Guyana Times - Monday, September 25, 2023

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, Sep 25 – 00:30h –02:00h and Tuesday, Sep 26 –01:30h – 03:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Monday, Sep 25 – 13:10h – 14:40h and Tuesday, Sep 26 – 14:05h – 15:35h.

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 and sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to Westerly between 0.44 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 06:48h and 19:20h reaching maximum heights of 0.91 metres and 0.99 metres.

Low Tide: 13:28h reaching a minimum height of 2.24 metre.

22% of budgeted $43B for

project used

In the first half of 2023, a total of $9.6 billion was spent to develop the gas-to-energy project, out of the over $40 billion that was allocated in the 2023 budget, amounting to just over 22 per cent of the budgeted sum being spent.

This is contained in the Finance Ministry’s 2023 Mid-Year Report, among the updates that were provided on Guyana’s progress for the year when it comes to energy, including the progress that is being made on installing forms of renewable energy, such as solar in the hinterland.

The report provides more details on what the money for the gas-to-energy project was spent on, including the preparation of the site that will house the Integrated NGL (Natural Gas Liquid) Plant and the 300-megawatt (MW) Combined Cycle Power Plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

ceived a $43.3 billion allocation. This allocation was in addition to the $24.6 billion injected into the startup of the transformational project. The NGL and 300MW power plant components of the gas-to-shore project, are expected to cost

ditional $5 billion in supplementary funding for the gas-to-energy project, which will go towards the necessary infrastructure to support the project.

Specifically, it had been explained by Senior Minister in the Office of the

this solar farm is expected to supply 1988 MWh to the grid, reducing the consumption of annual diesel by 714,648 litres. This solar farm forms part of the wider initiative aimed to add 3.75MWp of renewable electricity to Lethem, Bartica, Mahdia and Leguan,” the report states.

“In the first half of 2023, 12,000 solar home energy PV units were manufactured and are expected to be delivered to Guyana in the third quarter for distribution. These solar energy home units are an effective means of providing electricity at an individual level to the dispersed household in the hinterland area, providing sustainable lighting to hinterland homes.”

“With respect to the gas-to-energy project in the Wales Development Zone, $9.6 billion was expended in the first half of the year of the $43.3 billion budgeted. These included outlays related to the development of the material offloading facility, the heavy haul road and preparatory works at the 100acre site to prepare for the power plant and the integrated natural gas facilities,” the report states.

In Budget 2023, the gas-to-energy project re-

US$759.8 million and will be financed through sources that include budgets and loan financing.

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

During the 67th Sitting of Parliament in August, the Government also went before the National Assembly to request an ad-

Presidency with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, that the money for the project would be used for upgrading the electrical distribution network necessary to integrate energy from the power plants in the project.

Meanwhile, the MidYear Report also revealed that in the first half of the year and in line with the Government’s clean energy objectives, a 1.5MW solar farm in Bartica was commissioned.

“At maximum capacity

In keeping with its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, Guyana has continued to make key investments to expand its solar energy sources. The $625 million 1.5MW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Farm that was commissioned in Daag Point, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) in April, is expected to provide clean, renewable energy to over 3000 residents of Bartica and its surrounding communities.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) had approved the use of US$83.8 million, earned from Norway by keeping Guyana’s rainforests intact, for the construction of a number of these solar farms, which aim to add renewable energy sources to Guyana’s grid.

gas-to-energy

– money used to prepare 100-acre site for gas facilities, other expenses

A model of the gas-to-energy facilities that will be built

A solar plant that was commissioned at Mabaruma, Region One

Views

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Economic regulations

Even though we were located firmly on the fringes of the periphery of the developed world that embarked on its embrace of the neo-liberal economic paradigm with the election of Thatcher in Britain (1979) and Reagan in the US (1980,) by 1989, when the PNC turned to the IMF for relief to the crushing debt it had accumulated, Guyana was shanghaied into its embrace. One pillar was the “development” of our financial sector, which was forced to “liberalise” i.e. loosen the regulatory framework, which had been painstakingly installed after centuries of struggle, on the altar of “small government”.

However, the “night watchman state” is not just a matter of form but is undergirded by a philosophy of governance that rejects government taking any responsibility for alleviating the condition of the poorer elements of society and instead exalts unregulated private companies buttressing their bottom line by any means necessary. That ethos was articulated a half-century ago by the influential US thinker Ayn Rand and summarised in her novel “Atlas Shrugged. Basically, she derided altruism (“breeds immorality and evil”) and trumpeted selfishness (“the highest virtue”).

She lionized the human ego, rejected God as “an artifice for the expiation of human failures”, extolled the separation of state and the economy, and promoted governmental deregulation. Rand inspired a devoted band of followers including Alan Greenspan who, as Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve-1987-2006, put their theory into practice. And it seemed to work. By the nineties, after Clinton completed the gutting of substantive financial regulating by allowing commercial banks to join the securities investment frenzy, the bullish stock market silenced all but a few, who were derided as Jeremiahs.

But the Enron scandal in 2001 was a warning. It saw one of the darlings of Wall Street file for bankruptcy after it was investigated by the SEC when its stock plunged from $90 in 2000 to $1 a year later and shareholders filed a $40B suit. In the words of Wiki, “Commentators attributed the mismanagement behind Enron's fall to a variety of ethical and political-economic causes.

Ethical explanations centered on executive greed and hubris, a lack of corporate social responsibility, situation ethics, and getit-done business pragmatism. Political-economic explanations cited post-1970s deregulation and inadequate staff and funding for regulatory oversight.” Its $63.4 billion in assets made it the largest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history until WorldCom's bankruptcy the next year. Guyana was not spared when some of the same issues forced the collapse of Globe Trust in Guyana and a host of small investors lost their shirts.

Basically, the flaw with the neo-con model goes to the very core of their central premise – the exaltation of selfishness. They miscalculated the power of its corollary - greed, which had been kept in check, however tenuously, by the old regulatory framework. At the time, Chancellor Carl Singh had castigated the Directors of Globe Trust for their unsecured loans made to themselves and their relatives and friends but also the Bank of Guyana for its dereliction of its duty under the Financial Institutions Act to monitor the activities of the institution. In the US, a chastened Greenspan had admitted the “flaw” in his model: self-regulation in an arena of greed unbound is performatively, a recipe for disaster.

In practical terms, the model raises what is known in economics and related fields as “moral hazard” and “principalagent” problems. Where does one then draw the line when, as in the modern corporation, ownership, and management are not in the same hands and the guiding philosophy is “greed is good”? Business and entrepreneurial behaviour is at the bottom, a matter of taking risks and society has already created the legal framework for protecting individuals from those risks by forming corporations, that are treated as “legal bodies”. But while society is willing to have those who take risks receive the rewards this must be predicated on the society also benefitting as well as shareholders. And this is where – in addition to the externally driven AML/CFT - we have to reintroduce governmental regulations to keep our financial and business institutions in line, especially as oil funds will soon balloon their ranks.

President Ali vows to defend Guyana’s sovereignty amid new threats from Venezuela

Dear Editor,

Since being elected to office three years ago on August 2, 2020, President Dr Irfaan Ali has meticulously, and thoroughly articulated policies on all issues in the most judicious manner at all regional and international forums and to the rest of the world, including our friendly neighbours in Caricom and Latin America. At the 6th Plenary meeting of Heads of State of the 78th Session at the United Nations General Assembly, His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali in one of his most compelling and passionate speeches urged the leaders of the global community of nations to adopt a realistic and balanced approach to combat climate change and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to preserve the planet for future generations.

Dr Ali emphatically stated to the more than 150 Heads of State present at the UN General Assembly that despite Guyana achieving net-zero emissions, it continues to pursue a low-carbon development strategy aimed at sustainable resource utilisation for inclusive and equitable development. The Head of State stressed the importance of Guyana’s vast rainforests in mitigating climate change on a global scale and speaking truth to power, he was unyielding but graceful in his request that Guyana should be adequately compensated for its rainforests, which is approximately the size of England and Scotland combined.

Despite the glaring lights hovering above the Assembly, and under immense pressure to convince the world leaders

that Guyana could lead on climate change and that they should be committed to the task, a confident President Dr Ali assured them that Guyana would do its party and probably more to save the planet.

A profoundly serious and pensive President did not mince words when he called on the Heads of State to work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals established by the UN and to promote peace, prosperity, progress, and stability for all. In his most impactful speech, His Excellency emphasized the importance of multilateralism to address global challenges, particularly climate change and food security to lessen and or overcome poverty.

Not only did he cite the widespread and devastating effects of climate change on the Global South countries like Guyana, but he also altruistically noted that these countries which continue to bear the brunt of the climate sensation have not contributed to the crisis. He was adamant and decisive when he told the leaders of the Global North countries which he claimed are the main contributors to climate change that they have the capacity to solve the problem and to provide adequate funding for the countries hardest hit by the attending effects.

Along with climate change, President Dr Ali also tackled several other universal problems and issues, including the global food crisis, healthcare, peace and security, respect for international law and sovereignty, territorial disputes, and

support for the rights of Indigenous peoples around the world. In the case of the border dispute, President Dr Ali scolded President Maduro on his threats to undermine Guyana’s sovereignty and its right to develop its resources which were reflected in a communique rejecting Guyana’s auctioning of oil blocks. He chided the Venezuelan leader for his refusal to respect international conventions and allow the International Court of Justice to settle the dispute amicably.

President Ali warned Maduro that his unfounded threats could endanger the preservation of regional and international peace and security. The Guyanese Head of State was fearless and heroic when he demanded that Venezuela honours its obligation under the charter to pursue only peaceful means to settle its dispute it may have with Guyana, which dates to the resolution of the October 3, 1899 Arbitral Award which validated the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

President Ali was not alone in condemning Venezuela’s attempts to bully Guyana and covet its territory. Support came from the Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro, who called on Venezuela to respect international law and Guyana’s sovereignty and to cease its intimidatory tactics against the Government and people of Guyana. Meanwhile, the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom) has called on Venezuela to abort

its insane, absurd, and irrational threats toward Guyana and reiterated its full and unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana, including its right to peacefully develop the resources of its territory.

The Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations also condemned Venezuela for its aggressive behaviour against Guyana. However, the harshest and most forceful condemnation came from the United States of America Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian Nichols who said, “We vehemently condemned the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's unprovoked and unjustifiable threats that seek to undermine the principle of ‘good neighbourliness’ and sovereignty and recognised the right of Guyana to welcome investors and develop its natural resources.” The Assistant Secretary of State also issued a stern warning to Venezuela that any efforts to infringe upon Guyana’s sovereignty are unacceptable. He admonished Venezuela for its blatant disregard for international law, including the 1899 Arbitral Award and the ongoing ICJ legal process between the two countries.

President Dr Irfaan Ali vowed to defend Guyana’s territorial sovereignty at all costs and by all peaceful means in the face of horrific and disturbing threats by Venezuela. As he put it: “Guyana will spare no effort in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Guyana Amazon Warriors lifts the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League Trophy: Players along with their families and management of the team share a photo after victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders at Providence Stadium on Sunday evening (Jemima Holmes photo)

Respect for territorial integrity matters

Dear Editor,

It is important from the outset to state that the Arbitral Award of 1899 settled the border between Guyana and Venezuela. Hence, the claim of Essequibo by Venezuela continues to be a most ludicrous one and an affront to both the Guyanese people and international law.

The recent decision by the Government of Venezuela to hold a referendum on defending its claim to the Essequibo region of Guyana is most concerning and signals utter

contempt for the rule of law and a blatant provocation that threatens the peace and stability of the Region.

Guyana's territorial integrity must be respected, must be protected, and all nations must condemn Venezuela's sabre-rattling.

Historically, the Government of Guyana and the Opposition have always come together on this non-negotiable position that compels us as Guyanese first and foremost to have a unified position in defence of our sovereignty and territorial

integrity.

As was aforementioned, the Arbitrary Award of 1899 by an international tribunal settled the border between Guyana and Venezuela, and this decision must be respected today as it was many years ago. The Guyanese people at home and abroad are united in their determination to defend our country's territorial integrity.

The public postulation by some in the international community of support for Guyana's position and its judicial pursuits on this

The lies of PNC and its associates

Dear Editor, Amanza Walton-Desir was in Parliament berating the Government on its horrible performance in office, which in her opinion is sure to cause them a loss in the next general election. Her hysterical rant was at a fever-pitch high as she tried to sell what she was saying to the Guyanese public.

Whether she would be successful with what she was shouting about is anybody's guess, but what is sure is that this woman is full of energy, which if utilised in the right direction would do her and her party a whole ton of good. And with good reason, Mrs Desir is singing so hard for her supper because as an upand-coming star girl for the top post in her party, she is making a lot of noise for that prized position.

While I applaud her enthusiasm, I must caution her on that meteoric rise against a known character such as Norton. But I digressed, so let me return to my topic, should anyone take Amanza seriously, and the answer is a resounding no! I say this from the standpoint of the grave inaccuracies in her statement. For starters, this loudmouth must be cognisant of the fact that it was the very same rhetoric her party used leading up to the 2015 election that earned them that high-

ly controversial win.

I say a controversial win because when they came into office, they raised their salaries almost immediately to the tune of 100%. Seeing things were so bad in this country, logical thinking would have necessitated that the living standards of the common man would have taken top priority, but it did not, which tells anyone with even half a brain, that this woman is either losing it, or just a plain dirty liar.

To add salt to the wound, Amanza must not forget that it was her party that closed three sugar estates and set over 7000 sugar workers adrift. They were left without any sustenance for themselves or their families. The vindictive and spiteful moves did not stop there as they continued the rampage into our Indigenous communities, firing over 2000 of them from a minimum earning. This was a traumatic time for all people everywhere.

Her party took away the "Because We Care" cash grant from thousands of homes of school-aged children, another evil thing to do. They took away the joint Disciplined Services’ endof-year bonus cash grant as well, these are the ghastly things Mistress WaltonDesir needs to face up to.

She must not run away from the fact that her par-

ty foisted over 200 new taxes on the Guyanese public, which reduced their purchasing ability, while at the same time driving them deeper and deeper into poverty and rank destitution.

It was her party that spirited out of this country US$18M ExxonMobil signing bonus monies. This is our first oil earnings.

Finally, I must conclude here by bringing to her remembrance that her Government took up valuable time and space five years and five months and did practically nothing for this country. Amanza must make a serious search inwardly before she ever speaks again.

Respectfully,

Neil Adams

egregious matter is most welcomed. The Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Commonwealth, the Organisation of American States (OAS), and the United States Department of State have all expressed their solidarity with Guyana.

The international community must continue to lend its strong voice in condemning Venezuela's repudiation and disregard for the United Nations Charter's call for respect of fellow members of state sovereignty and in the

case of Guyana, its pursuit of a final and complete judicial settlement at the International Court of Justice.

It is, therefore, more crucial for all Guyanese to unite behind their country's cause in this matter. The defence of Guyana's territory is of utmost importance and should not be a partisan issue. A strong national call for unity is necessary to ensure that Venezuela's efforts to divide and conquer do not succeed.

Additionally, the international community must

also lend its voice to the condemnation of Venezuela's actions. Disregarding the sovereignty of other nations poses a threat to peace and stability in the Region. Moreover, Guyana has every right to engage in economic activity within its territory and the corresponding maritime zone to develop its country and provide a better life for its people without intimidation from larger states.

Sincerely,

Jermaine Figueira, MP

President Ali vows to defend...

In concluding his speech, the President brilliantly and strongly reaffirmed Guyana’s solidarity with the global community, its commitment to multilateralism, and its readiness to collaborate with countries of all sizes and statuses to achieve peace and prosperity.

Following his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, President Dr Ali addressed a group of patriotic Guyanese in Queens, New York, where he genuinely told them about the rapid developmental progress in the country.

He candidly outlined several mega projects, including the building of the new Demerara harbour bridge and the construction of seven new hotels and several new hospitals, among others, the importance of human development and modern technology

to move the country from its underdeveloped status to a developed nation by 2030.

With constant interruptions with cheers from the enthusiastic and vivacious audience, His Excellency not only thrilled the ecstatic crowd with his charisma, but he also encouraged them to invest in Guyana. Very impressive and at times emotional, he delightfully asked them to support his “One Guyana” vision which is both a cultural and development concept for

FROM PAGE 4

a prosperous Guyana in which everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or party affiliation will benefit. In the end, a jubilant and smiling President Dr Ali took questions from the audience and was very jovial in some of his responses. He was cheerful and inspiring and connected well with the people, even an 11-year-old girl who thanked him for his visit to Queens.

Sincerely,

Asquith Rose

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

Test Questions

BY OVID

TRANSLATED BY TED HUGHES

Some are transformed just once And live their whole lives after in that shape. Others have a facility For changing themselves as they please. Proteus, who haunts the shadowy seas That scarf this earth, is glimpsed as a young man

Who becomes of a sudden a lion That becomes a wild boar ripping the ground, Yet flows forward, hidden, through grass, without sound As a serpent, that emerges

As a towering bull under down-bent horns, Or hides, among stones, a simple stone. Or stands as a tree alone. Or liquefies, and collapses, shapeless, Into water, a pouring river. Sometimes He is the river’s opposite-fire. Another with a similar power Was Erysichthon’s daughter, The wife of Autolycus. Her father Gave to the gods nothing but mockery. Without a qualm he cut down every tree

In the sacred grove of Ceres––

Hammer head force and motion science experiment

In this fun and easy force and motion science experiment, we’re going to balance a ruler in a seemingly impossible way by using a hammer to find the centre of gravity.

Materials: Ruler Hammer Tape

18 inches of string

Instructions:

Tie one end of the string to the hammer.

Use the tape to hold the string in place. Now tie a loop in the string. Slide the loop onto the ruler.

Place about four inches of the end of the ruler on a table. The handle of the hammer should touch the far end of the ruler.

It may take a few tries and adjustments to find the centre of gravity, but you should be able to get the hammer to balance with just a few inches of the ruler remaining on the table.

How it Works:

Gravity pulling down on the hammer head pushes up on the end of the handle. The hammer handle pushes up on one end of the ruler, which causes the other end of the ruler to push down against the table. The string is the balancing point, which is called the fulcrum. (sceincefun.org)

Make This A Science Project: Try balancing other items. Try scaling the experiment up with a yardstick, bigger item, and longer string. Try stacking coins on the end of the ruler.

An ancient wood that had never, before that day, Jumped to the axe’s stroke. Among those trees

One prodigious oak was al to itself Atangled forest. Its boughs were bedecked with wreaths

And votive tributes––each for a prayer Ceres had sometime granted. Dryads there Danced a holy circle around its bole Or joined hands to embrace it––A circumference of twenty paces. Erysichthon ignores al this as He assesses the volume of its timber, Then orders his men to fell it. Seeing their reluctance, he roars:

“If this tree were your deity, that every clown adores, And not merely a tree you think she favours, Nevertheless, those twigs away there at the top Would have to come down now, as the rest falls.”

TO BE CONTINUED

WORD SEARCH

Guyana expresses concern to Venezuela over planned referendum – says referendum on

border

controversy will only create more tension

the statement, this upcoming referendum has the potential to foment further tension between the two States.

American States (OAS), and the Commonwealth.

Guyana has reached out and communicated its displeasure to Venezuela, over a referendum planned by the Spanish-speaking country to have its citizens vote on the border controversy with Guyana.

According to a report from BNN Newsroom, the Venezuelan National Assembly approved a nationwide consultative referendum which will see the Venezuelan people being allowed to express their views on the GuyanaVenezuela border controversy, through direct and secret votes.

The report also cited the President of the

Venezuelan National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez. In the statement, Rodriguez is reported to have criticised the delegation that participated in talks with Venezuela in Mexico back in 2021 and to have accused them of backtracking from supporting Venezuela on its border controversy with Guyana.

In a statement on Sunday, the Government of Guyana expressed “deep concern” at the decision of the Venezuelan National Assembly to conduct a referendum on “defending Venezuela’s spurious claim to Guyana's territory of Essequibo”. According to

“Guyana considers that the only appropriate forum for Venezuela to raise its territorial claim, consistent with the rule of international law and the preservation of peace and security, is the International Court of Justice in The Hague which has already determined, twice, that it has jurisdiction to resolve the competing claims of Venezuela and Guyana to the territory in question.”

“Resolution by the Court assures both Parties of a final, binding, and permanent settlement that is equitable, just and consistent with international law… Guyana’s concerns have been communicated to the Government of Venezuela,” the statement further explained.

Meanwhile, the Government expressed appreciation for the support it has been receiving from countries and international organisations, including the Caribbean Community, the Organisation of

The Government lauded them “for their principled stand in support of the preservation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Guyana’s strenuous efforts to this end will remain premised on respect for the rule of law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.”

In a statement on Saturday, the OAS had harsh words for the planned Venezuelan resolution. The OAS noted that such a referendum would be illegal under the terms of the 1966 Geneva Agreement, which had affirmed the 1899 Arbitral Award that confirmed Essequibo as belonging to Guyana.

“We condemn this improper use of a referendum because it is illegal according to the 1966 Geneva Agreement and because of similar misuses of this instrument have served as a pretext in the recent past to try to justify the worst actions between states, including the crime of aggression.”

According to the OAS statement, Venezuela and

Guyana have a shared responsibility to resolve their dispute in the spirit of good neighbourliness and according to international law and the Geneva Agreement.

“Furthermore, the OAS General Secretariat continues to support Guyana’s sovereign right to practice its franchise on its established and appurtenant maritime area, in accordance with international law and the principals of the United Nations.”

“The OAS General Secretariat objects to Venezuela’s encroachment on Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial rights through intimidatory and unfounded statements that fail to respect international conventions and the 1899 Arbitral Award, for which the latter is presently under judicial review at the International Court of Justice,” the OAS also said.

Meanwhile, both the Commonwealth and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) have also thrown their support behind Guyana against the most recent threats from Venezuela regard -

ing Guyana’s development of its oil resources. In the Caricom statement, the group expressed grave concern at the recent development in the Venezuelan National Assembly.

“Caricom views the stated intention of Venezuela to ‘apply all the necessary measures’ to prevent the operations licensed by Guyana in its waters, as a threat of the use of force contrary to international law. It is also not in keeping with the long-standing position of the Latin American and Caribbean countries that our Region must remain a Zone of Peace,” Caricom said.

“Caricom has also taken note of the decision of the Venezuelan National Assembly to conduct a popular referendum on defending Venezuela’s claim. Caricom expresses the hope that Venezuela will engage fully in the process before the International Court of Justice, which has determined that it has the jurisdiction in the case brought before it,” Caricom further said, adding that the court will ensure a peaceful resolution to the controversy.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Teen among 3 arrested for possession of firearm, ammunition

The Police have arrested three persons, including a teenager, following the discovery of firearms and ammunition during separate Police operations over the weekend.

after they received certain information.

Upon arrival at Sky Supermarket, they requested to conduct a search on the premises, and the permission was granted.

of ammunition in the magazine. The firearm and ammunition were hidden on a shelf under a pile of clothing.

As such, 51-year-old Jose Mara Ferriera, a miner from Brazil who was observed a short distance from the restroom area, was contacted and questioned, and he denied knowledge of the firearm.

He was arrested and escorted to the Bartica Police Station, where he was subjected to interrogation.

More than a... …game – it’s T20 Cricket!!

house at No 67 Village where they conducted a search and found a .32 pistol lying on the kitchen table.

The 18-year-old suspect was taken into custody as investigations continue

Meanwhile, a farmer was arrested following the discovery of an improvised firearm on a farm at Sisters Village, East Bank Berbice.

The 30-year-old farmer of Better Hope South, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was arrested and is assisting with the investigation.

By the time you (Dear Readers) read this, the CPL 2023 season finals would’ve already been over. We’d beaten the Tallawahs like a snake last Friday night – and your Eyewitness must say he didn’t feel even a smidgen of remorse – even though they’re owned and coached by Guyanese!! Hey…in cricket you gotta stick with your team through thick and thin – can’t be a fairweather fan!! So you’ll know whether the Warriors won or lost against their arch enemy the Trini Knight Riders – who skinned us up good last week right here at Providence. But let me declare here and now that this Eyewitness is convinced the Warriors gonna emerge victorious!! He’s putting his reputation on the line! But he’s gotta admit – like it is with all cricket fanatic,s his conviction isn’t all based on rationality or logic.

Now this might be the same with fans of all sports –but your Eyewitness wouldn’t know. All he knows is cricket and over the last decade, T20 Cricket. To paraphrase the doyen of Caribbean writers (not just CRICKET writers!) CLR James, your Eyewitness asks, “What do they know of T20 cricket who only T20 cricket know?”

In the first instance, Police conducted a search at Puruni Landing, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni),

During the search in the bathroom area, the ranks found one black .32 pistol along with four live rounds

At No 67 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, a teenager was arrested with an unlicensed firearm, on Sunday. Police stated that based on information received, ranks went to a

At the time of the discovery, Police were responding to a report of alleged threatening behaviour committed on a 64-year-old man and his daughter, both poultry farmers.

Motorcyclist dies after crashing into parked vehicle

The death toll on Guyana’s roadways has risen once more, with the most recent death of a motorcyclist who lost control and slammed into a van along Garnett Street, Kitty, Georgetown, on Sunday.

The dead man has been identified as 30-year-old Albert Alwin Headley of Henry Street Werk-enRust, Georgetown, Police have since confirmed that the accident oc-

curred at about 06:20h and involved a motorcycle CM 462 that was being ridden by Headley and a van with registration plates GAE 6248.

Investigations thus far revealed that Headley was proceeding west along Garnett Street at a fast rate and while in the vicinity of Red Bar, he lost control, thus resulting in the front portion of the motorcycle colliding with the rightside rear portion of the van,

which was parked.

As a result of the collision, Headley was flung some distance into the air and then onto the road, where he received injuries to his head and body.

The injured man was picked up by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Investigations are continuing.

6 homeless as fire guts Meten-Meer-Zorg house

Six persons are now making alternative living arrangements after a fire devastated their Lot 22 East Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara home on Saturday evening.

The fire reportedly started at about 23:44h and completely destroyed the home that was once owned by 83-year-old Azin Azeez.

According to the Guyana Fire Service, after receiving the report of the fire, water tenders from the Leonora Fire Station

responded, and upon arrival, firefighters observed the two-storey wooden and concrete building engulfed in flames.

“As a result of the fire, the building, and its contents were destroyed, leaving six persons homeless,” the Fire Service stated.

Based on preliminary investigation, the fire started as a result of an overload of electrical wiring from the ceiling, which ignited nearby combustible materials. The fire was contained to one location.

While James wrote about Test Cricket giving us then colonial West Indians a powerful weapon in our struggle for independence from Britain – on the cricket field, we showed THEM who was man!! – times have changed. The world’s become a much more frenetic place in the last half a century. For one, all the West Indies colonies are independent and we’re being pushed to higher levels of achievement by our oil!!

If Test cricket allowed us to show our worth as “a people”, T20 in general – and CPL T20 in particular, has allowed us to show our worth as individuals – both off and on the field. Look at it from the perspective of the players in Test Cricket. The WICB just stepped into the shoes of the departed British administrators – who hadn’t even thought players like Worrel and other “coloureds” were fit to captain an international cricketing team!

Well, with Guyana in the lead with its Warriors, we’ve shown the world that we can be just as good – not just in playing the game – but in organising and marketing this “cricket played louder”!! So, your Eyewitness returns to his prediction that his Warriors bury the TKR. As he said before, there’s no analysis and logic about that prediction; just his knowledge that the cliché, cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty – like all clichés – has more than a grain of truth.

And that truth is: “faith can move mountains”!!

… cohesion thing!

At the CPL games at Providence, your Eyewitness once again saw Guyanese of all persuasions – young and old; male and female; the in-between genders; the six races – and dozens of mixtures and ethnicities!! And guess what? When their team was on that cricket field they were beyond COHERING!! They cheered in unison when the ball sailed over the fence; groaned when a Warrior was “out”; spontaneously hugged each other when their team won… and consoled each other when they lost. (Next time!!)

When the team lost that earlier game against TKR, they all shook their heads ruefully. And when they won that eliminator against the Tallawahs…you’d think we won the championship. But no…they’d just won the hearts of the Guyanese people who were all beating as one!! Social Cohesion ain’t gonna come from speeches – especially from politicians. Our people have rightfully become very cynical about their “politricks”.

When we stand behind ‘we own” that’s when we realise we’ve much more in common than in difference.

…ploy

Didn’t your Eyewitness tell it like it is?? That Opposition “meeting with Jeffries” is gonna be in Washington – not Guyana. It’s actually a “two-fer”!! Jeffries had already been slated to give the feature address to the Opposition’s proxy “Conference” – and they were gonna be there anyway!!

Dead: Albert Headley

The firearm and ammunition found at Puruni Landing

The improvised weapon found on the farm at Sisters Village

The pistol that was found on the kitchen table

The aftermath of the fire on Saturday evening

IMF reviewed, endorsed Govt’s plan for lifting living standards – VP

…says Guyana received commendation for its fiscal discipline

During the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Article IV consultations, Guyana’s economic growth and performance was thoroughly reviewed. So too, however, was the State’s poverty reduction plans, and according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, these were endorsed.

During his recent press conference, Jagdeo noted the preliminary comments the IMF made about Guyana’s economic growth as well as the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation and the spending power of a citizenry.

“Non-oil GDP grew by 12.3 per cent. One of the highest figures in the world for non-oil GDP. CPI infla-

tion reached 7.2 per cent at the end of 2022, in line with other countries in the Region. People talking about cost of living… what they’re saying here is that the CPI at the end of last year, that is the consumer price index grew by 7.2 per cent, in line with the other countries in the Region,” Jagdeo said.

“What was different here in Guyana, is our mitigating measures. Last year we paid out about $5 billion directly to assist people on the cost

in place to abate the CPI increase.”

And while Jagdeo acknowledged that seasonal issues could result in spikes in prices for commodities, such as the drought causing increases in vegetables, the IMF itself reported in its analysis that from July 2022 to July 2023, the CPI only increased by 1.2 per cent… lower than a lot of other countries.

According to Jagdeo, the IMF recognised that Guyana’s inflation levels were in line with what was happening around the Region in other countries. In fact, the Vice President pointed out that the IMF endorsed the plans that were being implemented by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government and commended Guyana’s fiscal discipline.

time. So that means an endorsement of both our fiscal and monetary policies.”

in the first half of 2023, driven not only by the oil and gas sector, but also the non-oil economy, which has been growing for successive years.

of living measures. We lowered the freight charges. We levied the taxes on freight charges. We did not increase water and electricity prices. We absorbed all the costs on water and electricity. There were a series of intervention measures that we put

“There is rapid growth in the economy. We have a modernisation plan that is supporting this group. The consumer price index in Guyana has grown in line with regional averages. And there were mitigating measures in Guyana’s case and now it has declined seriously. The third (headline said) the fiscal and monetary policy mix is appropriate at this

“Remember we don’t have an IMF programme. So, they don’t tell us what monetary or fiscal policies to put in place, unlike countries that are in a programme. They come and review after, that is why these article four consultations are done in every economy in the world… the fourth headline said the authority’s commitment to fiscal discipline is welcome and allows for a balanced growth path.”

During their sojourn in Guyana, the IMF team led by Alina Carare, met with the Vice President, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail

Teixeira, Bank of Guyana

Governor Dr Gobind Ganga and other senior public and private sector officials and stakeholders.

Having completed its 2023 Article IV consultations, the IMF noted that Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continues to record strong growth. They projected that Guyana will record extremely fast real GDP growth of 38 per cent in 2023. Last year, Guyana recorded real GDP growth of 62.3 per cent – the highest in the world. And according to the Fund, public investment had a major role to play in non-oil economic growth.

Guyana has already recorded a whopping 59.5 per cent real economic growth

This was contained in the recently released Ministry of Finance Half-Year Report, which presents stats on Guyana’s economic performance for the first half of the year. The non-oil economy, according to the report, grew by 12.3 per cent. According to the report, the growth trend is expected to continue.

The report further disaggregates the growth by sectors. For instance, the gold mining and quarrying sector is estimated to have grown by 89.9 per cent in the first half of the year, driven by increased output. The report explains that these increases outweighed the declines observed in the gold mining and bauxite mining subsectors.

Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors are estimated to have expanded by 7.6 per cent in the first half of the year. This was driven by growth in all subsectors – namely other crops, rice growing, livestock, fishing, forestry, and sugar.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Major catastrophe averted as fire erupts at Ramada Princess Hotel

tablishment.

The fire reportedly erupted in room 431, which is on the fourth floor of the six-storey building that has a total of 194 rooms and the casino. At the time of the fire, there were 293 adults and four children staying at the hotel.

Amajor catastrophe was averted at the Ramada Princess Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara (ECD),

as a result of the quick response by members of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Saturday evening after a fire broke out at the es -

However, smoke was seen billowing from the eastern side of the building, which triggered the fire alarm and sprinkler systems. The Fire Service was immediately alerted.

Water tenders, water carriers, a hydraulic platform, three ambulances,

and firefighters from the Eccles, Diamond, Central, and West Ruimveldt Fire Stations were dispatched to the area

Under the command of Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham, 28 firefighting personnel went into immediate action and managed to safely evacuate all of the guests at the hotel and contain the blaze.

The recently acquired hydraulic high-rise platform was also used to rescue a number of persons who were trapped on the sixth floor of the hotel.

Nevertheless, one guest was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by Emergency Medical Technicians and is being treated for smoke inhalation. The Fire Service on Sunday reported that there were no serious injuries or casualties but room 431, in which the fire started, and room 435 sus -

tained significant damage.

At about 3:10h on Sunday, the fire was completely put out. As the fire erupted, President Dr Irfaan Ali and several Cabinet members rushed to the scene to assess the situation.

An investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the fire as Police and fire personnel remain on standby duty at the location lending additional support.

Venezuelan woman allegedly raped, murdered at Kaikan

AVenezuelan woman was allegedly raped and murdered while at home alone on Friday at Kaikan Village, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Dead is 28-year-old Estephanie Garcias.

Based on the information received, the woman’s husband left home for Venezuela on Thursday at about 17:00h, and the following day, the couple’s three children left home at

about 7:30h for school.

However, when the children returned home from school at about 16:30h on Friday, they discovered their mother lying motionlessly on the floor with blood around her neck.

An alarm was raised, and neighbours responded and subsequently reported the matter to the Police at Kaikan Police Station.

The Police in a release stated that the wom-

an’s body was found lying on its back on the floor of the one-bedroom house with a red T-shirt pulled just above her breast and multi-coloured underwear pulled below her buttocks with her private parts exposed.

Upon examination, two small puncture wounds were seen on her neck. As investigations continue, no arrests have been made.

Firefighters at the scene on Saturday evening

The rooms that sustained significant damage

President Dr Irfaan Ali being briefed on the situation by Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham

CLBD seeing “immense success” with non-oil training programmes

As it continues to prepare local businesses to enhance their competitiveness to operate in Guyana’s growing economy, the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) is seeing immense success with its programmes in areas outside of the oil and gas sector.

The CLBD assists Guyanese companies to better understand and access opportunities across a wide variety of business sectors including the oil and gas sector and related industries by improving their overall competitiveness.

Presently, the Centre offers awareness training in the oil and gas sector as well as others. It also provides

training on health and safety, and procurement. There is also business training from QuickBooks to financial management, human resource management and cash flow training.

In addition, CLBD has mentorship programmes ranging from health and safety to project management along with a cash flow training course.

Director of the CLBD, Natasha Gaskin-Peters, during a recent interview with Guyana Times explained that the Centre’s membership includes a wide cross-section of businesses across the country since the oil and gas sector pulls from almost every sector in the country – from construction

to logistics to transportation to agriculture.

“So, that remains in terms of building capacity because as our economy grows, we know that these sectors also become very important and it’s also im-

223 cases made out against errant drivers on Saturday –

As the Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues its clamp down on recklessness on Guyana’s roadways, some 223 cases were made out for errant drivers on Saturday. Of this number, 75 were for speeding and nine for driving under the influence (DUI).

Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh reminded road users that the ongoing countrywide traffic enforcement exercises are part of an unbiased, collaborative effort by traffic ranks and other stakeholders to clamp down on the reckless use of the roads and to make our roadways safer for all.

portant that they are competitive within their space. So, we will continue to offer trainings to all Guyanese businesses… our mandate is around inclusive growth and really building the competitiveness of all businesses across all sectors to ensure inclusive economic growth in the country,” she noted.

According to GaskinPeters, the CLBD continues to primarily support small and medium-size enterprises as well as sole-trader entities.

She noted that with the growth of the Guyanese economy, there is an increase in registration by businesses from non-oil sectors such as construction and logistics onto the CLBD portal. The Director said these companies are taking advantage of

the trainings which enable them to get to international standard and make them more competitive.

“So, whether it’s building a project management system or building a health and safety management system, these trainings have been enabling the business to be more competitive through documentation, which we know in the country has been a challenge. So, that documentation has been helping these companies especially through the procurement process but also to better manage their business,” the CLBD Head said.

Currently, the Centre has over 6000 businesses registered and only about one-third are actively involved in the oil and gas sector. Additionally, the CLBD is expected is graduate 40plus companies that would have a Health and Safety Management System in place. Previously, the Centre had only managed to graduate just about 55 overall.

“So, it has been immense in terms of the success. The feedback has constantly been positive so we have businesses come to say I’ve built a health and safety system and now I have a contract with the IDB [Inter-American Development Bank] or now I

have a Government contract or now I have a contract in oil and gas. So, it has been quite wide-ranging because the documentation and the systems are very crucial for work in almost all sectors now,” Gaskin-Peters stated.

The Centre Director went on to note that the increased registration sees businesses from whatever economic sectors is thriving, for example, construction.

“Construction is certainly one of those areas but also there are others. So, even in the areas of agro-processing and agriculture, that is a sector that also continues to strive. Logistics, very important sector, and even transportation is also moving. So, we continue to see growth almost across all sectors as a result of the oil and gas sector. Also, some of the technical areas like welding and fabricating companies – they have been experiencing a growth in terms of the opportunities that are there also. So, health and safety systems, project management systems as well as quality management systems have certainly aided those companies in continuing to win work in oil and gas, in mining as well as other sectors,” Gaskin-Peters said.

Duo arrested with 12lbs ganja at Bamia roadblock

Ataxi driver and his passenger were taken into custody on Sunday following the discovery of a quantity of marijuana during a police roadblock at Bamia, Linden/Soesdyke Highway.

Based on reports received, on the day in question at about 4:00h, police ranks were on mobile patrol when they observed a motorcar bearing registration number PZX 5562 approaching the Bamia Check Point en route to Georgetown.

extended beyond daylight to include bars and restaurants where traffic ranks conduct public lectures and provide the bar owners with telephone numbers for urgent communication regarding the conduct of motorists.

In addition, suggestion boxes are in effect, and members of the Regional Road Safety Councils and other partners are engaged to bring about a positive shift in the mindset of motorists, all in an effort to ensure public safety on the roadways.

However, on seeing the Police Ranks at the Checkpoint, the car suddenly turned around and sped off but was pursued by the police. The vehicle was subse-

quently intercepted with its two occupants – 30-year-old Leon Singh, a construction worker of Sophia, Greater Georgetown, and 31-yearold, Jermain Sinclair, the driver of New Amsterdam Berbice.

Police ranks during the operation

He noted that the daily fluctuation in traffic cases suggests that the traffic posture is having some effect.

However, there is still some way to achieve an ideal ‘zero accident report’. Motorists are urged to slow

down, don’t drink and drive, utilise designated sober and capable drivers, buckle up, and arrive alive.

Public awareness has

Broad-based engagements with public transportation providers/drivers and religious bodies, among others, are unfolding to have positive message delivery and impact. Enforcement and education awareness efforts are being made to complement each other.

A search was conducted during which 12 plastic bags containing ganja were found on the passenger seat behind the driver.

The two men were cautioned but did not respond. They were taken to the McKenzie Police Station, where cannabis was weighed and amounted to 12.5 pounds. Police are expected to institute charges shortly.

75 for speeding, 9 for DUI

Natasha Gaskin-Peters

The ganja that was discovered in the vehicle

The car that was intercepted

Final at the Guyana National Stadium

Javed Ali's

prediction comes to pass at President’s Cup horse race

John Bull lit up Rising Sun Turf Club (RSTC) on the eve of Sunday's T20 Caribbean Premier League clash between Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) and Trinidad Knight Riders (TKR).

Dusk was put on hold, as it witnessed the jawdropping showdown between Slingerz Racing Stable's John Bull and Guyana Cup winner Easy Time owned by Master Z Racing in Saturday's curtain event of the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee (JJRTC) President’s Cup for $20,000,000.

As Javed Ali said in a previous interviewe, "Fans come out to have a good time. The competition is what the fans want to witness. A President’s Cup without a big race is like the cherry that did not go on the cake."

The USA-bred five-year-old Easy Time and the Brazilianbred five-year-old John Bull met on the racing field for the second time within a month. Easy Time was the runaway winner of last month's 1600-metre Guyana Cup while John Bull was the pacesetter in the event. He finished unplaced in the race but on Saturday, things turned out different.

Ali remarked, "He is the champion and top horse now. He beat Guyana Cup winner Easy Time, who beat him in the Guyana Cup. He had just come from Brazil in the Guyana Cup. He wasn't 100 per cent, so

I knew when we get him right, he will be hard to beat. This race opened the door for the other owners, and paved the way for competition. John Bull now gave other owners the feeling that any horse could be beaten. It makes the playing level for all, now [that a] Brazilianbred [horse] come and win the President’s Cup. It's good for

racing."

Sharing his opinion on Saturday’s race, John Bull and his jockey, Nobel Abrego, Ali declared, "To me, it was not only great, but the best horse race I ever witnessed. Not because my horse (John Bull) won. It was exciting, and the crowd was cheering from the moment both horses left the seven furlongs

chute. The race came down to the two jockeys – Colin Ross, and Nobel Abrego. They were like one for most of the journey, and not even breeze could have separated them. It came down to jockeyship, and Abrego is a class jockey."

Asked if both horses will clash in the near future, Ali blurted out, "Definitely, I want

the fans to experience another exciting race, and at the same time I am giving Junior the chance to avenge that loss in a rematch, We looking forward to a rematch; the first race he ran coming to Guyana was in the Guyana Cup, and he wasn't 100 per cent . He needed the run. We are looking forward to the rematch. I am serving notice on Jimjo (Thurbhewan Jagdeo). We coming to Port Mourant next month, although it is a right-hand track."

Forecasting the future of the sport, Ali Announced, "Moving ahead horse racing could only get better. Sports in general –we have the support of fans for cricket, football and horse racing. Moving forward things will streamline to move to the next level. Horse racing is the love of the people like cricket."

Ali revealed he made the suggestion to JJTRC's racing head, Nasrudeen Mohamed for the match race.

Recalling the conversation between himself and Junior, he said, "I told Junior we cannot have a President’s Cup without a big race. This is the first of its kind, and it will be a treat for the fans to see things that took place years ago in the USA."

Sharing why the Cup had three runners only and had had to be postponed, Ali further said, "The competition is the reason. Jumbo Jet and I are buying better horses, and they are expen-

Persaud, Oviedo strike gold at GTTFortinet Carnival Golf Tournament

The Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) came alive on Saturday as it hosted the GTT Fortinet Carnival Golf Tournament. With more than 40 players participating in the lucrative tournament, Avinash Persaud and Miguel Oviedo stepped up to the mark and emerged as the overall winners. Sharing his remarks at the presentation ceremony, GTT's Chief Operations Officer of Business Solutions, Orin Ferguson emphasised the importance of embracing golf as a sport given who the players are. “Business owners play golf. We know that younger kids who are growing up and learning to play golf tend to also get involved in leadership roles and businesses. Therefore, it is important for us to be close to this audience. I wanted to thank the players for coming out and having a good time. Thank you to the team that worked hard to make this tournament a success.

"I'm going to conclude where we started, which is that we anticipate this tournament will continue to grow and im-

prove with each passing year."

Echoing the same sentiments was Bhagwat Persaud, Regional Account Manager for Fortinet Guyana and Suriname, who stated, "This event marks the fourth collaboration between Fortinet and GTT in terms of golf."

According to Persaud, Fortinet is a cybersecurity company headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The company develops and sells security solutions such as firewalls, endpoint security, and intrusion detection systems. "I want to say

thank you very much to GTT, our technology partner, as well.

"We want to encourage you to host more events of this kind in the country," Persaud shared.

LGC President Patanjilee Persaud explained that his desire was to make the event bigger and better. Therefore, next year, the club will aim to plan the Golf Carnival event early. Persaud shared that the club would be looking to make the tournament a two-day event.

“I had hoped that we could have had a two-day elimination

tournament. We look forward to this. As I mentioned, we are simply testing the waters. I want to congratulate all of the winners. I want to thank all of you for participating. I want to thank GTT and the executives from Fortinet for sponsoring this tournament and for believing in its potential to become something great," Persaud expressed.

On hand to present the prizes were Deputy Director of Sports, Franklin Wilson; members of GTT Business Solutions and Fortinet and Kadeem Gordon, a representative from the Ministry of Tourism.

The results were as follows:

Overall Best Gross –Avinash Persaud 75

0-9 Best Gross – Avinash Persaud 75

10-18 Best Gross – Patrick Prashad 80

19-36 Best Gross – Miguel Oviedo 87

Overall Best Net – Miguel Oviedo 66 Longest Drive – Max

sive. While horses do not know their price. Green Monkey who was sold for US$14 million in America, remained a maiden. In the Kentucky Derby, the very expensive horses are not that successful. So, it is everybody's dream to own a good horse, and not always it is about the cost of the horse, but the luck. My advice to owners, do not fear competition. To be the best, you have to come up against the best. Do not fear the best. Be the best.”

Before the match he had noted, "On Saturday we have the best jockey from Trinidad, Nobel Abrego taking on Guyana’s best jockey Colin Ross. This is another showdown on two of the best horses in Guyana. That is why Junior (of Jumbo Jet) and I are promoting this event to show visitors what One Guyana has to offer them in sports."

When asked how confident he was about John Bull defeating Easy Time even after the former was well beaten by the latter in the Guyana Cup, Ali answered, "John Bull is the best horse in my stable. After this match race, he will be the best horse in Guyana. I am confident he will wear the President’s Cup crown.”

And after his horse’s triumph, Ali said, "This is a prelude of the result for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) play-off final between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinidad Knight Riders (TKR). As I stated, Guyana will prevail. " This prediction too came to pass.

Persaud Nearest to Pin – Pope Emanuel London

0-9 Flight

1st – Vishal Dhani: Gross 79, HC 9, Net 68

2nd – Mike Mangal: Gross 77, HC 7, Net 70

3rd – Avinash Persaud: Gross 75, HC 3, Net 72

4th – Rackesh Harry: Gross 83, HC 9, Net 74

10-18 Flight

1st – Patrick Prashad: Gross 80, HC 11, Net 69

2nd – Miguel Yunes: Gross 85, HC 14, Net 71

3rd – Mahesh Shivraj:

Gross 86, HC 14, Net 72

4th – Maxim Mangra:

Gross 91, HC 18, Net 73

19-36 Flight

1st – Miguel Oviedo: Gross 87, HC 21, Net 66

2nd – Maurice Deo: Gross 95, HC 25, Net 70

3rd – Maurice Solomon:

Gross 94, HC 22, Net 72

4th – Anasha Ally: Gross 99, HC 25, Net 74

John Bull (centre with Jockey Nobel Abrego) won the President’s Cup

The winners’ row

History was created at the packed Guyana National Stadium in Providence, as Guyana Amazon Warriors crushed the mighty Trinbago Knight Riders to win their first Caribbean Premier League (CPL) trophy.

A complete bowling effort by the Warriors restricted TKR to 94 all out in 18.1 overs, the second lowest score in CPL final history. In reply, Warriors ended on 99-1 in 14 overs, romping home to a nine-wicket win.

Watched by President Dr Irfaan Ali and some 15,000 fans, Warriors began their chase with Keemo Paul and Saim Ayub opening. The brave Paul struck two fours in his 11, but he was caught at mid-off by Kieron Pollard off the bowling of Akeal Hosein.

Hope joined Ayub, and TKR had intentions to squeeze the Warriors with attacking field settings. Ayub was dropped at the wicket when he was on two off the bowling of Sunil Narine.

At the powerplay, Warriors reached 29-1. Ayub broke the shackles when he struck Waqar Salamkheil for a six over longoff. He then hit the same bowler over long-on in the same over, as Warriors took further control of the chase.

Hope and Ayub kept level heads and took Warriors to 55-1 at the end of 10 overs, requiring another 40 from 60 balls. Ayub struck a six to seal the deal, scoring an unbeaten 52 from 41 balls, with five sixes and two fours, while Hope made 32 not out.

Earlier, the Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to bowl first. Paul returned to the XI while Kevlon Anderson

CPL T20 2023

missed out. Chadwick Walton, who played and missed the first ball, get TKR’s innings going with a cracking cover drive for four. Mark Deyal was looking dangerous, but he played one shot too many as he was bowled by Dwaine Pretorius for 16 at 24-1 in 2.5 overs.

Walton was trapped at the wicket for 10 when he played back to a short Romario Shepherd delivery that kept extremely low, at 29-2 in 3.3 overs.

Nicholas Pooran was dropped on one by Azam Khan off Pretorius, but the next ball, he was out caught at mid-off for one as TKR were 35-3 in five overs. Warriors Nation erupted as the big fish, Pooran, made his exit early. At the powerplay, TKR were 41-3.

TKR slipped further as Pollard failed to trouble the scorers and pulled a long-hop straight to mid-wicket to give Gudakesh Motie his first of the night. In the same over, Motie sent back Hosein for one as TKR slipped to 44-5 in seven overs.

Andre Russell (03) survived a leg-before decision, but the next ball, he was caught at mid-on in a failed sweep. Imran Tahir was the man who accounted for Russell, and TKR were

49-6 in 9.3 overs.

In the midst of the baptism by fire for TKR, Keacy Carty stood firm and he was partnered by Dwayne Bravo. The duo attempted to counter the superb bowling from the Warriors, especially Motie, who bowled 17 dot balls, and claimed two wickets for seven runs in four magical overs.

Bravo’s struggles ended when he was trapped by the impressive Tahir for eight at 81-7 in 14.2 overs. Carty and Bravo added 32 runs together, but the fire power was lacking. Pretorius returned for his final bite and he sent back Narine (01) and Ali Khan (01) in the same over. Ronsford Beaton returned to end Carty’s fight and TKR’s innings at 94 all out in 18.1 overs. Carty made 38 from 45 balls. The tournament’s leading wicket-taker, Pretorius had 4-26 while Tahir had 2-8 in four overs.

This is the first time the Warriors have won a final in CPL history while four-time champions TKR have lost their first final in their fifth outing.

SCOREBOARD

Trinbago Knight Riders (20 ovs maximum)

Chadwick Walton lbw

b Shepherd 10

Mark Deyal

b Pretorius 16

Nicholas Pooran †c Shepherd

b Pretorius 1

Keacy Carty c Hetmyer

b Beaton 38

Kieron Pollard (c)c Saim Ayub

b Motie 0

Akeal Hosein c Hetmyer

b Motie 1

Andre Russell c Pretorius

b Imran Tahir 3

Dwayne Bravo lbw

b Imran Tahir 8

Sunil Narine c Beaton

b Pretorius 1

Ali Khan lbw

b Pretorius 1

Waqar Salamkheil not out 1

Extras (lb 6, w 8) 14

TOTAL 18.1 Ov (RR: 5.17) 94

Fall of wickets: 1-24 (Mark Deyal,

2.5 ov), 2-29 (Chadwick Walton, 3.3 ov), 3-35 (Nicholas Pooran,

4.6 ov), 4-42 (Kieron Pollard, 6.3 ov), 5-44 (Akeal Hosein, 6.6 ov), 6-49 (Andre Russell, 9.3 ov), 7-81 (Dwayne Bravo, 14.2 ov), 8-84 (Sunil Narine, 15.3 ov), 9-86 (Ali Khan, 15.6 ov), 1094 (Keacy Carty, 18.1 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Dwaine Pretorius 4-0-26-4

Romario Shepherd 3-0-17-1

Ronsford Beaton 3.1-0-30-1

Gudakesh Motie 4-1-7-2

Imran Tahir 4-0-8-2

Guyana Amazon Warriors (T: 95 runs from 20 ovs)

Saim Ayub not out 52

Keemo Paul c Pollard

b Hosein 11

Shai Hope not out 32

Extras (lb 2, w 2) 4

TOTAL 14 Ov (RR: 7.07) 99/1

Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Keemo Paul, 2.3

Warriors celebrate a wicket

Azam Khan jumps for joy with Romario Shepherd

Warriors Nation soared

Shai Hope gets Kieron Pollard out of the way

Dwaine Pretorius was king in the powerplay again

Saim Ayub goes big Joy for the magician Imran Tahir