-class hospitals across the country, and even the legacy left by former President and now Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who also shared the stage as the party’s General Secretary.

“When we deliver the uniform grant and transportation grant to the children, so they can have an education… by the way that was there before 2014, but taken away during those five years. It is this Government that restored it. We are delivering on the legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan. When we deliver on the

“Go back to the manifesto of 1992. It spoke about food security, universal education, health, public infrastructure, investment in human capital. And that is what this Government continues to do every single day. Doing it and delivering is living the legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan” – President Dr Irfaan Ali.

school feeding programme, we’re delivering on the legacy of Dr Jagan.”

“When we deliver on jobs to help the most vulnerable in our society, we’re delivering on the legacy of Dr Jagan. When the party can produce a champion of the earth, a hero on the environment and a

Jagan,” the President further said.

Pro-business

Other examples include the lead role Guyana is playing when it comes to food security in the Region and even the pro-business

approach the Government has taken, which has resulted in the rapid growth of Guyana’s non-oil economy, at a time when economic growth in many countries across the world has stagnated.

“When the party in Government can take the leadership on food security in the Caribbean, we’re delivering on the legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan. When we are building a healthcare system to deliver world class healthcare, we’re delivering on the legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan. When we uplift the lives of women and children, when we help the vulnerable and poor.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

A section of the audience at Babu Jaan

Editor: Tusika Martin

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A new constitution?

One of the sad features of Guyanese political life is the level of cynicism about our politicians. There is no question that there is much to justify this cynicism. When Members of Parliament can resort to the lawlessness we saw from the Opposition benches during the reading of the Natural Resource Fund Bill, what is the average citizen to think? To create more responsible leaders, we will have to go beyond mere handwringing: we have to create an appropriate environment with enabling political institutions.

While, as the cliché goes, we have to ultimately depend on the integrity of individuals elected to office, we have to start from the premise that to be human is to have weaknesses. Our institutions (rules of behaviour centred on particular values) have to be so structured as to give incentives to the persons that fall within their ambit to enhance the value.

In general, people are more committed to following rules they had a role in crafting. This is common sense: the rule had to have made some sense to us or we would not have accepted them in the first place. So where do we begin? One place is to start at the very beginning. In the political realm of any country, political institutions all emanate from the Constitution of that country. But in Guyana, it is from this “supreme law of the land” that political cynicism begins.

The Constitution of Guyana has a particularly tainted and cynical history. Ostensibly, its birth was occasioned by the decision of Mr Forbes Burnham to launch Guyana on a socialist path in 1974 with his “Declaration of Sophia”. He insisted that the supreme law had to be more au fait with the new ideology: the 1966 Independence Constitution was too bourgeois. The fly in the ointment, however, was that while Mr Burnham was undoubtedly committed to socialism, he was even more enthusiastically committed to satisfying his drive for absolute personal power.

The rigged referendum of 1978 demonstrated early on that he saw the creation of the Constitution as a mere legal fig leaf to cover his ambitions. The product, unveiled in 1980, confirmed the worst fears of even the truly neutral observers: Professors James and Lutchman of UG wrote a devastating critique. The TUC, facilitators of the PNC’s accession to power in the sixties, complained bitterly that not “an iota” of its proposals had been accepted. One does not have to guess at the conclusions of the PPP and the new WPA. The Constitution created a “constitutional dictatorship” premised on electoral rigging.

And this is the Constitution that is still the supreme law of the land. Yes, there were major changes following the 1999 reform process. But the present document is a mishmash of articles that still hark back to socialism, articles that are internally and relationally inconsistent, articles that should properly be dealt with by statutory law rather than being in a constitution, etc. Constitutional change is on the agenda, but at some point, we will have to bite the bullet: jettison the 1980 Constitution and begin from scratch.

A Constitution has to be seen as a social contract between the various social forces in a country, which creates a state with institutions that are just. For it to be “just”, we must begin from first principles. While it is fashionable, for instance, to reject “ideologies”, it is utopian to believe that we can avoid articulating guiding principles for our nation – call it “Basic Structure” or what you will.

Finally, there must be a commitment that any constitution that purports to govern all the people must be approved by a supermajority of the people in a referendum. This is what Mr Burnham turned ducks and drakes in the seventies to avoid. He knew that even with the polarised political ethnic landscape of the time, even his African Guyanese supporters would not have gone along with the edifice of power he sought to construct.

The root causes behind the violent confrontations in our schools

Dear Editor, There has been an upsurge in violent attacks in our schools and this development is troubling, as these attacks are becoming more and more frequent, or one should say in rapid succession. This trend has to be addressed urgently before someone gets seriously injured or even killed. In this regard, I am calling on the Education authorities to bring into focus the following three points.

It is quite clear to all at this time that these school invasions stem from three main causes:

(a) Corporal punishment in schools

(b) Race and politics

(c) Poor conflict resolution skills.

So let us begin at the beginning, and I shall begin by very bluntly addressing the issue of corporal punishment, this aspect of disciplining a child has to be abolished. The action of someone trying to instil obedience in a child by putting one’s hands on him is a definite no-no.

That method of the use of a cane, whip, or strap on another must be done away with, end of discussion! It might have worked in times past, however, in the modern era, this type of discipline is cause for alarm, in the sense that parents, guardians, even students themselves are reacting violently to it.

As the proverb says, violence begets violence and this is the manifestation we are seeing right before our very eyes. What I have brought to your attention

here was seen in three instances, at The Graeme's Hall Secondary, St Agnes, and St Angela Schools. Because the one being "disciplined" can always come up with the reasoning that he/she was unfairly dealt with, whether theirs was too harsh or the person administering the punishment was very selective in doing so.

The fact is, no one has the legal right to enforce pain and blunt trauma on another, as a form of correction, and that goes for teachers, parents, guardians, and students. There are other forms of discipline and these must be utilised, therefore, the simple solution is to abolish corporal punishment from our schools.

Now, the second aspect of our discussion as it relates to these violent school invasions is race and politics. I am of the opinion that these are cases where the school system is reaping the raw negatives of their actions, or in other words, it is the negative, far-reaching effect of a bad parent/teacher/school interaction. You might be puzzled by my use of the term "negative parent/ teacher/school relation” and as such be quick to ask the question, where is Mister Adams going with this one?

So to lend clarity to the matter I call us to remember the incident involving a justice's daughter. Here we had a parent who was concerned about his daughter's safety and well-being at the school after news of her being assaulted by a male student of the said school. Now, the normal thing for any normal parent to do was to

visit the school to get down to the bottom of the matter. On his first encounter with the administration, he was cold-shouldered by the principal there and got no redress.

On his second visit, the parent took along a policeman as an independent witness to the proceedings. On that second visit, the very same lame excuse was made by the principal, I am very busy I cannot speak to you. On the second visit, things got a little heated and the school's administration and a politically aligned union readily jumped in on the airwaves to castigate the parent, who clearly was doing the right thing in wanting to be properly apprised as to the goings on at that school, and to know of his daughter's safety and wellbeing.

And here's my point, to be rebuffed on two occasions would cause any parent to be annoyed. I am talking from my standpoint. I might have been tempted to do something very primitive and crude, were it my child. As investigation would prove, the principal had an abhorrence for the parent's race and her own misguided perception as to what his political affiliation might be. That political stereotyping was vividly evident at St Agnes and Woodley Park Cotton Tree Schools when politics and race became a critical issue.

Meanwhile, the PNCdominated teachers’ union is complicit in all of this, in that they keep harping on the race and/or political affiliation of the parents who came to those schools, add-

ing fuel to the fire of an already volatile situation. Well, as fate would have it, they are now reaping the rewards of their foolish actions because the harsh invasions that are now taking place are the parents and students of your own kind, deal with it now! The parents of your own race are not taking it lightly, they are coming to confront you all with violence that is very severe.

My last point deals with poor conflict resolution skills being implemented in our schools, and the latest issue involving the teacher at Houston Secondary speaks volumes. Here we have a conflict situation developing between the teacher and a student who later sees the parent coming to the school. The situation was not pleasant between the teacher and student, which logically meant that the meeting with an angry parent would be any way different.

In such circumstances let the Head Teacher handle the situation in an amicable manner, this was not to be, in that the teacher was approached which caused an escalation of the matter, punches were thrown and a full-fledged street brawl resulted. The teacher in question was not gentle in her response but acted with bravado by arming herself with a cutlass and marching around the school's compound in a lunatic rage. Now, what would have happened if the student and parent armed themselves in like manner? That's the question many cannot answer.

Clive Jagan, the nephew of the late Dr Cheddi Jagan, addressing the gathering at Babu Jaan on Sunday as thousands turned up to pay tribute to the “father of the nation”

human rights

“You have a Govt that is big on action” – PM Phillips ...says

Guyana will continue to see large-scale development, on a steady trajectory to prosperity, under the stewardship of a Government committed to “more action, and less talk”.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips made this statement on Sunday at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Berbice, at a ceremony held in observance of the late former President, Dr Cheddi Jagan’s 26th death anniversary and 105th birth anniversary.

“Throughout his career, he was committed to building a Guyana based on equality, regardless of race, religion, and regardless of whichever part of Guyana you come from. He was committed to improving the lives of all Guyanese, especially the working people,” PM

Phillips said.

He highlighted the multi-ethnic composition of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), serving as a testament to the diversity and inclusivity that characterises the party, as people from all walks of life come together to work towards the common good.

PM Phillips assured those in attendance that this PPP/C Government will continue to leave a legacy of stewardship built on the principles of integrity, unity, equality and democracy, following in the footsteps of Dr Jagan.

“We are following the principles of comrade Cheddi because he believed that democracy was important for the development of Guyana,” he said.

Former President, Dr

Day 6: Maa Katyayani

Maa Katyayani is the demon slayer who slayed the demon Mahishashura. She was born through the energy rays which formed after all the Gods manifested their anger against demon Mahishashura, who she then beheaded with her sword. Maa Katyayani is the warrior form of Maa Durga and can slay everything that is bad and evil. She is depicted with four hands two holding a sword and a lotus while the third is in Abhay mudra as she blesses devotees with the fourth.

Mantra:

Om Devi Katyayanyai Namah II

Katyayani Shubham Dadyad

Devi Danavaghatini II

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Ma

Katyayani Rupena Samsthita I

Cheddi Jagan served as a pillar of change, dedicated to the principles of democracy and human rights. Phillips identified Dr Jagan and his wife, Janet Jagan as champions of autonomy, adding that the pair paved the way for the kind of large-scale de-

velopment Guyana enjoys today.

“He would be proud of the socioeconomic policies and interventions of our Government, led by Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali. We are a Government that, in the face of a pandemic, brought

Norton disowns "close relative" who joined PPP

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton is facing backlash after he disowned a man who claimed to be a relative and who has joined the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C).

The issue arose when PPP/C General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo was delivering remarks at the 105th birth anniversary commemoration of party founder Dr Cheddi Jagan, hosted by the party at Babu Jaan, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) on Sunday where his life and work were celebrated.

During his remarks, Jagdeo mentioned that among the thousands of attendees was a relative of Norton, the Leader of the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Opposition.

“I'm so pleased to see you here Mr [Keith] Ferrier, who’s related to Mr Norton too. But he is here and he has seen the light in the People's Progressive Party,” Jagdeo said.

At the time, Ferrier stood up amongst the massive gathering to confirm his presence.

However, sometime after the event ended, Norton issued a statement on Sunday in which he attempted to distance himself from Ferrier.

But while Ferrier was

relief to all the people of Guyana.”

The Prime Minister assured that the PPP/C Government will continue to implement policies aimed at improving the lives and livelihood of all Guyanese across all sectors.

“This is a Government that has been using the resources, especially from the oil and gas industry, to bring accelerated development to all the people of Guyana,” the PM added.

Dr Cheddi Jagan, born in 1918 in Port Mourant, Berbice, was the son of Indian immigrants who came to the colony to work on the sugar plantation. Despite his challenging up-

bringing, Dr Jagan excelled both academically and socially and went on to become qualified as a dentist in the United States.

However, guided by a strong sense of patriotism, instead of pursuing a career in dentistry, Dr Jagan returned to Guyana in 1943, where he spearheaded the country’s campaign for independence from the British. He also advocated for increased powers for trade unions at a time when powerful foreign entities dominated the then British Guiana’s economy. His legacy has left a blueprint for the continued fight for social justice, a symbol of hope for the oppressed and marginalised.

The root causes...

Not to be undone, the typical useless political teachers’ union stepped in pontificating their empty rhetoric. Of course, I am sure under legal tutelage, both parties opted for an amicable solution, failing which both parties would have been charged with disorderly conduct, the teacher bearing the brunt of the blame. In a court of law, the teacher would have been harshly dealt with for arming herself with a dangerous weapon. The law would take it that the other parties were not armed, so there was no need for the teacher to do so. In the eyes of the law, the teacher should have

acted responsibly and called in law enforcement if she felt threatened, not taken the law into her own hands. I must hasten to a close here, but suffice it to say if those plans highlighted earlier are not taken into serious consideration, I shudder to think of what lies ahead in the future, God forbid more of these things would take place. So, I hope that the Ministry of Education through its Minister, makes the necessary steps to effectively change the way we conduct ourselves in the education system.

Respectfully,

Neil Adams

described as merely a relative of Norton, the Opposition Leader parsed his statement narrowly to state that “The man [Jagdeo] referred to is not my brother… Keith Ferrier is neither my mother’s or my father’s child.”

It was subsequently brought to light, however, that Norton and Ferrier were apparently brought up together.

A screenshot of a message sent by Ferrier, which contained a childhood photo of the two men, circulated on social media.

In the message, Ferrier explained that the “old family picture” is of himself and his siblings with Norton also in the photo.

Ferrier said his mother “mine (took care of) that guy” in reference to Norton. He also went on to say “…I know that Aubrey Norton is all about Aubrey Norton. He does not have this nation interest at heart…”

Dr Jagan served as a pillar of change, dedicated to principles of democracy,

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips

Colour of

Day

6:

White White symbolises peace, purity, simplicity and cleanliness.

An old family photo allegedly shows Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton standing front row left as Keith Ferrier is second from right in the front row

NGSA Math Questions

Govt working on multiple fronts to address foreign currency woes – Pres Ali

...says banks in compliance with order to submit clearance reports

Armed with daily reports from banks on their foreign currency sales and clearance, the Government has assured the business community that steps are being taken on multiple fronts to address any foreign currency woe that exists in the market.

This was according to President Dr Irfaan Ali during his address at the opening of the Suri warehouse at Little Diamond (East Bank Demerara) on Saturday. He nevertheless, pointed to one commercial bank with an above-average demand for foreign currency.

“On the issue of foreign currency. We’re now having a daily report on the

clearance… and you have to have inter-bank clearing. (There was only one bank) with the demand as of yesterday. And when you look at that demand, in terms of Visa card and credit card clearance, it’s 15 per cent of the demand.”

Clearance refers to the process of transferring funds after a bank account holder, for instance, a business owner, wire transfers money to a supplier. While Republic’s credit card clearance averaged 15 per cent, President Ali noted that by comparison, the credit card clearance in the rest of the banking sector averaged five per cent. He made it clear that the Government is working on resolving the issue.

“We’re not sitting on this issue. We understand that the demand for business and transactions is increasing. So, we’re working on many different fronts right now to address this issue. They (business community) all know we are working on this, to ensure that we have a viable financial sector,” the President said.

A few weeks ago, the Bank of Guyana via a circular ordered all bank cambios to report their foreign sales to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

According to the circular, which was sent out under the pen of Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga, bank cambios are now being requested to

“We are delivering on the...

When we help businesses to grow and expand. When we help the private sector to become prosperous, we’re delivering on the legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan.”

“Because a private sector that is dead, is an economy that is dead. A private sector that cannot produce and grow, is an economy that is static and backward. And we do not intend to develop a country with a dead or static private sector. We must develop the private sector, to help the ordinary people of this country,” President Ali also said.

Racism

The President also addressed the foreboding spectre of racism, which he said has been weaponised

by sections of society and the political Opposition. According to Ali, the PPP/C Government will work to rid the “weapons of racism” within the Guyanese society.

“They only weaponise this one great asset that we have. The one great asset is our diversity as a people. It is not a negative. Our diversity is a great asset to us. But there are those who cannot help themselves but weaponise this asset.”

“Today, I say that no weapon formed in the clothing of racism will succeed once this People’s Progressive Party is alive and we don’t intend to die. We will stay alive. We will disband, destroy and completely wipe out the weapon of racism that continues

FROM PAGE 3

to be used against the people of this country.”

Ali further warned that the days of those who wield racism as a weapon are numbered. According to him, while they focus on claims of racism, the PPP/C is focused on charting a course to heal the wounds of the past and create a fresh platform through which growth and development, progress, and love and unity are spread among the people of this country.

“Those who handle the weapon must understand that their days are a number and their days are coming to an end because that weapon is being destroyed, globally. And that weapon will be buried here in Guyana,” Ali stated. (G3)

submit their invoices to the Commissioner General of the GRA.

Only the week prior, the PSC in association with the Guyana Association of Bankers Incorporated had met with and had discussions with the Bank of Guyana Governor with regard to the challenges faced by some local companies in accessing foreign exchange.

Stakeholders, a PSC release stated, had agreed that despite there being a shortage of foreign exchange at some banks, there is no overall shortage of foreign exchange in Guyana given that the aggregate supply of foreign exchange is meeting the aggregate demand and

therefore the market remains in equilibrium.

According to the PSC, the Governor of the bank confirmed that while there is an intra-bank market that enables banks to share, the Central Bank must rely on moral persuasion in an effort to achieve a more efficient distribution of foreign currency availability. He also emphasised the fact that it is the responsibility of the Central Bank to ensure that the Government meets its macro-economic objectives.

The PSC, the Bankers’ Association, and the Bank of Guyana had all agreed to address the issues raised and promised to collaborate and work togeth-

er for the benefit of all concerned, the release stated.

Previously, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had weighed in on the issue and said that the Guyana Government is going to consider the implementation of a daily reporting system to monitor the flow of foreign currency.

“We’ve been exploring something. I was thinking about this and we have to discuss it with the Finance Minister, that maybe we need a daily balance reported to the Central Bank of currencies purchased and sold, the daily balance at all the institutions, and then the list of demands. And you will see in most cases, that they are clear [of any shortages], but it’s just that [the US dollars] exist in different institutions,” the Vice President had explained during a press conference.

According to the Vice President, the foreign currency market in Guyana always has seasonal variations such as around the Christmas holidays when visitors come in and there is more foreign currency circulating. Likewise, he pointed out, there are low periods and it is during this time that more foreign currency will have to be supplied to the market.

(G3)

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Atlantic Fuels cleared of all charges

submitted invoice #100 to the GEA of 295 Quamina Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, regarding a shipment of diesel claimed to have been purchased from Global Oil NV knowing the same to be false or misleading.

The offence is contrary to Regulation 70 (2) of the Petroleum and Petroleum Products Regulation 2014. The charge was filed by GEA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Mahender Sharma.

Who is…

…the Father of the Nation

Now that the charge for submitting a false invoice to the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has been dismissed against Atlantic Fuels, the company has now been cleared of charges brought against it by State agencies.

According to the company’s lawyer, Siand Dhurjon, the charge was dismissed last Friday by Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

In August 2021, AFI’s Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles, a former Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) was released on $100,000 bail after denying the charge.

The charge had read that on November 13, 2020, he

Also, last Wednesday, Magistrate Bess threw out the charge of falsifying an invoice against AFI’s Director, Eugene Gilbert, after ruling that the falsity was not proven beyond reasonable doubt.

That charge was filed in January 2021 by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

It read that on November 12, 2020, at GRA’s Camp Street, Georgetown Headquarters, Atlantic Fuels Inc caused to be made and subscribed a false declaration on invoice number 100 valued at $40 million for customs declaration reference number GY 410C, contrary to the Customs Act.

Gilbert, 68, had pleaded not guilty and was granted $300,000 bail.

It is contrary to Section 217 (1) (a) of the Customs Act which reads “Any person who, in any matter relating to the customs, or under the control or management of the comptroller- (a) makes and subscribed, or causes to be made and subscribed, any false declaration; …”, on summary conviction, that person is liable to a fine of $25,000, together with imprisonment for three years.

According to Dhurjon, the charge was dismissed after the presiding Magistrate upheld the no-case submission he made on AFI’s behalf.

Dhurjon said that the Magistrate ruled in favour of his submission that the falsity of the invoice was not proven and that the charge lacked

the specificity of the falsity being alleged by the GRA.

“The Magistrate was at a loss, for the court could not know if the falsity alleged had to do with the value declared, the amount of fuel declared, or the supplier,” Dhurjon pointed out. He said that the Magistrate reminded GRA counsel Jason Moore “that a court must never have to speculate and that an accused must always know the case he has to meet”.

Considering the court’s finding, the AFI lawyer noted that Magistrate Bess held that GRA failed to make out the charge against the company even at the preliminary prima facie stage.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

As if we didn’t have enough things to divide us, Hamilton Green, henchman of the dictator Forbes Burnham, has his bukta in a knot ‘cause the PPP, in commemorating the 105th anniversary of Dr Cheddi Jagan’s birth, called him “father of the nation”!! Well, to be fair to Green – which he wasn’t to so many when he wielded power, including Rodney – he did offer some reasons for claiming that it’s Burnham who’s deserving of that title.

So, let us count his ways. He says Jagan didn’t go up to the 1965 Constitutional Conference summoned by Britain to decide on some particulars of independence. Now ain’t this shameless that a man who claims to know our history omits to mention that the said independence was supposed to be awarded under the party that won the 1961 elections! That party is the PPP under Jagan!! It was Burnham who betrayed our nation when he connived with the colonial power Britain – and the new hegemonic power USA – to delay independence so’s to oust Jagan!! How can he be “father of the nation when he kept the baby of independence locked in Britain’s womb as hundreds of Guyanese were killed, billions were lost when hundreds of buildings were torched and thousands displaced??

The divisions created then by Burnham in cahoots with the colonials left us a legacy of racial animosity and divisions that plague us to this day. What father of a nation would do this to his offspring?? Then Green goes on to state – as another disqualification – that Jagan as Premier after the 1953 elections didn’t send “pledges of loyalty and congratulations” to Elizabeth, who was being coronated as Queen of Britain!! Really?? The Queen – whose ancestors owned the largest slave shipping company from Africa –should be offered pledges of loyalty. Shame!!

But most outrageous was gratuitously mentioning the US executions of the Rosenbergs in 1953 for spying – used as a reason for ousting the PPP Government – because Janet Jagan’s maiden name was also “Rosenberg” – but no relation to the NY Rosenbergs! That’s grounds for disqualifying Cheddi from being “father of the nation”!?! Should Green have been penalized, because a “Green” was the first to be dubbed a “Public Enemy” in the US - for being a serial killer and a murderer??

Another reason was that Burnham joined the NonAligned Movement!! Yet this hypocrite was installed into office by the CIA that was involved in the assassination of Mossadegh (Iran), Nkrumah (Ghana), Lumumba (Congo) etc and given a monthly stipend!! The US Ambassadors are on record as snickering at Burnham’s pretensions at radicalism, while being regularly importuned for more money!

Some (deadbeat) father!! Gwan da side!!

…to fix climate change??

These people just won’t give up!! Every day we’re assaulted by an unending barrage of demands by the modern-day Guyanese Quislings that we quit producing oil. Or place so many hurdles in the production chain that all the developers would walk away!! Now you may think that “Quislings” – who collaborated with Hitler and his ethnic cleansing regime – is a bit harsh. But what else can we call these people who would doom us to unmitigated poverty for another century – if we were to survive!!

And that’s the point, innit?? Whether we stop oil production or not, the other countries are continuing their merry (carbon-spewing) ways and refusing to honour their commitments to assisting poor countries to mitigate the fallout from carbon-reduction measures. Which we perform by keeping our forests standing!! So as oceans rise and we have to move inland can we count on help from the rich countries??

Heck no!! In the end we’ll have to use our own funds to survive!!

…man??!

In today’s Guyana that gotta be President Irfaan Ali!! He leaves codgers like your Eyewitness breathless and wondering what kinds of supplements he uses to be able to keep up his gruelling schedule. It’ll be a slam dunk in 2025!!

Attorney-at-Law Siand Dhurjon AFI Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles

Magistrate Dylon Bess

“PNC is rapidly dying as an organisation” – PPP GS

...says next LGE, General Election will prove it

were controlling the narrative.”

“They used social media to distort everything that this party stood for. They even denigrated and changed our track record of progress. They spoke of corruption as a massive campaign tool. And we did not do enough in 2015 to fight back against that narrative and it led to our demise,” Jagdeo said.

ceed again.”

Reflecting on the collective despair that accompanied the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s (PPP/C) loss of power in 2015 and the way the party was able to defeat its successor at the polls even while in Opposition, General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo is optimistic that his party’s electoral chances are stronger than ever before against a weakening party.

During his address at an event hosted by the PPP at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Region Six to “Celebrate the life and work” of Father of the Nation and its Founder, Dr Cheddi Jagan, Jagdeo opined that their party’s direct rivals, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is a “dying” organisation.

“That party, that philosophy, the racism of the PNC will lead to their demise. And now, they’re rapidly dying as an organisation. And the next elections, not just in the Local Government, we will prove that definitively. The one in 2025,” Jagdeo said.

He referenced the PNCR’s efforts to “bad mouth” the PPP/C Government in the international arena and said that those efforts have backfired since the Opposition party cannot substantiate its constant claims of racism.

“When I hear everyone

talk about inclusivity, just recently they’ve been trying in the international community to go and bad mouth us. To say, oh this is a racist Government and they were told, well if you look at the Judiciary it’s balanced in this country. You have people of every race in the Judiciary. In the legislature, it reflects the nature of Guyana.”

“And in the executive of our party, the Cabinet, it looks like Guyana too. So, what are you talking about? Recently, the State Department report pointed out that in spite of these complaints, this Government has people of all races in senior leadership positions. And that is the nature of our party,” he said.

And in a seeming reference to civil society actors who have been critical of the Government, Jagdeo noted that the party reserves the right to defend itself since in many cases these civil society actors are biased and feed into an inaccurate narrative about the Government.

In fact, Jagdeo was of the view that the party did not do this enough when they lost power in the 2015 General and Regional Elections. He urged supporters of the party to use social media to push back against false narratives.

“If a party cannot de-

Atlantic Fuels cleared...

According to Dhurjon, the charge stemmed from a quantity of fuel that was imported by AFI in November 2020 which was seized by the GRA and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) owing to their suspicion that AFI had falsified an invoice in relation to the fuel.

Dhurjon added that he approached the High Court on the company’s behalf; and as a result, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC, on March 15, 2021, ruled that the fuel ought to be released to AFI, because there was no lawful reason for its detention. The lawyer reminded that Justice George also ordered the GRA and the GEA to pay AFI around $15 million, representing costs for

fend its legacy. If a party doesn’t speak up about what it stands for. Then that party will never have longevity in politics. Somehow in the past, we let the narrative from the other side overpower us. And it led to our demise in 2015. In 2015, they

Jagdeo noted that today, when the party pushes back against its critics, there are those who would say that the party is intolerant of criticism. The General Secretary made it clear, however, that the party, while not being intolerant of criticism, will also defend its record.

“We are not political eunuchs. We will fight tooth and nail every single day, to speak about the record and the achievements of this party. And if all of us don’t set up a (social media) page and join that fight, they will suc-

Preparations for Local Government Elections (LGE) have been progressing, even against opposition from the PNCR. Last month, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall had set Monday, June 12, 2023, as the date for the holding of the much-anticipated and long overdue LGE in Guyana.

LGE were initially set for March 13 this year, but GECOM had deferred it in December 2022 to address issues relating to its registration exercise. This

postponement occurred after court action was filed by Opposition-aligned persons, challenging the process used to compile the List of Electors, or Voters’ List, for the pending LGE.

LGE, which is constitutionally due every two years, was last held in 2018. At the last LGE in November 2018, the then PPP/C Opposition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, when the PPP/C had also claimed most of the LAAs.

FROM PAGE 9

storing the fuel and damages for their illegal detention of the fuel.

In relation to the revocation of the company’s fuel importation licence, Dhurjon stated that he also sought the intervention of the High Court. This, he said, ended in Justice Franklyn Holder ruling that there was no basis in law for the revocation of the licence.

The GEA was also ordered by the Judge to reinstate AFI’s licence. In November 2015, AFI, which is located at Lot 16 Sublot ‘A’ Mudlot, Kingston, Georgetown, was granted a licence to import/wholesale, and store fuel by the GEA. The licence was valid until 2025.

A section of the crowd at Babu Jaan on Sunday

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

Guyana observes Earth Hour 2023 by giving “the Jaguar a voice”

The Government of Guyana in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) through the “Give the Jaguar a Voice” initiative, joined millions of people from over 190 countries and territories in observance of Earth Hour 2023, by coordinating turning off the lights for one hour.

The event, held on Saturday at the National Park on Carifesta Avenue, was organised in partnership with Government agencies, civil society, non-profit organisations, and other corporate entities.

It aimed to bring awareness to the conservation and protection of the iconic national symbol, the Jaguar. Hundreds of Guyanese participated in this experience

that included, among other things, an exhibition, and a countdown to the lights-off Concert.

Foreign Secretary at the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry, Robert Persaud said the collaboration with the WWF in observing Earth

Hour as a symbolic event, brings awareness to what citizens, communities, and countries should be doing in terms of addressing climate change.

“Our Government has made it clear in the LCDS 2030 that the conservation and management of our biodiversity is a critical pillar in our overall thrust in terms of managing our environment and ensuring that we uphold our obligations both locally and internationally. We take that very seriously” he stated.

Earth Hour aims to raise awareness that sparks global

conversations about protecting nature, addressing the climate crisis, and working together to shape a brighter future for all.

Guyana’s forests are estimated to store more than 19.5 gigatons of carbon dioxide with the capacity to remove 154 million tonnes more every year from the atmosphere.

The Earth Hour “60” logo, represents the 60 minutes focusing on the impact humans have on the planet while taking positive action to address

the environmental issues we all face.

Earth Hour has been known for the “lights off” moment – a symbolic event to show collective support for the planet.

The event is part of an annual tradition started by WWF and its partners in 2007 to raise awareness about climate change and educate citizens about their environmental actions; WWF describes Earth Hour as the “largest global grassroots movement for the environment.”

The Earth Hour observance hosted at the National Park on Saturday Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud during Earth Hour 2023 observance at the National Park

The Government of Guyana in collaboration with WWF through the “Give the Jaguar a Voice” initiative, joined over 190 countries and territories in observance of Earth Hour 2023

Preparatory works underway for gas-to-energy project in Reg 3

The construction of the wharf and laydown facilities is progressing smoothly at Nismes on the West Bank of Demerara for the Guyana Government’s gas-to-energy (GtE) project.

The facility, which is being built by GAICO Construction to the tune of US$30 million, was inspected by President Irfaan Ali on Saturday as he visited the sites of several infrastructural projects in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara).

At the wharf facility, GAICO Managing Director, Komal Singh, disclosed that works started about a month ago and they are currently at the pile driving stage.

The wharf facility, which is located on the Demerara River, will be used as an offloading site for all the equipment and materials that will be brought in for the construction of the gas-to-energy initiative, which will feature a 300-megawatt power plant and an integrated Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant at Wales, WBD.

According to Singh, GAICO has an almost 99 per cent Guyanese workforce

used as a storage facility for the 12-inch pipes that will be used to bring the gas from offshore Guyana to onshore at the Wales facilities.

During Saturday’s visit, President Ali also inspected a series of road construction works that are being undertaken as part of these facilities. This includes a new 2.5-kilometre road that is being developed from swamp conditions.

benefit farms with improved access to backlands, but upgrades are also being done to existing community roads in the area.

“In another two to three years, this area will become unrecognisable in the context of the industrial development and the development on the whole that will take place here… We have set ourselves a very aggressive timeline in having his project completed and in delivering to the people of our country, cheap electricity. But with that comes all of these new developments, the opening up of new lands, new value systems, the farmers being helped with the infrastructure, investment in the drainage system. All of that has really integrated in a coordinated way to support these transformative projects.”

because you have to move this power using a 230 KV line. So, there will be an evacuation of the power going across to Garden of Eden [across the Demerara River on the East Bank of Demerara] and then going to Vreed-en-Hoop [WBD] as well. So, when they go across to Garden of Eden, they also have to connect to the control centre at Eccles [EBD] that we’re building. So, all those different parts of this project are out to tender. Some of them very close to submitting the bid as well too. So, all those things are

running on different parallel tracks at the same time,” Indar indicated.

With a timetable to deliver rich gas by the end of 2024 and the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant to be online by 2025, works are progressing on getting the project off the ground. As such, during the first half of this year, US oil giant ExxonMobil is expected to source the materials and the pipeline, so that they are available for when construction starts later this year.

Some 220 kilometres of subsea pipeline will run

from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil, and land on the West Demerara shore, where another 25 kilometres of pipe will run the Wales Development Zone (WDZ).

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.

When it comes to the construction of a combined cycle power plant, this will generate up to 300 megawatts (MW) of power, with a net 250MW delivered into the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) grid on the East Bank of the Demerara River.

The US$900 million gas-to-energy project will have a 25-year lifespan and is expected to employ up to 800 workers during the peak construction stage, as well as some 40 full-time workers during the operations stage, and another 50 workers during the decommissioning stage.

executing this project with only two expats involved in the project.

“So, it shows enormous opportunity for our locals. We’ve employed a lot of employees also from this community of Maria’s Lodge area. We’re actually interjecting them in between our skilled workers so as to allow them to help develop their skill capacity locally,” the contractor stated.

In addition, the four-acre laydown area is also being prepared nearby. It will be

“This is a very, very complex project, maybe one of the most complex projects we’ve undertaken in the history of our country, and that requires specific skills… And you have a lot of Guyanese working here also on this project. So, this is one of the important deliverables in terms of ensuring the project comes in on time.”

According to the Head of State, not only are new roads being constructed for the GtE project, which will

“So, it’s not just about the pipeline coming on shore but it’s all of the supporting infrastructure that are critical for the development [of the region]… This is the grand transformation that is taking place in Guyana [and specifically] here in Region Three,” the Head of State noted.

President Ali was accompanied by Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, during Saturday’s inspection. The Minister explained that along with delivering the Wales power plant, Government is also preparing the infrastructure to feed electricity into the national grid.

“We are also doing the evacuation of the power bit

President Ali and his team inspecting one of the roads being built as support infrastructure for the gas-to-energy project

President Dr Irfaan Ali and GAICO Managing Director Komal Singh inspecting ongoing works at the wharf facility

Works being done on the wharf facility at Nismes, WBD to support the gas-to-energy project

Scenes from

Babu Jaan

| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

30 lawyers receive arbitration training

Thirty attorneys-at-law recently benefitted from an arbitration training exercise. The exercise was executed by the Attorney General’s Chambers and Legal Affairs Ministry in collaboration with the International Senior Lawyers Project (ISLP) which received financial and technical support through the Advocates for International Development's Rule of Law Expertise United Kingdom (ROLE UK) Programme, funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office.

Attorneys-at-law from the Attorney General’s Chambers, attorneys-at-law employed in the public sector, as well as members of the Guyana Bar Association and Berbice Bar Association, participated in the training which was held from Tuesday, March 21, to Friday, March 24, at the Grand Coastal Hotel, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

This workshop is part of an ongoing human resource capacity-building agenda in keeping with the Government of Guyana’s stated commitment to create a modern platform for arbitration as an effective method of settling commercial and other disputes in Guyana.

A necessary component of this initiative is to equip

attorneys-at-law with the requisite skills to draft arbitration clauses, interpret arbitration clauses and participate in arbitration proceedings.

Accordingly, the training forms part of building the foundation for Guyana to become an arbitration hub for the settlement of commercial disputes, not only locally but in the Caribbean Region. Utilising the draft Arbitration Bill completed by the Drafting Department of the Attorney General Chambers and as part of a familiarisation and consultative exercise, the training focused on areas such as arbitration agreements, the conduct of

arbitration proceedings, interim measures, and preliminary orders, evidence collection, written submissions, arbitration hearings, enforcement of arbitration awards and arbitration institutions.

The training was facilitated by the Regional Legal Advisor for ISLP, Pedro Villegas, and arbitration experts Charline Lim, Rose Naing, Ankita Ritwik, and Marryum Kahloon from the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

“The workshop has been received positively by State Counsel from the AG's Chambers and other governmental agencies. The participants empha -

sized that the knowledge acquired will facilitate the implementation of arbitration in Guyana and highlighted the potential for international arbitration to play a critical role in advancing the country's legal system. The positive reception of the workshop highlights the willingness of Guyana's legal community to embrace alternative approaches to resolving disputes and underscores the Government's commitment to strengthening the rule of law,” Villegas said.

In his remarks at one of the training sessions, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC,

extended gratitude to ISLP and the arbitration experts for collaborating with the Ministry of Legal Affairs on this important initiative. He also thanked the participants for attending.

“Arbitration is rapidly becoming the preferred method of settling commercial disputes, in particular, arising out of large contractual and commercial undertakings, both nationally and internationally. As a result of the economic, financial, and infrastructural transformation taking place in Guyana, and with the country becoming a very attractive investment destination and boasting one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, there is a need to establish a modern legal arbitration framework. Necessarily, this involves human resource capacity building in the area of arbitration,” Nandlall said.

This workshop is one of the several initiatives being executed to attain this objective.

According to Nandlall, hundreds of contracts are executed in the public sector involving billions of dollars with local as well as international developmental partners.

Almost every one of these contracts, he pointed out, contains arbitration clauses that mandate

the arbitrations to be conducted outside of Guyana because we do not have the modern legislative framework nor the human resource capacity to do them locally.

The Government intends to change this state of affairs and make Guyana a competent modern and efficient forum for these arbitrations to take place here, the Attorney General said.

He said, too, “The financial and other benefits which will be derived if we are able to achieve this objective are simply unquantifiable. The short-term objective is to make Guyana as attractive as possible for the resolution of disputes arising out of commercial contracts executed locally.”

The Senior Counsel explained that the long-term objective is to create the type of environment, legal infrastructure, and human resource base to make Guyana an attractive arbitration hub for the Caribbean and even South and Latin America.

“Our Government sees no reason why we cannot strive to achieve these goals. We have completed similar training exercises with lawyers at the private Bar, operators in the private sector as well as with our judicial officers. These training initiatives will continue,” he said.

The Attorneys-at-Law who participated in the recent arbitration training with Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

Driver in Nismes fatal accident gets 4 years, 6 months

30, 2019, at Nismes Public Road, WBD, when the minibus was proceeding north along the western carriageway of the road, reportedly at a fast rate of speed.

The minibus driver in a 2019 accident at Nismes, West Bank Demerara (WBD), which left four persons dead, has been jailed for four years and six months.

Compton Bagot, 36, of La Retraite, WBD, who was found guilty of four counts of causing death by dangerous driving earlier this month, was sentenced last Wednesday by Principal Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty when he appeared at the Wales Magistrate’s Court.

He was imprisoned for four years and six months on each of the four counts, however, the sentences will run concurrently. In addition, he was fined $20,000 each for failing to render as-

sistance to the injured persons and for failing to report the accident to the Police.

If Bagot does not pay the fines, he will be imprisoned for a month. Bagot was initially charged back in February 2020 and was released on $400,000 bail for

the causing death charges.

Of the 21 persons involved in this fatal accident, 12 were admitted at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and four were at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) for days

Inquests into Essequibo Coast fatal accidents underway

Narayan of Bamboo Dam, Sparta, on the Essequibo Coast, was riding a CBR motorcycle along the La Belle Alliance Public Road when he collided with the right side of a Toyota Altezza car, PMM 8448, which was also proceeding south on the thoroughfare.

receiving necessary medical attention.

When the tragedy took place, 52-year-old Rawle Williams of Canal Number One, WBD, who was the driver of the car involved in the accident, lost his life.

The three others who died are females including a child. Dead are 29-yearold Ayesha Sealey of Patentia Housing Scheme, WBD; 22-year-old Zavira Jona of Patentia, WBD; and 12-year-old Maria Bisnauth, who hailed from lot 125 Sideline Dam, Sister’s Village, WBD.

According to reports, the accident occurred at about 19:20h on November

Reports are that while in the vicinity of a gas station which is located on the western side of that roadway, the driver of motor car PTT 691 drove out from the fuel station in a south-eastern direction into the path of the minibus.

According to the Police, this resulted in the right front portion of the minibus colliding with the right-side front door of the motor car and this caused both vehicles to spin off the road and end up on the grass parapet and the trench, respectively.

At the time of the accident, the minibus had been overloaded with passengers.

Guyana’s Judicial Asset Recovery Conference opens today

In recognition of the increased collaboration between Guyana and the United States of America (USA), on security, rule of law, and countering organised crime, the National Centre for State Courts (NCSC) will partner with the Judicial Education Institute of Guyana to host a Judicial Asset Recovery Conference at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

Coroner’s inquests into the deaths of two men who died in separate accidents on the Essequibo Coast are ongoing before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.

Thirty-six-year-old Navindra Narayan, also known as “Shinky”, a carpenter, died on December 24, 2013, after being involved in an accident on the La Belle Alliance Public Road.

According to reports,

It was reported that the car was proceeding in front of Narayan when he attempted to overtake. However, he lost control of the motorcycle and hit the car. Due to the impact of the collision, he ended up in a nearby trench. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Suddie Public Hospital.

Meanwhile, 63-yearold Derrick Glasgow of Queenstown village, Essequibo Coast, was struck by a car and killed on July 18, 2015, while he was walking along the public road in the village.

Reports state that Glasgow called “Puddle” of Bedford Street, Queenstown, and his friend came out of a yard and were walking north along the

Queenstown Public Road, while a car bearing number plate PMM 6118 which was heading in the opposite direction struck him.

Glasgow reportedly sustained injuries to his head and feet and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Suddie Public Hospital.

An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine if anyone is to be held liable for a person’s death.

The conference begins today, Monday, March 27, concludes tomorrow and will be attended by Guyana’s Appeal Court Judges, High Court Judges, Magistrates, Commissioners of Title, and Registrars.

The goal of the conference is to engage members of the Judiciary in the area of asset recovery, building knowledge, and sharing best practices in conviction-based and non-conviction-based asset recovery.

The expert faculty will include the Chief Justice of Belize, the Justice of Appeal from the Supreme Court of Jamaica, High Court Judges from the Eastern

Caribbean Supreme Court and the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago, the Dean of the University of West Indies (UWI) Law Faculty, Director of Public Prosecutions from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines National Prosecution Service, and Kings Counsel from England and Wales.

Specifically, the conference will raise the level of asset recovery knowledge and best practices; encourage the professional exchange of skills, experienc-

es, and challenges, when dealing with asset recovery cases; and build confidence among members of the Judiciary who preside over asset recovery cases. Meanwhile, in light of this event, the Supreme Court stated that there will be disruptions in the regular sitting in several courts and as such, members of the public with queries are asked to contact the Registrar and Principal Clerk on telephone numbers 226-7947 or 225-9100.

Dead: Maria Bisnauth (left) and Ashley Sealey

Dead: Zavira Jona

Principal Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty

Scenes from the deadly crash between the minibus and motor car

Magistrate Esther Sam

Dead: Navindra Narayan

MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Lethem Police conduct white light campaign to crack down on traffic violations

In a bid to crack down on traffic violations and promote road safety, the Traffic Department of the Lethem Police Station conducted a white light campaign within the township on Friday evening.

During the campaign, which lasted for several hours, the traffic officers carried out routine checks on vehicles and their drivers. As a result of their efforts, a number of traffic violations were uncovered, including three cases of uninsured motor vehicles, one breach of insurance, one unlicensed driver, and four cases of breach of condition of fitness.

This white light campaign comes amidst growing concerns about road safety in the Region Nine

area of Guyana. In recent months, there has been a significant increase in the number of road accidents in Guyana,

many of which have resulted in fatalities. As such, the Lethem Police Station Traffic Department is making efforts to curb these

statistics.

Speaking about the campaign, Inspector Leitch emphasised the importance of responsible driv -

HEALTH TIPS

sons were newly infected with TB, with a mortality rate of 1.7.

Dr. Tariq Jagnarine Family meDicine, enDocrinology/DiabeTes

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs, though it can affect any organ in the body. It can develop when bacteria spread through droplets in the air. TB can be fatal, but, in many cases, it is preventable and treatable. In the past, TB, or “consumption,” was a major cause of death worldwide. Following improvements in living conditions and the development of antibiotics, the prevalence of TB fell dramatically in industrialised countries.

However, numbers started to rise again in the 1980s.

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes TB as an “epidemic”. It reports that it is the 13th leading cause of death globally, and “the second leading infectious killer, after COVID-19”. The WHO estimates that, in 2020, nearly 10 million people worldwide developed TB and 1.5 million people died from the disease, including 214,000 people who also had HIV.

In Guyana, the 2022 data indicates that 396 per-

Currently, antibiotic resistance is causing renewed concerns about TB among experts. Some strains of the disease are not responding to the most effective treatment options. In this case, TB is difficult to treat. A person may develop TB after inhaling Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tuberculosis) bacteria, primarily from person to person. When TB affects the lungs, the disease is most contagious, but a person would usually become sick only after close contact with someone who has this type of TB.

TB INFECTION

(LATENT TB)An individual can have TB bacteria in their body and never develop symptoms. In most people, the immune system can contain bacteria so that they do not replicate and cause disease. In this case, a person would have TB infection, but not an active disease. There is no risk of passing on a latent infection to someone else. However, a person with latent TB still requires treatment.

TB DISEASE (ACTIVE TB)

The body may be unable to contain TB bacteria. This is more common when the immune system is weakened due to illness or the use of certain medications. When this happens, the bacteria can replicate and cause symptoms, resulting in active TB.

People with active TB can spread the infection. Without medical intervention, TB becomes active in 5–10% of people with the infection.

According to the CDC, progression occurs within

ing and the need for all road users to comply with traffic laws and regulations. He also urged motorists to ensure that their vehicles are properly insured and maintained, as this is essential for ensuring their safety and the safety of others on the road.

The Lethem Police Station Traffic Department has pledged to continue its efforts to promote road safety and crack down on traffic violations and is urging members of the public to do their part by complying with traffic laws and regulations.

From 2021 to now, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) began to intensify its campaign against vehicles with coloured lights across the country, and several persons were charged.

(TB) - THEME: YES! We Can END TB!

2–5 years in about 50% of these people.

The risk of developing active TB is higher in:

* Anyone with a weakened immune system

* Anyone who first developed the infection in the past 2–5 years

* Older adults and young children

* People who inject recreational drugs

* People who have not previously received appropriate treatment for TB.

SYMPTOMS

* Latent TB: A person with latent TB will have no symptoms, and no damage will show on a chest X-ray. However, a blood test or skin prick test would indicate that they have TB infection.

* Active TB: An individual with TB disease may experience a cough that produces phlegm; fatigue, a fever, chills, and a loss of appetite and weight. Symptoms typically worsen over time, but they can also spontaneously go away and return.

A person should see a doctor if they experience these early warning signs:

* Persistent cough, lasting at least 3 weeks

* Phlegm which may have blood in it when they cough

* Loss of appetite and weight

* General feelings of fatigue and being unwell

* Swelling in the neck

* Fever

* Night sweats

* Chest pain

Beyond the lungs

TB usually affects the lungs, though symptoms can develop in other parts of the

body. This is more common in people with weakened immune systems.

TB can cause:

* Persistently swollen lymph nodes, or “swollen glands”

* Abdominal pain

* Joint or bone pain

* Confusion

* Persistent headache

* Seizures

DIAGNOSIS

A person with latent TB would have no symptoms, but the infection can show up on tests. People should ask for a TB test if they:

* Spent time with someone who has or is at risk of having TB

* Spent time in a country with high rates of TB

* Work in an environment where TB may be present.

A doctor would ask about any symptoms, and the person’s medical history. The doctor would also perform a physical examination which involves listening to the lungs and checking for swelling in the lymph nodes. Two tests can show whether TB bacteria are present:

* TB skin test

* TB blood test

However, these cannot indicate whether TB is active or latent. To test for active TB disease, the doctor may recommend a sputum test and a chest X-ray. Everyone with TB needs treatment, regardless of whether the infection is active or latent.

TREATMENT

With early detection and appropriate antibiotics, TB is treatable. The right type of antibiotic and length of treatment would depend on:

There has been an apparent increase in the number of vehicles affixed with coloured lights, which pose a danger to other road users. These lights can be blinding and distracting to other road users and can lead to major accidents.

In April 2019, the GPF also issued a statement on the issue, warning that Regulation 34 (1) (a) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Chapter 51:02 states: “Every motor vehicle, the width of which does not exceed seven feet, other than a two-wheeled motorcycle not having a sidecar attached thereto and an invalid carriage, on any road, during the hours of darkness shall carry two lamps, each showing to the front a white light visible from a reasonable distance.

* A person’s age and overall health

* Latent or active TB

* Location of the infection

* Whether strain of TB is drug-resistant.

Treatment for latent TB can vary. It may involve someone taking an antibiotic once a week for 12 weeks, or every day for 9 months.

Treatment for active TB may involve taking several drugs for 6–9 months. When a person has a drug-resistant strain of TB, the treatment would be more complex.

It is essential for people to complete the full course of treatment, even if symptoms go away. If a person stops taking their medication early, some bacteria can survive and become resistant to antibiotics. In this case, the person may go on to develop drug-resistant TB.

Depending on the parts of the body that TB affects, a doctor may also prescribe corticosteroids.

PREVENTION

Ways of preventing TB from infecting others include:

* Getting a diagnosis and treatment early

* Staying away from other people until there is no longer a risk of infection

* Wearing a mask, covering the mouth, and ventilating rooms.

In some countries, children receive an anti-TB vaccination — the bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine — as part of a regular immunisation programme.

HIV AND TB

For people with HIV, doctors consider TB to be an opportunistic infection. This means that a person

with HIV has a higher risk of developing TB, and experiencing more severe symptoms than someone with a healthy immune system.

Treatment for TB can be complex in a person with HIV, but a doctor can develop a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both issues. TB can become a complication of HIV. Learn about other HIV complications here.

SMOKING AND TB

Tobacco use and secondhand smoke increase the risk of developing TB. These factors also make the disease harder to treat, and more likely to return after treatment.

Quitting smoking and avoiding contact with smoke can reduce the risk of developing TB.

OTHER CONDITIONS

Some other health issues that weaken a person’s immune system and can increase the risk of developing TB include:

* Low body weight

* Substance abuse disorders

* Diabetes

* Silicosis

* Severe kidney disease

* Head and neck cancer

* Some medical treatments, such as an organ transplant, can also impede the functioning of the immune system.

COMPLICATIONS

Without treatment, TB can be fatal. If it spreads throughout a person’s body, the infection can cause problems with the cardiovascular system and metabolic function, among other issues.

TB can also lead to sepsis, a potentially life-threatening form of infection.

Officers in the region carrying out the campaign

NGSA Science Questions NGSA S.Studies Questions

Answers for last published Science questions

1a) The circulatory system

1b) The main function of the main artery is to take oxygenated blood to the body.

1c) The heart pumps oxygenated blood to the body for use by the cells and deoxygenated blood to the lungs, where carbon dioxide is released to be breathed out and oxygen is taken up by the blood.

1d) The lungs are where the gaseous exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide occurs.

2a) Four classes

2b) Frogs

2c) Herbivores

2d) Scaly skin

2e) Gills

Answers for last published Social Studies questions

1a) Petroleum

1b) Guyana and Jamaica

1c) Reduce or eliminate import taxes, or implement an import-substitution programme

2a) Peeling cassava

2b) Placing cassava bread on

the roof to dry

2c) The house has a thatch roof, which is made up of dried palm leaves. The walls seem to be made of earth (clay, mud, etc) and wood.

2d) The energy of the sun is used to dry the cassava bread.

Regional Cubans vote in legislative elections, with all eyes on turnout

Cubans have headed to the polls to vote for the 470 legislators who will represent them in the National Assembly, the island country’s highest legislative body.

Polling stations opened at 07:00h local time (11:00 GMT) Sunday, and more than eight million people are eligible to vote.

By 11:00h local time (15:00 GMT), turnout had reached 42 per cent, according to Cuba’s National Electoral Council. Polls were scheduled to close at 18:00h (22:00 GMT).

Cuba’s Government, saddled by shortages, inflation and growing social unrest, has encouraged unity, calling on citizens to vote together in a broad show of support for the communist leadership.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who voted in his hometown of Santa Clara just after sunrise on Sunday, said citizens would have the last word.

“Some people may put

More than eight million voters will be chose National Assembly candidates for five-year terms

the difficult economic situation ahead of their willingness to vote, but I don´t think it will be a majority,” Diaz-Canel told reporters.

There are 470 candidates running for 470 seats, with no Opposition challengers and no campaigning. Most candidates for the Cuban Parliament are members of the Communist Party, the only legal party on the island.

The legislators will be in charge of nominat-

Biden,

Trudeau concerned about Haiti

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President Joe Biden both expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) member state of Haiti, when they met during Biden’s two-day visit to Canada, that concluded on Friday.

In a joint statement, the leaders pledged to increase community support to the people of Haiti, in particular by offering them security and humanitarian aid and better support for the National Police of Haiti (PNH).

ing a presidential candidate, who will be elected in a vote among themselves. Diaz-Canel, leader of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), is expected to win a second term.

The vote comes at a time when Cuba is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with shortages of food, an unprecedented wave of migration, galloping inflation, and crippling US sanctions. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Former Argentine President says he will not contest upcoming elections

Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri said on Sunday that he will not be a presidential candidate in the country's October General Election, as the Opposition coalition moves to confirm its candidates.

The centre-right Macri's decision to opt out opens the door wider for other candidates of the Opposition coalition "Together for Change", considered the front-runner against the incumbent Peronist-led leftist party of President Alberto Fernandez.

Opposition candi-

dates Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodriguez Larreta and former Security Minister Patricia Bullrich applauded Macri's decision not to run.

"I will not be a candidate in the next election," Macri said in a video posted on social media on Sunday.

"I am convinced that we must expand the political space for the change that we initiated," added Macri, who was President from 2015 to 2019, but lost his re-election bid to Fernandez.

Although Macri had previously suggested he

would not run for the October elections, other Opposition members speculated he would still announce his candidacy.

In the midst of a prolonged economic crisis with 100 per cent annual inflation, nearly half of Argentina's population has been thrust into poverty.

The Opposition coalition appears poised to garner more support than the ruling party, which has not yet defined its candidate amid major internal disputes between Fernandez and his Vice President Cristina Fernandez.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

In a press release, the

office of the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, said that in order to counter the crisis and support peace and security, “Canada is investing an additional US$100 million to provide enhanced policing support and equipment to the Haitian National Police, to bolster Haitianled solutions to the crisis and support peace and security”, rather than lead an international force of several thousand men in Haiti.

In addition, the Canadian Government said that it would be imposing sanctions on two other members of the Haitian elite – former senator Nenel Cassy and business-

man and former presidential candidate Steeve Khawly, whose Canadian assets have been frozen. They are also prohibited from entering Canada.

For his part, Biden said that his Administration was looking to support the Police department in Haiti and looking into whether the United Nations could play a role to quell the violence in the country.

“The biggest thing we could do, and it’s going to take time, is to increase the prospect of the Police department in Haiti having the capacity to deal with the problems,” Biden said during a press conference with Trudeau. (CMC)

Mexican Government to challenge Supreme Court’s suspension of electoral reform

The Mexican government said Sunday it would challenge the Supreme Court's temporary suspension of parts of a controversial electoral reform pushed by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The Supreme Court on Friday halted parts of the reform, which was a scaleddown version of a failed constitutional reform originally sought. The court also confirmed it would consider a lawsuit from independent electoral institute INE that seeks to overturn it.

Mexico's Government said in a statement it would challenge the decision through its legal department and blasted the court's suspension.

"It is false that the fundamental rights of citizens are put at risk, as well as the organisation of the elections ... so it is an unjustified and unnecessary resolution," the Government said.

"It is essential that the Ministers that make up the (Supreme Court of Justice

of the Nation) act within the powers that correspond to them, without trespassing the limits imposed by the Constitution and the laws," it added.

The Supreme Court said in its statement Friday that the case involved "the possible violation of citizen's political-electoral rights".

The leftist Lopez Obrador has bitterly clashed with electoral authorities throughout his political career.

Late last month,

'Stateless' after ISIS in Trinidad

Close to eight years

after Ismael Roberts returned to T&T with his mother, Marsha Roberts, from ISIS-controlled territories in Syria, he is still unable to attend school, without documents and is, for all intents and purposes, stateless.

Ismael, eight, and 38-year-old Marsha were repatriated to T&T from Turkey in October 2015 after three years in the Middle East.

Marsha said Government officials helped their family to return home, but she now feels like her son has been abandoned and discarded by the State.

“Without a child having an identity, without a child having a chance to be in school and get an education, what will you leave

him to come out to be? And then you’ll blame it on ISIS, but he’s back home and we are trying to live a different life,” Marsha said.

“I just want my child to have a fair chance in life. When I returned, he was one-year-old, and now he’s eight, and he hasn’t been in school. I have to be unemployed and homeschool him and teach him to read and write. I want a better life for him.

“I feel the pain mostly in the evenings because I will see children coming from school and my son will say, ‘Mommy, I want to go to school’. He says, ‘My friends ask me if I go to school and I have to lie and say I go to school’. This

has been happening over and over for years without any help. I reach out for help in private schools, Government schools, the Ministry of Education on my own, going in on my own and everybody shutting me down,” Marsha said, as her eyes turned red and filled with tears.

A room at the front of their one-story home in Maloney is Ismael’s makeshift classroom. His entire education has been developed by his mother in this six-by-seven-foot room. On one of the walls rests a whiteboard. Mathematics was Saturday’s subject of the day when the Sunday Guardian visited.

“I feel my son has been abandoned. Every day I

Mexico's Senate gave its final approval to the electoral reform known locally as "Plan B", which critics warn would undermine democracy since it significantly downsizes the INE while giving more power to local officials, many of whom are members of Lopez Obrador's MORENA party.

The government has said the reform seeks to reduce the bureaucratic costs of elections and strengthen democratic principles.

(Reuters)

feel deep pain because I want the best for my son, and it’s like we’re going deeper down a hole because it’s like he doesn’t exist. He has no identity here.

“I would like my son to have a normal life as any child, any citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. I would like to see him in a school, playing with children his age. Be able to get dental, free dental, and healthcare. Everything as a normal average child,” Marsha said.

Since their return, Marsha said they’ve not been offered any form of support from the State, or any professional counselling or rehabilitation.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

The Supreme Court building, Mexico City, Mexico (Reuters/Henry Romero file photo)

Former Syrian refugee Marsha Roberts teaches her son Ismael (not their real names) in a room at the front of their one-storey home in Maloney

After a major decline that saw oil prices fall to multiyear lows, oil markets appear to have bottomed out and begun an encouraging ascent higher. Over the past two weeks, a general bearish and risk-off sentiment cut across asset markets and triggered a lengthy unwind of speculative positions in oil futures. A top commodity analyst blamed the unusually steep decline to significant selling by banks in response to gamma-effects as prices closed in a concentration of producer puts around USD 75/bbl for Brent and USD 70/bbl for WTI crude. Luckily for the bulls, in the past week, oil prices have staged a remarkable turnaround, with Brent climbing from a twoyear low around US$70 per barrel on Monday to USD 77.20 per barrel on Thursday’s intraday session while WTI has recovered from around US$63 per barrel to US$71.20 over the timeframe. That’s a nearly 10% rally in the space of just three days.

And now commodity experts at Standard Chartered are saying that the path of least resistance for oil prices at this point is higher, not lower. Previously, the analysts had said that the unwinding of speculative length appears to be complete at this juncture, thus lowering selling pressure, but had warned that prices might retest the lows if the FOMC hikes its policy rate by more than the widely expected margin of 25bps.

Thankfully, the markets have successfully scaled that wall of worry after the Fed’s hike on Wednesday came inline with expectations. The Fed also indicated that the current rate hike cycle is nearing an end.

It gets better for the bulls: StanChart expects last week’s gamma effects to reverse course with banks buying back positions thus reinforcing the short-term rebound. Beyond that, StanChart says oil prices will largely be dictated by OPEC’s and consuming countries’ strategic inventory policy shifts.

Specifically, the experts have predicted the current surplus will persist till early Q2; however, they expect the rest of the year to be in a modest deficit.

Goldman Sachs' Jeffrey Currie has acknowledged that the unexpected banking crisis has soured the macroeconomic outlook significantly and weighed heavily on oil prices, calling the situation a "big, scarring event." Still, the analyst expects prices to rally from here, and has only lowered his 2023 end-of-year target from US$100 to US$94 a barrel.

According to Currie, fundamentals in the oil markets remain largely unchanged thus supporting the previous bull case. He has pointed out that key physical indicators, such as refining margins and time spreads, have remained stable, a positive sign that in-use demand remains strong and is likely to continue driving the physical market higher. Currie has also argued that the banking crisis will only have short-lived effects but very limited impact over the longterm. However, he has warned that the turmoil will result in a "... a longer path forward."

Hedge fund manager Pierre Andurand of Andurand Capital is not a mere bull but an ultra-bull: Andurand has predicted that crude will hit US$140/bbl by the end of the year. Just like Currie, Andrurand argues that the recent oil price crash due to banking jitters was purely speculative. Further, he expects crude oil demand to peak around 2030, but "even when we peak, oil demand won't fall down so fast. We will reach peak demand towards 110M bbl/day and then a slow decline from there."

Oil and gas stocks have also been surging higher in tandem with the commodities they track: the energy sector’s benchmark, the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund, is up 4.1% since the beginning of last week. (Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

NATO criticises Putin for "dangerous and irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric

NATO on Sunday criticised Vladimir Putin for what it called his "dangerous and irresponsible" nuclear rhetoric, a day after the Russian President said he planned to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Putin likened the move on Saturday to the US stationing its weapons in Europe, while insisting that Russia would not violate its nuclear non-proliferation promises.

Although not unexpected, the plan is one of Russia's clearest nuclear signals

since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine 13 months ago, and Ukraine called for a meeting of the UN Security Council in response.

While Washington, the world's other nuclear superpower, played down concerns about Putin's announcement, NATO said the Russian President's non-proliferation pledge and his description of US weapons deployment overseas were way off the mark.

Around the World Standard Chartered: Oil prices likely to head higher

"Russia's reference to NATO's nuclear sharing is totally misleading. NATO allies act with full respect of their international commitments," NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in emailed comments to Reuters on Sunday.

"Russia has consistently

broken its arms control commitments," Lungescu said.

A top security adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Oleksiy Danilov, said Russia's plan would also destabilise Belarus, which he said had been taken "hostage" by Moscow.

Experts said Russia's move was significant since it had until now been proud that unlike the United States, it did not deploy nuclear weapons outside its borders. It may be the first time since the mid-1990s that it has done so. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Lebanon wakes up in 2 time zones as clock change row deepens divisions

Lebanon woke up in two time zones on Sunday amid an escalating dispute between political and religious authorities over a decision to delay the clock change by a month.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati decided on Thursday not to start daylight savings time over the last weekend of March - as usually happens in Lebanon, Europe and other regions - but instead to roll clocks forward an hour on April 20.

Though no reason was

given for the decision, it was widely seen as a concession to Muslims, allowing those observing the holy month of Ramadan to break their daylight-hours fasts at around 6 pm rather than 7 pm.

But Lebanon's influential Maronite church, the largest Christian church in the country, announced it would not abide by the decision, saying there had been no consultations or considerations of international standards.

It turned its clocks forward, and other Christian

Tunisia migrants: At least 29 die off coast

At least 29 migrants have died after at least two boats sank off Tunisia's coast within hours of each other, officials say.

The sub-Saharan migrants were trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Italy.

It is the latest in a string of migrant boat capsizes off Tunisia's coast in the last few days, with five others sinking in the past four days.

This comes after Tunisia launched a campaign against undocumented African migrants.

Meanwhile, Italian officials on the island of Lampedusa say they are overwhelmed, after a record 2500 migrants arrived in the last 24 hours.

The Italian far-right Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has warned Europe risks seeing a huge wave of refugees arriving on its shores.

Tunisia has become a hub for migrants who wish to make it to Europe,

with UN figures showing at least 12,000 migrants who landed on Italy's shores this year left from Tunisia. That figure was just 1300 in the same time period last year.

However, the Tunisia coast guard say they are taking steps to stop the migrant crossings, having halted around 80 vessels headed for Europe in the past four days, according to the Reuters news agency. It also says it has detained more than 3000 migrants, the same agency reports.

In a controversial speech last month, Tunisia's President accused sub-Saharan African migrants living in the country of causing a crime wave and described them as a demographic threat.

These comments have left some sub-Saharan Africans in Tunisia living in fear, with some saying they have seen an increase in racist incidents.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

organisations, parties and schools announced similar plans. Lebanon’s Education Minister, Abbas Halabi, also said on Sunday schools would operate on daylight savings time - against the Government decision.

Meanwhile, Muslim institutions and parties appeared set to remain in winter time, deepening divides in a country that was rocked by a 1975-90 civil war between Christian and Muslim factions and where Parliament seats are allocated by religious sect.

Businesses and media organisations, including two of Lebanon's main news channels - LBCI and MTV - announced they too would enter daylight savings time. "Lebanon is not an island," LBCI said in a statement.

Many said the potential chaos was emblematic of decades of failed governance by leaders that led Lebanon into a 2019 financial crisis the World Bank said was "orchestrated" by elites. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US Vice President Kamala Harris in Africa to boost ties

Vice President Kamala Harris has said that the United States will increase investment in Africa and help spur economic growth as she began a weeklong tour of the continent aimed at countering the influence of rivals Russia and China.

China has invested heavily in Africa in recent decades, including in infrastructure and resource development, while Russian influence has also grown, including through the deployment of troops from the private military contractor Wagner Group in several countries.

“On this trip, I intend to do work that is focused on increasing investments here on the continent and facilitating economic growth and opportunity,” Harris said on Sunday shortly after touching down in Ghana, the first destination in a trip that will include visits to Tanzania and Zambia.

“We are looking for-

ward to this trip as a further statement of the long and enduring very important relationship and friendship between the people of the United States and those who live on this continent,” Harris said.

The Administration of President Joe Biden has sought to strengthen ties with Africa, in part to offer an alternative to rival powers, amid global competition over the continent’s future.

African nations are aware that there are ulterior motives for this push for a closer alliance, observers say.

“African nations are not naive … The US has a long history of meddling in African affairs, supporting dictators versus liberation movements, pushing hard for US multinationals’ access to African markets and resources, while leaving countries with nothing,” said Al Jazeera’s Shihab Rattansi, reporting from Washington, DC.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Russian President Vladimir Putin

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Research and preparation will set your mind at ease. Knowing what you are up against will be key. Choose your words wisely and share with like-minded people. Don't lead someone on.

(March 21-April 19)

You'll charm others with your insight. Concentrate on getting things up and running before you share your plans. Someone you love or respect will spark an unexpected change of heart.

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Pitch in and do what you do best. Your insight and ability to delegate will ensure your success. Be a leader who chooses the best person for each job, and watch your dream come true.

You may feel like taking on the world, but until you steady your emotions and are prepared to follow through with your plans, you are better off working alone. Leave no room for error.

(June 21-July 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(July 23-Aug. 22)

Think about the possibilities before making a move. Don't gamble with your reputation or health. You're not obligated to do everything yourself. Ask for help and you will get it. Seek out like-minded people.

Action will be the way to go. A financial opportunity or contract looks inviting. Let your intelligence lead the way, and use your voice to promote opportunity. Seek help from others.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Don't let your emotions get in the way of your search for truth. If information you receive sounds far-fetched or contradictory, do more digging. Don't act without having all the facts.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Try something new, and socialize with people you find interesting and informative. Revisit an emotional issue you have yet to resolve. Put boundaries in place. Don't let yourself be taken for granted.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Brace yourself if you are dealing with outside influences. Stick close to home and work on something important to you. Peers or family members will encourage you to follow your heart.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

A change geared toward improving your mental and physical health will bring long-lasting effects. Growing as an individual will give you a new lease on life. Romance is in the stars.

Don't be too quick to dismiss someone's actions. Avoid associating with someone who can make you look bad. Use your experience and intuition to guide you in a positive direction.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Take pride in your work and how you run your home. Listen to what others say, but do what works best for you. A deal is only in your best interest if the results align with what you want.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

SATURDAY'S WORD --RAVAGED

Ground-breaking Queen Side Girls Chess Camp bodes well for the future of women's chess in Guyana

The Guyana Women in Chess Community’s core goal is to close the gap in gender parity in the game. Great strides towards achieving this continue to be made with a landmark event on Saturday, March 25 – the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales-sponsored "Queen Side" Girls Chess Camp.

This one-day chess camp, organised by the WICC, is the first-ever girls-only chess camp hosted in the history of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) and had an impressive turnout of nearly 50 women and girls. We believe that providing designated spaces exclusively for females can foster a sense of community and sisterhood, which in turn can contribute to the retention of girls in the sport for a more extended period.

The event held at Duke Lodge provided up-and-coming players with a chance to learn chess tactics and advice from more experienced players in a relaxed and casual setting. The event exceeded expectations in terms of participation and engagement as more than 40 girls under the age of 18 registered for the camp. The younger girls were eager to learn, asking many questions and showing enthusiasm for the game throughout the camp.

The girls also had the chance to play against each other and receive feedback, with an emphasis on building confidence and developing skills in a supportive and friendly environment. Snacks and juices donated by Topco were provided for the girls as they engaged each other in the game

of chess.

Most of the experienced female chess players, Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Sheriffa Ali, Anaya Lall, Italy TonChung, Aniyah Couchman, Angel Rahim, and Maliha Rajkumar were on hand to provide instruction and guidance to participants, covering basic chess tactics and strategies, and offering tips on how to improve their game.

Some of these remarkable young women also shared their experiences as chess players over the years. Reigning

National Women’s Champion Pooja Lam and former National Women’s Champion Sasha Shariff together with National Arbiter and top female chess player Jessica Callender also contributed, expressing their thoughts on chess and the many friendships gained after meeting

other incredible players from other countries.

The Federation’s Company Secretary, Marcia Lee, who heads the Women in Chess Committee, welcomed the girls and encouraged more participation in chess competitions. She noted that by playing chess and working hard to improve, the girls could reap tremendous benefits in the future as opportunities arise for girls to move onto the international scene. Lee also stressed the need for more females to join the Federation so that they too could enjoy the many benefits of chess and ultimately bridge the gender gap within the GCF.

It is worth noting that less than a decade ago, female chess players were a rarity. In the competitive arena, some local tournaments only saw

a maximum of three to five female chess players.

As such, the Women’s Committee was elated to see so many young girls in attendance who came to learn, play, and bond over the game of chess.

GCF President Anand Raghunauth noted that by encouraging women and girls in chess, with the emphasis on building communication and leadership skills, they could become great players, administrators, and ambassadors of the sport.

The event was sponsored by Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, along with Sunshine Snacks, Nadeem Khan and Associates, and Banks DIH Limited. The participants were provided with snacks and beverages for an afternoon of fun in chess and social development.

The GCF also extended

sincere gratitude to the management of Duke Lodge for providing the use of the venue and Prabha Persaud-Kissoon for sponsoring the WICC banner.

Special thanks were extended for seeing the value in what the Federation is striving to achieve and for the support provided as it forged ahead.

Kaylex Enterprise Guyana donates cricket gear to talented young cricketer

National Under-15 allrounder Emmanuel Lewis on Saturday received a donation of cricket gear to aid in his journey of representing Guyana. The kind gesture was made possible through Kaylex Enterprise Guyana at a simple ceremony, held at the Transport Sports Club.

In accepting the donation, Lewis, who represents the Transport Sports Club at the local

level, thanked the company for its timely gesture, which he said would aid him in his endeavours to proudly represent Guyana.

In response, the company said that the donation was part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and wished Lewis well in all of his games. It also undertook to assist him in the future. Items handed over comprised a cricket bag and cricket batting pads.

Morocco Coach Regragui in dreamland after win over Brazil

Morocco Coach Walid Regragui has hailed his team as history makers after they followed up their giant-killing feats of last year's World Cup with their first win over Brazil in a friendly in Tangier on Saturday.

The Atlas Lions became the first Arab team to defeat the fivetime world champions, with goals from Sofiane Boufal and substitute Abdelhamid Sabiri earning Morocco a 2-1 victory.

"It feels like I'm dreaming," Regragui told reporters. "We wrote history. We beat

Brazil, who are number one in the FIFA rankings and the country of football."

The match, Morocco's first since their stunning run to last year's World Cup semi-finals, was played out in a festive atmosphere at a sold-out Ibn Batouta stadium in front of more than 65,000 fans.

"To make the celebration beautiful, we had to win this match and that's what we did," Morocco centre back Romain Saiss said.

"We were at the level even though it was complicated. The mental state of the team made

the difference and made people happy again and that's what is important."

Boufal opened the scoring in the 29th minute before Casemiro equalised for Brazil after an error by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, but substitute Sabiri scored Morocco's winner with a powerful shot 11 minutes from time.

The result was further proof of the strides Morocco have made under Regragui.

They became the first Arab team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals last year and the first African team to

make the semi-finals, beating Belgium, Spain, and Portugal on the way.

"All the players fought," Regragui added. "We weren't good in the second half, but I liked our fighting spirit.

"The defence didn't back down and we tried to make our fans happy."

They will head into their next match against Peru in Madrid on Tuesday full of confidence.

"With this high morale, we'll try to beat Peru as well, despite the difficulty and lack of time in the month of Ramadan," Regragui said. (Reuters)

Director of Kaylex Enterprises Guyana, Densil Raghoo (third from right) presenting the gear to Emmanuel Lewis (second from left). Also in photo are Kevin McAdam; Lewis’s mother; Dave Mohabir, Guyana Under-15 Captain and Shaun Massiah, Club Captain/ Coach, Transport Sports Club

Junior warns of 'Vision' problems in Easter Cup

......Opticians invited to witness the day's card

Opticians will have a field day after the running of One (1) Easter Cup on Easter Sunday (April 9) at Port Mourant racecourse.

This is the prediction of young trainer Nasrudeen Mohamed, who will saddle the undefeated Alado in the 1600-metre feature event on the holiday weekend. He made this bold statement when asked about the wellbeing of Alado and the colt’s training heading into the race.

"This is going to be the reason for plenty people to lose their 'Vision' on Easter Sunday," Mohamed

Escarraga takes the win at LGC Tournament

– Robert’s Birthday Tournament set for next Saturday

On Saturday at the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), Guillermo Escarraga was nothing short of impressive. He withstood excellent competition, leaving his fellow golfers in the wind to take the title.

The results for the tournament were as follows:

1st – Guillermo

Escarraga: HC 16, Gross 85, Net 69

2nd – Raj Misir: HC 16, Gross 86, Net 70

3rd – Mike Mangal: HC 8, Gross 79, Net 71

Nearest to pin

– Miguel Oviedo Longest Drive –

Guillermo Escarraga

Best Net Front 9 –

Guillermo Escarraga (34)

Best Net Back 9 –

Hilbert Shields (34)

The players will now turn their attention to next Saturday as they gear up for Robert's Birthday Tournament, which will be held in honour of Robert Hanoman.

A large turnout is anticipated for a full round of golf among members and newcomers. Hanoman, since he became acquainted with golf, has remained committed to the game that he has been playing for more than 20

years. Over the years, Hanoman has made significant and outstanding contributions to the LGC.

Counsel Hanoman has provided legal guidance and direction continuously, in ad-

answered when questioned on how well Alado was training ahead of the colt's reappearance since winning last year's Guyana Cup and the President's Cup.

Mohamed's response is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Rising Sun Stablesowned filly Ariana's Vision. The filly, trained by Fazal Habibulla romped over a similar trip on March 12 at Rising Sun racecourse beating Alado's stablemate Looking At Heaven.

After that success, Habibulla, respectfully called Uncle Fazal, stated, "I was ready for Alado, but they sent their second string."

That statement fuelled the banter between both trainers ahead of the Easter Cup, which will be the spectacle on Easter Sunday. The event will see the return of USA-bred Wild Texas Tom and Our Stuie, both of whom are trained at Port Mourant race course by Therbhuwan “Turbo” Jagdeo. They finished second and third behind Alado in the Guyana Cup.

Turbo has been very quiet about his runners, and with the hometown advantage he is quietly confident of a major upset, as the unbeaten Alado is chasing after a third Cup success.

Shallow and Bassarath elected as President and Vice President of CWI

Dr Kishore Shallow and Azim Bassarath have been elected to the posts of President and Vice President respectively, of Cricket West Indies (CWI). They will serve two-year terms.

The election process was conducted as one of the key items on the agenda of the 24th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of CWI, which was held on Saturday, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Dr Shallow said: “On behalf of Cricket West Indies, I sincerely thank the outgoing President Ricky Skerritt for his latest contribution to our beloved cricket. He has served with distinction and pride in one of the most challenging periods in our lifetime, the COVID-19 pandemic. His tenure has certainly moved us in the right direction.”

advancement as a cricket nation."

Bassarath said: “It is indeed an honour to be elected to serve as the Vice President of Cricket West Indies and I look forward to working alongside Dr Shallow and the other members of the Board of Directors as we continue the good work done by Mr Skerritt for the benefit of everyone involved in West Indies cricket.”

In addition to the election for President and Vice President, the following persons were duly elected as Member Directors of CWI:

Jason King – Barbados

Cricket Association

Conde Riley – Barbados

Cricket Association

Bissoondyal Singh – Guyana

Cricket Board

Deleep Singh – Guyana

Cricket Board

dition to consistent and voluntary financial assistance by means of sponsorships and other areas of club development.

The tournament is an annual fixture on the LGC’s official calendar of events.

He added: “The resounding vote of confidence demonstrated by the shareholders is heartening. My profound gratitude to them and all the stakeholders for supporting me throughout the electoral process. As I embark on this new role with Vice President Bassarath, there is no delusion about the considerable workload. My philosophy remains one of unity and inclusivity. For it is only if we pool our resources and efforts together will West Indies cricket make any meaningful

Therefore, the bull'seye will be on the Master Z-owned colt, which everyone will want to topple.

The trio of Alado, Wild Texas Tom and Our Stuie would be having their first run of the season. How race fit they would be will be tested by Ariana's Vision that scored readily on her first start of the season. Uncle Fazal said that that victory has been a confidence booster for her, and she would improve further.

Would Uncle Fazal and Turbo have to visit the optician. Well, I am reliably informed by Mohamed. He has invited them to Port Mourant for the race day, as their business could boom after the running of the Easter Cup.

Dr Donovan Bennett –

Jamaica Cricket Association

Wilford Heaven – Jamaica

Cricket Association

Enoch Lewis – Leeward

Islands Cricket Board

Leon Rodney – Leeward

Islands Cricket Board

Kerwin John – Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board

Arjoon Ramlal – Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board

Dwain Gill – Windward

Islands Cricket Board

Carol Henry – Windward

Islands Cricket Board

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TOURS

Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr

Guillermo Escarraga won the Lusignan Golf Club Tournament

Quinton de Kock's first T20 International hundred – and joint sixth-fastest in the format off 43 balls – helped South Africa complete the highest successful chase in T20Is. De Kock's innings came in the second half of a run-

South Africa smash record chase against WI in 1st 500-run T20

responsible for 11 of those sixes as he blasted his way to the joint second-fastest T20I century, and fastest by a West Indian, as they posted their highest score in the format. In the end, it was not enough.

fest on a belter of a pitch at SuperSport Park.

In total, 517 runs were scored, the most in a T20 game, including 35 sixes, the most in a T20I and two fewer than the most in any T20 match.

Johnson Charles was

It was a tough day for bowlers on both sides, who struggled to get their lengths right. Only Kagiso Rabada conceded at under 10 runs an over and there was poor discipline on both sides, especially by West Indies. They bowled 10 wides and a no-ball compared to South Africa's four wides and may see that as an important difference in the final result.

The series decider will be

played about 40 kilometres away, at the Wanderers, on Tuesday.

which was their fastest start in a T20I. The openers were separated at the start of the

the third-highest stand for West Indies in T20I cricket – and all three of them have come against South Africaand plundered 135 runs in 58 balls at a scoring rate of just under 14 runs an over.

Guyana's number one cyclist Briton John won the 23rd annual Cheddi Jagan Memorial 55-mile cycle race in Berbice, stopping the clock at three hours, three minutes and 35 seconds. Jamual John came in second while Alexander

Leung, Romello Crawford, Curtis Dey and Alex Mendes rounded out the top six in that order. Mendes was the top veteran while Leung was the top junior. In the over50s category, Ian Jackson was the top rider.

The race started off

from outside the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s Freedom House office on Main Street in New Amsterdam, then proceeded to the Springlands Police Station before returning to Babu Jaan School for the finish.

Charles and Mayers do a demolition job

The early dismissal of Brandon King dissolved into a footnote when Kyle Mayers and Charles got together for an exhibition of power-hitting that dismantled the home attack. Marco Jansen's opening over cost 20, as Charles peppered the off side and Sisanda Magala's first over went for 21 runs thanks to a merciless Mayers. He hit the biggest six of the innings when he sent Magala 114 metres over midwicket, with the ball carrying over the hospitality suite roofs and into the practice nets. Charles brought up his fifty off 23 balls when he hit Tabraiz Shamsi over square leg, Mayers followed with a 24ball fifty, and also brought his milestone up against Shamsi.

West Indies were 62 for1 after the powerplay and 137 for 1 after the first 10 overs,

11th over, when Mayers miscued a pull off Jansen, but by then, they had shared

The carnage continues Charles was 18 runs away from his century when both Mayers and Nicholas Pooran fell to Jansen, but he was undeterred. He sent Rabada for six over square leg, then hit a Magala full toss over point for four and reached his century with a drive over extra-cover. Jansen was brought back and Charles sent him for sixes over extra-cover and long-off and then four through fine leg before he was bowled by a yorker that he seemed to have kept out, but trickled onto his stumps. Charles scored 73 of his 118 runs on the leg side, including eight of his 11 sixes, and when he was bowled, West Indies still had six overs to bat. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

West Indies (20 ovs maximum)

Brandon King c Hendricks b Parnell 1

Kyle Mayers c Hendricks

b Jansen 51

Johnson Charles b Jansen 118

Nicholas Pooran † c Markram

b Jansen 2

Rovman Powell (c) c †

de Kock b Parnell 28

Romario Shepherd not out 41

Odean Smith not out 11

Extras (lb 2, w 4) 6

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 12.90) 258/5

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Brandon King, 0.3 ov), 2-137 (Kyle Mayers, 10.1 ov), 3-139 (Nicholas

Pooran, 10.4 ov), 4-179 (Johnson

Charles, 13.6 ov), 5-236 (Rovman Powell, 18.2 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Wayne Parnell 4-0-43-2

Aiden Markram 2-0-22-0

Kagiso Rabada 4-0-39-0

Marco Jansen 4-0-52-3

Sisanda Magala 4-0-67-0

Tabraiz Shamsi 2-0-33-0

South Africa (T: 259 runs from 20 ovs)

Quinton de Kock † c †

Pooran b Reifer 100

Reeza Hendricks c †

Pooran b Powell 68

Rilee Rossouw c King b Smith 16

David Miller c Shepherd b Holder 10

Aiden Markram (c) not out 38

Heinrich Klaasen not out 16

Extras (nb 1, w 10) 11

TOTAL 18.5 Ov (RR: 13.75) 259/4

Fall of wickets: 1-152 (Quinton de Kock, 10.5 ov), 2-180 (Rilee Rossouw, 11.6 ov), 3-193 (Reeza Hendricks, 12.4 ov), 4-216 (David Miller, 15.4 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Akeal Hosein 2-0-33-0 Sheldon Cottrell 1-0-29-0

Jason Holder 4-0-48-1

Romario Shepherd 3.5-0-44-0

Odean Smith 2-0-36-1

Raymon Reifer 4-0-42-1

Rovman Powell 2-0-27-1

Quinton de Kock slammed an even century

Johnson Charles celebrating his 100

West Indies bowlers had a bad day at the office

Members of the PPP/C at the start of the race

The top three riders: Jamual John, Briton John, and Alexander Leung