Guyana Times - Saturday, February 11, 2023

DNA confirms skeletal remains found at Kuru Kuru are those of Answar Stoll

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Friday affirmed that DNA tests conducted on the skeletal remains found in the backlands of Kuru Kururu, East Bank Demerara last year have confirmed that they are those of Answar Stoll.

In July 2022, forensic investigators from the Criminal Investigations Department’s Crime Laboratory were dispatched to an area in the Kuru Kururu backdam to retrieve human skeletal remains believed to be those of Answar

Stoll. The bones retrieved included a skull and 11 vertebrae (commonly referred to as the backbone), while another 22 were still missing. Eleven pieces of rib bone were also recovered, while an estimated 13 pieces were still to be recovered. Both the left and right scapula and clavicle bones (shoulder bones) were recovered, as well as the bones of the pelvic girdle (the hip structure).

The bones were later examined by a pathologist and confirmed to be those of a male above the age of 35

years old. The pathologist found evidence of a 14 cmlong incised wound extending from the frontal bone to the parietal bone of the skull. This injury was ruled as the cause of death.

Samples were taken and sent overseas, where the remains were tested positive as those of Stoll.

Back in March 2021, 30-year-old Leon Waddel, also called “Mack”, was arrested in connection with Stoll’s disappearance. It was reported that Waddel had been found hiding in a fowl pen in front of his relative’s Kuru Kururu home.

After interrogation, Waddel confessed to inflicting the fatal wounds on Stoll, but at the time he did not re-

veal where he had disposed of Stoll’s corpse. Waddel was subsequently charged with the murder of Stoll, without Stoll’s body being found.

Following Stoll’s disappearance, his family members had turned up at his Kuru Kururu home in December 2020 with Police ranks, and found bloodstains on the wall. Stoll’s house had also been ransacked, and his documents and other personal belongings had been missing. Stoll had lived alone about nine miles from the highway, and had not been employed. He reportedly had been supported by his mother and other family members.

Ganja found in AC compartment of tractor

A28-year-old driver has been arrested on Friday after a quantity of ganja was found concealed in the tractor he was driving.

Reports are that ranks

were on mobile patrol in the village of Onderneeming Sand Pit on the Essequibo Coast in Region Two when motor tractor TR 26837 was intercepted. At the time, it was transporting perishable items and was being driven by a resident of Dry Shore Village, Essequibo Coast. However, during a search, Police unearthed, in the AC compartment of the tractor, a transparent plastic bag containing seven small Ziplock bags, each with a quantity of ganja.

Informed of the offence committed, the driver replied, “Officer, is a smalltime hussle”. He was arrested and escorted to the Suddie Police Station, where the cannabis was weighed in his presence and amounted to 37 grams. It was sealed, marked and lodged in his presence.

He is presently in custody, pending charge.

Dead: Answar Stoll

Murder suspect Leon Waddel

The ganja that was found on the tractor in Essequibo

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Saturday, Feb 11 – 05:00h to 06:00h and Sunday, Feb 12 – 09:00h – 10:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, Feb 11 – 07:15h – 08:45h and Sunday, Feb 12 – 07:55h – 09:25h.

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 and sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies and thundery showers at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 3.12 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 07:54h and 20:19h reaching maximum heights of 2.54 metres and 2.49 metres.

Low Tide: 13:51h reaching a minimum height of 0.66 metre.

Guyana will lead Region in energy, food, and climate services by 2030 – Pres Ali

ter, drilling fluids, cement, waste management, and wash bays and our heavy lift berths encapsulate all of these elements into one cohesive facility,” he voiced.

These berths present a combined frontage of 1400 linear feet of waterfront development. The two new berths sit on the fully reclaimed area that was once part of a dry-docking facility. Over 20 companies and 200 employees were involved in the entire process since it was a new design for the country.

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Friday stated that by 2030, Guyana will be the leader in energy, food, and climate services in the Region and beyond.

The Head of State was at the time addressing the commissioning ceremony of two additional heavy lift

been invested directly along the coastline by developers,” Ali said.

As such, he lauded the company for being a ‘trendsetter’ for a modern Guyana. Ali pointed out that this experience to establish such a facility, which is the first in the Region, can capitalised

berths, and one warehouse. The expansion has led to a current operation of 155 acres and eight warehouses and four berths. The shore base operations service six rigs and two FPSOs, and can now handle as many as eight vessels within a 24hour period.

“This exponential growth has been largely fuelled by the unparalleled success Exxon has had in its exploration activities, and the ability of GYSBI to fulfil its clients’ needs. What we have now is a fully integrated shore base, tubular, fuel wa-

Despite its commencement in November 2019, there was a setback when a contracted employee lost his life, activating a revamp of safety practices. Weather, equipment challenges, and manpower constraints also proved challenging.

In addition, President of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Alistair Routledge said this is another significant milestone that makes GYSBI the premier berthing facility in the country but translates to both short-term and long-term advantages for Guyanese.

One of two berths commissioned on Thursday

berths to the tune of US$25 million at the Guyana Shore Base Incorporated (GYSBI) facility at Houston, Greater Georgetown.

He recalled as Housing and Water Minister in the previous PPP/C Government, he envisaged that the swampy lands on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) would become heavily populated housing schemes. Today, he is proud to report that his vision as the Housing and Water Minister has become a reality.

It is with this mind, he noted that his vision for Guyana to be leading the Region in energy, food, and climate services will be realised.

Nevertheless, Dr Ali highlighted the detriments of bad policymaking while expressing that after entering Government, the company and many others were awaiting approval on their permits for years.

These were granted shortly after and since then, over $25 billion has been invested along the coastline.

“Bad policymaking is detrimental, to the life of the country’s people, companies’ policymaking is not just what it is targeted for. For two and a half years, these companies are waiting for pilots in the last two and a half years, as a result of granting those permits, more than $25 billion has

to bid for contracts in other parts of the world.

Executive Director of GYSBI, Robin Muneshwer boasted that the company has been and remains the shining beacon of the industry for local content while noting that the investment is part of the culmination of rapid expansion at the facility.

The company started with eight acres of yard, two

– as Guyana Shore Base commissions US$25M berths at Houston operation – investment will revolutionise support to oil industry – GYSBI Director

President Irfaan Ali joined GYSBI officials and other stakeholders for the ribbon-cutting ceremony

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Justice for sexually abused victims

The local media have, on numerous occasions, reported cases involving sexual assaults engaging the attention of the judicial system. In quite a few of them, during the court hearings the nation was shocked to learn of the details which emerged, of how the victims were sexually and physically abused.

In one of the most horrifying cases, a taxi driver from Tucville, Georgetown, who has since been jailed for 11 years, preyed on a vulnerable sex worker. The victim, in her impact statement, said she is a mother of three, and described the accused as a “monster”, noting that since the tragic ordeal, “I have a lot of fear, anger, hatred, and helplessness.” She besought the court to lock up the perpetrator for life, so that he could not hurt anyone else.

The rape survivor had told the presiding Judge: “I want you to help me to get justice for myself and the other victims, because I wasn’t the only victim of that monster. I would want to kill him with my own hands because that man destroyed our [her family’s] lives.”

This is just one of a long list of cases of women being sexually violated. While life would never be the same again for the victims involved, it is good to see that the perpetrators are facing justice for these despicable and cruel acts. However, this might just be the tip of the iceberg, as it is highly believed that many sexual abuse cases, including those involving children, are deliberately hidden and go unreported for various reasons.

Sexual violence against women and children is considered to be a gross violation of rights. According to UNICEF, sexual violence can take the form of sexual abuse, harassment, rape, or sexual exploitation in prostitution or pornography. It can happen in homes, institutions, schools, workplaces, travel and tourism facilities, and within communities. Increasingly, the Internet and mobile phones also put children at risk of sexual violence, as some adults look to the Internet to pursue sexual relationships with children. There is also an increase in the number and circulation of images of child abuse.

A UNICEF study, “Hidden in Plain Sight”, estimates that, worldwide, around 120 million girls under the age of 20 (about 1 in 10) have been subjected to forced sexual intercourse or other forced sexual acts at some point of their lives. Boys also report experiences of sexual violence, but they do so to a lesser extent than girls.

Evidence shows that sexual violence can have serious short- and long-term physical, psychological and social consequences, not only for girls or boys, but also for their families and communities. Those include increased risks for illness, unwanted pregnancy, psychological distress, stigma, discrimination, and difficulties at school.

In Guyana, the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) and the Human Services Ministry, along with various nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), have been on the frontline in bringing some of these cases to light. These agencies must continue to work diligently in ensuring that all such cases are brought to the fore, where they could be properly investigated and prosecuted.

The Guyana Police Force is also a key partner in the fight against women and child sexual violence. The Force must continue to provide the necessary training to its officers to enable them to properly investigate sexual crimes against women and children. Our women and children need to be assured that when violence against them is reported, the law would act quickly to prosecute the perpetrators, and that our judicial system would function efficiently and equitably to bring such criminals to justice.

Importantly, too, all the necessary support systems must be put in place to ensure victims and their families are provided with counselling, etc, to overcome the trauma of sexual violence.

Women and children, irrespective of their ethnic, religious, cultural or social backgrounds, deserve to live in an environment in which they feel safe and are part of loving and nurturing families.

Dear Editor, Popular Trinidadian Chutney singer Anil Bheem died last Saturday, and his remains were cremated in Caroni, Central Trinidad. Bheem is enormously popular among Guyanese. He performed several times in Guyana and in New York, at concerts and clubs patronised by thousands of Guyanese. He performed in front of Guyanese politicians in Guyana and Trinidad.

I attended several of his concerts in Trinidad; he was a great entertainer. Guyanese promoters of chutney concerts and events in New York and Guyana mourn the loss. Everyone who knows the singer mourned his death, which took everyone by shock. They grieved, and many cried.

Indo-Guyanese have been in mourning ever since his death. Their hearts have been full of sorrow. In New York, almost everyone expressed sadness over his passing. He held a special place in their hearts for his wonderful singing. Since Saturday, fans have been taking to social media and mainstream papers to express grief and sadness over the death of the popular singer. They expressed how sad they have been over his death. Can’t believe he has left earth. How can one forget such an entertainer?

Wake was not only held at the singer’s home in Curepe, but also in New York and Florida.

He died at his home in Curepe in the wee hours of last Saturday. Thousands gathered at NCIC (Diwali Nagar) compound in Chaguanas, Central Trinidad, on Thursday morning to mourn, celebrate, and bid farewell to the iconic local singer known

as “The Vocalist”. Thousands more in the diaspora tuned in to Facebook and Youtube to watch the tribute and eulogy that was beamed live. Fans from as far away as India and North America watched the proceedings. Many Guyanese turned to social media to watch the proceedings in the morning. Visiting some friends and families in the evening, they were still watching reruns of the tribute and the ritual proceedings on the bank of the Caroni River.

Great tributes were paid by colleagues, family members, a neighbour, friends, the Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar; his boss at 103FM, where he was a host and disc jockey for a programme; and many more. His was one of the largest funerals in recent times in Trinidad, and more particularly that of a departed artiste. The tributes went an hour longer than planned. The cremation had to be delayed to accommodate the huge throng of mourners.

Artiste after artiste, and pandits paid glowing tributes. Bhajans, Anil’s favourite hits, and Bollywood songs were belted out by a music band. Dubbed the national anthem in Trinidad, “Suhaani Raat” was sung in a group rendition by several artistes, who had earlier paid tribute to him. It was one of Bheem’s favourite hits, and he had also sung it in a recording that had over two million hits.

Anil Bheem was a very popular and likable musician and singer of varied genres (focused mostly on Indian entertainment). His voice transcended borders. As an artiste, he has left an indelible mark on Trini, Guyanese,

and Caribbean Indian culture in the field of entertainment. So many listened to his singing for over three decades. He had ruled the Indian entertainment industry almost like a king over the last couple of decades. He entertained large crowds at chutney shows, concerts, clubs, and receptions not only in Trinidad, but wherever there were Indo-Caribbean people – New York, Florida, Toronto, etc. His voice and music have connected Indians in the Caribbean diaspora. Anyone who listens to, or follows, chutney and/or soca knows the name Anil Bheem. He has had several recordings that are enjoyed regionwide and in the diaspora.

His boss, the CEO of FM 103TT, at the tribute at NCIC on Thursday, said last Saturday the station featured 10 hours of uninterrupted Anil Bheem songs, which included some that have not been released as yet. All of

Dear Editor,

The recent ‘quick inspections’ deemed a ‘compliance survey’ of vessels traversing the Essequibo and Mazaruni Rivers by the authorizing agency unearthed several breaches by operators (INews February 10). Defaulters were lectured to and given time to get their operations compliant with the laws and regulations.

In short, defaulting operators were granted what amounts to an amnesty.

Reading the article, reference was drawn to a BBC article on the recent horrific earthquake in Turkiye (Turkey) in particular, and

the artistes who performed at the funeral tribute expressed what an honour it was to be part of the grand tribute of Anil-ji.

Besides being an outstanding entertainer, he was a humanitarian and kind person. He was a soft-spoken, simple person. He carried himself with grace and humility. He treated people with respect.

God took away his life to entertain souls in heaven. May the Lord give solace, strength, and comfort to his grief-stricken family: parents Preematie and Krishna Bheem; wife Cheryl, and children and the extended family, on the loss of a great artiste. Preematie herself has been an outstanding singer at Indian cultural events. Anil Bheem will be sorely missed.

Yours truly, Vishnu

Bisram

Guyanese mourn death of Trini singer Amnesty

why and how so many highrise buildings, deemed safe against earthquakes, collapsed like a pack of cards.

Chief among the several reasons proffered was periodic ‘construction amnesties’ - legal exemption of penalties for structures built without following the required safety codes and requirements.

Now people are trapped and have died underneath these same buildings that were granted amnesty. A lesson here for our waterways’ amnesties?

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

One of the exhibits on display at the mini exposition put together by the Anna Regina Secondary School in honour of its being declared ‘School of the Year’ for 2022 by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC)

Beatings of teachers

Dear Editor,

It is with deep concern that I write on the following caption, “Parent charged for assaulting teacher” (Guyana Times, 10th February, 2023).

I shudder to think of the utter breakdown of values in our school system that would allow such a highly disrespectful action to take place against our educators.

The media carried two reports of such violent acts against our teachers. One act was against teacher Nicasey Barker of St. Angela’s Primary School on January 12, 2023; and the other was against teacher Shawn Marshall of Graham’s Hall Primary School on January 11, 2023 (Guyana Times, 10th Feb, 2023).

It seems that the days are gone when teachers were esteemed highly; when their words or actions or guidance were greatly prized and looked upon with reverence as words of wisdom, and they were considered as the next being after GOD.

Back in the days when I was a child, it was an honour to carry the teacher’s bag, to fetch the teachers’ books with which they taught us as students. As a student, it was an honour to accompany teachers safely to their homes, after they would have spent long hours after school in the evenings teaching you the subjects of Mathematics, the Sciences, and Language that you need to pass the GCE “O” and “A” Level exams.

My heart pains greatly to know that a parent or a child taught by the hand of a teacher would slap or kick a teacher. A parent should honour a teacher, for that parent has entrusted the safekeeping of his/her child to the teacher. The parent can never recompense the teacher for the time and care that teacher had been giving to the child or children when that parent was busy at work or at home.

The question I have been asking myself after reading the reports of violence against our teachers in our schools here in Guyana is: “What is responsible for this

complete breakdown of morals in our school system?”

The answer that I seem to be always getting is stemming from the removal of Religious Education from our schools’ academic curriculum.

Back in my days, almost every school had a church/ chapel located within its building, or would set aside time in the study curriculum for the teaching of religions or morals. Church-school was the norm in my day. You began every school day with prayers to God, wherein you asked the Almighty to bless your teachers and protect them, and to keep them safe and to give us students the capacity to absorb their teachings.

During religious teaching time in my days, you were taught at school to respect your elders, to treat their correction and discipline as acts to lead you in the “straight and narrow way”.

You were taught the self-discipline of morals such as honesty, hard work, and being good statesmen and women of your country. You were taught to be leaders of integrity. And how well these teachings by our most loved teachers have served us! Just look at the kind of statesmen that the church-school system has produced: men like Mr. Rashleigh Jackson, Mr. Odeen Ishmael, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Mr. LFS Burnham, Mr. Pryor Jonas, Justice Duke Pollard, Dr. Steve Surujbally, Mr. Malcolm Parris: all diplomats and honoured Guyana scholars (and I am tempted to state my own name - Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan (you may smile, reader)).

Look how far our education standards have fallen since those golden years. Teachers are now afraid to be in the schools of our country - a place where they once felt safe and free and happy to engage the minds of their young charges without restrictions.

Violent parents and violent students should have no place in our schools in Guyana. Violent parents

should be dealt with according to the maximum level of the law. Students can be dealt with according to juvenile and criminal laws, based on the ferocity of the acts they have committed.

These kinds of violence-oriented students could be leaders of gangs in the future; and gangs could lead to gang warfare in schools. Teachers, administrators and other students could become their target. This is a situation that needs to be “nipped” immediately. I am happy to see Government and the authorities have taken action by charging Ms. Ashelle Clement (parent) with assault, and placing her before the courts for assaulting the teacher (Guyana Times, 10th Feb, 2023).

I applaud the statement by the newly appointed Chief Education Officer Mr. Saddam Hussain, for his statement in the media, that “Whatever the circumstances, it (assaulting a teacher) is a reprehensible and ghastly act. It is unacceptable, and will not be condoned by the Ministry of Education” (Guyana Times, 10th February, 2023).

We, the people of this country, need to see more of this being done in order to send a serious message to violent parents and students.

We need to go back to the days when teachers were viewed as divine creatures, held in high esteem and regarded as the people whom we can say can truly help to create change and standards in our country.

Sincerely, Hajji Dr Roshan

Khan (Snr)

Dear Editor,

I’d like to commend the Special Organised Crime Unit’s (SOCU’s) recent success in the arrest of the alleged Herstelling money laundering family syndicate, published by various media entities on February 9, 2023. This success was most likely achieved with the help of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which is responsible for processing suspicious transaction reports (STRs), although they did not get much credit from the press.

The staggering $4.1 billion in laundered funds does cause me to ask two simple questions. First: what plans for criminal asset recovery does SOCU have in place? Criminal prosecution goes as far as to punish culprits & uphold the law, so that an example is made of the Herstelling family for other Guyanese. However, asset recovery would be a welcome gift to the public coffers, and show that SOCU is a net gain for the taxpayers’ dime.

The UK’s Serious Fraud Office essentially pays for its own operations through recovered assets & court fines. In the future, it is important for journalists and the public to ask questions about asset recovery, to encourage this element of financial crime prevention. A money laundering report is incomplete without this crucial factor.

For illustrative purposes, $4.1 billion is nearly as much as the entire budget allocation for Sports ($4.3B) in 2023. In other words, a full asset recovery or court fine could just about triple current pensions (viz

coffers

appx. GY$2.1B of current Government expenditure on pensions (budget speech data) plus GY$4.1B in asset recovery of laundered funds = GY$6.2B, or triple the expenditure for pensions) for one year.

Not to mention that the court fines could well exceed the GY$4.1B in laundered funds if we prosecute the companies responsible; and this is just one case.

This brings me to my second question: What are the arrangements being made to prosecute these businesses? It takes two to tango, and the other half of the coin is the Chinese businesses that were using this family to launder their money. Given the significance of the amount, I dare posit that it is perhaps more in the public interest to prosecute the foreign businesses responsible, and not just the private citizens.

If you have seen The Ozarks, (a popular Netflix show about money laundering) then you would know that American law enforcement habitually cuts deals to obtain useful information to bring down the bigger fish. I wonder what this case could have achieved if SOCU had offered the family a reduced sentence in return for their cooperation to

incriminate the businesses they were working for.

This case provides a golden opportunity for Guyana to showcase the excellence of its AML (anti-money laundering) regime to avoid any future blacklisting from CFATF (Caribbean Financial Action Task Force). I do hope the authorities have recognised the opportunity to make a request for mutual legal assistance from the Chinese Embassy, in accordance with FATF (Financial Action Task Force) Recommendation 37, so that we can recover the proceeds of crime and bring to account the 22 culpable companies in China.

Unfortunately, I’m sure that even the layman might describe this international standard for fighting financial crime to be wishful thinking, given political interests and the likelihood that nation-states would rather protect their domestic companies. Nonetheless, we should be seen to be working toward a Golden Standard in Anti-Money Laundering.

At the very least, SOCU appears to be turning the gears in the right direction. I wish our investigators every success.

Yours faithfully, Othniel Lewis

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Phool Aur Kaante (1991)

13:30 Movie - Love Classified (2022)

15:00 Life in Colour with David Attenborough

16:00 Shades of Brown

17:00 Payless Power Hour

18:00 Evangelistic Hour

18:30 Hepzibah

19:00 The Evening News

20:00 Islam for Guyana

20:30 Movie - The Royal Treatment (2022)

22:00 Movie - You People (2023)

00:00 Sign off

Asset recovery would be a welcome gift to the public

Page Foundation

Exxon to decide on bidding for Guyana’s oil blocks after new PSA terms

– says changing 2016 oil contract would be destructive to investors’ confidence

United States oil giant, ExxonMobil has said that it is awaiting the final terms of the new Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) before it makes a decision on bidding for the remaining oil blocks offshore Guyana that are up for auction.

During a media briefing on Thursday, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge said his company’s interest in the auction is fuelled by its successful oil finds offshore Guyana.

“Well we’re always interested in new acreage. And clearly where we’ve had some success that, you know, brings a certain degree of interest and we should be knowledgeable of it,” he said in response to a question by Guyana Times on whether the oil major will be participating in the auction.

According to Routledge, Exxon has already registered for the bidding around and is now awaiting additional information from the Guyana Government before making any decisions.

“We’re taking a look at some of the data [from]

the government that they provide [on] what’s available. We’re awaiting the final terms for the new PSC (Production Sharing Contract). And when we have all of that together, then we’ll be in a position to make a decision on whether or not we bid and what we bid for,” he explained.

Currently, the 2016 oil contract for the Stabroek Block signed between the ExxonMobil-led co-venturers and the then Guyana Government pegs cost recovery at 75 per cent. The remaining 25 per cent of revenues is spilt 50/50 between the Government and the co-venturers, while the country also gets a two per cent royalty from total revenues.

This PSA has come under criticism over the years with many arguing that Guyana could have gotten a better deal. There have also been resounding calls for renegotiations of the oil contract.

But Exxon’s country Chief argued on Thursday that such a move could be destructive to investors’ confidence.

“We’ve made now over

[US]$30 billion worth of investment committed to the country based on the contract as it stands. To change the contract when you’ve already made that level of commitment would be very destructive to investor confidence in the Stabroek Block and I would suspect, more widely, in the country,” Routledge told reporters.

He added, “…at the end of the day, it’s all about encouraging investment to maximise the return for the

Guyana will lead Region...

In addition, President of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Alistair Routledge said this is another significant milestone that makes GYSBI the premier berthing facility in the country but translates to both short-term and long-term advantages for Guyanese.

Routledge shared, “This facility is absolutely critical to our operations offshore. It’s a multi-service one-stop shop for drilling equipment, fuel materials, chemicals critical to our production operations, drilling operations, waste treatment, and storage of spill response equipment. GYSBI is an integral part of

our operations.”

Some 25 of Exxon’s 36 vessel fleet are used for supply. These vessels load and unload every week. Before this commissioning, up to 24 vessels were coming to the berths every week. It has raised to over 30 per week after expansion.

“In 2022, more than 220,000 tonnes of cargo were moved through the shore base to our offshore facilities…The team here also performed more than 40,000 wharf lifts in order to lift cargo onto the back of the vessels. That translates to more than 110 lifts per day,” the Exxon official added.

Routledge added that such large-scale operation

FROM PAGE 3

presents an opportunity for GYBSI to be able to support other operators.

“We’re forever hopeful that Guyana will have more success outside of the Stabroek Block. We’re happy to see the ongoing licence bid that the Government is managing. We hope that that is going to bring additional investment to the country and hopefully success too. And indeed, GYSBI is now prepared to provide support to other operators as they did do recently for Repsol and currently for CGX with their drilling operations.”

GYSBI currently employs 700 after starting its operations 11 years ago.

country. The current mechanism is very effective at that. These deepwater developments have a significant upfront investment cost and the current mechanism supports that sort of development.”

President Dr Irfaan Ali launched the much-anticipated first auction of the remaining oil blocks offshore Guyana in December last year as his Government moves to have the country’s petroleum resources developed expeditiously.

This competitive bidding process will see 14 oil blocks up for tender including 11 in the shallow area and three in deep-sea area. These blocks will range from 1000 square kilometres (sq km) to 2000 sq km but with most of the blocks being approximately 2000 sq km.

April 14, 2023, has been set as the deadline for the submission of bids, while the Government is hoping to award contracts by the end of the first half of this year.

Government is currently in the process of finalising the new PSA that will guide the terms and conditions of future oil contracts. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had disclosed in December that this document would be completed by mid-February 2023, just in time for the close of the months-long bidding process.

Under new conditions, Guyana stands to benefit from as high as US$20 million signature bonus for the deep-water blocks and US$10 million for the shallow-water blocks. Additionally, all future PSAs will also include the retention of the 50-50 profit-sharing after cost recovery; the

increase of the royalty from a mere two per cent to now a 10 per cent fixed rate; the imposition of a 10 per cent corporate tax, and the lowering of the cost recovery ceiling to 65 per cent from 75 per cent.

Meanwhile, in order to make this auction more competitive, Government has opened the process to both local and foreign companies/ individuals, who will have to meet minimum technical and financial qualifications that will be outlined.

Only last month, President Ali invited Asian powerhouses – India and China – to participate in the ongoing licensing round. He subsequently told the international news agency, Reuters, in January that Guyana is also in talks with Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United Kingdom (UK) along with India on the possibility of directly allocating oil blocks offshore Guyana in parallel with the 2022 bidding round.

The Head of State had first mentioned bilateral arrangements to develop the

country’s oil blocks back in October last year but did not state the name of any nations at the time.

But on the sidelines of an energy conference in Trinidad and Tobago last month, President Ali told Reuters “We have been toying with a number of options… We have gone out publicly with the bid round (and) there is also that room we are looking at for Government-to-Government collaboration.”

As the world’s fastest-growing super basin in recent years, Guyana is estimated to have potential resources in excess of 25 billion barrels offshore. In the oil-rich Stabroek Block alone, which is operated by ExxonMobil and its co-venturers, there are nearly 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

To date, there have been some 35 discoveries in the Stabroek Block, where production activities have been ongoing since 2015, and a total of 40 oil finds for all blocks being explored offshore Guyana.

ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge

Tragedy...

…in Anatolia

Before we humans even existed – and dinosaurs ruled the world – the continents have been drifting apart. One supersized land mass dubbed Pangea - had a southern portion, Gondowana portion, that hit what’re now Eurasia and Asia. Now, when these gigantic portions of hardened Earth’s crust collided with others, it was like an immovable object colliding with an unstoppable force!! Something had to give! Well, over in Asia, we had the Himalayas rippling up to reach the stars when India hit the former!! While, in the underbelly of Europe – in what’s now Turkiye and Syria - the Caucasus mountains were formed when the Anatolian tectonic plate hit Europe.

Now, with these plates floating around on molten lava, you can imagine that standing on “firm” earth takes on a whole new precarious meaning!! In our neck of the woods – so to speak – we know what damages earthquakes can wreak, after several in Haiti. While over in the Himalayas things are fairly stable, in Turkiye and Northern Syria, there have been hundreds of earthquakes in the last hundred years. So, the present disaster unfolding in that regionwith at least 20,000 reported dead, and that number rising – is not a complete surprise. There have been previous earthquakes with even greater body counts. Mother Nature can dish out some real “tough love” on occasion.

But mankind has her beat all hands down!! When you add up all the countless millions of men, women and children killed by other men – women and children don’t kill so many – Mother Nature seems like a powder puff!! Look right there in the area of the latest quake. In the Syrian “Civil War”, where each of the big powers had their “side”, and provided weapons etc – between 2011 and 2022, there have been more than 500,000 war dead!! Imagine that!! More than an average of 50,000 Syrians were killed annually for ten years – and almost seven million were turned into refugees!

Over in Turkiye, the Turks had their own Civil War back in the day – with some 600,000 deaths – but, more recently, kept their hand in by massacring over 20,000 Kurds, who just wanted to practise their own culture, which was being suppressed by the Turks. Imagine the Turks telling them they were suffering from a delusion, and they were really “mountain Turks”!! Meanwhile, for good measure, when the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) existed a few years ago, about 400,000 Yazidis – an ethnic and religious minority group – were captured, killed, raped, or forced to flee from their ancestral homeland!!

Against that background, your Eyewitness wonders how people in the region value life. Surely a great wave of cynicism must have pervaded their collective psyche! No wonder the Romans said “man to man is a wolf!!”

But hope beats eternal…

…of quick bucks

Used to be Chinese who emigrated to all parts of the world and opened up laundries as a fail-safe way to climb out of poverty. And that hasn’t stopped. Note the success of “Everything Everywhere all at once” - starring laundromat owner Evelyn Wang!! It was nominated for ELEVEN OSCARS!! And the year before, there was that sleeper “Chinese laundry”!

Well, it’s said that if you report “Dog bites man” that’s not news…but if it’s “Man bites dog” that’s gonna lift quite a few eyebrows – and readership!! So it was in that light that your Eyewitness read about SOCU arresting a family of three from Herstelling, who’d been hired by some Chinese businessmen to do their laundry!! OVER FOUR BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF LAUNDERING!! That’s news!!

As you’d expect, that laundering had nothing to do with clothes and all to do with money!! But even so, when your Eyewitness depots his pittance, he’s grilled by bank clerks.

And $4.1 billion passed through like Epsom salts??

…avoided in Mudland

The earthquake in Anatolia reminded your Eyewitness about Guyanese quick-wittedness. Responding to a Caribbean brother that Guyana was lucky not to suffer from earthquakes and hurricanes, the Guyanese immediately shot back, “But we got Burnham!!”

Final 2 TSC members sworn in by President Ali

– charges them to take responsibilities seriously

Former Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) President Lancelot Baptiste and Satti Jaiserriesing are the two remaining members of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) who officially took their Oaths of Office on Friday before President Dr. Irfaan Ali during a simple ceremony at

Lancelot Baptiste and Satti Jaiserriesing receiving their instruments from President Dr Irfaan Ali TSC were sworn in after months of not having an active Commission.

the Office of the President. In brief remarks, President Ali said, “I would just urge the two new sworn members of the Commission to review my comments when we swore (in) the other members of the Commission.

I wanna congratulate you and wish you well on this journey, as we seek to further strengthen our educa-

tion system as we seek to ensure we build an institution…in which our teachers are treated fairly; in which the process of governance continues to improve and deliver in a manner in which all can find acceptable standards, and can find good governance.”

In December 2022, five of the seven members of the

Reg 2 to attain universal secondary education by mid-year – Min Manickchand

elling to school by boats,” Minister Manickchand disclosed.

Currently, construction is ongoing on the new Abram Zuil Secondary School, which will benefit approximately 700 students from Abram Zuil and surrounding areas when completed.

The Minister is optimistic that construction of the new school will be completed by the end of this month.

“Once we get that school, more children will be able to sit comfortably, and with the more boats and the more bus-

Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) will attain universal secondary education in 2023, Education

Minister Priya Manickchand announced Friday.

Universal access to secondary education is the ability of all students to have equal education regardless of their social class, race, gender, sexuality, ethnic background or geographical location.

Minister Manickchand was at the time speaking at a ceremony, held to celebrate Anna Regina Multilateral School being declared “School of the Year” for 2022 by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

“Here in Region Two, before mid-year, we’re going to be back to declare that the Essequibo Coast, in fact, the Pomeroon-Supenaam has achieved universal secondary education and that means, that every child wherever you are, whatever your parents do, will be able to access a high-quality secondary education,” she relayed.

To achieve this milestone, the Government has made

significant investments in education in the region over the past two years.

Modes of transportation have been provided for students including boats and buses to ensure those in the riverine communities are not left behind.

“We will buy, in Region Two, more than 15 boats to add to the fleet we currently have. Right now, more than 700 children are travelling to school by boats, and more than 34 teachers are trav-

The five members: Maydha Persaud, Doodmattie Singh, Joan Monkhouse, Shafiran Bhajan, and Mohammed Saddam Hussain, had also taken their Oaths of Office before the President at his Office.

During that ceremony, President Ali had charged the newly sworn-in members of the Commission to take their responsibilities seriously.

“The functions entrusted to the Commission must therefore not be taken lightly. I encourage you to be

faithful to that oath. Your actions will contribute to no small measure in ensuring that the teaching profession is populated by persons that are worthy of educating the present and future generations,” the Head of State had expressed.

Further, the Guyanese Leader had underscored the importance of teachers to Guyana’s education system.

“Teachers are the backbone of our education system. They’re responsible for moulding the minds of our children; equipping them with the knowledge, skills and the right attitude; readying them for higher education and for their varied

roles in society,” he had said.

The President had also noted that the TSC would have a vital role to play in ensuring that the right persons are placed in the classrooms to teach the country’s future generations.

“Placing ill-qualified and ill-suited persons to educate our children can be disastrous to our children’s future and the human resource development of the country. It’s equally necessary that, within the teaching profession, appointments and promotions are dispensed in a fair and just manner,” the Guyanese Leader had contended.

The Commission will have a lifespan of three years, with its Chairperson and Deputy Chair being elected after the body is fully constituted. Further, the TSC Chairperson, Deputy Chair and one other member will be full-time members. The TSC is in charge of appointing, disciplining, and removing teachers when necessary.

The life of the previous TSC came to an end in 2021, after being appointed in 2018. The members of that Commission were Avril Crawford, Alan Munroe, Elizabeth Ramlall, Amjad Ali Shaw, Debra Thomas, and Barbara ThomasHolder, with the Chief Education Officer as an ex-officio member.

es, and the more schools, we are going to achieve here, the ability for every single child to attend secondary school,” the Education Minister said.

Universal education at the primary level was achieved in the early 2000s.

The PPP/C Administration, since its assumption to office, has embarked on an aggressive drive to achieve universal secondary education nationwide.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand addressing the audience on Friday

Anna Regina Multilateral School has been declared “School of the Year” by CXC

Report on Elections CoI to come “in the shortest of time” – Chairman

Public hearings of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the events that followed the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections have concluded and according to Chairman, Justice (Ret’d) Stanley John, the report will be handed over to President Dr Irfaan Ali in the shortest possible time.

The curtains came down on the public hearings in Elections CoI on Friday. Justice John said the next step is to compile the report.

“Our next task is to set about preparing our report and that we will do with scrupulous care and fearlessly; with uppermost in our minds, principles of natural justice and the rule of law,” the CoI Chairman contended.

Justice John, a retired Justice of Appeal from the Turks and Caicos Islands, also assured that the Commission’s final report will be presented soon.

“We appreciate and understand the importance of free and fair elections. What we have seen and heard over the past several weeks, we will distil and in the shortest of time present a report to His Excellency, the President,” the Chairman stated.

Prior to wrapping up on Friday, the Commission heard closing remarks from the CoI’s Lead Counsel, Sophia Chote SC, who recapped the evidence given over the past few weeks by witnesses.

She told the three-member Commission that they have to consider the strong and serious infractions by a group of persons to subvert the “deep, democratic right” of the people of Guyana.

According to SC Chote, the highlights give an idea of the ‘sound and fury’ which naturally followed the attempts to pervert the proper course of things during the electoral process.

“I would say in closing that let’s put the sound and fury aside, now is the time for cool reasoning and cool heads and logical conclusions based on a mature analysis of the reliable body of evidence which you have before you,” she urged the CoI panel.

Last September, President Dr Irfaan Ali swore in Justice John along with former High Court Judge and Acting Justice of Appeal in the Eastern Caribbean, Godfrey P Smith, SC, and former acting Chancellor of the Judiciary in Guyana, Justice (Ret’d) Carl Singh, to probe the events that ensued after the controversial March 2020 elections.

The CoI was specifically tasked with looking into District Four (DemeraraMahaica) – Guyana’s largest voting district, where there were blatant attempts to rig the 2020 polls in favour of the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance

For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration.

Public Hearings commenced on November 3, 2022, and several witnesses took the stand including politicians, staff of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), ranks from the Guyana Police Force, and other stakeholders such as local observers. However, the key players fingered in the attempts to rig elections have refused to testify when they were summoned before the Commission.

The last witness to take the stand was Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, SC, who recalled on Thursday the series of events from the passage of the NoConfidence Motion against the APNU/AFC Government in December 2018 leading up to the swearing-in of Dr Irfaan Ali as President in August 2020.

Also on Thursday, Attorney Nigel Hughes abruptly ended his cross-examination of Governmentnominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj, after a line of questioning that introduced new evidence into the CoI was not accepted.

Hughes, who is representing former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers – who has been implicated by several witnesses in the ongoing CoI – was granted permission by the Commission to cross-examine witnesses despite his client opting to remain silent when she appeared before the Commission earlier this week.

Hughes began to cross-examine Gunraj on his previous testimony that Myers had blocked him from following former Returning Officer for Region Four Clairmont Mingo onto the second floor of the Ashmins Building – which was the command centre for the Elections Commission.

Under cross-examination, Gunraj noted that he had reported the incident at a subsequent meeting of the Elections Commission – to which Hughes asked whether the then DCEO was ever given an opportunity to address the allegations.

Gunraj said he could not recall. It was at this point that Hughes raised the issue of a letter that was never before admitted as evidence to the CoI.

“In a letter sent by the

“Mr Hughes is cross-examining on evidence by this witness which implicates his client. That letter, Mr Hughes, is clearly not in the evidence before us and the evidence by Mr Gunraj so far does not disclose any such letter to the Commission.”

Nevertheless, Hughes continued to question the witness but he again raised the issue of the letter – a question that was not accepted by the Commission.

Commission to her (Myers), inviting her to show cause why her services should not be terminated, one of the items listed in that letter from the Commission, was the fact that she had stopped you?”

But Counsel for the CoI Sonia Chote interjected and asked that Hughes provide copies of the letter and seek to have it admitted as evidence.

Moreover, Commissioner Carl Singh reminded that

Counsel Chote contended that “I don’t think that it’s fair to the witness to have him answer questions about some document, ex post facto unless we have that document.”

Commission Chair Stanley John agreed, pointing out that it is not fair to the Commissioners, since they too have not seen the document and do not know what this document is about.

But Hughes sought to defend his line of questioning.

“My understanding is if a suggestion/document is referred to a witness, if the witness accepts it in his oral testimony, we can then proceed; if he rejects it, then it doesn’t go in…,” Hughes argued, pointing out that the cross-examination had not yet reached such a stage.

“I’m merely asking him if he was a member of the Commission that had sent a letter to Miss Myers asking

her to show cause.”

But the defence was still not accepted by the Commission. Hughes then informed that he would no longer be cross-examining the witness.

“Your Honour, I have to profess I’m not familiar with the protocols and procedures of the Commission, in which case, I ask that I, not go any further,” Hughes declared.

– as public hearings are wrapped up

Attorney Nigel Hughes and his client Roxanne Myers at the CoI hearing on Thursday

Chairman of Elections CoI Justice (ret’d) Stanley John

CXC awards 2022 regional top performers for CSEC, CAPE

The Caribbean Examinations

Council (CXC) has awarded the regional top performers at the 20212022 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, during a virtual awards ceremony.

Guyana was awarded for performances in natural science, technical and vocational studies, humanities, sciences, and business.

Guyana’s top performers for CXC and CAPE ex-

pressed how satisfied they are for being recognised for their achievements.

Uotam Heerall of Anna Regina Secondary School received the award for the Most Outstanding Overall student and Technical/ Vocational Studies at the 2022 CSEC exams.

Heeralall expressed, “I feel more than happy here tonight. This has been one of my dreams. I actually dreamt of this when Anna Regina Secondary topped the Caribbean in 2019. That is what motivated me to be here tonight, to work to be

here, and finally, I am here.”

Heeralall added that motivation is key to one’s overall success.

Atisha Seenarine of Saraswati Vidya Niketan School received the award for the top CAPE student and Most Outstanding performance in Natural Sciences.

Seenarine said, “I would like to encourage all of the upcoming candidates preparing to sit these examinations to continue to work hard. Put your best effort forward and be creative in all of your pursuits to ensure success.”

She also urged students to maintain a balance between their academic and social lives. Saraswati Vidya Niketan School also received the award for Top CAPE School.

At the CSEC level, Saskia Twahir of Queen’s College received awards for the Most Outstanding Student in Humanities and Business.

Twahir encouraged in-

coming CSEC and CAPE students to maintain a balance between their academic pursuits and overall well-being.

Currently, Twahir is pursuing the ASAL programme at the Nations University and noted that she intends to continue her studies in Economics and Finance at the University of Guyana.

“Take everything in strides. Understand that failure can be one of the best things that can happen to you, not at the exams. But in the steps in preparation for the exams. Pace yourself. Ensure that you prioritise your mental health and well-being before your exams and give it your best shot,” Twahir encouraged.

Meanwhile, Sheridan Dyal of Queen’s College received the award for the Most Outstanding Student in Sciences.

“I am ecstatic that this is finally happening because I have been looking forward to this day. I know it is usually like a big event. I’m glad that I made it here and all of the efforts that I put for the past five years have turned out to be very fruitful,” she happily expressed.

Atisha Seenarine’s mother, Anjanie Seenarine said she is tremendously proud of her daughter’s achievements.

“She has worked very hard to get where she is today. I didn’t expect any less

from her. She was so dedicated to what she does, so disciplined,” she added.

Meanwhile, CXC registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Wayne Wesley underscored that CXC remains dedicated to the advancements of all students.

“The level of excitement that we have this afternoon, enthusiasm, and passion to honour those who have done well. Us at the Caribbean Examinations Council are now working assiduously at making sure that we create qualification and opportunities for all students exiting the secondary education system,” Dr Wesley emphasised.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand and the top performers: Sheridan Dyal of Queen’s College; Uotam Heeralall of Anna Regina Secondary School; Atishta Seenarine of Saraswati Vidya Niketan School and Saskia Twahir of Queen’s College

Mid-afternoon fire devastates Parika Market Centre

– over 150 vendors counting millions in losses

– GFS launches investigation

Araging inferno brought the Parika Market Centre on the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE) crumbling down on Friday – an unexpected disaster that destroyed millions in goods and dismantled the livelihoods of many.

The mid-afternoon fire reportedly started at about 14:30h after thick black smoke was seen billowing from the structure.

The area, a hub for trade and transport, is bustling with people at any time of the day. It is a commercial zone in which many have plied their trade for decades. And as the fire swept through the structure, many rushed out to save themselves while bystanders looked on in disbelief.

On the other hand, firefighters undertook the dangerous task of attempting to contain the blaze. Fire tenders from as far as Georgetown were deployed to quell the raging fire, which was budding out of control.

The speedboat and ferry service, which operates a stone’s throw away at the Parika Stelling, was also forced to cease operations.

One businessman, Imran Salim told Guyana Times that he was in his stall when the alarm of fire was signalled and there was nothing left to do but rush out of the structure.

Salim operated a gold business and has pegged his losses at over $200 million. He alleged that persons were welding the new steel structure at the market place when sparks fell in a combustible area.

“We had to run and leave everything because we would have died,” the distraught businessman expressed.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and Minister within the Public Works

Ministry Deodat Indar immediately rushed to the scene, where firefighters were working to control the blaze.

Benn stated that the firefighters utilised water from the Essequibo River. Along with a probe of the incident, authorities were planning to

total of four units were dispatched. They used up the water they had in the tanks.

They retained the rest of the water from open source, which is the river. We understand that we will have to confirm later that there was welding going on in the building and that the sparks fell down onto flammable

meet with affected vendors to conduct an assessment of their losses.

“We heard there was an outbreak of a fire here at the Parika Marketing Centre. A

substances. That is what we understand so far but I want to caution that we have to confirm that,” Benn told media operatives.

Minister Indar was liais-

ing with authorities for the offloading of vessels. He noted that upon his arrival, the

entire market was already destroyed. High winds from the river would have exac-

erbated the spread of the inferno.

“Within this market is an excess of over 160 persons and everything is gone,” he noted, adding that 95 per cent of the fire was contained at that time.

By the time the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) managed to put the fire out, the structure was completely destroyed. Only a steel structure was standing. Business owners were seen counting their losses. Complaints were also reported of unknown persons carting off with valuables in the heat of the fire.

At the scene was the President of the Region Three Chamber of Commerce, Halim Khan, who called for better measures in place. Khan said the Fire Service would definitively conclude on the origin and cause of the fire after their investigation, amid several allegations that were surfacing from persons on the scene. In recent months, authorities have sounded alarms over the chronic cases of fires across the country, which have included major public buildings. (Rupa Seenarine)

Only a steel structure stood after the fire was quelled

An aerial shot of the inferno (Kevin Somwaru photo)

Stalls at the market were ravaged by the blaze

Maha Shivratri or Shiva Jayanti is one of the most auspicious festivals celebrated among Hindus around the world. Shivratri is composed of two words: Shiv means “benefactor” and ratri means “night”.

In today’s world, the birth of any human being is celebrated as the birth “day,” even if the time of birth of the baby is in the middle of the night. However, God Shiva’s birth is remembered as birth “night,” and is observed as a time of transformation. The deep spiritual significance of Shivratri focuses on the time that God descends on earth.

Even though it is referred to as “night,” it is actually a transitional time of day and night, commonly called the “dawn”. This “dawn” is understood as the meeting of two ages, “Kaliyug” (Iron or age of ignorance), and “Satyug” (Golden or age of truth). On the one hand, this time is described as one of extreme darkness when the state of the world is very critical, and on the other hand, it is an auspicious time when a new world order emerges. The fast observed on Shivratri also signifies that one is sacrificing all earthly pleasures.

There is also a lot of misunderstanding about the third eye of God Shiva that if it is opened it results in destruction of the whole world. However, the real implication is that this “Third Eye of Knowledge” or the divine eye of Kaliyug human beings, is opened by God Shiva to destroy all evil in the universe, which is a welcome act and a blessing to the creation. When the third eye opens up, our

takes place and God Shiva is already on earth performing the dance of creation, sustenance, and destruction, then how do we human beings recognise the presence of God and the subtle dynamic of changes that are happening as a result?

Do we recognise this as the outpouring of books on the subjects of mindfulness, peace of mind, purity of intentions, unconditional love, and gross national happiness?

Do we recognise this as a call to mitigate our carbon footprint by changing our lifestyle and diet and re-establishing a relationship of regard with Mother Nature? As promised, God has now descended from His Supreme Abode at the end of Kaliyug and is performing a divine dance of world transformation through the subtle acts of the Trinity - Brahma (creation), Vishnu (sustenance)

and Shankar (destruction). As God Himself is incorporeal and does not have a physical or subtle form, He uses a human being to impart the spiritual teachings. The Brahma Kumaris teach and study these spiritual teachings as the study of Raja Yoga. The teachings were imparted through Prajapita Brahma. The study and practice of Raja Yoga is a process of the opening of the third eye. There is a saying that when the third eye of Shiva opens, then all impurities in the world are burnt into ashes. Something similar to the phoenix rising from the ashes to liberation in life.

The third eye is the awakening of divine insight which God Shiva imparts through knowledge to the souls and restores them to their original divinity and self-sovereignty. The method of practice is “Manmanabhav,” which means to be in the remembrance of only One. When this practice is truly imbibed, it cleanses the soul and liberates it from sins, negativities, and impurities.

This practice is called a purification process. Shiva, the Supreme Soul, fills the intellects of souls with the treasures of wisdom, spiritual power, and divine virtues. But for the intellect to hold God’s treasures, it is required to be like a golden vessel. It needs to develop “preet,” love for the Truth.

So, God Shiva begins the process of purification by showering unlimited love on souls so that they can cultivate all relationships with Him, but in particular the relationships of Father, Teacher, and Satguru (Supreme Guide). Savouring the spiritual attainments experienced in being in relationship with God, the soul realises the most important lesson that is vital to this time: “Consider the self to be a soul, seated in the centre of the forehead, and remember only God, the Supreme Soul, the Purifier, the Remover of Sorrow and Bestower of Happiness.”

thinking changes, light comes into our life and we see the real self and others with total clarity with a newfound vision. There is a true feeling that everyone is good and very intimate with no duality.

Why is so much importance given to the observance of jagaran (stay awake the whole night) during Shivratri?

Shiva is the source of light to remove the darkness, that is to say to destroy all evils and bring prosperity to the world. The significance of keeping awake at night is to impress on one’s mind that one is not a body alone but a soul seeking salvation from the world of suffering. There is a very famous shloka (verse) in the Bhagwad Gita: “Yada yada hi dharmasya glanirbhawati bharat, abhyuthannam adharmasya tadatmanam srijamyaham.”

The literal meaning is, “Whenever there is decay of righteousness, and there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth; for the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, and for the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age.” Looking at the deteriorating conditions in all sectors of society around the world, we can easily appreciate that “the time” has come when God’s intervention is necessary to bring about a transformation in this world.

If Shivratri is the time that this intervention

Eccles dumpsite road on schedule for March completion – Min Croal

on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

The project, which was executed by the Housing Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), represents the construction of the country’s first fully concreted fourlane highway, with dual carriageways of two lanes each and jointed reinforced concrete pavement.

However, works are presently ongoing on the second phase of the initiative which will see the four-lane road continuing beyond Eccles all the way to Great Diamond, EBD.

Housing and Water Minister Collin

Croal has reassured citizens that the Eccles Industrial Access Road project, also known as the ‘dumpsite road’ will be completed by March this year.

During a recent interview with the Department of Public Information, the Minister provided an update on the progress of the works being carried out by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on the section of the road between Winsor Estate and the Eccles to Diamond four-lane road.

“We had to put in place concrete drains and then we will move to asphaltic concrete… most of the drainage work is complete but we are near the area within the vicinity of when you meet the four-lane.

“About $1.2 billion is being spent in that area. All

works are expected to be completed by next month,” the Minister explained.

The industrial access road leads to the industrial area, Providence and other housing developments.

It is also part of one of the main connectivity for the Ogle, East Coast Demerara, to Eccles, EBD roads being executed through the Public Works Ministry.

“Any work that you’re seeing on the eastern side of the four-lane [road], that is part of that [East CoastEast Bank Road] development...And so, work has actually started on some drainage works, which is being done through public works,” Minister Croal further explained.

Back in April, 2022, the $2.3 billion four-lane Ecclesto-Mandela Highway was opened, thus providing an alternate route to bring relief from the heavy traffic

This four-lane road project is a result of efforts by the President Dr Irfaan Aliled Government to ease traffic congestion on the East Bank, which not only leads to the country’s main port of entry – the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) – but also fields traffic coming from West Demerara.

Already, the Housing Ministry has constructed an alternative road from Diamond Housing Scheme to Mocha on the East Bank to divert traffic from the public road. That project was completed to the tune of $5 billion, and was opened last December in time for the Christmas holidays.

These projects run alongside the India-funded bypass road project which would link the East Bank Demerara corridor to the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), creating a new highway in the backlands.

The Indian Government had provided a US$50 million Line of Credit (LoC) for the road link that was initially slated for Ogle, ECD,

to Diamond. Under the previous Government, however, the project was at a standstill for several years.

Having taken office in 2020, the People’s Progressive Party Administration has since redesigned the project into three phases to fit the LoC. It will now run from Ogle to Haags Bosch at Eccles in the first phase, then from Eccles to Diamond, and finally from

Diamond to Timehri to connect to the CJIA. However, the Indian LoC will only cover the first section of the road, that is, from Ogle to Eccles.

Meanwhile, this year, $54 billion was allocated to the housing sector for major infrastructural works, of which $7.3 billion will go towards the continuation of the highways at Eccles to Diamond, as well as an ad-

ditional $5.4 billion for the Schoonord to Crane road. The Minister informed the public that both projects are expected to be completed by the middle of 2023 and 2024, respectively. These investments in infrastructure will significantly improve the transportation network in Guyana and will play a critical role in driving economic growth and job creation in the country.

Photo taken back in June 2022 showed massive road works being undertaken

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal

SATURDAY,

NCERD launches online Continuous Professional Development programme for teachers

The Director of NCERD, Quenita Walrond-Lewis during the virtual launch stated that the CPD will give teachers at every level – nursery, primary and secondary – the experience to lean on their autonomy and consider their professional practice. She said that professional development for teachers is necessary.

“It means that you are continually giving yourself opportunities to improve your practice over time. Anyone and everyone, regardless of your experience in the education system, whether you’ve just joined the profession or you’ve been in the profession for 30 years can benefit from continuous professional development.”

According to the Director, the team at NCERD underwent six months of intense training and preparation to be able to bring the courses to teachers. She said that the team had to undergo training in learning design and instructional design.

She further added that the instructors had to learn how to technically operate within the Moodle space as well as think about the end user, and teachers, and how they could design course offerings that are engaging and interactive.

The programme, she noted, is very flexible, teachers can learn at their own pace whether it is after work or on the weekend.

Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain posited that the start of the CPD is a

Design Consultant on the CPD, Dr Schontal Moore

historical moment in the education system in Guyana. He expressed his elation at the CPD coming on stream. He said that the Ministry will be partnering with the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) so that the CPD can benefit every teacher.

According to Hussain, in the new week, the Education Systems Committee will meet and decide on several matters as it relates to the CPD. He said the Ministry hopes to connect the CPD to the senior promotion system, the issuance of permanent certificates from CPCE and to use the CPD as a pathway for crediting the master teacher process.

Further, the CEO urged all mathematics teachers at the secondary level to enrol in the Secondary Teachers of Math Upgrading programme on the CPD platform. He said teachers should complete this course by May of this year.

Hussain congratulated the Director of NCERD and the team who were involved in the development of the programme.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of UNESCO Office – Guyana, Dr Olato Sam said Friday’s launch is worthy of celebration and widespread recognition. He said, “We embrace the idea that teachers upon exiting CPCE and completing their initial training are not trained for life. And so, continuous professional development provides the wherewithal for them to expand their scope, on their skills, and recognise and incorporate more contemporary ideas, concepts, and approaches to their pedagogy and development as educators.”

Deputy General Secretary of the GTU, Heathcliff Peters encouraged teachers to take advantage of the opportunities provided by NCERD. He

line platform.

The Design Consultant on the CPD, Dr Schontal Moore said she was able to help the team at NCERD develop, design and deliver courses. She said this pro cess took six months of con tinuous work in a purely on line environment addressing how to convert a course from a face-to-face modality to be delivered online.

She said each officer had to analyse their course in terms of how to convert the materials for effective online delivery before they began the design and development of the actual online course, adding that at the end of the six months, 24 courses were developed.

said that the GTU intends to promote the CPD and encourage all teachers to enrol in the CPD to upgrade themselves through the on-

accomplishment should be promoted and highly commended as a progressive and forward-reaching step for NCERD and Guyana.

he Guyana Prison Service’s “grow more campaign” recently received 20 trays of pak choi and ten trays of lettuce from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).The plants were presented to the GPS’s training instructor Shamaz Ally, by NAREI’s Daniel Chand at the Plant Nursery located at No 63 Village Corentyne, Berbice.

Ally expressed gratitude to NAREI for the donation, adding that it will further expand the prisons’ agriculture sector.

Ally further noted that the plants will be cultivated by inmates under the supervision of officers.

The inmates usually tend to the various farms operated by the GPS. This offers them practical knowledge of farming. They are also exposed to theoretical lessons.

Chand, during his brief remarks, said that the donation is part of NAREI’s social responsibility.

Secretary-General of UNESCO Office – Guyana, Dr Olato Sam

Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain

T

Inmates displaying the plants received from NAREI

NAREI donates plants to Prison Service

GPF signs MoU with US Mission for security services

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the United States Mission to Guyana (US Mission) on Friday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see the GPF’s Liaison Unit providing supplemental security services to the US Mission.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, and US

Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch signed the MoU at the Ministry’s Boardroom, Brickdam Georgetown.

The MoU, which is reviewed annually, establishes the terms under which the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Liaison Unit will provide security services at the United States Mission and includes perimeter securi-

ty for the US Mission, US Mission properties, the US Ambassador’s residence, and a protective security detail for the US Ambassador (collectively the Mission Unit).

The Government of Guyana (GoG) recognises its responsibilities under international law, as reflected in the 1961 Vienna Convention

on Diplomatic Relations, to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the US diplomatic mission and to prevent any attack on US diplomats or their family members.

As a supplement to fulfilling these obligations, the GPF, acting on behalf of the GoG, will provide the sup-

plemental security services specified in the MoU.

The security detail’s high professionalism and work ethics were noted by Ambassador Lynch, who also conveyed her appreciation for the job they are performing.

Also present at the event were Acting Commissioner

of Police Clifton Hicken; Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’, Calvin Brutus; Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’, Ravindradat Budhram; DEA Attaché Chris Smith; Regional Security Officer, Mayan Shih; and Assistant Regional Security Officer, Chester Maloney.

Prison Service gets 13 new recruits

of challenges because you are operating within the full view of individuals, however within the context of the prisons, it is taking place within the confines of the prison and anything that is happening away from the eyes of the general public, always comes under greater scrutiny,” he said.

Elliot also noted that the graduation demonstrated the services’ commitment in diversifying the work environment.

Also giving brief remarks was Deputy Director of Prisons Kevin Pilgrim, who gave an overview of the training course. Meanwhile, Rondell Richards was adjudged the best recruit at the end of the course.

The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) has been boosted with 13 new recruits into the system after they completed a four-month Basic Recruit Training Course (BRTC) at the Prison Training Centre at Timehri.

The recruits were drawn from Swan Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, St Cuthbert’s Mission and Lethem and they were trained in both theoretical and practical aspects of the job. Delivering the charge at

the graduation ceremony held on Friday, Director of Prisons Nicklon Elliot said that the administration is pleased to have the recruits join the GPS.

He also informed them that the prison environment is very complex and multi-dimensional, and ranks are expected to execute their tasks in a very effective manner.

Having completed the training, the recruits will be transferred to various prison locations. The Prison Director urged them to acquaint themselves with the

peculiarities of the different prisons as there are significant differences at the various locations.

“It is important that you become aware of the conditions at each location in advance of your posting so as to facilitate an easier adaptation process,” Elliot posited.

The Prison Head also charged the recruits to ensure that the inalienable rights of the prisoners are not trampled during their period of incarceration.

“Law enforcement in the wider society has a number

Among the attendees were members of the recruitment board, Michele

Persons

can send their

of joining the

Minister Benn, Ambassador Lynch, Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken and Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’, Ravindradat Budhram in discussion at the event

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch along with senior officers of the Guyana Police Force

Baptiste and Eureka Duncan along with Staff Welfare Officer Grace Roberts.

desirous

service

application and Curriculum Vitae (CV) to the Director of Prisons, Lot 46 Brickdam, Georgetown.

The new batch of recruits with senior members of the Guyana Prison Service

Rondell Richards collecting his award from Director of Prisons Nicklon Elliot

Ex-media worker awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to narco-trafficking

Aformer media worker was on Friday remanded to prison pending sentencing, after she pleaded guilty to trafficking $60 million in cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Timehri, East Bank Demerara in 2022.

This woman, 26-yearold Zanneel Williams, who had been employed as a Communications Officer at the Department of Public Information (DPI), had made her initial court appearance in April 2022, when she had pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking charge. However, the following month, she had changed her plea to not guilty, and had been refused bail and was further remanded to prison. Her trial was scheduled to commence on Friday, February 10, be-

fore Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrate Sunil Scarce, but when Williams, of Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown, appeared in court on Friday, she again changed her plea to guilty, and has been remanded until her February

27 sentencing hearing.

Zanneel Williams has admitted that, on April 22, 2022, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at Timehri, EBD, she had 9.628 kilograms (21 pounds) of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Following the drug bust, she was arrested, along with Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officer Anil Sookhoo, 33, of Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway; and Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) officer Shameka Caesar, 27, of Durban Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown. Sookhoo and Caesar have also been charged with drug trafficking, but have each been released on $750,000 bail, after pleading not guilty.

It has been reported that on the day in ques-

BoS to measure poverty levels using multidimensional method

tion, Williams was an outgoing passenger on a JetBlue flight destined for JFK International Airport in the USA when CANU officers found a quantity of cocaine inside her hand luggage. As a result of that find, she was arrested and taken to CANU Headquarters at Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown, where another set of cocaine was found strapped to her body.

The cocaine found in her luggage amounted to 7.962 kilograms, while another 1.666 kilograms of cocaine was found strapped to her body. The narcotic had a total street value of over GY$5 million, and upon arrival in the US, it would have been worth US$300,000 (GY$60 million).

Based on investigations, Police later arrested Sookhoo and Caesar.

The Bureau of Statistics (BoS) is now better positioned to measure poverty levels in Guyana using the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), with the training of several staff members.

This recently concluded hands-on capacity building exercise conducted at the Bureau’s headquarters in Georgetown was facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and will see Guyana utilising this method for the first time.

Previously, measurement of poverty levels in Guyana by the Bureau was primarily done using the Consumption Expenditure method, which utilises data on household expenditure. Other agencies have also used the income method which relies on household income data. However, incomes are often understated and therefore not the most reliable metric for poverty measurement.

According to facilitator of the training exercise and the UNDP Multidimensional Poverty Specialist, Renata Pardo, the MPI method is a complementary one which examines other dimensions to poverty which are not covered by monetary measures.

Facilitators and participants of the training

These include school attendance, educational achievement, barriers of access to health services, unemployment, food insecurity and overcrowding in homes, among others.

While Guyana has a Multidimensional Poverty Index calculated at a global stage, the specialist explained that there are dimensions of poverty that are unique to each country. Ensuring that the participants of the training have a greater understanding of those dimensions was therefore a main aspect of the exercise. This will now allow for the design and computation of the country’s first

Multidimensional Poverty Index at a national level.

Meanwhile, Chief Statistician, Errol La Cruez highlighted the important role of the Bureau of Statistics in providing accurate, quality, and timely data and analysis that is vital for policy and decision makers to construct plans and interventions that reduce poverty, promote development and improve people’s quality of life.

Therefore, this training and the subsequent measurement of poverty using the MPI would be very useful to all stakeholders in identifying areas for development and tracking progress in this regard.

Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), with support from the Guyana Coast Guard, on Thursday carried out an exercise along the Essequibo and Mazaruni Rivers where boat operators, captains, bowmen and

es, captain licences, bowman badges and worthiness of the vessels, and what was unearthed were many cases of non-compliance with the Maritime Law.

Defaulting operators were advised that operating vessels without the requisite compliance is in fact a

(MARAD), Deighton Melville and Inspector (MARAD) Brian Dey along with Coast Guard Officers under the command of Senior Petty Officer Orlando Barkie. Meanwhile, during the Bartica visit, Director of Maritime Safety, Captain Courtney McDonald and

owners were stopped and checked for documentation.

The exercise, MARAD assured, was not meant to penalise anyone, instead, it was a compliance survey.

As vessels were stopped during transit on the rivers, the team conducted quick inspections for life vests, boat registration or licenc-

breach of the Maritime Law, which must be adhered to at all times, and errant and non-compliant operators will be fined and prosecuted accordingly.

The joint activity included the Registrar of Ships (MARAD), Gale Culley-Greene, Deputy River Navigation Officer

Safety Clerk Quaislyn David took the opportunity to conduct a training exercise for individuals who were desirous of obtaining a bowman or bow woman’s badge, a river navigation licence, a boat master grade 3 licence (speedboat) or a certificate of competency.

One of the boats that were stopped for inspection

Water taxis flagged for noncompliance with maritime laws – operators urged to register vessels, become licensed

Some of the persons in training

Participants engaged in the training exercise

The cocaine in question

Guilty: Zanneel Williams

Electric bikes must now be registered with GRA – Police

67-year-old Reg 6 man succumbs to COVID-19

The number of COVID-19 deaths in Guyana has climbed to 1279 with the death of a 67-year-old man from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), the Health Ministry reported on Friday. The Ministry said the pensioner’s vaccination status is unknown. He died on Wednesday.

The Health Ministry has since expressed its sincerest condolences to the family of the deceased, and has promised to make every effort to provide all the necessary support.

GUYANA COVID-19 DASHBOARD

After years of concerns being expressed over persons, including minors, using electric bikes on Guyana’s roadways, owners of electric bikes now face a requirement of having to be registered with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

This announcement was made on Friday by the Guyana Police Force, and was later confirmed by Traffic Chief Dennis Stephens.

“…persons below the age of 16 are advised to desist (from) riding these bikes, while those who are above 16 and ride them must have a valid motorcycle licence”, the requirement stipulates.

In a subsequent interview with Guyana Times, Stephens confirmed that the Police had wanted to get this issue under control and had continued to pursue the GRA.

“We would have pushed to have those cycles registered immediately. The reason for that is because, over last year, over 7 persons would have lost their lives using this cycle, and 13 persons were injured,” Stephens explained.

“The law is clear as it re-

lates to the age range of persons riding motorcycles, and we believe that if persons started to register those cycles, we would be able to ease most of the persons with lack of knowledge on their part…,” he continued.

For the year thus far, one user of the electric bike lost their life along the East Coast of Demerara public road. Prior to that, electrical bikes were not registered by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), thus leaving their operation unchecked. As such, the GPF was engaging the GRA and the Legal Affairs Ministry to seek advice on what could be done about the usage of electric bikes in Guyana, he elaborated.

It has also been learnt that, apart from the cycles not being registered, they have no insurance or fitness.

In March of last year, former Police Commissioner(ag)

Nigel Hoppie announced that the GPF and the GRA were in discussion on regularising the use of electric bikes on the country’s roadways. This was after concerns were raised

over the usage of e-bikes, especially by young children, many of whom do not know traffic rules and laws.

The use of e-bikes after their introduction onto the country’s roadways has received major backlash from many members of local law enforcement. Assistant Superintendent Raun Clark, Officer-in-Charge of Traffic in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), in November of 2021, slammed the use of e-bikes on public roadways.

Clark had said there was no law the Traffic Department could enforce against the users of those cycles, and he had raised concerns over the lack of an age limit for their use.

Similarly, earlier this year, Divisional Traffic Officer of Division 4A –(Georgetown), Deputy Superintendent Timothy Williams, contended that the use of e-bikes would require the creation of policies that would need to be strongly reinforced to cater to those citizens who traverse the roadways with the controversial e-bike.

Water taxis flagged for..

The Ministry has also reported that as at February 10, fourteen new COVID-19 infections were detected over 24 hours; two persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU); and Guyana has recorded 73,032 confirmed cases since the emergence of the virus here in March 2020.

There are two persons in the COVID-19 ICU; four persons are in institutional isolation; there is no person in institutional quarantine, and 83 persons are in home isolation.

To date, some 71,646 persons have recovered from the deadly virus, and Guyana has conducted 719,475 COVID-19 tests thus far.

On Friday, February 10, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported 755,041,562 confirmed cases globally, along with 6,830,867 deaths.

The WHO also reported that in the region of the Americas, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased to 189,278,118,

while the death toll stands at 2,919,021.

The Ministry of Health is appealing to the general public to continue observing the public health measures set out to help stop the spread of the virus. Those public health measures encourage the need for everyone five years and older to get vaccinated against COVID-19; the need for everyone to get a COVID-19 booster dose after completing the primary vaccination series; the need for correct and

consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining a safe distance of six feet from others; and the need to practise good hand-hygiene. Anyone displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needing any additional information, is kindly asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline at 2311166, 226-7480, or 624-6674 immediately, or visit the Health Ministry’s website at www.health.gov.gy.

Charity labourer remanded for wounding reputed wife

FROM PAGE 18

One of the officials conducting the training

This initiative of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) will continue throughout the country, especially in riverine areas with a school population. Parents and community leaders are also advised to reach out to MARAD if they have any questions or queries on marine safety regulations.

Back in October, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill met with water taxi operators and urged them to comply with the safety regulations set out by the

Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).

“One of the interventions that we thought we could make is that MARAD, from its own resources, demonstrate to the public the seriousness of what we believe and what we implement as it relates to safety, by the distribution of safety vests to operators,” the Minister has indicated.

Edghill told the operators that severe action to reduce the number of casualties due to the recklessness of some persons would harm

all boat operators, including those complying with the law.

As such, he urged them to work with MARAD and the Ministry of Public Works to ensure a robust system where people would have confidence.

The Public Works Minister advised operators to put more emphasis on enhancing their service, especially considering the recent growth in the tourism sector, which feeds into water taxi operations.

Thirty-six-year-old Ryan Williams has been denied bail after appearing before Anna Regina Magistrate Esther Sam on Wednesday, February 9, to answer a charge of felonious wounding committed on his 18-year-old reputed wife on February 6.

Williams, a labourer of Lot 1130 Charity Squatting Area, Essequibo Coast, has pleaded not guilty to the charge, but the Police prosecutor has raised serious objections to him being admitted to bail. Those objections were upheld by Magistrate Sam, and Williams was remanded to prison until February 27. His matter has been transferred to the Charity Magistrate’s Court.

Earlier this month, Khemadatt Persaud, a 55-year-old businessman of Vryheid Village, West Canje Berbice, was charged with attempting to murder his ex-reputed wife Deoranie Badal, called “Marcy”.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which alleged that, on January 30, he unlawfully and maliciously wound-

Remanded: Khemadatt Persaud, and Injured: Deoranie Badal

ed Badal, called “Marcy”, with intent to murder her. Persaud has been remanded to prison by Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh.

Guyana Times had previously reported that 36-year-old Badal, who sustained chop wounds to her head, remained hospitalised in critical condition. She has been transferred to the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, after she had tested positive for COVID-19.

This publication has reported that, on the day in

question, Persaud allegedly chopped Badal about her body with a cutlass, resulting in her sustaining severe injuries to her head.

Reports are that on the day in question, at Rose Hall Town in East Berbice, the woman – who works as a junior manager at the Nand Persaud Berbice Rice Mills –was at a wash bay when her ex-reputed husband arrived and began chopping her to the head and body. At the time of the incident, Persaud and Badal had been separated for over three months.

An electric bike

Traffic Chief Dennis Stephens

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Refuse to let anyone dismantle your plans. Put together a foolproof project. Call on those who have helped in the past to give you the backup you need to succeed.

(March 21-April 19)

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Act, speak up and make a difference. Offering a unique solution will help get others on board. A makeover will give you a trendy new look.

(April 20-May 20)

Seek out information, facts and figures before you press forward. Take the time to do your due diligence and make yourself clear to those meddling in your affairs. Trust in your ability.

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Easy come, easy go. You have the potential to bring in cash but also to let it slip through your fingers. Don’t be fooled by advertising. Spend time with people who give you honest feedback.

(June 21-July 22)

Generosity is attractive, but don’t spend or give away money that you don’t have. Change can be overrated, and it is best to implement it out of necessity. Join forces with someone who can give you good advice.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(July 23-Aug. 22)

Take the high road, regardless of what others do or say. A kind approach will buy you time to discover helpful information. Being well-informed will make a difference and help ward off trouble.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Put your emotions on the back burner and go about your business. Letting someone get to you will prove debilitating. If you stand your ground and speak your mind, you’ll maintain control.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Lighten up and enjoy the moment. Participate in events that interest you or start a project that can change your life. Take care of your health and finances instead of trusting such matters to someone else.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Help others, and you’ll reap the rewards. Try stepping outside your comfort zone to deal with someone giving false information. A serious attitude will encourage respect.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Learn something new, and expand your interests, friendships and circumstances to fit your plans. Refuse to let emotions influence your decisions or cost you your dignity.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Stop waffling and do whatever it takes to get where you want to go. Say no to negativity, interference and laziness. Agree to pick up the pace and initiate positive changes.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

You’ll be backed into a corner if you aren’t willing to put yourself and your ideas on the line. Stand up for what’s important to you and reject anyone who tries to stand in your way.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

INDIA IN CONTROL

Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023: Australia vs India, Test 1 of 4… -through efforts of Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel

How competitive could Australia's 177 prove? The answer, it would appear, was “not very”. This felt like a Test that would be set up by one innings, and Rohit Sharma is likely to have produced that performance with an outstanding century on the second day in Nagpur, before the lower order benefitted from his efforts.

Australia just about kept in touch, largely through the magnificent performance of Todd Murphy, who claimed five wickets on debut; but India's lead grew to a substantial one.

Rohit's century, his first as Test captain - giving him hundreds in all three formats, both as a batter and a leader - was supplemented by Ravindra Jadeja adding a half-century to his bowling success, alongside a second Test fifty from fellow leftarm spinner Axar Patel.

Due to injury, this was just the fourth match of Rohit's Test captaincy tenure, so he had not yet had the chance to really imprint himself on the side. He could not have done much more in this display, facing 212 balls over nearly six hours in the middle, an almost faultless display on a surface which, while not as difficult as some had predicted, certainly kept the bowlers in the contest.

There was a different tempo to his batting on the second day, compared to the first evening, when he had taken advantage of a wayward Pat Cummins to skip

to a 66-ball fifty. Instead, the first session today brought him 29 runs, and the second brought him 33, before he was finally extracted by a superb delivery from Cummins with the second new ball, with perhaps a hint of tired footwork.

But by then India were in the lead, and it had swelled to commanding proportions late in the day, as Jadeja and

summed up Australia's position. It will take a huge effort from them to post enough of a target to defend, but they could at least toast the debut of Murphy, playing just his eighth first-class match, after a performance that belied his professional inexperience but showed why he is so highly rated.

Having claimed KL Rahul late on the first day,

to follow when Cheteshwar Pujara paid the price for a rare sweep, top-edging from well outside leg to short fine.

Australia had a glimmer of an opening, and it became much brighter straight after lunch when, in the first delivery of the session, another leg-side ball, this time to Virat Kohli, brought a wicket with the thin edge being well held at the second attempt

168 for 5, and still behind Australia's underwhelming total. However, this India team bats deep, and not for the first time, it was the lower-middle order who played a crucial role.

Rohit's frustrations at some of his team-mates' dismissals had been clear, but after the wobble either side of lunch, which saw India lose 3 for 33, he retained his composure and slowly worked through the 90s, before reaching three figures with a classy lofted drive wide of mid-off. It was a pumped-up celebration: this was a huge innings in the context of the match, and maybe the Series.

wicket. After Cummins, with his best spell of the game, had finally uprooted Rohit - the ball after Smith had missed a clear-cut chance at second slip - Murphy pushed one into the pads of fellow debutant KS Bharat, and this time the DRS went in Australia's favour.

Axar added an unbroken 81 for the eighth wicket against an attack that started to show some weariness.

A final-over dropped catch by Steven Smith at slip, while not the pivotal moment,

he provided Australia their opening incision (and later took the first four wickets) when he trapped the rather overqualified nightwatcher R Ashwin lbw with the aid of DRS. A bigger scalp was soon

by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

When Suryakumar Yadav's debut innings ended with a loose drive at Nathan Lyon, allowing the ball to spin back through a big gate into off stump, India were

Kevin Durant traded to Phoenix Suns; Russell Westbrook joins Utah Jazz

The34-year-old Kevin Durant will boost an already impressive Suns’ line-up, featuring All-Star guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker, as well as centre Deandre Ayton, who was the top pick in the 2018 draft.

The Suns have also acquired TJ Warren, with the Nets receiving Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and four firstround picks.

Russell Westbrook has moved to the Utah Jazz from the Los Angeles Lakers. The point guard, who struggled for form in two difficult seasons with the Lakers, departed in a three-team, eight-player deal before Thursday's trade deadline.

Durant, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest scorers of all time, endured four frustrating years with the Nets, after joining in 2019. The small forward missed the entire 2019-20 season with an Achilles injury, and won only one play-off series with Brooklyn before initially requesting a trade last year.

The Nets' struggles came despite Durant teaming up with star guards Kyrie Irving and James Harden. All

three have now been traded, with Harden leaving for the Philadelphia 76ers last year, and Irving joining the Dallas Mavericks this week.

Durant previously won back-to-back championships with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and was named as the Finals MVP on both occasions.

The Suns, who were beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals, will now be seen as strong contenders for the title. They are currently sixth in the Western Conference.

The Nets are fifth in the

Eastern Conference, and still in play-off contention. They also acquired Jae Crowder in the trade with the Suns, but subsequently dealt him to the Bucks.

The Lakers, who missed last year's play-offs, are attempting to salvage their season, as they currently lie 13th in the Western Conference.

In the Westbrook deal, they acquired point guard D'Angelo Russell, who started his career with the Lakers, from the Minnesota Timberwolves, as well as guard Malik Beasly and power forward Jarred Vanderbilt

from the Jazz.

The Timberwolves acquired point guard Mike Conley and shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Jazz.

The Lakers then continued their mid-season makeover by trading Patrick Beverly to the Orlando Magic in exchange for centre Mo Bamba in a deal that also involved the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers' need for extensive changes was evident on Thursday night, as they fell to a 115-106 defeat by the Bucks, albeit in the absence of LeBron James, who sat out with an ankle injury.

Elsewhere, on a busy day of deals before Thursday's trade deadline, defending champions Warriors brought back point guard Gary Payton II, who won last year's title with them, in a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers acquired forward Kevin Knox from the Detroit Pistons, who received James Wiseman from the Warriors. The Atlanta Hawks have acquired Saddiq Bey from the Pistons as part of the deal. (BBC Sport)

He had a partner he could trust in Jadeja, these days transformed into a top-order Test player, and the duo saw out the rest of the afternoon session, although Jadeja had two moments of fortune. On 22, he edged the luckless Scott Boland past Smith at a wide slip, the ball going under the right hand on the full; and on 33, he was the beneficiary of an excruciatingly tight umpire's call for an lbw shout from Murphy.

However, Murphy was not to be denied his fifth

If the visitors could have cut through the tail quickly, the prospect of setting a fourth-innings target would have been realistic, but their pre-play hopes that one wicket would bring a clatter never really transpired. The fact India's No. 9 (albeit a batter better than that position suggests) was able to play with relative comfort put into context some of the chatter on the pitch that preceded this game.

Jadeja and Axar were initially very circumspect - time on the pitch a factor as well as runs - but as the shadows lengthened, the run rate quickened, with Axar producing some eye-catching drives. You suspected, however, that when this pair and Ashwin had the ball back in their hand on Saturday, batting would look a rather different prospect. (ESPN Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st Innings 177 all out India 1st Innings

Rohit Sharma (c) b Cummins 120

KL Rahul c & b Murphy 20

Ravichandran Ashwin

lbw b Murphy 23

Cheteshwar Pujara c

Boland b Murphy 7

Virat Kohli c †Carey b Murphy 12

Suryakumar Yadav b Lyon 8

Ravindra Jadeja not out 66

Srikar Bharat †lbw b Murphy 8

Axar Patel not out 52

Extras (lb 2, nb 3) 5

TOTAL 114 Ov (RR: 2.81) 321/7

Fall of wickets: 1-76

(KL Rahul, 22.5 ov), 2-118 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 40.1 ov), 3-135 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 44.1 ov), 4-151 (Virat Kohli, 52.1 ov), 5-168 (Suryakumar Yadav, 59.1 ov), 6-229 (Rohit Sharma, 80.4 ov), 7-240 (Srikar Bharat, 83.1 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Pat Cummins 18-2-74-1

Scott Boland 17-4-34-0

Nathan Lyon 37-10-98-1

Todd Murphy 36-9-82-5

Marnus Labuschagne 5-0-24-0

Matt Renshaw 1-0-7-0

PSG's Messi doubtful for Champions League clash with Bayern - L'Equipe

Paris St Germain forward Lionel Messi is a doubt for the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League game against Bayern Munich, due to a hamstring problem, French sports daily L'Equipe reported on Friday.

Messi played the full 90

minutes of PSG's 2-1 defeat to Olympique Marseille in the French Cup on Wednesday, but later felt pain in his hamstring, the report said.

It added that the 35-yearold would miss PSG's Ligue 1 trip to AS Monaco on Saturday, three days before they host Bayern. (Reuters)

Kevin Durant started his career with the Seattle Supersonics in 2007

Rohit Sharma slammed 120

Todd Murphy had five wickets on debut

Matthews says West Indies ready for first World Cup game against England

TheWest Indies Women will open their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign against England Women at Boland Park in Paarl on Saturday afternoon.

Captain Hayley Matthews is hopeful that veteran player Stafanie Taylor would be assessed as fit to play before the match, as Taylor’s experience and great skills would be a big asset for the Maroon Warriors’ batting lineup against England, and throughout the tournament.

The match starts at 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica).

Speaking ahead of the match Matthews said: “It's going to be really good for us that we can get out there and have a strong group of players to pick from. We’ve had a couple of injuries over the last couple of weeks, but we know that we can go there, hopefully with a much stronger side, and put on a good performance.

“The prospect of Staf hopefully coming back in that first game tomorrow is going to be something really good to see.”

Also returning from injury is all-rounder Chinelle Henry, who missed the recent Tri-Nations Series and

LeBron James has said it felt "surreal" to see his name up in lights as the NBA all-time record points scorer, even as he revealed who the heroes are who inspired his journey to the top of basketball.

The 38-year-old addressed the crowd at Crypto. com Arena on Thursday night, telling them how Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant had been long-time inspirations, while hailing his mother Gloria and wife Savannah.

With 38 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, James moved to

was injured during the international home Series against England when they visited the Caribbean last December. Shakera Selman has also missed most of the Tri-Nations Series. Henry’s all-round ability as a pinch-hitter is critical to the batting, as well as her opening bowling spell. Matthews said on the re-

turning players, “We definitely had a lot to learn from that Series (against England in December), but, at the same time, we’ve got the opportunity now for our players who have previously done well against England to be back in the set-up, which I think is good for us to go out there and play a really good game.”

The inclusion of three Rising Stars players from the recently concluded ICC Women’s U19 World Cup is a welcome injection of youth and fresh legs into the squad.

“We felt it was the right time to bring some young players in, not just to be here, but to really get the experience. We might see some of them feature in this tourna-

ment, but it’s a great learning experience for them.”

The West Indies Women are heading into the first match on a winning note, after they defeated Sri Lanka Women in their final warmup match last Wednesday. West Indies and England are drawn in Group 2, alongside India, Pakistan and Ireland.

The eighth edition of the marquee event started on Friday with hosts South Africa taking on Sri Lanka. Newlands, Cape Town; Boland Park, Paarl and St. George’s Park, Gqeberha are the host venues for the tournament, with both semi-finals and final being played in Cape Town on 26 February.

West Indies Match Schedule

11 February: vs England, Boland Park, Paarl, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

15 February: vs India, Newlands, Cape Town, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

17 February: vs Ireland, Newlands, Cape Town,7pm (1pm Eastern Caribbean/12 noon Jamaica)

19 February: vs Pakistan, Boland Park, Paarl, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica). West Indies Match Schedule

11 February: vs England, Boland Park, Paarl, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

15 February: vs India, Newlands, Cape Town, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)

17 February: vs Ireland, Newlands, Cape Town,7pm (1pm Eastern Caribbean/12 noon Jamaica)

19 February: vs Pakistan, Boland Park, Paarl, 3pm (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica).

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38,390 in his regular season career, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's longstanding record of 38,387.

Coming up for 20 years as an NBA player, the former Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat star is in the fifth year of his Lakers stint. He told of how his journey to the summit of professional sports came against all odds, being founded on his admiration for great men of basketball and the powerful women in his life.

"Growing up in the small town of Akron, Ohio, in an underprivileged single-parent household, only child, you feel like you're never going to make it out," James said.

"You feel like the statistics are built up against you. You feel like the system is built against you to not succeed. You feel like there's no way you're going to have an opportunity for your dreams to become a reality. And I didn't allow those moments to deter me from my dreams.

"I had dreams every day of playing in the NBA. I had dreams every day of being an inspiration to so many people. I had dreams of one day being able to throw no-look

I always felt it was my job and my responsibility to come out and play the game at a high level, and be as great as I can be, because there is a kid in the inner city somewhere that's looking for inspiration, and is going to need it and maybe get it from me."

James sat out the Lakers' 115-106 home loss to the high-flying Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night, having made his speech before the game. With his mother and his wife with him on the court floor, James said: "As I look up at this jumbotron and seeing the 'NBA all-time leading scorer', it's so surreal to me. But the one thing I know for sure is I never cheated a game of basketball, and I would never cheat in a game of basketball, because it's given so much to myself, given so much to my family.

"My beautiful wife is the real MVP. If you want to be completely honest, she's the all-time leading scorer. My family is everything to me, and you guys (in the Lakers crowd) over the last five years have become family to me as well.

"Every night I step on the floor, I understand I truly have a huge responsibility and understand what it means to represent the Los Angeles Lakers when I step on this floor; so, thank you so much." (Sportsmax)

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LeBron James hails Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and mum Gloria as NBA record inspirations

LeBron James

Hayley Matthews

WI 4-Day Championships 2023…

Joseph’s maiden five-wicket haul leads Guyana fightback

By Brandon Corlette in Grenada

Twenty-three-year-old fast-bowler Shamar

Joseph produced a fine display of energetic fast-bowling to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in his second game. Guyana Harpy Eagles ended day three of this second round of the West Indies Championships on 35-0, requiring another 259 runs on the final day.

Joseph's 5-41 in 12 overs bundled out Volcanoes for 168 in their second innings, setting Guyana a target of 294 runs to win in four sessions. Opener Chandrapaul Hemraj was struck on the helmet and retired out for

ed at 11:15h. Ronsford Beaton produced a good delivery with the second ball of the day to remove Kaveem Hodge, caught at the wicket for 13. Ambris and Justin Greaves had a testing first hour from the seamers, but they left the ball nicely and played late.

The rain returned at the National Stadium in Grenada at 12:01h, when Volcanoes were 70-3, with a lead of 195 runs. Three minutes later play resumed, and the Volcanoes batsmen looked to score quickly after the lead had surpassed 200 runs.

Ambris was eventually caught at the wicket by Bramble for 26 off the lively Joseph.

joying a lead of 221 runs.

Lunch certainly tasted great for the Guyanese, especially for Joseph. He found the edge of Greaves for 27, caught at the wicket by the steady Bramble. Two overs later, Joseph sent back Ryan John (01) and also claimed the wicket of the promising Walcott.

Volcanoes batsmen were looking to attack, and Imlach's brilliant one-handed catch at second slip ensured Walcott departed for a shot-filled 23. Kimani Melius (06), who is suffering from a groin injury, came to bat late in the innings, and he, too, fell to the lively and impressive Joseph, leaving the score

he trapped Kenneth Dember for 15 to close Volcanoes’ innings on 168 in 56.3 overs.

Volcanoes had a lead of 293 runs, which meant

Guyana Harpy Eagles required 294 runs in four sessions. Play will resume on day four today, from 9:30h, EC Time.

SCOREBOARD

Windward Islands Batting

Jerlani Robinson c

Bramble b Beaton 3

Kavem Hodge c Bramble b Beaton 13

Alick Athanaze c

Johnson b Smith 11

Sunil Ambris c

Bramble b Joseph 26

Justin Greaves c

Bramble b Joseph 27

Tevyn Walcott c Imlach

b Joseph 23

three. Tevin Imlach (13) and Matthew Nand (18) have since remained unbeaten when rain ended the day early.

Joseph bags magical five

After a rain delay on the third morning, play start-

Greaves took back-toback boundaries off Joseph, who used the short-ball ploy. Guyana Harpy Eagles looked to attack with added fielders under the bat.

The Barbadian duo of Tevyn Walcott and Justin Greaves took the Volcanoes to lunch with the score on 96-4 after 32 overs, their team en-

at 129-8.

Melius edged one to Bramble, who had, at this point, claimed his fifth catch in this second innings. The rain returned with Volcanoes on 131-8 in 44.3 overs, enjoying a lead of 256 runs.

After Joseph had bowled 12 overs on the trot, he was

given a rest, and the fiery Beaton came and delivered heat rocks. Preston McSween looked to score quickly, but Beaton sent him back for 25.

After the 33-run stand ended for the ninth wicket, Permaul finally got his first wicket of the second innings, and fifth of the match, when

Justin Greaves 103/6 (35.1) Ryan Johh 118/7 (39.6) Tevyn Walcott 129/8 (41.4) Kimani Melius 162/9 (53.4) Preston McSween 168/10 (56.3)

Bowling Nial Smith (10-1-24-1)

Ronsford Beaton (15-2-35-3)

Ryan John c Permaul b Joseph 1

Kimani Melius c Bramble b Joseph 6

Preston McSween c

Johnson b Beaton 25

Kenneth Dember lbw

b Permaul 15

Darius Martin not out 1

Total (10 wickets, 56.3) (17 extras)168

FOW: 6/1 (3.2) Jerlani Robinson 19/2 (6.5) Alick Athanaze 49/3 (17.2) Kavem Hodge 86/4 (29.4) Sunil Ambris 101/5 (33.1)

Pride secure six-wicket win over Scorpions inside three days

Defending champions

Barbados Pride have secured a six-wicket win against the Jamaica Scorpions with a day to spare at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua on Friday.

The Scorpions started the day at 6-0 after four overs, trailing the Pride by 69 runs. However, with the second ball of the day, Akeem Jordan bowled Leroy Lugg for two.

Debutant Tevin Gilzene was next to go, caught by Shayne Moseley for nine off the bowling of Jordan in the seventh over.

Captain Paul Palmer Jr then joined Kirk McKenzie at the crease, but he didn’t last long before becoming Jordan’s third victim of the day after scoring one, to leave the Scorpions in a spot of bother at 21-3 after 11 overs.

Two and a half overs later, Jamaica lost their fourth wicket when Aldane Thomas

was dismissed by Shamar Springer for three. Not long after, Abhijai Mansingh became wicket number four for Jordan, caught for a duck af-

in the 19th over with the score on just 36.

It was then Marquino Mindley’s turn to face the music, alongside McKenzie. The

In the midst of the carnage at the other end, McKenzie brought up his maiden firstclass fifty off 67 balls in the 28th over. McKenzie (54) and

50- partnership shortly after lunch, McKenzie finally fell for a top score of 56 off 78 balls, to leave the Scorpions at 106-8. Gordon Bryan joined Shields at the wicket, and the pair put on 17 before Shields was next to go, for 22 in the 37th over, with the score on 123.

Playing only his second first-class game, Bryan then provided some handy runs at the end, putting on 28 for the final wicket with Patrick Harty before being the last man dismissed, for 42 off 64 balls.

The defending champions then needed just 29.2 overs to get to their target, reaching 78-4 to complete a six-wicket win. Zachary McCaskie scored 26 against Patrick Harty’s 3-26 from 9.2 overs. (Sportsmax)

ter nicking one, to leave the Scorpions at 25-5 in the 15th over.

Jamie Merchant, who next came to the crease, added 12 for the seventh wicket with McKenzie, before he fell for 10

pacer reached one off seven balls before he became Springer’s second wicket, to leave Jamaica reeling at 56-7 in the 22nd over. Debutant Ojay Shields joined McKenzie in the middle.

Ojay Shields (17) were the notout batsmen as the Scorpions entered the lunch break at 101-7 from 29 overs, holding a slim 26-run lead over the Bajans.

After bringing up their

In the end, the Scorpions limped to 151 all out in 45.5 overs, leaving the Pride needing just 77 to win. Pace did the job for Barbados, as Akeem Jordan continued his excellent form with the ball with 4-65 off 17 overs; while Jair McAllister finished with 3-35 from 11 overs, and Shamar Springer picked up two wickets.

Scores: Jamaica Scorpions 140 off 54.5 overs (Jamie Merchant 35, Tevin Gilzene 32, Abhijai Mansingh 27, Shamar Springer 3-11, Camarie Boyce 3-26, Akeem Jordan 3-48) and 151 off 45.5 overs. (Kirk McKenzie 56, Gordon Bryan 42, Akeem Jordan 4-65, Jair McAllister 3-35, Shamar Springer 2-38) Barbados Pride 215 off 69.5 overs (Shayne Moseley 82, Shane Dowrich 64*, Patrick Harty 4-23, Marquino Mindley 2-25, Abhijai Mansingh 2-30) and 78-4 off 29.2 overs (Zachary McCaskie 26, Jonathan Drakes 19, Shemar Springer 11*, Shane Dowrich 5*, Patrick Harty 3-26).

Shamar Joseph is congratulated by his teammates after his five-wicket haul (Brandon Corlette photos)

Shamar Joseph bowling during his maiden five-wicket haul Nandu and Imlach showed fight in the last session, after Hemraj retired hurt

Barbados Pride won in three days