Guyana Times - Saturday, February 25, 2023

democracies – French Ambassador EU offers support to Guyana’s justice, security sectors 6 of 8 persons wanted for money laundering surrender Cop injured in Berbice accident succumbs Kitty man gets 3 years for Norton Street drug bust

Several homeless after fires ravage Foulis house, Louisa Row apartment building

The Foulis fire

Afire of unknown origin has completely gutted a house at 2nd Street, Foulis, East Coast Demerara on Thursday, February 24, 2023.

According to the Guyana Fire Service, a call was received on Thursday in respect to the fire at Lot 67 Second Street, Foulis, ECD, and water tenders from the Melanie and Mahaica Fire Stations were immediately dispatched to the location.

“The structure involved was a one-storey wooden building owned by 44-yearold Balram Singh, which he occupied with his family of three,” the Fire Service has said.

Guyana Times was informed that when the fire started, Singh was at the Shine Taxi Service base, which is a stone’s throw from his home. He was informed of the fire, and the Fire Service was summoned to the scene, but by the time

the fire was extinguished, the building and its contents were destroyed.

Two houses located on the eastern and western sides of the burnt building were also affected by the fire, and three vehicles belonging to 43-yearold Poramraj Singh, which were parked under his building, were destroyed by the fire.

The Fire Service has said that two jets working from Water Carrier #17, and subsequently two jets working from Light Pump #104 via an open water source, were used to extinguish this fire.

The Louisa Row fire

Another fire, which occurred at a two-storey, wooden-and-concrete apartment building at Louisa Row, Georgetown late on Friday afternoon, has also led to several persons be-

ing rendered homeless after that structure went up in flames.

One of the occupants of the upper flat of this four-apartment structure explained that he had raised concerns with the parents of several young men in the lower flat about them smoking ‘weed’.

He is of the belief that smoking might have led to the building’s devastation. This was corroborated by other occupants of the building.

Persons in the area have commended the Fire Service for its quick response and effective containment of the blaze. A resident who lives opposite the devastated house recalled seeing thick black smoke emanating from the lower flat of the house, followed by flames. The Fire Prevention Department is currently investigating both fires.

Firefighters at the Louisa Row scene of the Georgetown fire on Friday

The fire that destroyed the home at Foulis, ECD

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Saturday, Feb 25 – 22:00h to 23:30h and Sunday, Feb 26 – 03:00h – 03:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, Feb 25 – 07:25h – 08:55h and Sunday, Feb 26 – 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 sunshine and light cloud during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to North North-Easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 07:54h and 20:20h reaching maximum heights of 2.58 metres and 2.44 metres.

Low Tide: 13:53 reaching a minimum height of 0.65 metre.

Indian Pres calls for diversified bilateral trade in meeting with VP Jagdeo

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo continued his official visit to India by calling on President Shrimati Droupadi Murmu, who wants to see bilateral relations between the two countries diversified.

The meeting was held on Friday morning at the official Presidential Residence – Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

According to a statement from her office, President Murmu said India attaches very high importance to its relations with Guyana.

Guyana has been a homeland to Indian brothers and sisters for the last 180 years. Even though the two countries are separated geographically by a large distance, it was recognised in the missive that both have many aspects in common such as a colonial past, predominantly agricultural and rural-based economies, and multicultural societies.

Currently, trade between India and Guyana is on an upward trajectory. In the 2021-22 period, bilateral trade between the two countries witnessed a growth of over 300 per cent despite the fallout from the pandemic.

The statement also indicated that President Murmu “…stressed the need to further diversify the bilateral trade.”

The President further noted, according to the statement, that development partnership is a major pillar of India-Guyana relations. She was also elated to learn that more than 640 Guyanese Government officials have been trained under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme so far.

President Murmu expressed confidence that VP Jagdeo’s visit would “further deepen historical bonds of friendship between India and Guyana.”

The Guyanese Vice President arrived in India earlier this week for an official visit from February 20 to 25, 2023. He is accompanied by Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh and a high-level Government and business delegation from Guyana.

On Thursday, Jagdeo met with his counterpart, Indian Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar. The two officials agreed to continue working on strengthening the bilateral partnership in various sectors including petroleum and natural gas, agriculture, agro-processing, education, healthcare, capacity building, ICT, renewable energy, and climate change.

The Guyanese official also met with several Ministers of the Indian Government including Dr Mansukh Mandaviya – Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Chemicals and Fertilisers, who said “Wonderful meet-

ing with Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, Vice President of Guyana. Discussed various issues of bilateral importance in the health sector including the creation of manufacturing hubs of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostic & handholding, and training of the medical workforce.”

Also on Friday, the Vice President met with India’s Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs & Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri. After the engagement he said: “A very productive and fruitful meeting to further cement the ties between our two countries with Vice President of Guyana HE Dr Bharrat Jagdeo & Guyanese Finance Minister HE Dr Ashni Singh in New Delhi today.”

During his visit, VP Jagdeo also participated in the opening of the World Sustainable Development Summit held by TERI (The Energy Research Institute) in New Delhi from February 22 to 24.

In addition, the Guyanese Vice President also had an interview with the Indian

news channel – WION, during which he disclosed that Guyana is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would see the country benefiting from India’s vast technical skills in the oil and gas sector.

He noted that the signing of the MoU between the two nations would enhance cooperation in the energy sector beyond crude oil exports.

“We’re trying to build the architecture for a broader look at the energy sector and enhance cooperation between Guyana and India. So, we’re expecting shortly to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that would go beyond just the export of crude, but we’ll look at the energy sector and its development in its totality. And we are also looking to learn quite a bit from India in that process as we build out our industry,” he stated.

According to the Vice President, Guyana’s petroleum sector is a fledgeling industry with oil production only starting in 2019. However, he explained that

the industry is moving at a rapid pace with production to steeply ramp up by 2027 to over a million barrels per day. This, he noted, is almost 20 per cent of India’s daily use.

“So, we are working to ensure that the sector develops in a manner where the oil companies bear their share of responsibilities both from an environmental perspective and a fiscal perspective and that the industry is developed in an orderly way. So that is why India’s assistance and its great technical skills [will be tapped into by Guyana.] You have a lot of smart people here who can help us in defining the growth of the industry but not just on oil, on the gas sector as we move to develop a gas policy and to start utilising the gas resources and then in terms of environmental management, building capacity across the country. So we are looking forward with great excitement to the development of a strong relationship with India on energy-related matters,” Jagdeo stated.

– Jadeo says Guyana to tap into India’s technical skills for local oil & gas industry

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo with India President Shrimati Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Friday

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One Guyana

One of the characteristics of the post-modern world is a quest for “authenticity”: as the young say, “We gotta be real”. The first problem with this muchvaunted “authenticity” is that the very nature of the human self is artificial, and is shaped by its surrounding culture. However, by the West’s enlightenment, individualistic premises – to the extent that cultural influences are important – are often seen as sources of alienation, coercion and manipulation. The “true” self is touted to be that which is not a product of society, that which resists conformity, and makes individuals “unique”. As a result, the influencer is obsessed with novelty in all aspects of life –from art to lifestyles – touting the new simply because it is new.

But this romantic conception of the self is simply wrong. We are not plants or toads, whose development is largely an unfolding of prespecified potential. We are profoundly social animals, with brains wired to absorb and assimilate our surrounding culture, beginning most germanely with language. A person without culture is an abstraction-like form without content. The well-documented cases of “feral children” – that is, children who grew up with little human contact – are tragic testimonies to the indispensability of social learning. They were literally “non-human”.

Even a person’s most profound beliefs – those about God and the relationship between humans and the cosmos – are inextricably connected to culture. Hence the saliency of our ethnic ties in Guyana. However, we know what it is like to bow to social conventions, and mask our feelings and opinions from others. More poignantly, we know the painful dissonance of dissembling crucial components of our identity, our political beliefs, our sexuality, and so on. Does this not suggest an authentic self that persists behind our everyday social self, impervious to cultural accidents and influences, although it can remain forever hidden? And is it not to this self that we owe our loyalty?

Arguments like this can feel compelling because they fit in with our daily experience, even though traits and tendencies are different from what most of us would call a “self”. Humans are complicated and complex, capable of sublimating impulses to the extent of lying about them. This can be frustrating, debilitating; and, in some societies, tyrannically oppressive. But paradoxically, this is what also makes civilisation possible. Because we are both cooperative and highly competitive, our thoughts and impulses can be prosocial or antisocial. Some of those antisocial thoughts and impulses are relatively benign, though potentially offensive. We cannot give in to unmediated impulses from our id. Some of our thoughts and impulses are coercive, violent, or destructive.

Few people are so virtuous that they have never wanted to humiliate, hit, or even kill another person. Some people are filled with rage and hate, and would happily dominate others if they were in a position to do so. One of the crucial functions of civilisation is to curb these inclinations, so that we can cooperate (and compete) without constant violence. Democratic politics and the institutions that make it work are one such innovation. Although this might be frustrating on occasion, it leads to wealth, comfort, and cultural achievements that would otherwise be impossible.

The celebration of authenticity is premised, often only half-knowingly, on a quasi-Rousseauist belief that humans are naturally good, and only corrupted by society. But this belief is patently false: humans are not “naturally” good or evil, but created, as Kant phrased it, “out of this crooked timber”. As such, they are flawed, limited, and contradictory creatures, capable of envisioning a peaceful cooperative society of abundance but thwarted in achieving it, because their efforts are undermined by selfishness and rivalry.

Although we cannot fully achieve our moral goals in a utopia, we can, with the guidance of wise norms and institutions, create a lively and flourishing civilisation. And the function of these wise norms and institutions, such as democracy and its institutions, are to suppress, discipline and reshape our natural inclinations. Let us all commit to building a democratic One Guyana.

G20 tussles over Ukraine war as West steps up sanctions

BENGALURU, Feb 24 (Reuters)

- Finance leaders of the world's top economies sought on Friday to bridge differences over how to deal with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine a year ago, as the West stepped up sanctions against Moscow.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen accused Russian officials at the two-day Group of Twenty (G20) meeting in the Indian city of Bengaluru of being "complicit" in war atrocities.

But, underlining the split with those nations which have not joined efforts to isolate the Russian economy, meeting host India avoided mention of the year-old war in inaugural remarks and said the global economy faced a range of other challenges.

"I would urge that your discussions should focus on the most vulnerable citizens of the world," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, adding that stability, confidence and growth had to be brought back to the world economy.

Modi cited the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, rising debt levels, disruptions to supply chains and threats to food and energy security as key concerns.

India does not want the bloc to discuss sanctions on Russia and is also pressing to avoid using the word "war" in any communique, G20 officials told Reuters.

But French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said there was no way the group could step back from a joint statement agreed at a G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last November, which noted that "most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine".

"Either we have the same language or we do not sign on the final communique," Le Maire told reporters.

Such stand-offs have become increasingly common in the G20, a forum created over 20 years ago in response to past economic crises but which has recently been hobbled by differences between Western nations and others including China and Russia.

Speaking on the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, Yellen urged G20 economies to redouble efforts to support Ukraine and restrict Russia's capacity to wage war.

"I urge the Russian officials here at the G20 to understand that their continued work for the Kremlin makes them complicit in Putin's atrocities," Yellen said in remarks to the meeting.

Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland also rebuked the Russians personally, according to a Western official familiar with her remarks.

Speaking in Russian, she said: "You are apparatchiks, you are economistsyou are not soldiers. But, all the same, you also bear personal responsibility for this criminal war. We know who you are, and we will not forget," said Freeland, who is of Ukrainian descent.

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and central bank governor Elvira Nabiullina did not attend, with Moscow represented by deputies. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special military operation".

G7 DEEPENS RUSSIA SANCTIONS

Leaders of the wealthy G7 democracies issued a statement pledging to continually deepen sanctions against those aiding Russia's war effort after they had a virtual meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

"We will maintain, fully implement and expand the economic measures we have already imposed," the statement released by current G7 president Japan said, noting that it would be working on how to deprive Russia of revenues from diamond exports.

Separately, Washington released details of new measures it was taking that not only targeted Russia but also "third-country actors" across Europe, Asia and the Middle East that are supporting Russia's war effort.

"We will sanction additional actors tied to Russia's defence and technol-

ogy industry, including those responsible for backfilling Russian stocks of sanctioned items or enabling Russian sanctions evasion," it said.

Britain also issued more sanctions against Russia, including export bans on every item it has used on the battlefield and import bans on iron and steel goods.

But European Union countries were still struggling to overcome disagreements on a new set of EU sanctions against Russia, diplomatic sources told Reuters. They were making a new bid on Friday after talks ended in failure late on Thursday.

The G20 bloc includes the G7 countries, as well as Russia, China, India, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, among others.

British Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt told reporters that focusing G20 discussions on Ukraine did not mean neglecting other issues.

"In the end, unless we resolve the global security threats, there can be no progress on these other areas," he said.

Both China and India have seen trade with Russia surge in the wake of sanctions, with New Delhi vastly increasing its purchases of cheaper Russian oil.

The meeting comes amid signs that the global outlook has improved from the last G20 summit in October, when a number of economies were teetering on the brink of recession amid energy and food price spikes.

The G20 meeting is also expected to hold talks on debt relief for distressed countries, with pressure building on China, the world's largest bilateral creditor, and other nations to take a large haircut in loans.

In a video address to the meeting, China's finance minister Liu Kun reiterated Beijing's position that the World Bank and other multilateral development banks participate in debt relief by taking haircuts alongside bilateral creditors.

With a one-point advantage, Former X2 sensation Adrian Dutchin was, in the wee hours of Thursday, crowned Guyana Soca Monarch 2023, after defeating his competitors with his tune “Guyana Nice” at the Guyana National Stadium

GECOM extends ‘Objections’ period in preparation for LGE

As it continues with preparation for the holding of the long-overdue Local Government Elections (LGE) in June this year, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has extended the objections aspect of the Claims and Objections exercise to allow for proper examination of the names on the list.

The previous Claims and Objections period was scheduled to last from February 13 to February 22.

But according to GECOM in a statement on Friday, “Acknowledging the need to allow persons to properly scrutinise the supplementary lists with those names, the Commission decided to extend the duration of the objections aspect of the Claims and Objections exercise until March 2, 2023.”

To this end, persons are encouraged to scrutinise the supplementary lists posted in each Constituency/Local Authority Area (LAA) and to object to the inclusion of the name(s) of any person

whom they suspect may not be eligible for inclusion on the list.

Further, GECOM also indicated that a decision was taken at Wednesday’s statutory meeting to suspend the Cycle of Continuous Registration with effect from February 24 until further notice.

The exercise commenced on January 3, 2023 and was scheduled to conclude on May 31, 2023. However, this decision was necessary to facilitate the inclusion of all eligible persons who have registered thus far, under Continuous Registration, in the respective Register of Voters (RoV) for the upcoming Local Government Elections.

The seven-member Commission, after deliberations, ultimately decided to suspend the registration exercise based on a proposal and advice submitted by the Chief Elections Officer, Vishnu Persaud, in order to ensure the inclusion of all eligible persons in the final Register of Voters.

GECOM noted that in order to facilitate the inclusion of those persons in the RoV, the Commission would have to compile supplementary lists by constituency and post them for public scrutiny.

During an update to the media following Wednesday’s meeting, Government-nominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj had revealed that over 2000 persons were captured thus far in the exercise to the register of registrants in preparation for the Local Government polls.

In addition to the peo-

ple who registered during Continuous Registration, Gunraj said, claims and objections also resulted in 500 applicants.

GECOM had announced it would begin preparing the Register of Voters, from which the Official List of Electors will be drawn.

Anyone eligible to be registered as a voter and not on the Preliminary List of Voters was required to make a claim to entry on/or before February 19. There was a requirement that persons objecting to a voter during this period could only do so if they were in

Cause to ponder

Dear Editor, “Mixing and Mashing”, but no Private Sector in the mix on Mash Day. Its noticeable absence is cause to ponder.

The Ministries and Government agencies really came together to put on a good show. There was a fusion of colour, creativity, concepts, vibrancy, and togetherness. I was particularly impressed by the showings of the Ministries

of Amerindian Affairs, Public Works, Human Services, Education, Public Service, and Natural Resources; but the show stealer for me was the GPF, with its colour scheme and uniformity. It was a sight to behold; all the participants in the band were decked out in white footwear. The absence of some big regions in the mix is also a cause to ponder.

All in all, it was a good

show, and despite the weather, the Mash Spirit was alive, and in no way diminished or lessened after a two-year absence. The energy of bands in the rain was palpable. The planners and producers of the event can take a bow.

On a note of observation: isn't it time the National Park be given an upgrade, particularly the stand, with better seating and lighting? To have to sit for such long

hours on hardwood is uncomfortable. Further, the poor lighting in the stand was unacceptable. The judges' tent also needed lighting. It had to have been realized that the event would run into the night, given the late start, and arrangements should have been made for lights to be installed.

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

Let’s have politics with principle in Guyana

Dear Editor,

As a private citizen & contributor of articles to our local newspapers’ letters columns, it’s enlightening and even more fascinating to see, from time to time, our politicians (especially those from the Main Opposition side of the House, which has a standing of 47.34% of constituen-

cies’ support nationwide as per 2020 General Elections’ results) expressing their views in this section of the media.

However, as the old saying goes, “When you’re in the Opposition benches, you know all that is right & wrong or true & false about accountability & transparency, good governance

& economic management; and can be reached or contacted 24/7 x 365”, but empirical revelations have shown that, when in office as a Government, it is a different ball game altogether.

Guyana has had a lot of this nonsense. Let’s stop the political oratory and mediocrity, and start practis-

the same constituency list as the voter.

Last week, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall set Monday, June 12, 2023, as the date for the holding of the much-anticipated and long overdue LGE in Guyana.

Section 35 (1) of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act, Chapter 28:03 empowers the Local Government Minister to appoint a day for the elections.

The previous week, GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh had written the Local Government Minister asking him to set May 22 this year for the conduct of the local polls. Minister Dharamlall responded to the GECOM Chair and indicated that the LGE was set for June 12 instead.

Now that a date has been set by the Local Government Minister, the Elections Commission will have to determine when Nominations Day will be held.

GECOM has already reopened the process to provide a further opportunity for political parties, groups, or individuals wanting to contest the upcoming LGE to submit their applications for approval of their symbols by March 1, 2023.

Section 48 (1) of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act, Chapter 28:03, provides that all political parties, voluntary groups, and individuals who are desirous of contesting Local Government Elections are required to submit a symbol for approval by the Guyana Elections no later than the 21st day before Nomination Day.

LGE, which is constitutionally due every two years, was last held in 2018.

At the November 2018 Local Government polls, the then PPP/C Opposition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, during which the PPP/C also claimed the majority of the LAAs.

Saturday, February 25, 2023

06:00 (Sign on) Inspirational Time

06:30 Cartoons

07:00 Evening News (RB)

08:00 Stop Suffering

09:00 Movie - Lady and the Tramp (2019)

11:00 Indian Movie - Doctor G (2022)

13:00 Movie - Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012)

14:30 Movie - Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board (2007)

16:00 Shades of Brown

17:00 Payless Power Hour

18:00 Evangelistic Hour

18:30 Hepzibah

19:00 The Evening News

ing politics with principle backed by ethical & moral actions and delivery in the interest of the Guyanese people. For this is what a Party/Government should be measured and voted on by the electorate, nothing less…

Truly yours,

Paul Ramrattan

20:00 Islam for Guyana

20:30 Movie - Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006)

22:00 Movie - The Pale Blue Eye (2022) 00:00 Sign off

No regrets about APNU/AFC’s “lopsided”

PSA with ExxonMobil – Ramjattan

Despite continuous criticisms over the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between the Guyana Government and ExxonMobil that was negotiated under the previous Administration, Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan stated that there are no regrets in signing the ‘lopsided’ oil contract.

The former APNU/ AFC coalition inked the controversial PSA with United States oil major, ExxonMobil, in 2016 to develop the country’s petroleum resources offshore but features such as low royalty – a meagre two per cent, lack of ring-fencing provisions, sweeping cost recovery clauses, tax exemptions, among others, have attracted heavy criticisms over the years.

But during the AFC’s weekly press conference on Friday, Ramjattan contended, “Nope, I do not [regret the signing of the PSA] because indeed it seems like the law is now vindicating us. What I wanted to say here is that to get that great decision signed up, it was an important thing that we take all these things into consideration… The fact that we managed to get the signing up of that Petroleum Production Agreement going and then they [ExxonMobil and its co-venturers] came and we are now getting about two billion dollars a year, is one of the finest economic decisions ever made for the benefit of this coun-

try.”

According to the AFC Leader, had the APNU/ AFC Government not signed the contract then they not only risked Exxon and its Stabroek Block co-venturers, Hess Corp and CNOOC, walking away but the Administration would have received backlash for causing the country to lose out earning billions.

“You do not, now, when you sign on then go and say, well you know I should not have done that and I should not have done that… At the time, we did what we did knowing that we were going to get monies. If we did not do that [the media and others] would have been cussing us down [about] why did you not sign the agreement, that at least we could have gotten a billion dollars or two billion dollars because the people were going to walk away… At that point when you want them to come, you had to make sure that they do not walk away, and that is the arrangement we had,” Ramjattan argued.

He added, “ExxonMobil, Hess, and CNOOC are not easy companies to deal with, but if they wanted and…we could have granted exemptions as we understand the financial people who were bargaining on our behalf said it could be done, well that is it. So, I’m not going to retract my original position that indeed the contract was a good one.”

Ramjattan also revealed that the coalition received a lot of advice from inter-

national consultants who agreed that the 2016 contract was a reasonable one to start with at that time when Guyana was pursuing its first oil. Nevertheless, he added that it would be a good decision for the current Administration to renegotiate royalties and taxes in all other projects going forward.

“Yes certainly, [the PSA should be renegotiated] because there are changed circumstances. When we signed it was about four-five billion barrels, it is eleven billion barrels now and we had signed up in relation to that one Liza arrangement and said that we are going to change certain [things] as we go along… But at the time when we signed what we signed, we were going to get this kind of monies –two billion, and it was go-

ing to raise when it reached 700,000 barrels [per day being produced] too far higher amounts,” he clarified.

However, Ramjattan’s calls for negotiation of the oil contract comes on the heels of ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge, defending the 2016 PSA saying that any new changes could be very “destructive to investor confidence” in the Stabroek Block.

“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 during a briefing earlier this month.

Meanwhile, during his remarks at the opening of this year’s International Energy Conference and Expo last week, President

Dr Irfaan Ali also defended his Government’s decision to stick with the 2016 contract.

He pointed out that his Administration has a responsibility to honour the current agreement in the best interest of the country.

“I spoke about the consequences of walking away… Let us say we stopped production tomorrow, stopped all the production, what is the consequence? …All those who’ve invested… who took a loan, build apartments, new hotels going up, the man who had three taxis and invested in 200 taxis now. What is the exposure to them and then what is the exposure to the financial institutions that financed those investments based on projection?” the Head of State questioned.

“So, what we did, we said ‘we have something that was already signed’. We agree we’re going to efficiently manage it to extract as much benefits as possible and all future agreements are going to be different,” President Ali stated.

Contending that there “must be a balance”, the Guyanese leader posited that “you cannot set terms and conditions that lock out investment”.

He said this is especially important now that Guyana has put up 14 new oil blocks offshore for auction.

Government is currently in the process of finalising the new PSA that will guide the terms and conditions of future oil contracts.

Under new conditions, Guyana stands to benefit from as high as a 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.

Member of Parliament Khemraj Ramjattan

The real...

…Guyanese tramp

What’s distinctive about our dear mudland is that which made it into a mudland – water, water everywhere, churning into our rich alluvial soil. Brought all the way from the innards of our country by our rivers, and from the innards of the Mighty Amazon via the Atlantic. Yes, we’re the land of many waters - and lots of mud! It was the Dutch who decided to drain our coast so that they could extract the wealth from that rich alluvial mud by planting tobacco, cotton and sugar.

When your Eyewitness looked at those Mash Bands tramping through the streets of Georgetown, he wondered how many realised that each of those streets they traversed was once the ‘middle walks’ of plantations? And that Water Street, where they began, was literally built to help keep out the waters of the Demerara River!! Or that if the Church St Canal hadn’t been filled, there’d be no way they could’ve gyrated through to Plantation Vlissengen, owned by the Bourdas, where the canals and middle walks ran northsouth rather than east-west, like in the plantations along the Demerara River! And so they could sashay over to Plantation Eve Leary to let it all hang out!!

And why is your Eyewitness subjecting you to all this “old-time story”?? Well, because we were supposed to be celebrating the “birth of OUR Republic” - and you can’t celebrate “birth” is you don’t at least start with your “Mumma”!! And our Mumma was, is, and always will be those plantations. But we do our darndest to bury that side of our heritage and pick up what?? The hand-me-down carnival culture of Trinidad has its own time, place, and circumstances.

So, exactly what was wrong with those plantations?? Plenty, that’s what!! And if we scratch our psyches just a tad, we’d discover where all that violence, high-handedness, wife beating, rum drinking, and learned helplessness that distinguish us today came from. And maybe if we don’t hide it under our beds, we’d also appreciate and celebrate how much we’ve overcome to get here today. And just as importantly, it could be a wakeup call not to backslide, but resolutely seize the opportunities that now present themselves from under the Atlantic. And have the last laugh!

Those who exploited our forefathers used them and our mud to enrich their countries. We should be reminding our people, with our Republic Day floats, that we can now, at long last, develop ourselves. And it doesn’t have to be dull. Heck!! Acting out real freedom can never be dull, since it comes out of a liberating awareness!!

So, what’s your Eyewitness suggesting? Just that we stop being so goddamn derivative and finally get real. Real Guyanese!!…

...Foreign Accent Syndrome

Did you know, dear reader, there’s something called “Foreign Accent Syndrome” (FAS)?? Your Eyewitness was finally enlightened as to why so many of our radio announcers - and of his friends - were speaking weird!! This is republished without any changes: “Firstly, it’s caused by brain damage stemming from a stroke or traumatic brain injury, particularly to the left hemisphere, the one responsible for language and speech. However, it can also be caused by psychological conditions affecting the brain, such as schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder, although that’s just a minority of cases.

“Researchers suspect the voice change is caused by a condition called Paraneoplastic Neurological Disorder (PND), that happens when cancer patients' immune systems attack parts of their brain, as well as muscles, nerves and spinal cord. Out of the 112 cases observed in a 2019 study, about 7 out of 10 cases were caused by a stroke, and around 20% of them saw their accents return to “somewhat normal”.

So don’t snicker; it’s an illness!!

…scoop

on contracts

Your Eyewitness just doesn’t get these claims of unfair awards of contracts. He sees the “requests for bids” in the papers; then the bidders and amounts. These are then opened in full view and announced.

So, where’s the scam??

Defence diplomacy to be key feature of Guyana’s foreign policy – President Ali

President Dr Irfaan

Ali said that the Government is working on promoting defence diplomacy as a key feature in Guyana’s foreign policy.

The Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces, who addressed newly promoted ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at State House on Friday, explained that as Guyana continues to develop, new strategies will be pursued.

He called defence diplomacy, one of the “most critical links between our foreign

policy, our defence mechanism and our development strategy”.

“We are now going to embark on having defence diplomacy as a key feature of our foreign policy and a key feature of our national architecture.”

Another important strategy the Government is pursuing in its development agenda is to prepare members of the GDF for continued contribution to the development of the country.

He posited that it is the training and experience of

the GDF that will be converted into an “additional knowledge set” to position the Force to produce men and women to be a part of the country’s defence diplomacy.

“So, as you embark on this journey, know that we are going to call upon you to contribute in a more significant way.”

President Ali also thanked the Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess for his “very strong commitment” over the last two years to transforming the GDF and integrating it into the country’s development plan.

This, the President said,

Cop injured in Berbice accident succumbs

APolice Corporal who was hit by a speeding car on Thursday in Berbice has succumbed to injuries while receiving medical attention.

Regional Commander

Shivpersaud Bacchus confirmed that Corporal Alden Reynolds passed away on Friday afternoon.

40-year-old Reynolds was on a bridge at Heatburn village along with a colleague when a driver lost control of the car he was driving and crashed into them.

Reynolds, who was stationed at Whim Police Station and attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), was flung into the air and was unconscious when he landed while Sergeant Javon Thomas, 37, who is stationed at Rose Hall Police Station as the Station Sergeant, was pinned under the car.

Both were taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where Reynolds was subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Hospital and later to a private hospital also in the city where he passed away.

Dead: Police Corporal Alden Reynolds

Police had stated that the driver of the car, HD 2816, was a 50-year-old taxi driver of First Street Edinburgh, East Bank Berbice.

According to the Police, the taxi was proceeding along the roadway at a fast rate of speed when the driver lost control and collided with the right-side rear portion of motor car PAC 4187 which was parked on the grass parapet.

The incident reportedly occurred in the presence of a medical doctor, who is attached to the New Amsterdam Hospital and whose husband is one of the Police officers.

Police say the driver was arrested and based on a breathalyser test conducted, he was above the legal limit of alcohol consumption. Charges are expected to be instituted shortly.

has helped to bolster and improve the standing of the military in Guyana.

“There is greater respect. There is greater honour shown to military officers, because you're delivering a lot more positive development and contributions in communities themselves, and this is not going unnoticed.”

Guyana’s increasing international presence and partnerships, he explained, gives the GDF the opportunity to “shine” and stand out.

“There are many regional institutions that are asking me for officers by name, because of courses you would

have attended and the way you conducted yourself and the way you presented yourself.”

The Head of State implored the ranks not to take the massive exposure and training opportunities that the GDF, and by extension the Government, is providing, for granted.

“Stay true to your oath of office. Stay true to professionalism. Stay true to the rule of law. Stay true to democracy and trust me, once you stay true to those principles, nothing can ever block you and your future from being better.”

The President posing with female officers of the GDF

Ali with newly promoted ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at State House on Friday

“Clear rules for the game” needed to protect “fragile” democracies – French Ambassador

With the democracy of several countries within the region coming under threat, and in light of Guyana’s own experience of such during the 2020 elections, France believes rigorous systems must be put in place to ensure political peace and stability prevails.

During a recent interview with Guyana Times, Non-Resident Ambassador of France to Guyana, Nicolas de Lacoste, who is stationed in neighbouring Suriname, reflected on the recent political unrest which saw protestors storming Suriname’s National Assembly.

Reports indicate that the protest in Suriname stemmed from that Government’s decision to remove subsidies from fuel.

It has been reported that Police were forced to use tear gas and fire warning shots in a bid to calm the riotous crowd. In fact,

the lobby of the National Assembly, along with the glass windows and doors, were destroyed. The protestors had also demanded the resignation of President Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

Noting that the situation is now back to normal, the French Ambassador nevertheless expressed, “All the democratic institutions have to be defended by all means…You don’t attack, you don’t vandalise, the National Assembly; you have to take measures to defend democracy.”

Earlier this year, just one week after the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as President of Brazil, thousands of supporters of the previous incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro, had stormed that country’s Congress, Supreme Court, and the Presidential Palace.

“We know quite well how fragile is democracy…the only thing you can do is di-

seen as well what happened in the United States…No country is vaccinated to any kind of turbulences.”

Guyana’s most recent instance of democracy being under threat was in 2020, when blatant attempts were made to alter the results of the national elections. At the time, France had issued a statement expressing its deep concern regarding the situation, and had called for the legitimate and democratically accepted process of vote tabulation to be followed.

updating and strengthening the electoral laws to ensure, among other things, stiffer penalties for those who partake in electoral fraud. Moreover, a Commission of Inquiry into those events is soon to submit its findings, which would include further recommendations on how to strengthen the electoral process.

Non-Resident Ambassador of France to Guyana, Nicolas de Lacoste it’s a little bit frightening, because, for instance, in Europe, we now have our elections, but we are following elections in (neighbouring countries)…

alogue. It’s having elections that nobody contests them [the results]; make sure your electoral code is in line with electoral practices…,” Ambassador de Lacoste said.

“Everybody has to learn. And remember, what we have today, in a very short period of time, all this wellness can disappear. And

“We are all interdependent, and we all know how fragile is democracy. We’ve

Following the fivemonth-long battle for the will of the people to be respected, Dr Irfaan Ali was, on August 2, 2020, finally sworn in as President. His administration has since embarked on a number of initiatives aimed at ensuring the events of 2020 are not repeated. These include

When asked to weigh in on the work the Government has been doing in this regard, this is what the French Ambassador explained: “The most important is to have clear rules for the game, and to have the best of possible electoral codes. I think this is the best way to ensure stability: to ensure that when you have elections, nobody afterwards (is contesting the results); that you have a flow from team to another without any kind of turbulences.”

EU offers support to Guyana’s justice, security sectors

Head of Delegation of the European Union in Guyana, Ambassador René Van Nes, during a meeting with Guyana’s Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has expressed an interest in supporting Guyana’s justice and security sectors through various programmes offered by the EU and its agencies.

During the engagement with the Attorney General on Friday, February 24, Ambassador Nes updated the AG on the El Pacto 2.0 Programme, into which Guyana can tap. It supports the implementation of the Regional Team Europe Initiatives for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) on justice and security.

Ambassador Nes explained that the programme intends to consolidate and strengthen LAC regional and EU-LAC bi-regional structures and mechanisms for cooperation on justice and security matters; strengthen the LAC’s overall rule of law

environment and the criminal justice institutions’ capacity to fight against transnational organised crime; and has a focus on women and youth-specific concerns.

In addition, it addresses specific challenges of transnational criminal markets of LAC organised crime, namely: trafficking in drugs, arms, human beings and cultural goods; environmental and cyber-crimes.

Further, Ambassador Nes informed the AG of the support to the effective administration of the criminal justice systems in the Caribbean programme, which aims to modernise and strengthen the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) participating countries’ court systems, processes, and services; and to train and equip judicial officers and court staff with skills and competencies necessary to deliver justice in a fair, transparent, efficient and timely manner.

This project intends

to support the judicial reform agendas of participating countries by building the capacity of trial and appellate courts, including the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), to improve court governance, customer-focused services, case flow management, and case disposition.

Additionally, Ambassador Van Nes pledged technical support on various matters.

Minister Nandlall thanked the Ambassador for his visit, and expressed appreciation for the significant role the EU has played in Guyana, especially during the protracted five months following the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The Attorney General also briefed the Ambassador on the legislative amendments and other measures that have been implemented to prevent electoral transgressions. Those measures take into consideration the recommendations of the EU Election Observation Mission.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Ambassador René Van Nes in discussion

$2.1B contract inked to develop Silica City – as Housing Ministry hands out $56B in contracts

Awhopping $2.1 billion contact was inked on Friday to develop Silica City along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway during a contract signing ceremony at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

This is one of the 126 contracts exceeding $56 billion that was awarded for infrastructural works under the Housing Ministry as part of its work programme for 2023.

Housing Minister Collin Croal at the signing ceremony explained that significant investments will be made in key project areas –a major one being the Silica City project which will be inhabited by 2025.

“A lot of people have been asking if they will see Silica City off and they have

been hearing about Silica City. One thing you can be rest assured is that by 2025, you will hear much more than just Silica City. You will see people living there,” the Minister envisioned.

With designs for the first phase of Silica City expected to commence this year, it is envisioned that over the next two decades this new city along the LindenSoesdyke Highway will grow to hold more than 12,500 households. The new city is intended to be one of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government’s climate change mitigation strategies.

It will initially cater to just over 3000 households in the first five years but 3800 acres of land has been earmarked for the new city, and designs for the first

phase of the project will begin this year. The city will be a smart one, powered by renewable energy and developed with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and goal 11 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

However, among the projects is the continuation of the four-lane highway currently constructed up to Great Diamond, which will now extend to Craig to the tune of $3.4 billion.

Other communities which will see infrastructural developments include Success, Good Hope, Le Ressouvenir, De Endragt, Great Diamond, Golden Grove, Meten-Meer-Zorg, Stewartville, Leonora,

Palmyra and Bartica among others.

However, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves stated that works on roads, bridges, culverts, drainage, access roads and other amenities for developing areas will be realised.

A breakdown of the works includes $15.4 billion for Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); $25 billion for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); $3.3 billion for Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); $9.4 billion for Region Six (East Berbice Corentyne); $1 billion for Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and $2.1 billion for Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

“CH&PA continues its

efforts and its programmes to assist our citizens and fulfil our mandate of bringing adequate housing to our citizens across the country,” Greaves shared.

Domino effect

Minister Coral charged contractors to meet the deadlines since delays have a trickle-down effect that will ultimately affect every other aspect of fulfilling the government’s mandate to deliver.

“We have made commitments to the people of Guyana and applicants who are waiting for their lots. Therefore, you have to make sure you meet the timelines. There is a domino effect every time we have a delay in the project execution. It hurts you because the longer you take to deliv-

er, it costs you more to deliver your project. Then we have the beneficiaries who are waiting,” he told contractors.

The Minister shared that there will be more site visits this year, and more mechanisms to ensure contractors perform on time. According to him, the Ministry will be taking a different approach this year to ensure that timelines are met.

“There are going to be more visits by myself and the other leaders in our Ministry. And there is going to be the application of ensuring that the timelines are met so clear instructions will be given to the project department for the application of liquidated damages. We can’t afford to have project overruns,” the Minister positioned.

The area was earlier cleared for works to commence at Silica City

Some of the contractors during the signing ceremony

$4M French-funded bridge to Harpy Eagle nesting site at Warapoka commissioned

By Devina Samaroo

The jungle trek towards a popular Harpy Eagle nestling site at the 700-year-old community of Warapoka in Region One (Barima-Waini) is now made easier following the recent commission of a 480ft-long wooden bridge.

Named the “Troolie Hill Bridge”, this new piece of infrastructure – designed and built entirely by the villagers – was funded to the tune of $4,095,060 by the French Government under the Solidarity Fund for Indigenous Peoples (SFIP) and was implemented by the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA).

Harpy Eagles were first spotted in the community in 1998, according to resident tour guide and self-taught birder Newton Wilson. At the time, however, residents did not know the bird was the majestic Harpy Eagle.

Warapoka tourism & agriculture

Wilson explained that there are three known nests in the area.

“The first Harpy that we had, after we recognised that it was a Harpy, it stayed here about 20 years and then it moved. The second one, it stayed like about five years and then the nest fall off the tree, and then the third one, the Harpy stayed about one year and then it gone again.”

Harpy Eagles are considered one of the most powerful and largest raptors in the world, preying on animals like sloths and monkeys.

In fact, the community said its howler monkey population has seemingly decreased since the presence of the eagles.

The pristine jungle in Warapoka is also a habitat to about 190 species of birds such as the Yellow-Headed Caracara, Agami Heron, and a wide variety of parrots and macaws.

At the bridge commissioning ceremony, French Embassy representatives, Pierre Gaté expressed gratitude for being able to contribute meaningfully to the Indigenous community.

“[We’re] financing projects that are tangible and the results are right there… the community of Warapoka built this [bridge]…the project was commissioned for tourism purposes and it’s already serving farming and the whole community, and that is even better than what was initially planned,” Gaté stated.

Village Toshao Jaremy Boyal explained that tourism in the community is growing.

Last year, about 90 tourists comprising mostly foreigners and school children, visited.

The bridge, he explained, will therefore make it more convenient for tourists to

would use this area to go and hunt and fish. So, the benefit for the village is very wide.”

The bridge was constructed by villagers in six weeks, with the only major challenge being the rainy weather.

It was built from resilient mora wood, which is the same material used to make dugout canoes, and therefore, it can withstand rainy weather.

Nevertheless, the Head of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), Jean La Rose explained that the overall project entailed other components including the livelihood aspect.

One (Barima-Waini).

About Warapoka

A journey along the river of 99 turns can take visitors to Warapoka where adventure awaits, picture-perfect moments abound at every footstep, and hospitality knows no limits.

From the magnificent rock formations to the simplicity of the Indigenous village and the vast forested landscape, Warapoka is the perfect getaway from city life.

journey to the famous nesting site.

Boyal added that the village is in the process of further developing its tourism package to include traditional coffee-tasting and fishing experiences.

“It’s only recently we started to use powdered milk (in our coffee). We used to use coconut milk, and dry coconut, so that’s something we try to make our guests experience as well…normally what we would do is take the coffee and allow it to dry in the sun…Some people would add sugarcane juice to it as well… very organic and very tasty as well. That’s something we want to show our guests how we did it traditionally.”

In fact, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has been working with the village for the past five years in developing its tourism product, according to Senior Project Development Officer Clyde Edwards.

Meanwhile, in addition to boosting tourism, the bridge will serve the community’s agricultural needs.

“This is a swamp and for many years, farmers, who traversed this area would have a difficult time walking across the swamp on logs… farmers, women, and chil-

dren who traverse this area to do their farming can now

“This project started with training…We worked with a group of four plus one people (the Toshao) to first, understand how to do proposal writing, how to do budgeting, then how to do reporting for the work that you do, and all

Aunty Irene Wilson, the eldest villager, shared her knowledge of the village during a conversation with this publication. The 76-yearold woman is a mother to 16 children, three of whom have already died; and nearly 100 grandchildren.

“The population of the village is over 600 now,” she explained. In fact, she noted that the village witnessed somewhat of an influx of Venezuelan Indigenous peoples who were seeking betterment, but while some have stayed in the community, many have left.

“They talk Warrau but you see when they talk Warrau, although I am a Warrau, I cannot understand their language because they’re talking very fluent Warrau, more than me. I does talk Warrau but my Warrau going slow.”

have an accident-free crossing,” Boyal outlined.

The Toshao explained that in the past, farmers had fallen with their produce whilst crossing the swamp.

“Just before this bridge finished, we had someone fall and injured their back… and they had to get medical attention,” he explained, emphasising that the bridge will significantly benefit the entire village.

“The average amount is twelve families who farm here presently so with that, roughly about 40 people who would benefit through farming here. Besides that, we have hundreds as well who

of this took some time…”

La Rose further explained that this is the first time that the APA is doing livelihood projects and is pleased with the response from both the donors and beneficiaries. She noted that the communities have been asking for livelihood projects and when the APA was approached by the French Government to inform of the availability of funds, the opportunity was taken to facilitate those requests.

Other communities that benefitted from the initiative are neighbouring Kwebanna and Santa Rosa in Region

Warapoka was originally called Awaraboko after the first settlers of the community.

“The first family went here; they didn’t had name. At the front at the landing, it had a lot of awara trees, and they had no names so the husband decided to give his name after the awara trees and the wife, she named herself boko (Warrau word meaning beautiful).

So, they started to call this place, the area where they lived, Awaraboko, after their names. So, after the missionaries come, years after, they couldn’t say “Awaraboko”, instead they say ‘Warapoka’,” Newton Wilson told this publication.

Aunty Irene Wilson

Newton Wilson

The Troolie Hill Bridge

One of the many picturesque sceneries of Warapoka

Warapoka Toshao Jaremy Boyal

Spate of dry weather expected from March to May – Hydromet Office

Th e Hydrometeorological Office has forecasted dry conditions with a slight

chance of above-normal rainfall across the country during the upcoming March-to-May season.

The implications in this forecast are that water levels in conservancies, reservoirs and inland rivers across all

regions would decrease in early April, when no significantly higher-than-usual wet days are expected.

A decrease in surface wetness during the first half of the season has also been forecasted, and water harvesting should be practised where livelihoods depend on water.

“The usual number of seven-day dry spells is up to three for this season. No shift in (the) number of seven-day dry spells can be expected. Further, the occurrences of these dry spells are most likely in March to May,” the Hydromet Office has stated.

The highest amount of rainfall has been forecasted for Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni); the northern part of Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni); and the southern parts of Regions Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo); and slight concerns are expected in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara).

“Region Nine can expect a higher-than-usual number of wet days, while no significant shift can be expected in the rest of the country. Except for Region Four, no significant shift in the number of seven days’ wet spells can be expected across the country. No increase in the number of ‘three days of extreme wet spells’ can be expected during this season”, the Hydromet Office has said.

In regard to the temperature, coastal regions can expect cooler-than-usual nighttime temperatures, and cooler overall temperatures

would prevail in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). However, temperatures would be warmer-than-usual in Region One (Barima-Waini), Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), the Hydromet Office has said.

The agency has detailed that some areas in Regions One, 10 and Southern Region Six can expect warmer-than-usual daytime temperatures, while the rest of the country can expect cooler-than-usual temperatures. Over this season, some areas in Regions One, Seven, Nine and 10 are likely to experience temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius and higher during the day.

March to mid-April of the season is usually dry, after which the country transitions into the long wet-season, the Hydromet Office has said.

The Hydromet Office has said this seasonal outlook is valid for three months, and will be updated monthly.

Persons are requested to be guided by daily weather forecasts and updates provided by the National Weather Watch Center for any changes relating to atmospheric conditions. The previous period: November 2022 to February 2023, was predicted to bring about higher rainfall spells for the country. And over the past few days, Guyana has been experiencing high rainfall in some areas.

GEA installs solar photovoltaic system at Berbice school

tem (BESS) at Light Town Primary/Nursery School in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

The items installed at Light Town Primary School were provided by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) in keeping with the Government’s sustainable energy interventions for communities and public buildings.

Light Town Primary School is located approximately 18km from New

Amsterdam on the east bank of the Berbice River.

In exercising its mandate, the Guyana Energy Agency provided support for the transportation and installation of solar PV and battery energy storage systems.

This initiative will provide a renewable, stable, and reliable electricity supply to the school and the school’s kitchen for its daily activities, benefiting the students and teachers.

The teachers present at the time of the solar PV system’s installation expressed their gratitude for the initiative, stating that it will allow them to better utilise the school’s services and provide better learning opportunities for the students. GEA’s engineer provided training to five personnel (one male and four females) at the facility on the operation and maintenance of the system.

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), in January 2023, in -

stalled a 3.375kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system along with a

19.2kWh valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery energy storage sys -

Light Town Primary School

GNBS certifies GRPA’s clinical laboratory

including gynaecology, testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and pregnancy, among others.

Meanwhile, Rankin extended congratulations to the management and staff of the laboratory for being the first civil society organisation to achieve this milestone. He encouraged the laboratory personnel to continue to maintain the requirements of the certification and advised that surveillance audits will be conducted by the GNBS to ensure continued conformance.

GTT connects over 95% business customers with conneX

GTT’s Business Solutions, from January, has connected over 95 per cent of its small and medium-sized businesses to conneX - its internet solution - within a two-day period.

Among the areas connected were businesses on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara, Georgetown, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall & Canje, Berbice.

The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) on Friday certified the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association’s (GRPA) clinical laboratory to the Guyana Standard – General requirements for the operation of a laboratory.

The laboratory has successfully demonstrated conformance to the requirements of the National Standard.

The certificate, which is valid for two years, was formally handed over to the laboratory’s Executive Director, Arlene Chaturia,

by Technical Officer within the Certification Services Department of the GNBS, Keon Rankin.

The laboratory’s Manager, Esther Rogers, also received a plaque from the GNBS which was handed over by the Head of the Marketing Department, Syeid Ibrahim, during a brief ceremony at the laboratory’s Quamina Street, Georgetown location.

In addressing those at the event, Chaturia noted that the need for quality services increases as the economy evolves. She pointed out that meeting the quality re-

quirements outlined in the national standard will guarantee the sustainability of the laboratory, which works with international agencies to serve the vulnerable population in Guyana. “For the laboratory, it means growth, expansion, sustainability, and the commitment towards giving our host population the best quality care,” GRPA’s Executive Director said.

The scope of certification from the GNBS covers all Haematology, Biochemistry, Urology, Serology, and Microbiology services. The laboratory provides services

Through its Laboratory Certification Programme, the GNBS ensures the operations of medical and testing laboratories satisfy the requirements outlined in the National Standard.

Laboratories that conform to the requirements of this standard are provided with formal recognition to attest that they have implemented an effective laboratory management system, which aids their provision of accurate and reliable results to customers.

There are now twenty-six (26) clinical and testing laboratories certified by the GNBS. The Bureau encourages more uncertified laboratories to pursue certification under its Laboratory Certification Programme.

Chief Operations Officer (COO), Orson Ferguson said that many SMBs are registering for the service, and the company is rapidly growing it’s already more than 4000 customers enjoying conneX.

“We are listening to our customers and we are responding with our actions. We were asked to provide more speed, a faster service; and we are delivering on our promise to do that, quickly too.”

Additionally, Ferguson added that there have been many internal changes to ensure that the company delivers a consistent best-inclass experience to its customers.

“Change is important to us and we are ensuring that we continue to make positive changes that will result in the happiness and satisfaction of our customers and

we are really improving our service in every way to that.”

In January the company promised that all its customers would be installed within two days and said that had that not been the case in any instance, the customer would receive free installation and one month of free service.

The COO said that Business Solutions would be holding on to that promise. He added that GTT is reliably connecting its customers as it pivots into the future.

In December last, the company was awarded GCCI’s large business of the year for 2022, based on its outstanding performance.

GNBS Marketing Dept Head Syeid Ibrahim handing over the plaque to GRPA Laboratory Manager Esther Rogers (centre). Also in photo (L-R) GNBS Technical Officer Keon Rankin, Rosmarie Liliah, GRPA Executive Director Arlene Chaturia and Quality Control Manager Lendon Wilson

Chief Operations Officer (COO) Orson Ferguson

6 of 8 persons wanted for money laundering surrender

money involved, Karimbaksh explained that this would not be disclosed until charges are laid against them—a practice in keeping with the provisions of Guyana’s AntiMoney Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act.

counts of money laundering and conspiracy to launder money worth over $4.1B.

Six of the eight persons wanted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for money laundering have surren-

Thirty-year-old Delroy Julius Seaforth of New Jersey, United States of America (USA), who was nabbed with 12 “joints” at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Mashramani Day, has been ordered to pay a fine of $30,000 and to do three days of community service.

When he appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond Magistrates’ Courts on Friday, Seaforth pleaded guilty to trafficking 16.8 grams of Cannabis sativa (marijuana).

In arriving at an appropriate punishment for Seaforth, the Magistrate considered that he is a first-time offender, that he came to Guyana to attend a funeral, and that he is a US national. He is expected to depart Guyana on February 28.

As such, Magistrate Latchman ordered that he report to the Vigilance Police Station on February 24, 25, and 27 to carry out community service.

Based on reports received, on the day in question, officers of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) intercepted Seaforth, an incoming passenger at the CJIA with 12 rolled “joints”, which later tested positive for cannabis.

He was then cautioned, arrested, and escorted to

dered,

Unit, Police Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh confirmed to Guyana Times on Friday. SOCU – an arm of

the Guyana Police Force (GPF)—issued wanted bulletins for the eight suspects on Tuesday, and according to Karimbaksh, six of them turned themselves in during this week.

Attorney-at-Law Bernard Da Silva confirmed that he handed over 38-year-old Melicia Williams of Kara Kara Housing Scheme, Linden, to the Police on Friday.

The names of the other individuals who surrendered are not immediately known. When asked about the sum of

Wanted bulletins were also issued for: 34-year-old Raul James of Kara Kara Housing Scheme, Mackenzie, Linden; 25-year-old Khadijah Long of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden; 27-yearold Akeem Powers of Victory Valley, Linden; 26-year-old Cassandra McLennan of Kara Kara Housing Scheme; Leon Williams, 38, of Kara Kara Housing Scheme; 25-year-old Aubrey Fraser of Kara Kara Housing Scheme and 25-year-old Denzil Muir of Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

While SOCU has not provided any details on the allegations made, it is asking anyone with information about the other suspects to contact SOCU at (592) 2253079 or (592) 225-3084.

The Guyana Police Force had explained that SOCU investigations are confidential. SOCU is designated with responsibility for ensuring that money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes are fully and thor-

oughly investigated.

Only a few months ago

Police issued a wanted bulletin for Shamar Anphaney Barrow of Lot 55 Freeman Street, Georgetown, for questioning in connection to money laundering and other serious criminal offences. It is still unclear if the man was ever found.

Earlier this month, a three-person family of Somerset Court, Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, was slapped with a raft of money laundering charges. Arrested at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, as they attempted to flee to the United States of America, they are facing 268

Those charged were Kenneth Kellawan Ramnarine, a taxi driver; his son Damian Brandon Ramnarine, a salesman; and Kenneth’s reputed wife, Yevette Nalini Saroop, a businesswoman.

They were all remanded to prison. SOCU said that the family has been involved in laundering billions of dollars and transferring large sums to dozens of companies in China.

These wanted bulletins come in the wake of a recent statement by Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, that the United States (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) wants to intensify cooperation with Guyana to secure more convictions in a range of crimes including money laundering and trafficking of narcotics.

According to Nandlall, the FBI team also listed countering the financing of terrorism, trafficking of narcotics and firearms, tracing the proceeds of organised crime and forfeiture of assets, trafficking in persons, and cyber-related criminal activities, as other areas of cooperation with Guyana.

CANU’s Headquarters.

In November of last year, the Government passed amendments to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act which paved the way for the removal of custodial sentences for persons in possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana.

Although custodial sentences have been removed, persons found with one to 15 grams of cannabis will be required to undergo mandatory counselling while persons found with one to 30 grams of cannabis will be subjected to community service under the Extra-Mural Work Act for a period not exceeding six months.

This forms part of the Government’s commitment to reducing the overcrowding of prisons by providing alternative sentencing.

Head of the

SOCU Head, Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh

US man fined, to provide community service for 12 “joints”

The 12 rolled “joints” that were found on the man

Delroy Julius Seaforth

Guyanese co-pilots JetBlue flight from JFK to CJIA

Captain Haslyn Peters has made history as the first Guyanese to co-pilot a flight with nonstop service from New York’s JFK Airport to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at Timehri, EBD. That flight, by major carrier JetBlue airlines, landed at the CJIA on the evening of Thursday, February 23, 2023.

This was also Peters’s first flight home as part of the crew of a major carrier.

Captain Haslyn Peters, who grew up in Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown, had had a childhood dream of becoming a pilot, and was given the nickname “Pilot”. He attended Dolphin Government School, and then The Bishops’ High School, after writing the Common Entrance Exams, which are now the National Grade Six Assessment exams.

Even though he was passionate about airplanes and flying, the opportunity to go on an aircraft for

the first time came only in 1995, when his sister Allison Peters, who was a flight attendant with the now defunct national carrier Guyana Airways, asked one of the domestic pilots, Captain Astell Paul, to take him on a domestic flight.

Captain Paul took him on one of his trips to Kamarang, and gave him

the following advice: “Make sure this is what you want to do, because it is not as glamorous as people say it is; it is hard work”.

In pursuit of his dream, Peters worked at the National Bank of Industry & Commerce, now Republic Bank Limited, to start saving for flight school. With his parents’ financial assistance, he went to Trinidad in 1996 and obtained his Private Pilot’s License from Briko Air Services Ltd. Upon his return to Guyana, he joined the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Standard Officer Cadet Course #30 in May 1997, and emerged as the Best Graduating Student in April 1998. As an officer with the GDF, Lieutenant Haslyn Peters was chosen to raise the Golden Arrowhead on Mount Ayanganna for three consecutive years, 1998–2000.

In 2001, Lieutenant Peters gained a Government of Guyana scholarship from the GDF to attend the

Sunrise Aviation Flight School in Ormond Beach, Florida, and was promoted to the rank of Captain when he returned to Guyana. He then began flying as one of the GDF’s military pilots.

Captain Peters had the opportunity to be mentored by some of Guyana’s top aviators: such as Captain Lloyd Marshall, Captain Egbert Field, Captain Patrick Nichols, Captain Russell Edun and Captain Aziz Nizamuddin.

Captain Peters, continued as a pilot with the GDF until his migration to the USA in 2009, where he still resides with his wife Shelley Lewis-Peters and their two daughters, Judeyah and Jaliyah.

While living in the USA, Captain Haslyn Peters flew the EMB-145 and CRJ 700/900 for several regional US airlines on behalf of Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines, and was the Captain on the CRJ-900 for an American regional airline prior to joining JetBlue.

In November 2022, he joined Jet Blue as First Officer on the Airbus 320/321. Haslyn continues to rely on the mentorship and career guidance being offered by Captain

also appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday where she pleaded not guilty to a similar charge. However, in light of Singh’s guilty plea, the charge against her was withdrawn. CANU had initially said that the narcotic has a street value of $500,000.

Meanwhile, in 2019, Singh and another man, Mark Grimmond, were committed to stand trial at the Demerara High Court for allegedly conspiring to murder a businessman.

A39-year-old man, who is awaiting trial for conspiring to commit murder, was handed a four-year jail sentence and a $1,387,000 fine after admitting to trafficking over three pounds of marijuana.

Since he took the rap, the charge against his female co-accused was withdrawn.

Chatterpaul Singh called “Dutchie” from First Street Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly on Friday and pleaded guilty.

He confessed that on February 21, at Norton Street, Georgetown, he had 1.542 kilograms (3.3 pounds) of Cannabis sativa in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

A statement from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) said that on the day in question, its officers, acting on information received, conducted an operation at Norton Street, Georgetown.

While there, the officers intercepted a motor vehicle bearing registration number

PHH 9387.

A subsequent search of the said vehicle was conducted in the presence of the driver, Singh, and another occupant, Anesia Ishfehani,

Particulars of the charge against the pair stated that between April 1, 2018, and June 7, 2019, at Georgetown, they conspired with each other and persons unknown to murder Dwayne Grant.

According to the prosecution’s facts, Grant of Lethem,

Lloyd Marshall, who still plays an integral role in his life. Even though he no longer has a national career in Guyana, Haslyn Peters is honoured to be able to follow in the footsteps of his mentors, by serving the people

of Guyana in his current capacity with Jet Blue.

Captain Haslyn Peters and the rest of the JetBlue crew departed for New York on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Kitty man gets 3 years for Norton Street drug bust

Clarke, and Akeem Lashley, 27, were arrested by CANU after 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, carrying a street value of GY$1.5 million, was found at Clarke’s home. Lashley pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge and was jailed for four years and fined $2.3 million, while Clarke pleaded not guilty and was released on $150,000 bail.

For Tuesday’s drug bust at Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, 45-year-old Eon Martin of Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was sentenced to three years, six months’ imprisonment.

On Friday, the Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown resident appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he confessed to trafficking 1.158 kilograms of cocaine. Apart from being sent to jail, he was also fined $1,737,000.

of a brick-like parcel, which later tested positive for cocaine.

Clarke is no stranger to law enforcement officers. In fact, in 2011, he was arrested on a drug trafficking charge after 590 grams of cocaine was found buried in his yard.

24, of Crown Dam Industry, East Coast Demerara (ECD), which led to the discovery of three brick-like parcels of seeds, leaves, and stems which tested positive for cannabis. As such, they were arrested and escorted to CANU’s Headquarters.

Like Singh, Ishfehani

Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) received information that the men were plotting to kill him and informed the Police.

When the Police arrested Singh at a hotel, he was reportedly found with a firearm and claimed that he was hired by Grimmond to murder the businessman.

According to a statement from the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU), on February 21, its agents conducted an operation at a property located on Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown.

A search of the premises was conducted in the presence of two persons that were present at the time, which led to the discovery

This led to the arrest of Martin and another man, 50-year-old Andre Clarke of the said Norton Street address. As such, both of them were taken to CANU’s Headquarters. CANU said the estimated street value of the cocaine is GY$1.11 million. No charges were brought against Clarke.

Last year August,

The charge was, however, withdrawn against him the following year by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Since then, he has been a person of interest to CANU and several investigations into his operations led to his arrest this week and in 2022.

CANU has described Clarke as a “known drug trafficker”.

Haslyn Peters being presented with a gift after touching down at CJIA on Thursday evening

Captain Haslyn Peters

The cocaine found in Norton Street

Accused drug trafficker Andre Clarke

Jailed: Eon Martin

“Dutchie” sentenced to 4 years, fined $1.3M for trafficking ganja …female co-accused freed

The parcels of marijuana that were found in the motor car

Jailed: Chatterpaul Singh Freed: Anesia Ishfehani

The Demerara Mutual and Demerara Fire and General Insurance Companies have teamed up with the Lusignan Golf Club to host their annual golf tournament today, (Saturday, February 25) from 12:30 hrs.

The format will be 18 holes, which will be divided into front nine and back, and prizes will be awarded for the net score for both divisions.

There will be an overall prize due to the combination of front and back nine for first, second and third; in all, six prizes will be up for grabs, as it will be a shot-gun start.

Speaking on behalf of the LGC, PRO Paton George said, "This is DemLife’s sec-

ond year with the LGC. We are expecting a full turnout, with a points’ chase that will excite all the golfers.

“To recap the points system: the winner of every tournament will receive 10 points (from) their best ten tournaments of the year, and the overall winner and top five at the end of the year will receive entry into the Suriname Invitational Golf Tournament, free entry into the GTT Guyana Open, and free entry into the MACORP Tournament," George explained.

George noted that these tournaments are packed to capacity with a plethora of players from around the world. He explained that the DemLife tournament is part of the year-end chase

as the three major tournaments approach. George further related that each sponsor that comes onboard with the LGC plays a major contribution in support of the kids’ golf activities, which are expected to be held on Easter Saturday free of cost.

All participants are advised to contact the club’s manager on the day of the tournament to collect their score cards, pay the tournament fees, and proceed to their allocated tee boxes to tee off at 12:30pm.

Persons were asked to contact the Lusignan Golf Club on 220-5660 to register. Registration closed on Friday 24th February.

Demerara Mutual has, over the last hundred years, established itself to be one of the best insurance providers in Guyana and other territories in the Caribbean region. An ever-expanding team of trustworthy staff and agents has been serving more than 20,000 policyholders, ensuring their troubles in life are covered.

A dynamic management team with evolving strategies has shown itself

to be capable of adapting to fast growing economies and unexpected situations such as COVID-19.

Demerara Mutual has pledged to continue serving

its customers “to the best of our abilities, ensuring maximum satisfaction and reduced stress.”

South Africa showed spirit to win

South Africa in any World Cup final for first time

Yet so close, but so far

South

Africa staged their best performance of the tournament - with bat, ball, and field play - to upset England and secure a place in a World Cup final for the first time in any form of international cricket - men's or women's.

Their victory was built on a 96-run opening stand between Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt, as both racked up half-centuries for the second consecutive time in this tournament, before Marizanne Kapp's cameo of 27 from 13 balls took the hosts to 164 for 4.

That left England needing their joint third-highest successful T20I run chase and joint-highest at a World Cup, matching their 2009 semi-final effort against Australia.

Ayabonga Khaka and Shabnim Ismail then claimed seven wickets between them - and Brits took a Women's T20I record-equalling four catches to put the task beyond England, and set up a clash for the trophy with defending champions Australia on Sunday.

All of this had seemed so far away a fortnight ago. The hosts had lost the opening match of the tournament to Sri Lanka by three runs at Newlands, setting back their campaign, and were also beaten by Australia in Gqeberha.

However, they defeated Bangladesh in their final group game to squeeze into

the knockout stages at the expense of New Zealand. Back in Cape Town on Friday, they held their nerve superbly to pull off a stunning victory before 7,507 fans.

Ismail bowled with pace and guile in the powerplay - including some aggressive bouncers, one of which was clocked at 128kph. She claimed two wickets in that time, although England had 55 runs on the board, compared to South Africa's 37 without loss. Sophia Dunkley first miscued to midwicket, where Brits took a simple catch, but it was Brits's absolute blinder from the same position to remove Alice Capsey for a second-ball duck that set the innings alight. Cramped by the short ball, Capsey steered the ball to the right of the fielder, who ran towards it and dived, clutching the ball just above the turf as her team-mates steamed in to congratulate her - none more so than Ismail, who leapt into Brits's arms.

Brits took another sharp catch to remove Danni Wyatt and give Khaka her first wicket, after Wyatt had been put down by Wolvaardt off Khaka's bowling earlier in the innings.

It looked like it would fall to Nat Sciver-Brunt, England's in-form batter, to rescue her side, particularly when Chloe Tryon missed a caught-and-bowled chance; but Brits came to the fore

again with a catch at long-on off a Nadine de Klerk slower ball.

Having also had Amy Jones caught by Anneke Bosch, two wickets in two balls from Khaka to remove Sophie Ecclestone and Katherine Sciver-Brunt in the 18th over left England needing 25 runs off the remaining two overs. Heather Knight's six off Kapp helped make it 13 off the last, but then Ismail pegged back Knight's leg stump with three balls remaining and 12 still needed.

Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean managed just five between them, before Glenn dropped to her haunches in anguish, and the pair trudged off arm-in-arm as the South Africans celebrated wildly.

The Brits and Wolvaardt Show: Part 2

After a sluggish start –in which just 14 runs were scored off the first four overs after winning the toss - South Africa started to raise the tempo, led by Wolvaardt's heave a long way over the fence at wide long-off. After the powerplay, they looked more in control, as she and Brits followed up their unbroken stand worth 117 runs against Bangladesh with another key partnership.

Wolvaardt brought up her sixth T20I fifty with a four through cover off Ecclestone, but fell three balls later to a leading edge that was gobbled

up by Dean at cover.

However, that prompted Brits to flick the switch, as she danced down the pitch twice in three balls to power Glenn over deep midwicket and long-on for two sixes. She brought up her half-century next ball with a four through the covers, helping herself to 17 runs off a pivotal 15th over.

Brits eventually fell to a solid catch by Katherine, but not before she had propelled her side towards a competitive total.

Ecclestone keeps England in it

England hadn't helped themselves with a scrappy performance in the field, but Ecclestone's two wickets in three balls -- she snared the potentially explosive Tryon: caught attempting to pull, but picking out Nat at deep midwicket for just 3; and de Klerk: bowled for a second-ball duck -- momentarily derailed South Africa's final push in the penultimate over.

But then Kapp, the beneficiary of a misfield while on 2, cashed in: first off a high full toss by Katherine in the final over, which she pulled for a one-bounce four through deep backward square leg; then she hammered back-to-back fours off the last two balls, piercing the gap between cover and mid-off and high over deep midwicket, to give the hosts the late lift they needed. (ESPN Cricinfo)

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LGC VP Brian Hackett receiving the sponsorship cheque from a DemLife representative

-after historic script by Brits, Ismail, Khaka, Wolvaardt

Guyana to introduce licensing for horsemen

- apprenticeship programme to follow

Anewly formed Racing Committee is bringing a new vision for the local horse racing industry and a new mantra: “Guyana First”.

At an emergency meeting held at the Corentyne, Berbice residence of Therbhuwan Jagdeo on Sunday, February 19, it was agreed among those who now form the Racing Committee that the sport of horse-racing would be revolutionised in keeping with the changes now evolving at home, and in keep with international best practice.

The new Racing Committee comprises Fazal Habibulla, Nasrudeen Mohamed, Therbhuwan

leading promoters, track owners, and some of the bigger investors in the sport. We are committed towards the welfare of the animals and the sport, and with Racing Regulations on the front burner, this is the appropriate time to get horsemen prepared. This is all we are doing.

"May I reiterate, we are not Government-appointed”, he said. “Sunday's meeting was discussed since last year, and we finally got the opportunity to come together to advise horsemen of what to expect when horse-racing regulations are approved by Government".

Regulation of horse-racing will start with the approval of

three-month period. This programme will continue along the same course for the reminder of the season.

This measure has been

committee. The body will comprise of an accomplished jockey along with experienced horsemen who would monitor the apprentices' progress.

gates test which would determine if he or she is ready to compete at this competitive level. His/her permit to ride would also be based on riding skills and conduct displayed. Riders once licensed would also be informed that urine sample tests would be randomly conducted for prohibited substance on race days.

taken to prevent duplication of racing dates among promoters. This new programme is being done in the best interest of the sport, it has been advised.

Before being granted the licence, an apprentice would have to undergo a starting

Classification of horses, a situation which has been a festering 'sore' in the eyes of horsemen, was also discussed, and it was agreed that a review of the system will be undertaken by way of consultation.

And in related horse-racing news, 'Uncle' Fazal had four young horses join his barn on Monday. They are two yearlings and two juveniles (two-year-olds). All four horses are fashionably bred. The two yearlings are sired by T&T-bred Gold Cup winner Headline News, while the two-year-olds are sired by USA-bred Nominee, who finished second in the Barbados Gold several years ago.

Two of the horses are half-sisters to Sail Ahoy, which was bought last year by Mohamed.

Jagdeo, Dennis Deoroop and Stuart Gonsalves. At that Sunday meeting, which was convened by Nasrudeen Mohamed, a number of changes were earmarked for promotion and conduct of the sport.

Quizzed on the appointment of this body, a spokesperson for the Committee declared, "This is not a Government-appointed body; this body comprises of the

future race days by this new committee. It was discussed and agreed that racing promoters would now be required to request their racing days in advance. This new program will start from 1st April 2023.

For example, during the period April-June 2023, promoters will send their request to the Committee in regard to which days they would want to host the sport during the

The body has also agreed that since horsemen are the lifeline of the sport, changes have to be implemented to improve their livelihood and that of the sport. Following on the heels of the new vision will be outreach programmes starting very shortly to keep owners, trainers, breeders and jockeys informed of, and guided by, the changes.

It was also discussed and agreed that all horsemen would have to be licensed. However, horsemen will be given ample notice when this system would come on stream. An apprentice jockey scheme to licence the young riders (apprentices) would also be implemented. The licensing of apprentice riders would be undertaken by an oversight

Dennis Deoroop is on this new racing committee

Jockey Ross has been the top jockey in recent times

Horsemen are soon to be licensed

at record economic impact in Guyana

By Brandon Corlette

The year 2022 has been a year to remember for the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ fanbase, as the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals were hosted for the first time in ‘the land of many waters’.

CPL 2022 generated a huge economic impact for Guyana, and the country evidently enjoyed a record viewership around the world. The total economic impact for Guyana in 2022 was US$84,425,587, a 186% increase on the figure from the last time the country hosted Hero CPL matches in 2019.

According to the CPL Head of Marketing, Chris Watson, “The Biggest Party in Sport” has been delighted with the positive impact. Watson also hinted that the schedule for the 2023 season would be announced shortly, and more countries would be hosting matches, with the final set to be hosted in Guyana for a second succes sive year.

"It was absolutely staggering numbers. It took the scale of it, with over 25,000 hotel room nights. More games in Guyana than ever before in CPL. We were absolutely delighted that after a few years without having CPL games, the people flooded back on that. Not just the re sponse in Guyana, which was absolutely staggering. People from around the world booking travel and wanting to come from far and away to visit ‘The Biggest Party in Sport’.

"That has absolutely shown in those numbers that we are delighted that it was made into a proper economic impact. That shows a positive impact," Watson said in

a recent interview with this daily publication.

As it relates to scheduling of the 2023 tournament, Watson said: "Certainly, we love to

to go to four different territories. And that was the first time we had an event of that scale since pre-COVID times. I think if we are able to increase that number for 2023, we will be very happy, and that will continue to the positive trajectory. The audience number 2022 was the most watched tournament around the world in the history of CPL," Watson disclosed.

The total viewership for the 2022 Hero CPL also smashed all records, as it increased to 721.8 million. This is the third successive year that the tournament has generated a viewership figure of over half a billion.

be in a position to do that. We are not too far away from putting some announcements on the schedule, and we love for the CPL to be bigger and better.

“Last year was a huge success, where we were able

During the 2022 CPL, Jamaica Tallawahs were crowned champions after defeating Barbados Royals at Providence. Additionally, the 2022 CPL saw the introduction of two new tournaments, the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League and the SKYEXCH 6IXTY, both of which further increased interest in cricket in the Caribbean.

Head of Marketing at CPL, Chris Watson

Fans will again be eager to witness the CPL 2023 final in Guyana