Guyana Times - Saturday, December 3, 2022

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WHAT'S INSIDE: Issue No. 5211 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana THE BEACON OF TRUTH guyanatimesgy.com PRICE $100 VAT INCLUDED SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 P15 P9 P13 P14 P10 Elections CoI – claimed she was instructed to do so Guyana inks historic US$750M deal to sell “high-quality” carbon credits to Hess Corp Guyana’s first carbon sale agreement was inked between Permanent Secretary of the Office of the President, Abena Moore, and HESS Corp CEO John Hess in the presence of President Irfaan Ali, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Mark Phillips and other officials – US$112M to be injected into Indigenous communities – 1st payment of US$75M expected by Dec 15 Elderly woman stabbed to death by nephew at Princes Street home Opposition takes GECOM to court over Voters’ List for upcoming LGE Government “wholeheartedly committed” to enhancing opportunities for PWDs – PM Page 17 Mother of 1 beaten to death by reputed husband See story on page 11 Page 3 Fmr Foreign Minister threatened to revoke observers’ accreditation – GECOM Commissioner recalls See story on page 7 1st female-owned construction company gets ISO 9001 certification P17 Mother of 3 remanded for murdering 85y-o great-aunt – confesses to murdering elderly woman Man escapes from Police after disposing of ganja Online booking for Parika/ Bartica route commences Labour Ministry probing reports of some employers not paying new minimum wage TT firm opens $200M Home Store at Amazonia Mall Page 7 P9
2 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Saturday, Dec 3 – 01:30h – 03:00h and Sunday, Dec 4 – 02:30h – 04:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, Dec 3 – 13:05h – 14:35h and Sunday, Dec 4 – 13:55h – 15:25h.

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 and night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius.

Winds: West North-Westerly to Westerly between 1.34 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 13:12h reaching a maximum height of 2.38 metres.

Low Tide: 06:41h and 19:12h reaching minimum heights of 0.89 metre and 0.83 metre.

Guyana inks historic US$750M deal to sell “high-quality” carbon credits to Hess Corp

In a historic move, the Guyana Government on Friday signed a multiyear agreement for the sale of high-quality carbon cred its to United States ener gy major, Hess Corporation, to the tune of a whopping US$750 million – a signif icant portion of which will be injected into the develop ment of Indigenous commu nities across the country.

This deal comes on the heels of Guyana being the first country to receive cer tification of over 33 mil lion carbon credits by the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) on December 1, 2022. That is suance of the REDD+ ju risdictional carbon credits

paved the way for Friday’s signing of the sale agree ment by Hess Corp Chief Executive Officer, John Hess, and Permanent Secretary of the Office of the President, Abena Moore, at State House.

Addressing stakehold ers at the packed Baridi Benab, President Dr Irfaan Ali pointed out that Guyana continues to take the lead globally on the forest and carbon credit fronts.

The Head of State dis closed that this histor ic agreement will see Hess Corp, which is one of the partners operating in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, buying 2.5 million credits per year for the pe riod 2016 and 2032, valuing US$750 million.

However, it was ex plained that while the deal is for a 10-year period, that is, 2022 to 2032, the Government was able to ne gotiate, as part of the sale agreement, for the oil major to also purchase some 12.5 million carbon credits from the period 2016 to 2020 – re ferred to as “legacy credit”.

President Ali pointed out that during the period when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic was out of office, Guyana’s credentials on cli mate change and the forest that were gained worldwide previously were lost.

“Today, we have shown that the opportunity exist

ed even then because in this agreement that we signed

[on Friday], 12.5 million credit is what is termed ‘leg acy credit’. We have been able to go back to 2016 and 2020 – the period we were out of Government – and get the legacy credit sold be tween 2016 and 2020,” the Guyanese leader stated.

However, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who initi ated the 2009 US$250 mil lion deal with Norway for Guyana to preserve its for est and also led negotiations with Hess Corp, went on to give a breakdown of the earnings Guyana will get from this sale agreement.

Regarding the 12.5 mil lion legacy credits, he ex plained that Hess will be paying a minimum of $15

per tonne, thus raking up the total to about US$187 million.

According to Jagdeo, it is anticipated that this amount will be paid in full within the next 18 months. However, a first instalment of the legacy credit payment, to the tune of US$75 million, is expected by December 15, 2022.

Indigenous communities to benefit

VP Jagdeo further dis closed that of the US$187 million earned from the legacy credit, some US$28 million will go towards Indigenous communities.

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 |
US$112M
TURN TO PAGE 5 –
to be injected into Indigenous communities – 1st payment of US$75M expected by Dec 15
President Dr Irfaan Ali addressing the gathering at State House on Friday with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Hess Corp CEO John Hess at the head table (L-R) Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Hess Corp CEO John Hess, President Dr Irfaan Ali, US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Elderly vulnerability

Over the few days, three pensioners have been killed in the most brutal and unconscionable manner. This has caused much discussion in society about the care and welfare of our senior citizens. In two of the instances, there appears to be some mental health factors involved with the suspects, but the other incident is allegedly driven by greed.

Like many others, Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken has expressed concern, with recent murders articulating his deep worry about these recent murders. In calling for families to look out for those who may be showing signs of depression, and seeking the necessary intervention to mitigate such crimes, the commissioner has commendably committed the GPF to working with the Human Services Ministry, among others, to pursue initiatives aimed at mitigating such occurrences.

This newspaper has had several editorials wherein it was pointed out that much discussion has been had locally about the mental health of citizens. While in many instances the topic was categorised as ‘taboo’ in many cultures, it came to fore as the COVID-19 pandemic took centre stage all around the world. It is well known that the pandemic has taken a severe toll on the mental wellbeing of persons all over the world.

Due to the lack of resources, many countries are unable to mount the kind of response that is needed to address the mental health challenges of their populations, or are forced to scale back the level of response needed due to other areas competing for scarce resources.

As Hamlet had stated in his writings, “I have of late – but wherefore I know not – lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercise; and, indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory…”

Depression is part of the human condition, and Hamlet’s description of its symptoms matches those in a modern medical textbook. The categorisation has become more precise, the treatments more advanced, but the illness is still badly understood, and its consequences are often hidden. Depression remains, if not a source of shame, then at least bewilderment to those who suffer from it and those around them. Yet it is on the increase, neurotic disorders affecting one in six adults at some point in their lives. Society and medical science need a better response.

Back in 2010, UK Journalist and the Guardian’s head of special projects, who led a team of Journalists investigating international trends and issues, Mark Rice-Oxley, wrote powerfully of his “decline from unremarkable working dad of three to stranded depressive, sitting on the floor doing simple jigsaws”.

His shock was not just at the crushing effect of a condition that seemed to come from nowhere, but the confusion about how to overcome it.

The truth is that medical advances have controlled many diseases, but depression in its different forms is either becoming more common or being detected more often – and perhaps both. Pharmaceutical treatments, while restricted in their effectiveness, are being used much more widely.

However, part of the challenge is defining what it is to be depressed. The term has such a wide common meaning that it can be used to cover anything, from passing grief to long-term illness. The Royal College of Psychiatrists lists typical symptoms: feeling utterly tired; feeling useless, inadequate and hopeless; and feeling unhappy most of the time among them. But there can be no medical exactitude to an illness experienced in different degrees and different ways by different people; only that you know it when it comes.

The human mind is the most extraordinary and least understood part of the body, the source of joy and creativity. It can also, as Hamlet knew, create the horror of depression: “This brave o’erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.”

Coming back to the issue of our elderly, the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and the Political Declaration, adopted at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in April 2002, offers a bold new agenda for handling the issue of ageing in the 21st-century. It focuses on three priority areas: older persons and development; advancing health and well-being into old age; and ensuring enabling and supportive environments. It is a resource for policymaking, suggesting ways for governments, non-governmental organisations, and other actors to reorient the ways in which their societies perceive, interact with, and care for their older citizens.

Today India commences its G20 Presidency

of so many spiritual tradi tions that advocate the fun damental oneness of us all?

The previous 17 Presidencies of the G20 delivered signif icant results - for ensuring macro-economic stability, rationalising international taxation, relieving debt-bur den on countries, among many other outcomes. We will benefit from these achievements, and build fur ther upon them.

However, as India as sumes this important man tle, I ask myself: Can the G20 go further still? Can we catalyse a fundamental mindset shift to benefit hu manity as a whole?

I believe we can.

Our mindsets are shaped by our circumstances. Through all of history, hu manity lived in scarcity. We fought for limited resourc es because our survival de pended on denying them to others. Confrontation and competition - between ideas, ideologies and identitiesbecame the norm.

Unfortunately, we re main trapped in the same zero-sum mindset even to day. We see it when coun tries fight over territory or resources. We see it when supplies of essential goods are weaponised. We see it when vaccines are hoarded by a few even as billions re main vulnerable.

Some may argue that confrontation and greed are just human nature. I dis agree. If humans were in herently selfish, what would explain the lasting appeal

One such tradition, pop ular in India, sees all liv ing beings, and even inani mate things, as composed of the same five basic elements – the panch tatva of earth, water, fire, air and space.

Harmony among these el ements - within us and be tween us - is essential for our physical, social and en vironmental wellbeing.

India’s G20 Presidency will work to promote this uni versal sense of oneness. Hence our theme - ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.

This is not just a slogan; it takes into account recent changes in human circum stances which we have col lectively failed to appreciate. Today we have the means to produce enough to meet the basic needs of all people in the world. Today we do not need to fight for our surviv al - our era need not be one of war. Indeed, it must not be one!

Today the greatest chal lenges we face - climate change, terrorism, and pan demics - can be solved, not by fighting each other, but only by acting together.

Fortunately, today’s technology also gives us the means to address prob lems on a humanity-wide scale. The massive virtual worlds that we inhabit today demonstrate the scalability of digital technologies.

Housing one-sixth of hu manity, and with its im mense diversity of lan guages, religions, customs

and beliefs, India is a mi crocosm of the world. With the oldest-known traditions of collective decision-mak ing, India contributes to the foundational DNA of democ racy. As the mother of de mocracy, India’s national consensus is forged, not by diktat, but by blending mil lions of free voices into one harmonious melody.

Today India is the fastest growing large economy. Our citizen-centric governance model takes care of even our most marginalised citizens, while nurturing the creative genius of our talented youth.

We have tried to make national development not an exercise in top-down gov

ernance, but rather a citi zen-led ‘people’s movement’. We have leveraged tech nology to create digital pub lic goods that are open, in clusive and inter-operable. These have delivered revolu tionary progress in fields as varied as social protection, financial inclusion, and elec tronic payments.

For all these reasons, India’s experiences can pro vide insights for possible global solutions. During our G20 Presidency, we shall present India’s experienc es, learnings and models as possible templates for oth ers, particularly the devel oping world.

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guyanatimesgy.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Mr and Mrs Claus performing a dramatic piece at the opening of the ‘One Guyana’ Christmas Village on Friday evening to signal official commencement of the Christmas Season in Guyana (Paul Vanvield photo) By Prime minister narendra modi

André Brändli should be asking APNUAFC about voter turnout, and Act 22/97

Dear Editor

I write with reference to letters to the editor by Dr. André Brändli concerning turnout in the 2020 national and regional elections.

Brandli’s central claim is that the 2020 turnout is unusually high, name ly “17.44% higher than the long-term average of 74.02%”, with calculations starting in 1992 (Kaieteur News 2/12/2022).

Editor, if I may, I think Dr. Brändli should be asking the APNU-AFC these ques tions, since they were in of fice when the elections took place. In so doing, he may also want to first contact Registrar General Raymon Cummings, who noted that the APNU-AFC had ordered 100,000 birth certificates through the Ministry of the Presidency (now Office of the President). This high

ly unusual and suspect or der became known in the Auditor General’s Report 2021. It may interest Dr. Brandli that the birth certif icates were procured via the single-source method.

To boot, for the 2020 elec tions, the Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, and his deputy Roxanne Myers were both

highly sympathetic to the APNU-AFC. Their conduct during the 2020 elections is fully known, and further, ev idence of attempts of elector al wrongdoing continue to emerge at the CoI currently underway.

Dr. Brändli suggests that biometric voter identifica tion be put in place for the 2025 national elections. On the surface that is fine, ex cept that, given the record

Guyana inks historic US$750M...

“We made a commit ment that 15 per cent of all of the proceeds from any sale of forest carbon will go to Amerindian communi ties. We had a discussion at the NTC (National Toshaos Council) and we agreed that all of the communities, for ested and non-forested Amerindian communities, will benefit in an equitable manner and they will de cide on the distribution,” the Vice President stated.

This was in response to concerns raised by certain sections about the benefits to this grouping of people from such agreements.

But the VP stressed that “…the Amerindian commu nities from this deal alone with Hess will benefit from about US$112 million. That’s a lot of money… You show me a country or a party where you can raise US$112 million for the Amerindian community and we will go with your proposal.”

Moreover, Jagdeo out lined too that for the peri od 2021 to 2025 in the Hess deal, Guyana’s carbon cred it would be sold for $20 per tonne, thus earning the country another $250 mil lion; while another $312 mil lion is expected during the 2025 to 2030 period when the credit would be sold at $25 per tonne.

He explained that these figures are the minimum earnings and could be in creased in the future if the global market prices for the sale of carbon credit change. In such an event, Guyana stands to benefit from 60 per cent of that increased price.

Unlike, the arrange ments with the Norway deal, payments from this Hess agreement go direct ly into the Treasury as rev enue but will be placed in a separate account for au diting and parliamentary accountability purposes as well as to allow for easy ac cess to financing.

The 33.7 million credits being sold to Hess Corp is just 30 per cent of the carbon sink contained in Guyana’s vast forest cover. The coun try’s more than 18 million hectares of forests are esti mated to store approximate ly 20 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The re maining 70 per cent of car bon credit will be put on

the market for future sale agreements.

VP Jagdeo further posit ed that this first sale agree ment will make Hess Corp one of the top private sector funders of climate action in the world.

In fact, John Hess in his remarks said that this car bon credit sale agreement is in keeping with his com pany’s efforts to lower car bon emissions as well as its commitment to achieving net-zero.

“Many companies, many countries make pledges about net-zero. We are ac tually showing action. The country of Guyana is show ing action and steps to make 2050 net-zero a reality. The world faces a dual challenge of reaching net-zero by 2050, while growing the global en ergy supply by about 20 per cent over the next 20 years.

Governments, businesses and civil society must work together on cost effective policies to meet this dual challenge,” Hess stressed.

In this regard, President Ali stated that Guyana re mains steadfast in bring ing awareness and the un derstanding globally of the economic wealth and val ue of Guyana’s biodiversi ty, ecological services, envi ronmental services, and of course, its forests. He con tended that the total value of Guyana’s pristine forests must be monetised, and that his Government is willing to work with every partner on

this front.

“We are committed to playing our part in this glob al environment. We are com mitted in playing our part in climate change, in providing energy security and we are equally committed in the so cial and economic transfor mation of our country and our people. And to do this, we are committed to the oil and gas sector, ensuring that we optimise the totality of benefit in this sector and bring to fuel the transfor mation that is required for

FROM PAGE 3

of the PNC and APNU-AFC, efforts at strengthening the electoral process can and have backfired, as happened in 1997.

Justice Claudette Singh had, back in January 2001, ruled that “Act 22 of 1997, which amended the elector al law to make ID Cards the only voting prerequisite, had breached several statutes in the Constitution” (Guyana Chronicle 29/11/2020). This was even though all the par ties had agreed to the ID card.

She ruled that “Act 22/97 is ultra vires, null and void Articles 59 and 159 of the Constitution”, and that the 1997 elections were not conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People

Act (ROPA), Chapter 1:03 and articles 59 and 159 of the Constitution, and there fore vitiated” (Ibid).

Dr. Brändli might find it helpful to review the ways in which Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan of the APNUAFC used the January 2001 ruling by Justice Singh to play games with the 2020 National Recount.

While biometric ID vot ing procedures may very well work in other parts of the world, there is a high probability that, if used, the APNU and/or AFC might claim that it is unconstitu tional, but this only if they lose.

Today India commences...

Our G20 priorities will be shaped in consultation with not just our G20 partners, but also our fellow-travellers in the global South, whose voice often goes unheard.

Our priorities will focus on healing our 'One Earth', creating harmony within our 'One Family' and giving hope for our 'One Future'.

For healing our planet, we will encourage sustain able and environment-friend ly lifestyles, based on India's tradition of trusteeship to wards nature.

our country. In doing so, we know how important time is,” Ali asserted.

A carbon credit is a tradable permit or certifi cate that allows the hold er of the credit the right to emit a stated tonnage of car bon dioxide or an equiva lent of another greenhouse gas. Countries and compa nies that exceed their per mitted limits can purchase carbon credits from nations that have low emissions such as Guyana. (Vahnu Manikchand)

For promoting harmony within the human family, we will seek to depoliticise the global supply of food, fertiliz ers and medical products, so that geo-political tensions do

not lead to humanitarian cri ses. As in our own families, those whose needs are the greatest must always be our first concern.

For imbuing hope in our future generations, we will encourage an honest conver sation among the most pow erful countries - on mitigat ing risks posed by weapons of mass destruction and en hancing global security.

India’s G20 agenda will be inclusive, ambitious, ac tion-oriented, and decisive.

Let us join together to make India's G20 Presidency a Presidency of healing, har mony and hope.

Let us work together to shape a new paradigm - of human-centric globalisation.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 5 guyanatimesgy.com You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com 06:00 (Sign on) Inspirational Time 06:30 Cartoons 07:00 Evening News (RB) 08:00 Stop Suffering 09:00
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Saturday, December 3, 2022
Movie - Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997) 10:30 Indian Movie - Rangasthalam 1985 (2018)
Movie - Ghoster (2022) 15:00 Movie - Beethoven's Treasure Tail (2014)
Payless Power Hour
Evangelistic Hour
Hepzibah 19:00 The Evening News 20:00 Islam for Guyana 20:30 Movie - Invisible Sister (2015) 21:53 Movie - Spirited (2022) 00:00 Sign off
FROM PAGE 4
A section of the gathering at State House on Friday to witness the signing of Guyana’s first carbon credit sale agreement with Hess Corp

Question 1:

Studying geography helps children deepen their un derstanding of their coun try and the world. Many import ant subjects, like current events, history, and foreign languag es, are closely tied to our under standing of geography.

In this ongoing activity, you will track postcards on a map, marking your family’s travels and exploring other cities and countries vicariously through friends, family, or pen pals.

What you need: Postcards from various cities, states, and countries Large bulletin board Map of the world Pushpins in different colours

What you do:

1. To start your postcard collection, give your address to

friends, family, and acquain tances and ask them to send you a postcard from the city where they live or from places where they travel. You can also look for postcards in tourist shops, gift shops, and second-hand stores wherever you go.

2. To track your postcards, hang a large bulletin board in a place where you can easily reach it.

3. Pin the world map to the bulletin board, or on the wall next to the bulletin board if you don’t mind poking pins in the wall.

4. Each time you add a post card to your collection, pin it to the bulletin board and place a corresponding pin on the map to mark where it came from. If you are unfamiliar with the city or country on the postcard, try to figure out its location. Think

about which state or country the place is in, for example, to help narrow down the possibilities. Even if you are really stumped, try to find the place on your own; the goal of this activity is to teach you about the world, and the best way for you to do that is to explore it yourself.

5. Try to find out at least three interesting facts about each place such as famous land marks, population, or which lan guages are spoken there.

6. Review the map from time to time to think about what you have learned and where you might like to travel someday.

Your postcard map also makes a great visual repre sentation of past trips and va cations. Tie coloured string be tween pins to mark the path you travelled on a given trip. (education.com)

The Robber Bridegroom

With this the old woman led her behind a large barrel where she could not be seen.

“Be quiet as a mouse.” she said. “Do not make a sound or move, or all will be over with you. Tonight when the robbers are asleep, we will escape. I have long waited for an opportunity.” This had scarcely happened when the godless band came home. They were dragging with them another maiden. They were drunk and paid no attention to her screams and sobs. They gave her wine to drink, three glasses full, one glass of white, one glass of red, and one glass of yellow, which caused her heart to break. Then they ripped off her fine clothes, laid her on a table, chopped her beautiful body in pieces and sprinkled salt on it. The poor bride behind the barrel trembled and shook, for she saw well what fate the robbers had planned for her.

One of them noticed a gold ring on the murdered girl’s little finger. Because it did not come off easily, he took an ax and chopped the finger off, but it flew into the air and over the barrel, falling right into the bride’s lap. The robber took a light and looked for it, but could not find it.

Then another one said, “Did you look behind the large barrel?”

But the old woman cried out, “Come and eat. You can continue looking in the morning. That finger won’t run away from you.”

Then the robbers said, “The old woman is right”. They gave up their search and sat down to eat. The old woman poured a sleeping-potion into their wine, so that they soon lay down in the cellar and fell asleep, snoring.

When the bride heard them snoring, she came out from behind the barrel, and had to step over the sleepers, for they lay all in rows on the ground. She was afraid that she might awaken one of them, but God helped her, and she got through safely.

The old woman went upstairs with her, opened the door, and they hurried out of the mur derer's den as fast as they could.

WORD SEARCH
6 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 ◄
Page Foundation
TO BE CONTINUED

Elections CoI

Fmr Foreign Minister threatened to revoke observers’ accreditation – GECOM Commissioner recalls

do so

As the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the March 2020 General and Regional Elections con tinued on Friday, video foot age surfaced showing former Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Karen Cummings threaten ing to revoke the accredita tion of international observ ers.

GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj continued his testimony on Friday, where

several videos were shown and ventilated.

One of the clips showed the former APNU/AFC Minister meeting with in ternational observers at the Region Four Command Centre on the morning of March 5, 2020.

After a loud exchange, Head of the Commonwealth Observer Mission in Guyana, former Prime Minister of Barbados Owen

Arthur is heard telling the APNU/AFC politician, “It comes across as intimida tion, that you’re trying to in timidate the observers.”

Moments after, observers are seen leaving the room af ter which then Deputy Chief Election Officer, Roxanne Myers is seen meeting with Dr Cummings. As she tries to quell the situation, Arthur responds, “It doesn’t take away from the fact that

Mother of 1 beaten to death by reputed husband

The motionless body of a mother of one was on Friday morning found lying on her bed in her First Hill, Soesdyke-Linden Highway home. The dead woman has been identified as 43-year-old Umadai Lall, also called “Samantha”.

According to the infor mation received, the couple shared a common-law re lationship for the past ten years.

However, preliminary in vestigations revealed that on Wednesday, the suspect, a welder, left for work at 9:30h, leaving Lall and their two-year-old son at home.

However, he returned on Thursday at about 19:00h and saw Lall in a heavi ly intoxicated state and he spoke to her again about her drinking since this was not the first time she was found drunk.

As he spoke with her, she reportedly became abu sive, and soon after she went

to their bedroom and sat on the bed. The suspect lat er entered the bedroom to sleep but she continued to abuse him.

In retaliation, he report edly got annoyed and dealt her several cuffs about her

head and face after which he went to bed.

However, on Friday morning he realised that she was not breathing. At that time, he summoned a taxi and rushed her to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where she was pronounced dead. Several marks of vi olence were found on her face, hands, chest, and other parts of her body.

The suspect was contact ed at the hospital where he was arrested and escorted to the doctor, but no marks of violence were seen on his body. The scene was pro cessed but no blood was re portedly seen on the bed or in the house.

Meanwhile, during an audio-visual interview, the suspect admitted that he had beaten Lall. The wom an’s body was taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting post-mor tem.

you threatened to take away our accreditation.”

When the incident oc curred, it was reported that Cummings, a candidate for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), was accused of trying to intimi date the international mis sions that were keenly ob serving the electoral process in Guyana.

She allegedly told the in ternational observers that she was instructed to with draw their accreditation, but she was not in agree ment that it should be done; she did not reveal whose in

structions she was obeying.

Another clip, record ed by Gunraj, showed ob servers of the OAS and Commonwealth barred from entering the Region Four Command Centre on March 6, 2020.

Gunraj is heard say ing, “We have been invited here for 9am. It is now 20 minutes to 09:00h. There has been no movement as to our being allowed to en ter the building. There are representatives of the OAS and Commonwealth ob server teams. I am aware that there is a very heavy Police presence and we are

being told by ranks who are present here this morning that we will not be allowed entry…The office remains closed and there is no move ment.”

During that same time, Assistant Police Commissioner Edgar Thomas was removed from his commanding officer post for Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Sub-division A af ter refusing to execute a de cision, which he had opined was unlawful.

The CoI also heard that an order was given by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to remove both international and lo cal observers, along with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) appoint ed Commissioner from the Region Four Returning Officer’s (RO) office at Hadfield and High Streets, Georgetown.

After the instruction was handed down, the Commander related that such a move would be un lawful while pointing out that executing such an or der would also escalate the already high tension at the location.

Thomas, who current ly serves as the Head of the Presidential Guard Unit of the Police Force, has al ready testified before the Commission where he re counted the series of events.

7 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS
– claimed she was instructed to
GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj testifying before the CoI on Friday Dead: Umadai Lall, also called “Samantha”

Oral arguments in Slowe’s challenge to his suspension from PSC set for next month

In a ruling delivered on Friday, High Court Justice Gino Persaud has reiterated the position taken by the Full Court in May — that he can pro ceed with hearing the chal lenge of retired Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Slowe’s to his suspension from the previous Police Service Commission (PSC) by President Dr Irfaan Ali.

On behalf of the new ly appointed Police Service Commission (PSC), Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, SC, and Attorney-at-Law Darshan Ramdhanie, KC, had asked Justice Persaud to stay the hearing of the matter pending the determi nation of an appeal against a decision of acting Chief Justice Roxane George, SC, in which she had, among other things, declared that even though the current PSC was lawfully appoint ed, it was not properly con stituted in the absence of a Chairperson for the Public Service Commission — an other constitutional com mission that is still to be set up, and which is vital to the reconstitution of the PSC.

The Chief Justice’s rul ing was premised on an ap plication filed by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, in which he had asked her to nullify the appointment of Reverend Patrick Findlay as Chairman of the PSC on the basis that the Head of State did not engage him in con stitutionally-required mean ingful consultation.

However, through Attorney-at-Law Roysdale Forde, SC, Norton has ap pealed the Chief Justice’s decision, contending, inter alia, that she had misap plied the law.

Access to justice/ delaying matter

In refusing to put a hold on the proceedings before him pending the determina tion of that appeal, Justice Gino Persaud has said that as far as he is aware, there has been no stay of the Chief Justice’s ruling. He has also noted that “there can be no stay of a declaratory order.”

He made it clear that: “I am not prepared to stay

the proceedings before me pending the appeal of the Chief Justice’s ruling; which would leave the proceedings before me in limbo, since that appeal would take time to be heard and determined, and we have no indication of how long that would take…”

According to Justice Gino Persaud, Norton’s appeal does not, in any way, impact upon or preclude Slowe’s right to have the lawfulness of his suspension adjudicat ed upon, since this is an “ac cess to justice” issue for him.

“How long should he wait, as a litigant who is en titled to access to justice, to have the legality of his sus pension ruled upon, while the respondents [Attorney General and others] file in terlocutory applications upon interlocutory applica tions, delaying the substan tive issue notwithstanding the narrowing of the is sues?” he asked.

Reasons for suspension

President Ali suspend ed the previous PSC in June 2021 after Slowe, its then chairman, and several of its commissioners, had been slapped with fraud charges over payments allegedly made to them in the amount of $10M to revise the Police Force’s raft of Standing Orders, which they alleged ly never did.

Slowe is also facing three counts of sexual as sault for allegedly rubbing a senior Policewoman’s legs without her consent at Police Headquarters in Georgetown.

In June 2021, the PSC had filed legal proceed ings that sought a decla ration that President Ali’s suspension of Slowe and Commissioners Michael Somersall, Claire Jarvis, Vesta Adams and Clinton Conway — all retired Assistant Commissioners of Police — had violated the Constitution, and was there fore of no force or effect.

Prime Minister Brigadier (retd) Mark Phillips, AG Nandlall, and former Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie are the named respon dents in those proceedings filed by that PSC. But af

ter the three-year life of that Commission had expired on August 8, 2021, and a new commission had not been constituted, Nandlall had asked Justice Persaud to dismiss the case.

Nandlall’s contention was: “The Commission can only act if it has a quo rum. Despite vacancies, decisions may be made, provided that there is a quo rum. Inferentially, if the Commission is not constitut ed, it cannot have a quorum in law, and therefore it can not act.”

Justice Persaud had, however, thrown out Nandlall’s application, rul ing that he would hear the case on its merits because it raises matters of public in terest.

“To hold otherwise would be to leave the legality of the suspension hanging – never to be adjudicated upon sim ply because of the inescap able fact that the life of the (Commission) came to an end after filing these pro ceedings. This does not seem to me either logical or fair, but rather an affront to fair ness, natural justice, access to justice, and indeed the rule of law…

“A hearing and deter mination would serve to bring clarity to the role of the Executive [President] in such instances, and en sure that the constitution ally-granted autonomy of the PSC remains protected,” Justice Persaud had said.

Nandlall had then ap pealed Justice Persaud’s rul ing to the Full Court, which upheld Justice Persaud’s de cision but did not agree with him that Slowe should be substituted in place of the PSC, which remained an ex isting constitutional body despite being unable to car ry out its functions in the absence of appointed mem bers. As such, the Full Court had added Slowe as a party to the proceedings.

Besides Findlay as Chairman, Attorney-at-Law Mark Conway and business men Ernesto Choo-a-Fat and Hakeem Mohammed are the other members of the new PSC. They were appointed on May 31 by President Ali.

“Crippled” by Chief Justice’s ruling

In regard to the applica tion by Attorney Darshan Ramdhanie, KC, on behalf of the current PSC, to dis continue Slowe’s matter, Justice Persaud has said that in light of the Chief Justice’s ruling, “it is pa tently clear that the appli cation cannot be sustained, since the [PSC]is not prop erly constituted and cannot participate in these proceed ings.”

In arriving at his deci sion, Justice Persaud cited an earlier ruling by the Full Court in regard to an appeal of his decision to hear the substantive matter. He spe cifically quoted from para graph five of that court’s ruling, which elucidated: “Members [of the PSC] can be appointed at any time to continue or discontin ue the claim. Of course, a court would be entitled to take the continued non-ap pointment of members to the Commission as a basis to strike out the claim as an abuse of process, as this would delay the prosecution of the action.”

Given that the primary issue is the lawfulness of the PSC’s suspension, Justice Gino Persaud emphasised, “I have already ruled that that issue did not come to an end when the term of office of the previous members of the Commission expired.”

In light of his pronounce ment, which was upheld by the Full Court, Justice Persaud held that: “The Police Service Commission cannot come again now within this application to attempt to obtain the same relief in a different way, to bring about the termination of the substantive proceed ings.”

Justice George, in rul ing that the current PSC was lawfully appointed but not properly consti tuted in the absence of a Chairperson for the Public Service Commission, had applied the de facto doctrine to save actions carried out by it, including the promo tion of scores of Police ranks in July.

Money...

…from trees

Well…whoever said that money doesn’t grow on trees should take a look at yesterday’s headlines. There it was in black and white: “33 million carbon credits issued to Guyana from TREES”!! And even though “TREES” is an acronym for “The REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard”, the REDD - "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation” - is all about real trees that grow in the ground.

Remember when Jagdeo raised this option back in 2005 and most folks – especially the PNC – snickered? Well, they stopped snickering when Norway coughed up US$250 million to encourage us to keep our trees standing - to suck up that nasty Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere!!

$80 million of that money’s still around with the IDB as seed money for the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project (AFHEP) – which the PNC torpedoed by refusing to sign off as the Opposition. These carbon credits were issued by ART - Architecture for REDD+ Transactions - with the “+” signifying the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. Don’t you just love how these environmental “save the planet” types just loooove their acronyms??

Your Eyewitness can just imagine them jumping up in the air and clicking their heels when they came up with the “TREES” acronym!! But hey, to each his own, especially when they’ll be doling out all those CERTIFIED carbon credits to us!!

Now, your Eyewitness can just hear you, dear reader, murmur, “And what, pray tell, are ‘carbon credits’?” Well, a carbon credit – which your Eyewitness, in the spirit of things environmental, will call “CC” - represents one metric ton of CO2 equivalent emission reduction or removal. We fall under “removal”, and we have 33 MILLION of them. They were issued by ART - which is recognised by the global community to “register, verify and issue high-quality REDD+ emissions reduction credits to countries and jurisdictions to attract REDD+ finance” to meet the Paris Agreement goals!

Our CCs are registered like gold-edged securities that can be exchanged for cold cash from polluting countries that want to eat their cake (keep burning fossil fuels to live high off the hog!) and have it too; it helps them to meet their Paris commitments!! Who says you can’t pay others to pay for your sins?!! We’re the VERY FIRST country in the world to get these ART CCs, and you can imagine the profligate polluters lining up to bid for them.

The price, of course, will depend on the penalties they’re trying to avoid in their own jurisdictions. So, we should continue championing the Low Carbon economy for the rest of the world!!

Imagine getting paid for being virtuous!! We just gotta ensure we bargain hard for the opportunity cost!!

…and voting

We’ve had a hot and sweaty debate on our Voters List ever since the PNC seized upon the claim that one of the reasons they were “ousted” was the list was “bloated” in 2020. “Inflated” deliberately by the PPP by raising the dead and apparating (a la Harry Potter!) the emigrated to vote them in!!

But in a seeming move away from the “he seh dem seh” accusations, an eminently qualified Biochemist Professor from Switzerland – we all over the globe, ain’t we? –jumped into the fray. Using some interpolations to create a new statistical category of voters based on our population –“Voter Age Population (VAP) – he concluded that the 2020 voters’ turnout as a percentage of the VAP was statistically anomalous at 91%. Fair enough. But when the PNC coalition won in 2015, the turnout was 86% - 11% more than 2011!! So, the 5% rise on the PPP’s win was anomalous, and the 11% rise for the PNC’s wasn’t??

Sounds like the same “he seh dem seh”!!

…on speculation

Most of us don’t appreciate that the price of most of the commodities traded in the world isn’t set by “supply and demand”, as we were taught in school. It’s set by speculators, who see it as a game!!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM 8 NEWS Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance
others delaying
filing
…AG,
matter by
interlocutory applications – Justice Persaud
Paul Slowe President Dr Irfaan Ali Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC
TURN TO PAGE 10
Justice Gino Persaud

Govt “wholeheartedly committed” to enhancing opportunities for PWDs – PM

added that the Government wants all Guyanese to be come part of this grand mis sion of uniting our country.

He noted that the One Guyana initiative seeks to include groups and seg ments of our society that are considered vulnerable, in cluding young people with disabilities.

“We want to see our youth with disabilities seiz ing more of the opportuni ties available in our econ omy and those which will soon become available… This is how we will build a strong, prosperous, unit ed and more democratic Guyana, one in which no one will be left behind.”

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips remind ed that the Government of Guyana is committed to pro viding equal access to all av enues of development to and for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to contribute mean

During the feature ad dress on Friday at the inau gural launch of the National Youth with Disabilities Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), the Senior Government official posited that greater opportunities

Friday’s event was host ed by the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities under the umbrella of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the Youth Advocacy, Linkages, Leadership in Elections and Society (Youth ALLIES) Programme.

Roshnie Basdeo, a 37-year-old moth er of three has been remanded to prison for the brutal murder of her greataunt, 85-year-old Sumintra Sawh, called “Aunty Betty”.

Basdeo also called “Mala”, who was unrep resented, appeared before Magistrate Peter Hugh at the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court, where she was not re quired to plead.

The woman was remand ed to prison and the matter was adjourned to December 14 at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court. The case has been transferred to the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court and will come up again on December 14.

It was reported that Sawh’s body was found ly ing motionlessly in a pool of blood on her bed following a home invasion.

ingfully to national develop ment.

He said that a “great future awaits us all in Guyana” and that future must be predicated on re spect for all Guyanese.

“That future will be real ised through the inclusion of all, including persons with disabilities…. Providing greater opportunities forms part of the country’s nation al development agenda. The Government is wholeheart edly committed to enhanc ing opportunities for the dis abled.”

must be given to PWDs.

“Our Government rec ognises the challenges of youths with disabilities. The United Nations reminds us that disabled young people are a marginalised group. We are committed, as a Government, to providing greater opportunities for our young people. This is why we are supportive of the ef forts which continue to be made by international and local organisations in re sponding to the needs of dis abled youth.”

Expanding further, he

9 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS
Murdered: Sumintra Sawh, called “Aunty Betty” Murder suspect Roshnie Basdeo, also called “Mala” Participants at the conference on Friday Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips
TURN TO PAGE 14
Mother of 3 remanded for murdering 85-y-o great-aunt – confesses to murdering elderly woman

Labour Ministry probing reports of some employers not paying new minimum wage

Some six months after the new $60,000 na tional minimum wage order took effect, there are several companies that are still paying their workers below that figure.

This is according to Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, who said the Ministry is investigating those reports.

“As far as I know, there are some reports that have come to the Ministry that employers might not be paying the national mini mum wage. The minimum wage is a national minimum wage and not a private sec tor minimum wage. We’ve had some reports where em

ployees have indicated that their employer is not yet paying the minimum wage. We have proceeded to in vestigate those matters,” Hamilton explained.

When the national mini mum wage changes were ga zetted, it was indicated that the minimum rate of wages payable to an employee shall not be less than $347 per hour or $2776 per day. This translates to $13,880 weekly and $60,147 monthly.

Moreover, the nor mal work week shall be 40 hours, and shall not exceed five days per week and any hours of work beyond the standard working period shall be paid at the rates set out in the Factories Act and the Labour Act; or any other law or collective bargaining agreement in force.

It has been explicitly stated that any employer that contravenes the provi sions of the order shall be liable upon summary con viction to a fine of $50,000 for the first offence. For any second or subsequent office, they will be slapped with a fine of $100,000 or imprison ment for one month.

Categories of workers who were supposed to bene fit from this increase include those in seafood processing, domestic work, internet or café services, call centres, janitorial, schools, hospi tals, machine shops, cement factories, auto body shops, wash bays, taxi services, welding, vulcanising, day care, wildlife farms, tour op erators, bakeries, filling sta tions, drug stores, cinemas, sawmills, water factories, scrap metal, radio stations, television stations, casi

nos, manufacturing, con struction, food processing, hospitality, entertainment, ice factories, sanitising, ag riculture, retail or whole sale trade, hotels, liquor stores, night clubs, parlours, restaurants, taverns, dis cotheque, canteens, tailors, security services, garment making among others.

The private sector’s min imum wage was last in creased in 2017, from an hourly rate of $202 to $255, taking the monthly wage from $35,000 to the current

$44,200.

Shortly after taking of fice in August 2020, Minister Hamilton announced the in crease of the private sector minimum wage to $60,000. However, while an order to this effect was made, there was no timeline set for its enforcement. This was post poned due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on businesses. When the country began opening up last year, these talks resumed and were con firmed this year.

Oral arguments in...

But according to Justice Persaud, “This applies ret roactively, not prospec tively.” He thus said that Ramdhanie’s application to discontinue the challenge “cannot receive prospective validation”, since it was sub sequently “crippled” by the Chief Justice’s ruling.

With there being no ground upon which he could grant a stay or withdraw the challenge, Justice Persaud pointed out, the current PSC “cannot withdraw Slowe’s right to have the legality of his suspension challenged”, and he consequently de clared that Ramdhanie’s ap plication is an “abuse of the process of the court.”

No award for costs was made because of the public interest nature of the case.

In the circumstances, lawyers from the Attorney General’s Chambers who are representing Prime Minister Phillips, AG Nandlall and the Police Commissioner were in structed to file defences by December 16. An Affidavit in Reply has to be filed by December 23, and written submissions by January 9, 2023.

The PSC’s counsel was given permission to file writ ten submissions on points of law, since it is a public in terest matter, but he is not allowed to file a defence, in

light of Justice George’s rul ing.

Oral arguments in Slowe’s challenge are sched uled for January 16, 2023 at 13:15h before Justice Gino Persaud. Slowe is repre sented by Selwyn Pieters, Dexter Todd, and Dexter Smartt.

The PSC is a body estab lished by Article 137 of the Constitution, and is vested with the authority to exer cise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in high offices within the Police Force. It is even authorized to remove them from office. The PSC also deals with promotion of Police officers above the rank of Inspector.

10 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS
FROM PAGE 8
Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton

Elderly woman stabbed to death by nephew at Princes Street home

“As I entered the premis es, they told me x, y and z, so I demand my respect from them. They call me upstairs, and when I go upstairs, I see my wife in a pool of blood. I then got to understand that her nephew struck some part of her body with an ob stacle like a hammer. She was screaming, that is why nobody didn’t attempt to rescue her at the set time”, Hayde explained.

Neighbours told this pub lication they had heard win dows breaking and screams emanating from the house and thought something was amiss, so they immediately summoned the Police. This publication was informed

A76-year-old woman has been stabbed to death at her Princes Street, Georgetown home, and her nephew whom she had taken care of since he was a child is the suspect in this matter.

Audrey Statia Elizabeth Harris was found dead in her home at about 09:00h on Friday, December 2. Her body bore multiple stab wounds, and reports are that the alleged perpetra tor of this act is her nephew, a person in his 50s who has been living in the bottom flat of her two-storey home. He has since gone into hiding.

When Guyana Times ar rived on scene, the woman’s husband, Lawrence Hayde, said he was on his way to work when he was informed of his wife’s death. “I left at 7:30 this morning, after hav ing a cup of coffee, and went to work. Before I leave, I kissed my wife and tell her to stay good, and I left. In the process of going to my job, I get a call from my friend… that my wife get stab up…. I told the driver turn back the truck, and when I come here [at the house], I see a ribbon tie down there,” Hayde de tailed.

that the woman had been suffering from a mental ill ness that would cause her to have bouts of outbursts, and that her nephew was also suffering from a mental ill ness.

Mr Hayde told the me dia he was informed that his wife had been the one break ing the windows. “He [the nephew] knows the situation of his aunt; it wasn’t sup posed to reach that level. It is years this is going on with her. She brought him up - all of them [his siblings] - since

their mother abandoned them when they were small. She mine them, she took care of them. Regardless of what he was doing, she shouldn’t have let it reach to that distance; even if it was provocation…,” he declared.

“At times my wife gets really upset, and you just don’t have to answer her, and leave her to say what she has to say. When she catch back herself, she would come and apologise”, he explained.

Hayde said his wife

would have been celebrat ing her 77th birthday on December 20th, and she has now missed that opportuni ty, due to her nephew’s igno rance. “I heard she break up the windows. I know what happens with her, and I had tenants here that I didn’t even know. I rented them, and because of the situa tion, I kindly asked them to leave…and now she behave with the same thing…

“This had me thinking what led to this, because her nephew knows her. He al ways smoking up drugs and cussing her up, and she want him to move out”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Police have said that the suspect

and the victim had had an argument earlier in the day, because she had wanted the suspect to move out from the house and the suspect had refused. During that argu ment, the suspect, who was armed with a knife, dealt the victim two stabs on both sides of her neck. At time of the incident, the victim was also armed with a hammer.

Upon being stabbed, the victim fell to the ground, and the suspect ran out of the yard and escaped in an un known direction. The victim was later pronounced dead. The body was then taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Parlour to await a post-mortem.

11 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS
Lawrence Hayde pointing to the area where his now dead wife’s body was found in a pool of blood Dead: Audrey Statia Elizabeth Harris The house in which the woman was killed
12 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Marine, oil & gas training now offered locally through GOAL

In an effort to sup port the development of Guyana’s expand ing maritime and offshore industries, AA Maritime and Offshore Training Institute (AAMOTI) and the Government are partnering to offer specialised technical training and educational op portunities in those indus tries to Guyanese.

Through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), Guyanese can, for the first time in the country’s history, pursue a career in marine cadetship locally.

The three-year pro gramme, which is ac credited by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), will allow locals to become in ternationally-licensed Cadet Officers upon successful com pletion.

Prospective students can choose their specialisation to either become an Officer in Charge of Navigation

Watch or Officer in Charge of Engine Watch (Engineering) – both of which require two years in-class teaching and at least one year on board a seagoing vessel.

Prospective students can pursue a career as an Electro-Technical Officer which is a four-month certifi cate programme.

“This is us responding to the call by the Government to ensure we are prepared to benefit from the opportu nities in our bourgeoning oil and gas and maritime sec tors. We invested in this with the aim of developing our hu man resource capacity to re spond to the needs of the country,” Managing Director, Asif Hamid stated.

He added that AAMOTI also continues to devel op its workforce to deliv er high-quality service to all stakeholders and is commit ted to attracting the highest calibre of professionals who can make a difference in the school and the lives of its stu

dents.

Young and aspiring can didates between the ages of 17-25 with five Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) sub jects can apply for the pro gramme through GOAL be fore January 15, 2023.

“Successful candidates will have enormous oppor tunities to build their career in the maritime industry, en hance interpersonal skills, establish professional net works and expand on career goals,” AAMOTI President Captain Hassan Fouda ex plained.

He added that the pro gramme is a new and exciting one that exposes Guyanese to a relatively new industry with enormous potential to transform the country. GOAL is an initiative launched by the Government of Guyana to provide 20,000 online scholarships to Guyanese to pursue tertiary-level pro grammes via partnerships with reputable universities.

Online booking for Parika/ Bartica route commences

In keeping with Government’s expressed promise to improve fer ry services, an online fer ry booking service has commenced for the Parikato- Bartica route. A re lease from the Public Works Ministry has said that from as early as Monday December 5, 2022, commut ers can make bookings to travel.

Online booking of tickets commenced last Friday at 12:00h (noon). Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill is urging citizens travelling between Parika

and Bartica to utilise this service and make their trav el experience easy and has sle-free.

“As we develop new roads and bridges, build new highways and rehabili tate stellings, our aim is al ways for the improvement and enhancement of the lives of our citizens; so, we are happy about this online system coming on stream to join the Parika-Supenaam (route) which was launched back in October, because this system will alleviate a greater percentage of the stress associated with trav

elling, especially for those who travel more frequent ly,” Edghill has noted. “As a Government, we are ensur ing that we do exactly what we set out to do; which is, improving lives.”

The Minister has also of fered congratulations to the team at the Transport and Harbours Department, the Chairperson of the T&HD Advisory Board, and the lo cal tecahnology company V75 Inc., who developed and implemented the platform.

For bookings, citizens can log onto https://ferry pass.gy

13 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS

TT firm opens $200M Home Store at Amazonia Mall Guyanese launch “Lotus Cosmetics”, guaranteeing natural, affordable makeup

Three enterprising Guyanese have part nered to launch a new brand of cosmetics – Lotus Cosmetics – which guaran tees natural ingredients, high-end finishing, and af fordably- priced makeup.

Sameerah MohamedFerouz and Sayyid Ferouz have partnered with Founder of Lotus Cosmetics, Fenton Baijnath, in this regard. Baijnauth is a Guyanese national who has been in the cosmetics indus try for over 25 years, hav ing worked with companies like L’Oréal, Revlon, Calvin Klein, and Unilever.

Trinidad-based com pany “The Home Store Limited” has officially launched its first branch in Guyana. This was done on Thursday eve ning at the Amazonia Mall at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Representing an invest ment of $200M, and boast ing a variety of modern home décor, kitchen uten sils, gym equipment, camp ing supplies, painting sup plies, Christmas ornaments and much more, the store would officially be open to the public on Saturday, December 3.

The Home Store Limited falls under the LJ Williams Group of Companies, whose Managing Director Thomas Williams, during the open ing ceremony, expressed gratitude at being afforded

the opportunity to bring his company to Guyana.

According to Williams, “The Home Store was in tended to be opened in Guyana when the Amazonia Mall was commissioned in 2021”. However, due to some setbacks, that did not mate rialise.

“After our fifth store, we decided that we can now ex pand regionally, so when he (Ramnaresh Sarwan) asked us to join in for his second phase, we couldn’t say no,” Williams explained.

This undertaking is expected to provide em ployment for a total of 12 persons, six of whom are al ready employed.

Also present at the launching ceremony was Junior Vice President of the Guyana Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(GCCI), Kester Huston, who noted that this investment speaks to investors’ confi dence in the local economy.

“I was able to visit Trinidad on many occasions and see the quality of prod ucts that are there, and I’m happy to know that they’re able to bring that sort of products into Guyana and raise the bar for such an en tity,” Huston said.

“I know Ramnaresh Sarwan would have thought it best to have such a store on this premises; that adds qual ity, adds exuberance and di versification to services that he offers,” he added.

The first branch of The Home Store Limited opened its doors in Barataria, Trinidad back in 2008, and The Home Store has since expanded to four other loca tions across that country.

Lotus Cosmetics is the sister company of Radical Cosmetics and Lotus BioMineral in the United States, companies that have been created by Baijnath and contract-manufactured

for many different brands. These brands have been sold in Sephora, Ultra and QVC. Some of the brands include 100% Pure, RMS Beauty, Subtle Beauty, Palladio, SkinLab, Skincare Cosmetics, Tarte Cosmetics and Fitglow.

Lotus Cosmetics (Guyana) is a new joint ven ture between Baijnath and the Ferouzes.

“Our philosophy is to pro vide a natural cosmetics line designed to supply pure, clean and healthy beauty products…

“We dedicate our resourc es to the clean beauty cul ture; to research and devel op the most innovative, safe beauty products with the quality you have come to ex pect and deserve,” Baijnath expressed.

He noted that the prod

ucts are free of parabens and toxic ingredients, and are rich in collagen-boost ing extracts and natural in gredients. In addition, it has been revealed that the Lotus Cosmetics line also includes brightening extracts such as bilberry extract, sugarcane extract, orange extract, lem on extract and sugar maple extract, which guarantee strengthening and moistur

izing of the skin, and he ap plication of healing and an ti-aging properties.

The products current ly include ten shades of lip stick, ten shades of lip gloss, one mascara, one eyeshad ow pallet, and one face pal ette that has four shades of eyeshadow. The Lotus Cosmetics line also in cludes one blush, one high lighter, and four powder foundations. These prod ucts are available for sale at Gabriella Boutique, lo

cated at the Amazonia Mall at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Meanwhile, next step for the company is to begin manufacturing cosmetics for Guyana, the Caribbean and Latin America. There are also plans to branch out into various areas of man ufacturing over the coming years.

Mother of 3 remanded...

Police said the woman’s great-niece claimed that she was awakened by a male who was in her room and who had a knife to her throat, demanding money. She had also claimed that she was pulled out of her bedroom and saw a second stranger in the house. She also told Police that she was placed in a chair and bound to it with a piece of ‘sling’.

However, under intense interrogation, the woman broke down and confessed to being part of the plan to rob her aunt of the $350,000 cash she had in the house. She told detectives that

on November 27, 2022, the now dead woman had ac cused her of stealing money and other documents but she had attempted to convince the woman that she did not.

Nevertheless, Sawh con tinued to accuse her through out the night. At that point in time, she became annoyed and took a hammer and a piece of wood and dealt the woman several lashes to her head while she was on her bed, thus leaving her motion less.

She then went into the lower flat of the house and took a razor blade which she used to cause self-inflicted in

juries to her neck and hand.

Basdeo added that her nightdress was drenched in blood, so she took it off and placed in a black plastic bag along with the hammer she used to commit the murder. She then disposed of them in a pit toilet in the yard.

She further admitted that she alone was involved in the killing of Sawh.

Meanwhile, Basdeo took investigators back to the scene where the hammer and a blood-stained night dress were retrieved, along with a razor blade in the low er flat of the house.

14 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS
Director of The Home Store Guyana, Dinanath Ramnarine, and proprietor of Amazonia Mall, Ramnaresh Sarwan, cutting the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the store
FROM PAGE 9

Region 6 farmers, agro-processors benefit from training workshop

The Agriculture Ministry and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) have collaborated to conduct a series of aware ness and training work shops focusing on farmers, especially women and youth.

The partnership was birthed following a meet ing in September be tween the Agriculture SubCommittee of the GCCI and the Agriculture Ministry. During the forum, the two explored ways in which the Ministry and the private sector can collaborate during Agriculture Month 2022.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said that the initiative must continue beyond Agriculture Month and spread out to the vari ous farming communities in the country.

Consequently, a team comprised of both private sector organisations and semi-autonomous agencies entered into a collabora tive partnership to deliver awareness and training pro grammes to farmers, with support from the Ministry and its agencies.

“Stakeholder businesses include the Inter-American Institute for Corporation on Agriculture (IICA), Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), Guyana Food Safety Authority (GFSA), Institute of Private Enterprise

Development (IPED), Small Business Bureau (SBB), World University Service of Canada (WUSC), and Empower Guyana,” a state ment from the GCCI on Friday explained.

The initiative has been launched in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and four sessions have been held, fo cusing on four key areas to help farmers, women, and youth build their capacity by encouraging them to use cli mate-smart technology such as the use of micronutrients to boost production, improve yield and the quality of their products which ultimately leads to improved income.

Farmers were also urged to treat agriculture as a business so that they can

produce to sell rather than selling what they produce as this will help them to access local and eventually over seas markets. Information on access to financing, busi ness function, good agri cultural practices, under standing and honouring contractual obligations, and access to incubator services were also presented to pro ducers in Albion, East Bank Berbice, Black Bush Polder, and Crab Wood Creek.

The GCCI’s Agriculture Sub-Committee has tre mendously thanked the Ministry of Agriculture and its agencies, including the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Guyana Marketing Corporation

Fisherman jailed in absentia for assaulting cop, found hiding under bed

A25-year-old fisher man, who was sen tenced in absentia on November 23 for assaulting a Police rank, was found hid ing under a bed, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) reported on Thursday.

Rohit Lall called “Poduck”, of Walton Hall, Essequibo Coast, had been on trial for assaulting the law enforcement officer with intent to resist arrest.

He, however, had stopped attending the court proceed ings and as such, the pre siding Magistrate continued with the trial, finding him guilty as charged in the end. As such, Lall was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment

(GFSA) for their unwaver ing support.

The committee has also extended special thanks to the extension officers from both NAREI and GMC who were instrumental in mak ing the regional sessions a success by ensuring that farmers were invited and all logistics for the events were in place.

According to the GCCI, it recognises that agricul ture is one of the most im portant productive sectors in Guyana’s economy.

In this regard, the pri vate sector body has ap plauded the concrete actions taken by its Agriculture Sub-Committee to address the challenges facing farm

ers generally and especially women and youth.

Moreover, it has en couraged them to prepare themselves to access over seas markets and contrib ute to President Dr Irfaan Ali’s vision of reducing the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

The first round of work shops in Region Six reached 115 farmers and agro-pro cessors. The awareness and training workshops will be expanded to Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, and 10, and the GCCI said it looks forward to the continued support from the Ministry of Agriculture and participat ing partners.

Man escapes from Police after disposing of ganja

in his absence and a sen tencing warrant was subse quently issued for him.

That warrant is an or der of the court that directs a Police rank to arrest and bring a person before the court, such as a person who is charged with a crime or con victed of a crime but failed to appear for sentencing.

On Wednesday, Police ranks of Regional Police Division Two were conduct ing several exercises on the Essequibo Coast when they arrested Lall.

Lall, who was found hid ing under a bed in a dwell ing house, has been pro cessed to begin serving his jail sentence.

Police ranks on the East Coast of Demerara are on the hunt for a man who disposed of a quantity of marijuana he had in his possession upon seeing the lawmen.

According to informa tion received, they were on patrol duty at about 7:45h on Friday in the vicinity of Beterverwagting Sideline Dam, East Coast Demerara (ECD), when they observed a man standing in an empty lot with a transparent plas tic bag in his hands.

Upon seeing the Police, the man dropped the trans parent plastic bag and ran in a western direction. A chase was given, but

he managed to evade the Police.

A search was then con ducted in the area where the suspect was seen stand ing, during which the trans parent plastic bag was found with a quantity of ganja therein.

The marijuana was tak en to the Beterverwagting Police Station where it was weighed and amounted to 150 grams.

Investigations are ongo ing.

Just four days ago, Police from the ECD found 570 grams of marijuana hidden under a bucket in an aban doned yard at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.

A report from the Police Division indicates that a party of policemen conduct ed a cordon and search ex ercise in Britton Street, Plaisance, where several persons, as well as the area, were searched.

The ranks found a black plastic bag containing a number of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis, which was in an abandoned property under a bucket.

The cannabis was taken to the Sparendaam Police Station where it weighed 570 grams. It was then sealed and lodged in the general property book. No one was arrested.

15 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS
Scenes from the awareness and training workshops held with farmers and agro-processors of Region Six Jailed: Rohit Lall (GMC), and the Guyana Food Safety Authority The ganja that was found at Beterverwagting Sideline Dam
16 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Opposition takes GECOM to court over Voters’ List for upcoming LGE

Chief Scrutineer of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), Carol Smith Joseph, has filed legal ac tions against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), challenging the process used to compile the List of Electors, or Voters’ List, for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).

The Fix Date Application, which was filed on Friday at the High Court in Georgetown, lists GECOM, the Chief Elections Officer, the Commissioner of Registration, and the Attorney General as respon dents.

Joseph, through her Attorney Roysdale Forde S.C, is asking the court to make a series of declarations: that GECOM acted ultra vi res and unlawfully in com piling the List of Voters for Local Government Elections; that the action of the Chief

Elections Officer and/or the Commissioner of National Registration in extracting a List of Electors pursuant to GECOM’s order is similarly ultra vires and unlawful; that GECOM acted in dereliction of its duty under the relevant electoral laws; and that GECOM has a con stitutional duty to ensure that registration of electors is conducted in accordance with the law.

“The process employed by the Commission to prepare a Register of Voters for use at the next Local Government Elections has deprived the electors and/or voters of the opportunity to object to persons on the Register of Voters in the manner pro vided for in, and contem plated by, Local Authorities (Elections) Act Cap. 28:03” is one of the grounds stated in the legal document.

Another outline is “The process employed by the Commission to prepare a Register of Voters for use at

the next Local Government Elections has not been in accordance with the Local Authorities (Elections) Act.”

To this end, Joseph has asked the court to grant orders setting aside GECOM’s order to extract a List of Electors for Local Government Elections “…on the ground and for the rea son that the said Order, No.

1st female-owned construction company gets ISO 9001 certification

B&J Civil Works is the newest addition to Global Compliance Service’s (GCS) list of ISO 9001:2015 certified compa nies in Guyana and the first female-owned construction company to achieve this cer tification.

The company, former ly known as J Tapp Road Construction, commenced operations in 1993.

With over 29 years of ex perience, B&J Civil Works is one of the longest-serv ing construction firms in Guyana. After years of hard work from their leadership team, and with the assis tance of a quality manage ment consultant, they were able to accomplish the re quired documentation and implementation.

In a statement, the com pany shared, “We take pride in our role and con tribution towards the infra structural development of Guyana, providing work to both Government agencies and the private sector. We are committed to delivering projects on time, within bud get, and to the satisfaction of clients, stakeholder groups and end users.”

Additionally, it was shared that their mandate revolves around providing high-quality, cost-effective contracting solutions to the public and private sectors.

Services include roads and associated infrastructure (drains, culverts, bridges, and retaining walls) as well as the construction of major bridges and structures.

Some of their major proj ects have included pedes trian overhead crossings at Eccles, Peters Hall and Houston; the Cable Landing

Station at Carifesta Avenue; and construction of the link road from A Field to D Field Sophia.

General Manager and Senior Engineer, Beverley Tapp related, “ISO 9001 certification ensures qual ity and efficiency through the establishment of sys tems and standards through the implementation of doc umented critical processes, policies, and forms.”

“We would like to thank our customers, suppliers, and support organisations who have remained with us and assure you of our com mitment to the improve ment of our quality of ser vice. ISO 9001 has at its core a focus on continual im provement and we will al ways work towards that,” she further added.

Companies certified to

the ISO 9001:2015 standard have established a Quality Management System, which provides a framework for the delivery of consistent quality products and ser vices as defined within its scope of certification. ISO 9001 is the international ly recognised standard for a quality management sys tem (QMS) that was devel oped and published by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

This certification pro vides a model for compa nies of all types and sizes to improve internal systems, build quality management systems and operate effec tively at different levels, in cluding the ability to focus on customer requirements and constantly find ways to become resilient and sus tainable.

55 of 2022, is ultra vires and unlawful.”

She also wants the court to set aside the ex traction of the List of Electors by the Chief Election Officer and/or the Commissioner of National Registration; as well as for an order to be granted compelling the Elections Commission to comply with the relevant sec tions of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act Cap 28:03.

Another order is being

sought to direct and/or com pel GECOM to compile a register of voters in accor dance with the provisions set out in the Local Authorities (Elections) Act Cap 28:03 be fore conducting any Local Government Election in Guyana.

Back in October 2022, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall had set Monday, March 13, 2023 as the date for hosting the long-overdue local gov ernment polls in Guyana. This was the earliest date that GECOM indicated the elections could be held.

However, despite fil ing legal proceedings that could potentially disrupt the holding of these polls, the APNU+AFC Opposition has already participated in the exercise of submitting its symbol to GECOM, which it admitted in the court docu ments.

The law requires that these symbols be submit ted at least 21 days before Nomination Day. That dead line was November 12, 2022.

Under Section 51 of the Local Authority (Election) Act, none can contest the election without submitting their symbol.

Meanwhile, GECOM has designated December 12, 2022 as Nomination Day for the upcoming LGE. On Nomination Day, parties or organisations/groups or in dividuals running at the lo cal government polls make their way to a designated lo cation set by GECOM, where their representatives are re quired to submit their List of Candidates to the Chief Election Officer (CEO), as well as sign on to the re quired documents, such as a code of conduct, in order to contest the elections.

LGE, which is constitu tionally 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.

Non-surgical clubfoot correction, free hearing aids for PWDs

In enhancing care for persons with disabilities in Guyana, the Health Ministry has introduced free hearing aids and spectacles this year, along with human resource building to correct club foot.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Friday shared that along with sev eral programmes to enhance care for persons with dis abilities, the Ministry has made tangible strides in ex panding access.

“We have been expand ing access to rehabilitation services by training more

This complements the pro gramme to deliver 4500 Snap-On spectacles to per sons in remote communities.

“As of this year, we have removed the cost for those

It is caused by a shortened Achilles tendon but can be corrected at birth.

He divulged, “We are able to diagnose young children with club feet. This condi tion can be corrected with a non-surgical intervention. If the staff is properly trained, you can use Plaster of Paris to make the correction. So, we have started training this year on how to correct the non-surgical correction of club feet.”

people and ensuring that our centres across the coun try can now be equipped and have the right skill levels. In all the regions now, we have rehab centres.”

A sizeable sum has been used to procure assistive de vices such as hearing aids, wheelchairs, and spectacles, for persons with physical disabilities.

While the Ministry was charging for hearing aids at a cost of about $65,000, this price tag has been removed.

hearing aids so people can access them free of cost and already, we have distribut ed 500 hearing aids to peo ple who need them…We’re targeting a lot of the hin terland communities where these services never existed before.”

Meanwhile, medical pro fessionals are being trained to correct clubfoot through non-surgical procedures. Club foot is where a baby is born with a foot or feet that turn inward and under.

The Ministry has also been working with stake holders to address cases of joint replacement under an other programme. This will prove life-changing for per sons who are immobilised or confined to a wheelchair.

“We’re working with per sons who have a need for prosthetic limbs. If you have an amputation, we’re work ing with those persons to get prosthetic limbs for them. Whether it is an arm or leg, we have been working with a number of people to do that. Next year, we’re hop ing we can reduce the back log for prosthetic devices,” Dr Anthony relayed.

17 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM NEWS
B&J Civil Works' GM, Beverley Tapp, receiving the ISO certification A child with clubfoot APNU+AFC Chief Scrutineer, Carol Smith Joseph

Regional

Mexico to hike minimum wage by 20% in 2023, raising inflation worries

Mexico will raise the minimum wage by 20 per cent next year after employers, la bour representatives and the Government reached an agreement, officials said on Thursday, although some critics warned the move could fuel inflation.

The standard minimum wage will rise to around 207 pesos (US$10.82) a day from 172.87 pesos (US$9.03) a day, Labour Minister Luisa Maria Alcalde said during a regular news conference alongside President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

For workers along the US-Mexico border, wages will rise to 312 pesos a day from 260 pesos a day.

The hike follows dou ble digit-per cent rais es by Lopez Obrador’s Administration every year

since he took office at the end of 2018, seeking to curb Mexico’s vast income dis parity.

The latest minimum wage increase was calcu lated taking inflation into account, particularly price increases for basic goods, Lopez Obrador told report ers, playing down inflation concerns.

“We don’t see any risk of inflation shooting up,” he said.

Mexico has been strug gling to bring down stub bornly high inflation and the Bank of Mexico has in creased its key interest rate by 600 basis points since mid-2021 to 10.0 per cent in an effort to tame price pres sures.

Annual headline infla tion in Latin America’s sec ond-largest economy hit

US imposes new sanctions on Haiti officials for drug-trafficking

8.14 per cent in the first half of November, down from 8.53 per cent a month ear lier. The closely watched core price index, which cen

tral bank board member Jonathan Heath called the bank’s biggest concern, con tinued to trend up to 8.66 per cent. (Excerpt from Reuters)

J/ca: US group

J$2.4M to support conservation efforts in Blue and John Crow Mountains

The US Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) is providing ap proximately J$2.4 mil lion in grant funding to the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust to mon itor and conserve Jamaica’s unique species in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park.

to the people of Jamaica. It is also home to one of the largest bird migratory sites in the Caribbean, the only place on the island where all Jamaica’s unique birds can be observed, including the endangered Jamaican Blackbird and the Doctor Bird, the country’s national symbol.

Venezuela, Chevron formally sign oil contracts in Caracas

Venezuela’s Oil Minister and top rep resentatives of staterun company PDVSA on Friday signed contracts with US oil firm Chevron Corp intended to help re vive the nation’s oil output and expand operations.

The United States last week granted Chevron a six-month licence authoris ing it to take a broader role in existing projects in US-sanctioned Venezuela, a move to encourage po litical talks between the Government of President Nicolas Maduro and the country’s opposition to wards elections.

The contracts include the PDVSA-Chevron joint ventures Petroboscan and Petropiar, officials said. The agreements are expect ed to help restore lost pro duction, recoup debt owed to Chevron, and generate more jobs. The projects cur rently are producing about 100,000 barrels per day of crude (bpd), leaving room for a rapid increase.

“This is an important step towards the right di rection, but yet insuffi

cient,” said Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami after the signing ceremony. “We demand the lifting of pun ishing measures that have hit our industry,” he added.

The event took place at PDVSA’s Caracas head quarters and was attended by El Aissami, Chevron’s President for Venezuela, Javier La Rosa, and PDVSA President Asdrubal Chavez. Other details of the agreements were not disclosed.

Chevron also has not made public the content of a pre-agreement with PDVSA that it used to re quest the licence from the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The authorisation was required because of US sanctions on PDVSA and Venezuela’s oil sector.

The licence, which gave a green light to Chevron for trading Venezuelan crude in the United States, does not allow royalties or any other tax payments to Venezuela as a way to avoid proceeds from sales reaching Maduro’s coffers. (Excerpt from Reuters)

in agriculture

The Biden Administration has imposed new sanc tions on Haitian officials ac cused of being involved in drug trafficking, as the United States and its allies continue to target corrup tion in the violence-plagued Caribbean nation.

The US Department of Treasury said on Friday that the sanctions target ed Haitian Senator Rony Celestin, as well as former Senator Richard Lenine Herve Fourcand.

“Rony Celestin and Richard Fourcand are two more examples of corrupt Haitian politicians abusing their power to further drug trafficking activities across the region,” Treasury offi cial Brian E Nelson said in a statement.

“Treasury will continue to hold corrupt officials and malign actors accountable for the illicit drug trafficking that is destabilizing Haiti.”

Haiti has experienced months of surging violence as powerful gangs battled for control in the aftermath of President Jovenel Moise’s

assassination in July 2021.

The country is also grap pling with a deadly cholera outbreak and widespread hunger and malnutrition, while a weeks-long gang blockade on a major fuel ter minal in the capital, Portau-Prince, that has since been lifted led to electricity and water shortages.

Ulrika Richardson, the United Nations’s resident and humanitarian coor dinator in Haiti, said last month that armed gangs controlled approximately 60 per cent of the territory in Port-au-Prince, and were using sexual violence to “ter rorise” residents.

Haiti’s acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry in October asked the interna tional community to help set up a “specialised armed force” to restore security – a call backed by UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres.

But the effort appears stalled, as the Biden admin istration so far has failed to get its allies to agree to lead such a mission, US me dia outlets have reported. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

This project, which is ex pected to run through April 2024, aims to increase un derstanding of ecosys tem health, contributing to Jamaica’s biodiversity con servation efforts and strat egies.

The Blue and John Crow Mountains form two of the largest key biodiversity ar eas in the Caribbean, in scribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This project builds on current efforts to protect the endemic biodi versity of this Jamaican na tional park and support the health of its ecosystem.

The unique Tropical Cloud Forest provides im portant ecosystem benefits

US Government fund ing will enhance capacity to monitor conservation tar gets (birds, freshwater eco systems, Jamaican Hutia, and others), along with eco system impacts and popu lations of threatened spe cies that are endemic in Jamaica. Project results will also inform ongoing conser vation efforts and policy de velopment on protected ar eas.

Specifically, funding will support training for National Park rangers and volunteers on bird monitor ing techniques using GPS trackers and freshwater data collection, data analysis and results dissemination to government and community stakeholders. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Executive chairman of The Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation (BAIC) Leroy Major said his country will be partnering with leading agri-tech com pany ISRATECH Jamaica to boost agriculture there.

“We are here on a fact-finding mission with ISRATECH to partner with them because in the next month or so we are go ing to go into our banana and plantain project in The Bahamas,” he said recent ly at the third annual 20 Twenty growth marketing conference at ISRATECH’s store in Kendal, Manchester.

The conference, which was held under the theme “The future is food”, fo cused on farmers being en gaged with manufactur ers, including Grace Agro Processors, Carita Jamaica and Sankhard. The compa nies shared their produce needs list for the upcoming year with seasoned and new

farmers at the conference.

Major told the conference that Bahamas imports most of its food.

“In The Bahamas we im port between 9 and 12 mil lion USD [annually] in ba nanas and plantain, but we want to cut that down… We are here today because we believe that you guys in Jamaica can help us. ISRATECH can help us,” he said.

He said the expertise used in farming in Jamaica will help guide his country’s agricultural programmes.

“What caused me to be enthusiastic about the peo ple in Jamaica is that your farmers have such a wide scale; you find old farmers, middle-age farmers, even young farmers in Jamaica. That shows how strong you are when it comes on to agri culture, it shows that there is a great possibility that you could sustain what you have,” he added. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

T&T: South doctors perform bloodless heart surgeries

cedures.

Indian car diothoracic surgeon, Professor Dr Prashant Vaijyanath, has performed South Trinidad’s first blood less beating heart bypass sur gery at the Southern Medical Clinic in San Fernando.

Prominent

Speaking to Guardian Media during an exclu sive interview, Professor Vaijyanath said the two sur geries were performed with out any blood transfusions and any blood products last weekend. He said the pa tients were able to walk and talk within hours of the pro

Explaining the process, Professor Vaijyanath said with the beating-heart by pass surgery, the patient is operated on while the heart continues to provide blood to the rest of the body during the surgery.

Having done 15,000 open heart surgeries during his lifetime, Professor Vaijyanath said the first sur gery took two hours while the second was more compli cated and took two and a half hours.

Commending the

Southern Medical Clinic for the state-of-the-art equip ment available, Professor Vaijyanath said he was hap py to partner with the facil ity to set up a cardiac pro gramme for people suffering from cardiovascular diseas es.

“We have several para phernalia, brand new car diac ICU fully equipped with dedicated intensivists. We have a clinical care pro gramme and assistant cardi ac surgeon,” he added.

Professor Vaijyanath also called for private/public part

nerships, saying this will make these surgeries more affordable.

“Most of the public ser vices are not accessible be cause of the lack of infra structure and there is a huge waiting list in the public sys tem. The Government is will ing to help with these surger ies, which can cost $200,000 in private hospitals,” he add ed.

He explained that Southern Medical is charging 30 per cent less to do the procedure. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

18 guyanatimesgy.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022
An employee measuring steel plates at Kalisch Steel Factory in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico March 27, 2018. Picture taken March 27, 2018
Bahamas looks to Jamaica for expertise
provides
People displaced by gang violence walking on the streets of the Delmas neighbourhood in Port-au-Prince, which has seen surging violence and instability in recent months [Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters]

OPEC+ seen heading for oil policy rollover, cut not ruled out

OPEC+ is likely to stick to its current oil output target when it meets on Sunday, two OPEC+ sources said on Friday, although some say a further output cut is not completely off the table given concern about economic growth and demand.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies led by Russia, a group known as OPEC+, has switched its planned in-person meeting in Vienna on Dec 4 to a virtual one, which sources in the group say signals the likelihood of it leaving policy unchanged.

"It is unlikely there will be any change to the policy," an OPEC+ source said. Another source made similar remarks, also declining to be identified by name.

Talks begin today when OPEC Ministers hold a virtual meeting at 1100 GMT. OPEC+ begins talks at the same time on Sunday with a meeting of the advisory Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) panel, followed by the full ministerial conference.

With oil prices and the economic outlook weakening, the group agreed in October to cut its production target by 2 million barrels per day (bpd), about 2 per cent of world demand, from November until the end of 2023.

OPEC+, sources told Reuters, now wants to assess the impact of the looming Russian oil price cap on the market and get a clearer picture of demand in China, the world's top crude importer, where an easing of stringent COVID-19 restrictions is expected after unprecedented demonstrations.

The chief executive of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Sheikh Nawaf Saud al-Sabah, said on Friday the oil market appeared to be well supplied at current levels and customers were not asking for more oil.

"We are asking our customers what they require for next year and the straight answer from all of them is we are not requiring more oil, we are actually demanding about the same, perhaps even less, just because of a fear of recession ... although now we may avoid it," he said at a conference in Rome.

Some OPEC+ delegates and analysts are not ruling out a surprise at Sunday's meeting.

JPMorgan, in a report this week, said OPEC+ was likely to hold the line at the meeting while leaving the door open to a cut of more than 500,000 bpd if demand deteriorates further. (Reuters)

The UN’s peacekeep ing mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has denounced the killings of 50 villag ers allegedly by the M23 armed group in the coun try’s conflict-wracked east as it called for an investiga tion to “bring the perpetra tors to justice”.

“These allegations, if confirmed, could consti tute crimes under interna tional humanitarian law,” the UN mission tweeted on Thursday night, adding that it was “horrified” by the killings, which the DRC military said were a viola tion of a ceasefire agreed on November 23.

The DRC army on Thursday blamed the M23 rebel group and its allies for what it called a massa cre in the eastern town of Kishishe.

Denis Mukwege, the Congolese doctor who won the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for helping rape victims in the strife-torn region, also expressed his horror at re

ports of “mass slaughter, missing people and forced recruitment of children” into conflict.

Representatives for the United States and European Union said the killings were potential war crimes while Human Rights Watch said UN troops should be de ployed to protect survivors.

The M23 called the alle gations “baseless” and de nied that it had targeted any civilians.

Last week, the M23, which is believed to be backed by neighbouring Rwanda, agreed to the cease fire after weeks of fighting led to the displacement of nearly 200,000 people.

However, the armed group which is waging its most serious offensive since 2012, has rejected calls by East African leaders to dis arm and withdraw from land it has seized since starting its offensive in October. It said it wants to talk direct ly with the government in Kinshasa. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Around the World

EU agrees $60 Russian oil price cap, holdout Poland backs deal

The European Union on Friday agreed on a US$60 per barrel price cap on Russian seaborne crude, after holdout Poland gave its support, paving the way for formal approval over the weekend.

Warsaw had resisted the proposed level as it examined an adjustment mechanism to keep the cap below the mar ket price. It had pushed in EU negotiations for the cap to be as low as possible to squeeze revenues to Russia and limit Moscow's ability to finance its war in Ukraine.

Polish Ambassador to the EU Andrzej Sados on Friday told reporters Poland had backed the EU deal, which included a mechanism to keep the oil price cap at least 5 per cent below the market

rate.

The price cap, an idea of the Group of Seven (G7) na tions, aims to reduce Russia's income from selling oil, while preventing a spike in global oil prices after an EU embar go on Russian crude takes ef

fect on Dec 5.

Details of the deal are due to be published in the EU le gal journal on Sunday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the price cap would significantly reduce

Russia's revenues.

The G7 price cap will al low non-EU countries to con tinue importing seaborne Russian crude oil, but it will prohibit shipping, insurance and re-insurance compa nies from handling cargoes of Russian crude around the globe, unless it is sold for less than the price cap.

Because the most im portant shipping and in surance firms are based in G7 countries, the price cap would make it very difficult for Moscow to sell its oil for a higher price.

The White House on Friday welcomed news that the EU was "coming togeth er" on the oil price cap and said it should limit Russian revenues. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Indonesia set to punish sex before marriage with jail time

plaints to the authorities.

For those who are mar ried, the party entitled to lodge a complaint is the per petrator's husband or wife.

The law also allows the parents of unmarried peo ple to report them for having sex.

Cohabitation before mar riage will also be banned and those convicted could face a six-month prison sentence.

Business groups have ex pressed concern about the damage the rules might do to Indonesia's image as a holi day and investment destina tion, according to Reuters.

strations.

Such strict laws on sex and relationships are not without precedent in parts of majority-Muslim Indonesia.

The province of Aceh en forces strict Islamic law and has punished people for gam bling, drinking alcohol and meeting members of the op posite sex.

In one case in 2021, neigh bours denounced two men for having sex. They each re ceived 77 lashes from a police officer in a public caning.

Indonesia's Parliament is expected to pass a new criminal law this month that will punish sex outside marriage with imprisonment of up to a year.

Bambang Wuryanto, a politician involved in the

draft, said the code could be passed as early as next week.

The law, if passed, would apply to Indonesian citizens and foreigners alike.

Punishment for adultery can only take effect if there are parties who lodge com

Labour beats Conservatives to

seat

Britain's opposition Labour Party scored a resounding victory in a vote for a parliamenta ry seat in northwest England on Friday, underlining the scale of the challenge facing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to win a general election in the next two years.

Compounding the gloom for the Conservatives, who are trailing in nationwide polls and seemingly heading for defeat in a national elec tion expected in 2024, one of the governing party's most experienced frontline poli ticians, Sajid Javid, said he planned to stand down.

The country's former Finance Minister joins a grow ing group of Conservative lawmakers who will quit Westminster at the next na tional election, as the party faces the strong possibility of being out of power for the first time since 2010.

Polling experts said the scale of the Conservative de feat in the Chester by-elec tion was in line with na tional polls giving Labour a 20-point lead.

It offered the first elector al judgement since the party embarked on a chaotic bout of infighting, ousting Boris Johnson and Liz Truss as Prime Minister, the latter af ter markets took fright at her unfunded fiscal plans.

Sunak became prime Minister on Oct 25, inherit ing a divided and fractious party at a time of economic crisis, tasked with tackling soaring inflation and restor ing the confidence of finan cial markets.

Governing parties rarely do well in so-called by-elec tions, which take place out side the schedule of national elections when a lawmak er leaves their position. (Excerpt from Reuters)

The previous draft of the code was set to be passed in 2019 but sparked nationwide protests with tens of thou sands taking part in demon

On the same day a wom an and man were each given 20 lashes for being caught in close proximity to each oth er, and two men were giv en 40 lashes each for getting drunk. (Excerpt from BBC News)

No more airplane mode? EU to allow calls on flights

Airline passengers in the European Union (EU) will soon be able to use their phones to full ef fect in the sky.

The European Commission ruled airlines can provide 5G technology on board planes, alongside slower mobile data.

This could mean flyers will no longer be required to put their phone on airplane mode - though the specifics of how it will be implement ed are unclear.

The deadline for member states to make the 5G fre quency bands available for planes is June 30, 2023.

This will mean people can use all their phone's fea tures mid-flight - enabling calls as well as data-heavy apps that stream music and video.

Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, said the plan would "enable innova tive services for people" and help European companies grow.

"The sky is no longer a

limit when it comes to possi bilities offered by super-fast, high-capacity connectivity," he said.

The EU Commission has reserved certain frequen cy bands for aircraft since 2008, allowing some services to offer mid-air internet ac cess.

But this service has been historically slow, as it re lied on equipment to con nect people via a satellite be tween the aeroplane and the ground.

The new system will be able to take advantage of the much faster down load speeds provided by 5G, which according to mo bile network EE can be over 100Mbps - enabling a film to be downloaded in just a few minutes.

Dai Whittingham, chief executive of the UK Flight Safety Committee, told the BBC that airplane mode was historically important due to a lack of knowledge about how mobile devices af fect aircraft. (Excerpt from BBC News)

OIL NEWS 19 guyanatimesgy.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shaking hands before meeting, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 15, 2022
UN mission denounces DR Congo ‘massacre’, calls for investigation
retain UK Parliament
A woman in Aceh, Indonesia, before being caned in November for having sex outside of marriage. Aceh province already has strict laws against sex outside marriage

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Put on a happy face and mingle with people who share your enthusiasm. Speak up, share information and see what transpires. Dedication and hard work will do wonders for your ego and reputation.

(March 21-April 19)

(April 20-May 20)

Reach out to people familiar with your work or skills, and you'll receive in formation that can help you diversify. Don't limit what you can do or let emo tional matters interfere with your plans.

You are in a better position than you realize. Don't let anyone talk you into something you don't want to do or con vince you that you can't do your own thing. Trust and believe in yourself.

(May 21-June 20)

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

Don't get all worked up over some thing you can't change. Bide your time, be patient and focus on something cre ative that brings you satisfaction. Keep the peace.

Live and learn. Experience is the most fantastic teacher. Develop a plan to help build a safe, secure future and encourage personal happiness. A prom ise will change your life. Romance is on the rise.

Pick a place, activity or event, and get moving. Spend time challenging yourself and focusing on how to improve the way you look and feel. Travel, educational pursuits and romance are favored.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Doing something you enjoy will lift your spirits and encourage contact with people who make you think and try new things. Keep tabs on your spending, and don't leave your valuables in the open.

SUDOKU

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

Don't start something you cannot finish. Be patient with domestic issues, keep the peace at home and avoid a feud that can divide friends and relatives. Make changes based on facts.

Reach out, get a second opinion and live within your means. Refuse to believe everything you hear, and don't be afraid to ask questions or disagree. Stand up for yourself.

Look for new ways to do things. Stretch your imagination, and you'll find a way to put a price on something you have to offer. Don't hold back, but also don't get involved in a no-win situation.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Review how you have managed fi nancially, and you'll come up with an idea that allows you to use your skills to help a cause you believe in and bring in extra cash at the same time.

Don't trick yourself into believing something because it's convenient. Look at the negatives and positives before you take on or disregard a proposal. Move forward alone to avoid interference.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

guyanatimesgy.com 20 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022
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FIFA WORLD CUP: QATAR 2022 Roundup…

South Korea beat Portugal 2-1

-Hwang winner puts Taeguk Warriors through

Hwang Hee-chan scored a stop page-time winner to beat Portugal 2-1, and put South Korea through to the last 16 of the World Cup at the expense of Uruguay in a dramatic conclusion to Group H.

The Taeguk Warriors ap peared to be heading out, as they looked set to draw, while Uruguay led Ghana elsewhere, but Hwang net ted at the end to complete an incredible turnaround.

Ricardo Horta had put Portugal in front early on, but they failed to heed the warning posed by Kim Jinsu's disallowed goal soon af

ter, with Kim Young-gwon deservedly getting South Korea back on level terms.

Portugal – who won the group anyway – coasted through the second half, and South Korea took full advan tage, with Hwang landing the decisive blow to spark bedlam and send Uruguay packing.

South Korea's feeble start suggested they were there for the taking, with Horta apply ing an easy finish to take a fifth-minute lead after Diogo Dalot breezed past Kim Jinsu and cut the ball back.

Kim Jin-su scored what he thought was the equalis er 12 minutes later, tapping

Ronaldo shied away from a corner delivery which struck him, and Kim Young-gwon was on hand to steer home.

The Portugal captain then completely missed his kick from close range early in the second half, the subse quent offside flag doing little to spare his blushes.

A second half generally lacking quality appeared to be petering out, but then cap tain Son Heung-min darted towards the Portugal goal, awaited support, and calmly fed Hwang through a defend er's legs, Hwang slamming past Costa to secure prog ress in astonishing fashion. (Sportsmax)

Uruguay beat Ghana 2-1 Switzerland edge Serbia to take final spot in the Round of 16

scored his second with a vol ley drilled under Ati-Zigi, fol lowing a tremendous pass out of a crowd scene from Suarez.

Ghana staged a rally of sorts after the break, but Osman Bukari and Antoine Semenyo missed the tar get from good positions, and Rochet got down quickly to repel Kudus’s 20-yard strike. For Uruguay, Facundo Pellistri was narrowly wide from inside the box, and AtiZigi beat out a long ranger from Federico Valverde.

For anyone who fancied soccer a slow, low-scor ing sport, Friday’s Group G finale between Serbia and Switzerland pre sented a thrilling rebuttal. At the end of a frenetic af fair, Switzerland won 3-2, and advanced to the Round of 16.

Crestfallen

Giorgian de Arrascaeta scored twice in six first-half minutes, after goalkeeper Sergio Rochet saved Andre Ayew’s tame penalty. And with the meeting between Korea Republic and Portugal apparently destined for a draw, the Uruguayans' first win in Qatar looked sufficient for a place in the Round of 16.

Hwang Hee-chan, howev er, struck for Korea in time added on, to move the Asians above Uruguay by dint of goals scored.

Uruguay seized con trol of this game after Rochet atoned for a foul on Mohammed Kudus by springing to his left to keep out Ayew’s tame strike from 12 yards. Mohammed Salisu brilliantly cleared off the line after Darwin Nunez dinked an attempt over Lawrence Ati-Zigi. But keeper AtiZigi was beaten soon af

Those missed opportuni ties didn’t seem costly, until Hwang set up a frantic but ultimately futile pursuit of the third goal Uruguay need ed to advance. (FIFA)

The shots started in the opening seconds, when Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka’s shot from outside the box was blocked, and Breel Embolo’s first-minute shot was saved. Teammate Xherdan Shaqiri netted the first goal in the 20th min ute, opening a seesaw se ries of swings between the European sides competing for a place in the Round of

Brazil’s unbeaten run ends as Cameroon pull shock 1-0 upset

Brazil’s run of 17 matches unbeaten in the World Cup group stage came to an end on Friday night, courtesy of a moment only a tournament like this could provide.

Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar scored in the second minute of stop page time to give his side a 1-0 win over the Brazilians in the Group G finale. Already playing on a yellow card, Aboubakar was hand ed a second yellow for ex cessive celebration, and was sent off immediately after scoring.

The Indomitable Lions were eliminated, though, after Switzerland’s 3-2 win over Serbia in the group’s other match, but they were

still left with plenty to cele brate at the final whistle.

Brazil, which had al ready advanced to the knock out round before the game

even began, were handed their first defeat since the Copa América final against Argentina on July 10, 2021.

The result also means

that, for the first time in the 24 years that the World Cup has been played with a 32team format, no team will finish with three wins in the group stage.

Playing with a heavi ly rotated lineup after al ready securing their spot in the knockout round, the Brazilians outnumbered the Indomitable Lions in near ly every category: 21-7 on shots, 11-3 on corner kicks, 557 to 309 passes — but were unable to find a winner on the night. Backup keep er Devis Epassy had seven saves for Cameroon.

Brazil will play South Korea on Monday in the Round of 16. Switzerland will face Portugal on Tuesday. (Washington post)

26th

Switzerland respond ed in the 44th minute when Embolo found the bottom left corner from close range. The Swiss took the lead three minutes later, when mid fielder Remo Freuler com pleted a skillful sequence by directing his 48th-minute shot into the bottom right corner.

Though the tempo slowed after Freuler’s goal, both teams sought more. Serbian backup players ventured onto the field, frustrated with a 65th-minute decision not to award a penalty kick. They saw a pair of 71st and 72nd-minute shots blocked. Later, in stoppage time, those attacks gave way to shoving and scowling between players from both teams.

At the end, Switzerland joins Brazil in moving on from Group G. (Washington post)

21 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022
Uruguay tumbled out of the World Cup despite beating Ghana in a grip ping contest at Al Janoub Stadium. ter. He got a strong hand to Suarez’s initial attempt, but the ball squirted through for De Arrascaeta to nod into an open goal. The forward 16. Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovi? equalized in the minute following a fast break, and Dušan Vlahovi?’s 35th-minute goal put the team ahead. in on the rebound after Diogo Costa saved Cho Gue-sung's header, but it was ruled out for offside. Portugal's lead was wiped out before the half-hour, though; as South Korea are through to the last 16 Despite a win, Uruguay are out of the World Cup Switzerland defeated Serbia 3-2 Despite Brazil making it to the last 16, Cameroon upset them 1-0
-La Celeste crash out of World Cup despite win

WI vs Aus: 1st Test, Day 3…

Cummins’s 200th wicket sets up Australia’s dominance

After a starring role in which he claimed his 200th Test wicket in style, captain Pat Cummins resisted making West Indies follow on late on day three, as Australia strengthened their big lead in the first Test at Optus Stadium.

Cummins and Mitchell Starc ran through West Indies with the second new ball in the final session, as Australia gained a huge first innings lead of 315 runs.

Wickets came in a rush after Australia had toiled against a determined West Indies’ batting on a surface lacking the venom expected. With Cummins preferring a rest for his bowlers, Australia faced 11 overs before stumps, but lost opener Usman Khawaja, who was caught be hind off quick Kemar Roach.

Amid lengthening shad ows from the towering grand stands, perhaps inspired by England’s ballistic batting against Pakistan in the con current Test in Rawalpindi, opener David Warner started with consecutive boundaries. It was a sign of what should be ahead early on day four, as Australia seeks quick runs before a likely declaration.

Warner, however, will be looking to cash in after a failure in the first innings continued a lean patch in Test cricket.

Cummins led a well-bal anced attack, with wick ets shared around the front line bowlers. Australia’s quicks successfully revert

ed to hitting better lengths after a short-ball strategy late on day two was unfruit ful. After lunch, Cummins knocked over captain Kraigg Brathwaite with a pearler to memorably celebrate his 200th wicket.

Playing his 44th Test, Cummins became the fifth fastest to the landmark from an Australian, behind only Clarrie Grimmett (36), Dennis Lillee (38), Stuart MacGill (41) and Shane Warne (42).

His Test bowling average of 21.50 moved him fraction ally ahead of Glenn McGrath

livery, which was upheld on review in an umpire’s call. He then cleaned up Josh Da Silva with a trademark full delivery, as he started to menacingly conjure swing.

Allrounder Cameron Green picked up his first Test wicket at home when he had concussion substitute Shamarh Brooks caught be hind. It was a good reward for Green, who in his home Test debut didn’t bat in Australia’s first innings, af ter threatening earlier in the day with sharp pace and con juring bounce with his tower ing height.

and field ing effort. They had start ed impressive ly against the odds with a 78-run partner ship between Brathwaite and debutant Tagenarine Chanderpaul, whose eye-catching 79-ball knock ended in the first over of the day when he nicked Josh Hazlewood to first slip.

Chanderpaul had, one ball earlier, notched his half-cen tury with a lucky boundary through slips, but Brathwaite continued to play a strong re arguard to blunt Australia’s accurate attack.

as Cummins enjoyed anoth er memorable performance. (Cricinfo)

as the lowest for Australians with at least 200 wickets.

Cummins claimed two more with the second new ball after tea, as West Indies’ defiance came crashing down. Starc did the damage initial ly when he trapped Jermaine Blackwood lbw with a full de

A searing Green bounc er hit the helmet of #3, Nkrumah Bonner, who bat ted for another 40 minutes in the morning session before eventually being ruled out with concussion and being re placed by Brooks.

Cummins had earlier

Dwayne Bravo retires from IPL

-takes over as Chennai Super Kings' bowling coach

DwayneBravo has re tired from the IPL as a player, and has taken over a position as the bowl ing coach of Chennai Super Kings.

L Balaji, Super Kings' bowling coach till last sea son, has taken a break for one year for what the fran chise called "personal com mitments", but will be in volved with the Super Kings Academy.

"I'm looking forward to this new journey, because it's something I see myself doing after my playing days are fully over," the 39-yearold Bravo said in a franchise statement. "I enjoy working with bowlers, and it's a role I'm excited about. From play er to coach, I don't think I have to adjust much, because while I'm playing, I al ways work with bowl ers and try to come up with plans and ideas on how to have that one step ahead of the batsmen.

"The only differ ence is I will no lon ger be standing at mid-on or mid-off!

I never thought I would be the lead ing wicket-taker in the

history of IPL. But I'm just happy to be a part of IPL his tory!"

Bravo has played in the IPL every year since it start ed in 2008, except in 2017, when an injury prevent ed him from turning out for Gujarat Lions. He had first been signed up by Mumbai Indians in 2008, and was with the team for three sea sons before being bought by Super Kings at the 2011 auc tion. When Super Kings were suspended for two seasons2016 and 2017 - Bravo was picked by Lions, before be ing retained by Super Kings in 2018.

He finished with 183 wick ets, the highest num ber of wickets tak en, after 15 seasons of IPL, 13 more than the second-placed Lasith Malinga, and 17 more than the next ac tive bowler with the most suc cess: Yuzvendra Chahal. Bravo's wickets came at an economy rate of 8.38 over 158 in nings in 161 games,

with a best of 4 for 22. He also scored 1560 runs at a strike rate of 129.57.

One of the great death bowlers in the T20 game, Bravo bowled 1115 balls [36% of all his deliveries] between overs 17 and 20, and took 102 wickets in the phase. No-one else has bowled as many de liveries in the last four overs [Jasprit Bumrah is next with 1026], or taken as many wick ets [Lasith Malinga is second on 90].

A part of West Indies' golden generation of T20 su perstars who won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016, Bravo joins his long-time international team-mate Keiron Pollard in IPL retire ment, and both have land ed coaching roles with their teams.

Pollard announced his retirement as a player on November 15, and has joined Mumbai Indians, the team he was with throughout his ca reer in the IPL, as a batting coach. Like Pollard, Bravo hasn't quit as a player alto gether. He is currently play ing in the Abu Dhabi T10 with Delhi Bulls, and has also been signed up by MI Emirates for the inaugural ILT20 in the UAE next year, where Pollard will be his captain. He was one of eight players Super Kings released by the retention deadline last month. At the time, though, it seemed like they might buy him back at the next auction, scheduled for December 23, as they had in 2021.

summoned a mighty spell after lunch to prove there was some spice lurking in the much-discussed greentinged surface. He led an Australian attack that worked over a de termined West Indies bat ting order with three wick ets in the middle session. It dashed West Indies’ hopes of batting for the long haul in their daunting task of haul ing in Australia’s mammoth first innings of 598 for 4.

Heading into the match, West Indies had set a target of batting at least 100 overs, which they almost achieved, but it was nearly not enough after such a listless bowling

Brathwaite, however, could do little to thwart a gem from his opposite number,

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(Roston Chase, 96.6 ov), 9-283 (Kemar Roach, 97.4 ov), 10-283 (Alzarri Joseph, 98.2 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W Mitchell Starc 22-7-51-3

Josh Hazlewood 21-5-53-1 Pat Cummins 20.2-7-34-3

Nathan Lyon 22-3-61-2

Cameron Green 10-0-35-1

Marnus Labuschagne 2-0-14-0 Travis Head 1-0-4-0

Australia 2nd Innings

Usman Khawaja c †Da Silva b Roach 5 David Warner not out 18 Marnus Labuschagne not out 3 Extras (lb 2, w 1) 3

TOTAL 11 Ov (RR: 2.63) 29/1

Yet to bat: Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey †, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Usman Khawaja, 4.1 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Kemar Roach 4-1-16-1

Alzarri Joseph 4-1-7-0

Jason Holder 2-1-3-0

Roston Chase 1-0-1-0

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Brooks, 90.1 ov), 8-282

With Super Kings, the team he became an inte gral part of - synonymous al most - over the years, Bravo played 144 matches, picking up 168 wickets and scoring 1556 runs. He was involved in three of their four IPL tri umphs - in 2011, 2018 and 2021; the only one he missed was in 2010, when he was still with Mumbai. While with Super Kings, he won the Purple Cap for the most wickets in 2013 (32 wickets) and 2015 (26 wickets).

He remains one of two

players - Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the other - to win the Purple Cap on two occa sions.

"He has been a crucial member of the Super Kings family for more than a de cade, and we are excited to continue the association," Kasi Viswanathan, Super Kings chief executive, has said. "Bravo's vast experience will be of immense value to our players and support staff. We are confident that our bowling group will thrive un der his guidance." (Cricinfo)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55) 22 GUYANATIMESGY.COM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022
SCOREBOARD West Indies 1st Innings Kraigg Brathwaite (c)b Cummins 64 Tagenarine Chanderpaul c Warner b Hazlewood 51 Nkrumah Bonner retired hurt 16 Jermaine Blackwood lbw b Starc 36 Kyle Mayers b Starc 1 Jason Holder c Warner b Lyon 27 Shamarh Brooks c †Carey b Green 33 Joshua Da Silva †b Starc 0 Roston Chase lbw b Cummins 13 Alzarri Joseph c Warner b Cummins 4 Kemar Roach c Smith b Lyon 0 Jayden Seales not out 0 Extras (b 4, lb 27, nb 7) 38 TOTAL 98.2 Ov (RR: 2.87) 283 Fall of wickets: 1-78 (Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 25.6 ov), 1-106* (Nkrumah Bonner, retired hurt), 2-159 (Kraigg Brathwaite, 54.2 ov), 3-166 (Kyle Mayers, 57.1 ov), 4-209 (Jason Holder, 70.6 ov), 5-245 (Jermaine Blackwood, 82.4 ov), 6-245 (Joshua Da Silva, 84.1 ov), 7-266 (Shamarh
Mitchell Starc produced a double-strike in the post-tea session Kraigg Brathwaite repelled Australia’s attack Shamarh Brooks was brought in as a concussion substitute Tagenarine Chanderpaul walking back after scoring 51 on debut

Rosanna Fung to compete at GBBFF’s National Seniors Championships

Guyana’s very own Rosanna Fung, the female bodybuild ing wonder who was able to bag three gold med als and her Pro Rank Card at the CAC Bodybuilding Championships held recent ly in Barbados, is now focus ing her attention on the local stage; and, come December 18, 2022, will be competing in the Wellness category of the Guyana Bodybuilding Fitness Federation’s Seniors Championships.

And she is again seeking to establish a dominant pres ence there.

In a chat with this pub lication, she was asked how pumped she was for the com petition, and she replied, “I am super-pumped, consid ering that this will be the last year I will be compet ing in a national bodybuild ing competition, unless there is a PRO show here. But this is the last time I will be competing in our National Seniors Bodybuilding Championships, so I am su per excited! So, far, my train ing is going pretty well, I didn’t have that much work to do, considering I managed to maintain most of my mus cle from CAC that I did in July.

“So, I maintained that physique, and I even im proved on that. I think I have put on some muscle, actual

ly 100 percent I have put on some muscle since then, and my total package has since improved, and my propor tions are a lot better now,” she disclosed.

Fung has also disclosed that her mindset going into the show is pretty relaxed, as she is a lot more confident on stage now, considering she has more exposure and more confidence in her cur rent package. Moreover, she noted that after receiving her PRO Rank Card and receiv ing critique from the judges at CAC, she has considered the advice and improved on the areas mentioned, thus she is certain she would do well at the National Seniors.

“Never sell yourself short. last year I was trying my best to manifest the PRO Card look at my debut CAC show, and I wanted it bad ly. I was doing the work, but I still had a lot of room for improvement, and I blamed a lot of external sources, whereas I should have done the research myself. So that is what changed this year.

“I mean, it is funny, as last year I got third and sev enth in a category out of sev en girls; so, basically, last place in both categories. I was in the wrong category, and my physique was more suited for the Wellness cat egory, because I went home and did the work on the cri tiques I received, and came back even stronger; and look

at what it yielded.

“So, I want to encourage everyone to believe in them selves a little more, because you can do way more than you think,” Fung shared.

Fung has also expressed gratitude to her sponsors, who have aided her in her journey. She made special mention of Fitness Express, Space Gym, her boyfriend and family members, as she explained that without them she would not be where she is today.

Adding to her many ac colades, Fung is now a three-time gold medal ist at CAC 2022; winner of The Miss Bikini Novice 2019 Championship; win ner of the Seniors 2019 Championships; 2nd place holder of the Stage of

Champions 2019 event; win ner of the 2020 edition of the Resilience Bodybuilding Championship. She also

copped bronze in the CAC Championship in 2021 in El Salvador, among other things.

CWI continues coach development drive with courses in St Vincent, Anguilla

Top Brandz Golf Tournament tees off today at LGC

The Lusignan Golf Club is the place to be today, when the Top Brandz Golf Tournament is hosted. It is expected to commence from 12:30pm, and employ a format of medal play over 18 holes and shotgun start; and the undermen tioned prizes would be up for grabs:

All participants are ad vised to contact the club’s manager on the day of the tournament: to collect their score cards, pay their tour

nament fees, and proceed to their allocated tee boxes to begin play at 12:30pm. Once on their respective tee box es, players must await the sounding of the horn or si ren as indication to begin teeing off.

Presentation of prizes will be held at completion of the tournament, at approxi mately 5:30pm.

Cricket West Indies (CWI), in collabora tion with St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVCA) and the Anguilla Cricket Association (ACA), has recently con ducted CWI Competition Coaching (Level 1) Courses.

Fifteen coaches suc cessfully completed the St. Vincent course, which was delivered by CWI Coach Developer Junie Mitcham and local Coach Developer Ian Allen, former West Indies seam bowler; and Samantha Lynch, former St Vincent player and coach.

Among the 15 partic ipants were eight female coaches, among whom were former West Indies batter Cordel Jack, who played 20 One-Day Internationals and 13 T20 Internationals be tween 2005 and 2010.

The Anguilla courses at tracted six participants, all of whom are current players

looking to have an immedi ate impact in their commu nities to help grow the sport.

“It is great that we have been able to trav el more freely across 2022, and visit each territory, in some cases twice. We have been able to connect with coaches from every stage of the West Indies Cricket Pathway, while further up skilling our network of local Coach Developers who are now able to deliver future Level 1 courses as required,” CWI Coach Development Manager Chris Brabazon has said.

The CWI Competition Coaching Courses provide coaches with an opportuni ty to learn and develop con temporary coaching philos ophies and techniques that would allow them to thrive in the organised competi tion realm (U13s to seniors) of the West Indies Cricket Pathway.

The courses covered a range of topics, including the Role of a Competition Coach (Level 1), Coaching Styles (Implicit and Explicit), Applied Skill Acquisition across the various aspects of cricket, as well as how to plan and deliver effective contemporary training ses sions.

The next phase of CWI courses and coach develop ment workshops will be held in Jamaica from Monday, 5 December to Friday, 9 December, and cours es would be conducted at Trelawney and Kingston. Over the past three years, well over 700 new coaching certificates have been deliv ered across the Caribbean, from the foundation level to Level 3, as part of the CWI goal of making coach devel opment more accessible and aligned to the West Indies Cricket Pathway. (Windies Cricket)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 23
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GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - marketing@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC. Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022 Top Brandz Golf Tournament tees off today at LGC Pg 23 Switzerland edge Serbia to take final spot in the Round of 16 FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 Cummins’s 200th wicket sets up Australia’s dominance Pg 21 Pg 22 Pg 23 Rosanna Fung to compete at GBBFF’s National Seniors Championships WI vs Aus: 1st Test, Day 3…

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