Guyana Times - Saturday, July 16, 2022

Revised P10 curriculum proven “contextually relevant” for Guyanese learners – NCERD Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 5071

THE BEACON OF TRUTH SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Snatching of Speaker’s Mace: Privileges Committee recommends suspension of 8 APNU/AFC MPs See story on page 7

PRICE

$100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Sterling Products Ltd employees to get 7% salary increase for P15 2022 …workers now represented by CCWU

Taxi driver P12 further remanded on rape charge Sugar shortage: Uitvlugt factory produces P13 nearly 100 tonnes of sugar

Members of the A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance For Change removed the Speaker’s Mace at a sitting of the National Assembly on December 29, 2021, during the debate on the Local Content Bill

Govt to review Local Content laws to crack down on foreign companies manipulating system – Pres Ali not afraid Guyana gets US$130M AFC of consequences IDB loan for economic in parting ways with APNU – Ramjattan recovery from COVID-19 …not prepared to give up parliamentary seats Pg 3

Impersonating a doctor is illegal – Health Minister P10 – says could be charged criminally

Page 9

Page 11

Appointment of Top Cop

Consultations between President Ali, Norton put on hold Page 16

– Await Chief Justice’s ruling on legality of constitutional commissions

Bladen Hall man succumbs days after P17 being stabbed at drinking spot

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

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

Saturday, July 16 – 04:00h – 05:30h and Sunday, July 17 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, July 16 – 06:05h – 07:35h and Sunday, July 17 – 06:55h – 08:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

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

Winds: West South-Westerly to Westerly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 06:20h and 18:51h reaching maximum heights of 2.72 metres and 2.57 metres.

Low Tide: 12:23h reaching a minimum height of 0.51 metre.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

LOTTERY NUMBERS G

03 07 14

17 19 28

25

FREE TICKET

Bonus Ball

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2022

DAILY MILLIONS

07 12 20 22 24 LUCKY 3

9

2

6

2

Afternoon Draw

9

3

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01 09 10 11 14 17 19 SUPER

PAY DAY

PAY DAY

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2022

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01 05 07 15 20

13

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4 Afternoon Draw

FP Afternoon Draw

3

7 Evening Draw

2X Evening Draw

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$101.16/barrel

+2.04

Rough Rice

$297.41/ton $556.40/ton

+0.75 +0.96

London Sugar

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1708.60

$1709.60

Low/High Change

$1698.80 0.00

$1715.40 0.00

Govt to review Local Content laws to crack down on foreign companies manipulating system – Pres Ali P resident Dr Irfaan Ali said that his Government will have to continuously review the Local Content legislations in order to address the loopholes that foreign companies use to manipulate the systems in place to ensure that Guyanese benefit from the oil and gas sector.

On Tuesday, it was disclosed that despite the Local Content Act, oil and gas companies continue to come up with new ways to bypass the law. According to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, companies have now taken to using their junior Guyanese staff to fill up the legally-mandated quota for senior management staff, all while the junior staff continues to collect their original salary.

Asked recently about how his Government intends to deal with this issue, President Ali told Guyana Times that there is a number of ways to crack down on such manipulating acts.

“You know in any system people look for loopholes but there is a number of ways in which you can crack down on this. For someone to sign up a document as a partner in an international company or a large company that is doing different size or volumes of work, they have to have some amount of shareholding and they have to prove where they get their money from to get the shareholding. They have to show beneficial interest so there are ways.”

“There are ways in which the different institutions in the country can actually go after those who try to abuse a system or just try to use loopholes to just satisfy the criteria,” the Head of State told reporters.

Moreover, President Ali also hinted at the possibility of further strengthening the Local Content legislation to clamp down on such loopholes.

“There is continuous analysis of the laws.

We are young in this. We have just passed the Local Government legislation so definitely, there will be continuously reviewed. There will be continuous analysis to deal with loopholes and to deal with areas in which people think they can manipulate,” the President indicated.

Guyana passed its Local Content laws in December 2021, which details a series of measures geared towards ensuring that Guyanese and locally-owned businesses benefit from the oil and

President Dr Irfaan Ali

gas sector.

The Act stipulates that oil and gas companies operating in Guyana, as well as their contractors and sub-contractors, must procure from Guyanese companies by the end of 2022, 90 per cent of office space rental and accommodation services; 90 per cent of janitorial, laundry and catering services; 95 per cent of pest control services; 100 per cent of local insurance services; 75 per cent of local supply of food; and 90 per cent of local accounting services. These are just some of the 40 different services outlined in the first schedule.

The Act also defines a local company as one incorporated under the Companies

Act and beneficially owned

by Guyanese nationals.

Beneficial ownership is defined as owning 51 per cent of the company.

Additionally, a local company is expected to have Guyanese in at least 75 per cent of executive and senior management positions and at least 90 per cent in non-managerial and other positions.

But speaking at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association’s (GMSA) Mid-Year Dinner on Tuesday evening, VP Jagdeo pointed out that even with the Act, there were companies still trying to dupe the authorities.

“There are many people who are trying to bypass the provisions of the legisla-

tion. It has been brought to my attention, for example, that a company that may have had maybe three foreign directors/managers in the old dispensation, now to get past the legislation since there is a 75 per cent management team (requirement),” Jagdeo said.

“To get past that position, they simply take junior staff and change their designations. So, the management team now becomes larger. So, they fulfil that requirement. But it’s just a designation for junior staff.

When you look at their salary structure, their salaries have not changed.”

The Vice President assured that Government is keeping a close eye on this.

He noted that other companies have also gone the route of giving a Guyanese company 50 per cent ownership, but also charge a large contract fee for management services.

Only recently, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat assured that the Government was committed to taking action against defaulters. He noted that as long as companies fail to satisfy all the criteria for their Local Content Certificates, these would continue to be denied to them.

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Access to financing

T

he announcement that the Government is exploring ways to create more opportunities for small businesses is crucial, as persons with these types of businesses and those who want to start businesses often have neither the cash flow nor collateral.

To quote President Ali: “We have to have a discussion on the apportionment of that risk, and how we can minimise or remove the collateral requirement and take the contract at face value, and then work out a mechanism through which a contract at face value is used to support those business operations.”

The issue of cash flow for micro-enterprises has been a topic of interest over the years, not only in Guyana, but in other countries around the world, especially as it relates to women. Debates have centred around the challenges many women face in getting access to equal opportunities, and, in a general sense, programmes and policies that could be implemented to ensure their economic and social advancement.

Women, over the years, have made tremendous progress, not only in terms of their own advancement, but by playing a key role in the development of their own communities, and by extension allowing other women opportunities to develop themselves. However, many challenges remain, which must be tackled to ensure that women have access to the resources needed to allow them to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

We believe that when women are allowed to develop their full potential, it is not only women who gain, but the entire society.

Women make enormous contributions to economies, whether in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees, or by doing unpaid care work at home. According to the United Nations, investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth.

Here, in Guyana, women have made tremendous progress at every level of the society. This country deserves commendation for the advances it has made in ensuring that, in addition to women being protected under the law, they are given the relevant opportunities for their personal and professional advancement.

However, there is still a far way to go before we can safely say that women have access to the resources and opportunities they need to fully develop themselves. For example, our single-parent mothers have, over the years, found it very difficult to make ends meet. Many of them have found themselves in a position where they work from month to month and there seems to be no end to the financial hardships they experience. For some, who would like to venture out into establishing their own small business etc, the strict criteria set by banks and other lending institutions make it difficult to access the necessary loans.

There are a few institutions which give grants and other forms of support, but they are on a limited scale, and most of them are Georgetown-based, making it a bit difficult for rural women to have easy access to them. The COVID-19 pandemic has also worsened the situation, as it continues to have serious socio-economic repercussions on the lives of citizens.

Many women-owned small businesses are no longer operational.

Certainly, the economic and social advancement of all women, including those in hinterland and rural communities, should remain a priority for this Government. Focus must be placed on providing decent jobs, access to skills training, access to financial resources, and protection from domestic and other forms of violence.

President Dr Irfaan Ali, in the presence of Prime Minister Mark Phillips, on Friday presented global peace ambassador Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with a painting depicting the Kaieteur Falls.

Gurudev is an Indian yogi and a spiritual leader, and will be hosting an IStandforPeace public event at the National Cultural Centre this evening as part of his global peace campaign across major cities in Europe, North America, South America, and Africa.

Democrats are facing asymmetrical warfare.

It’s time to wake up and fight back Biden’s low approvals have caused a crisis in confidence. He needs to act now BY: Ben Davis

T

he New York Times recently published a poll that marks an exclamation point on months of bad news for the rapidly faltering Biden presidency.

Biden’s meagre 33 per cent approval rating is in line with other polls, but the shocking and worrying number for the White House is that fully 64 per cent of Democrats believe he should not run for another term in 2024. That number rises to an absurd 94 per cent among Democrats under 30.

While younger voters have consistently given Biden lower marks than other cohorts this year, that number now stands at a miserable 19 per cent. Young voters are not a group that can be ignored as flighty non-voters: they are the backbone of the Democratic party’s recent wins.

In 2020, the youth vote surged to record numbers, and young voters gave Biden a 24-point margin. Without both high turnout and high margins from young voters, Biden would have easily lost every swing state. Increased turnout among the young also provided much of the margin for Democrats in the 2018 midterms.

Biden’s low approvals, especially among the young, have caused a crisis in confidence not seen in a sitting President’s party since at least Jimmy Carter. Should Biden step down in 2024? Unless the Administration and the Democratic party radically change posture, he may need to retire to prevent the election of a man who only last year attempted a coup. Most importantly, though, he has within his power the chance to turn his presidency around.

It’s clear to Americans of all political stripes that we are in a crisis. Many of the basic rights and principles of our democracy have been completely overruled by a party that hasn’t won the popular vote in a presidential election in 18 years. There is a massive disconnect between the will of the people and the actions of the state.

This is a situation unprecedented since the Civil Rights Era or potentially even Reconstruction, but the President has not treated it as such. Fundamentally, people, especially young people, want to feel like the President is fighting for them.

The Biden Administration and the leadership of the federal Democratic party seem dedicated to broken and undemocratic institutions. Given the power these institutions are wielding, this feels hopelessly out of touch. The primary solution offered by the Administration has been to show up to vote in the midterms to potentially codify Roe, or more likely, stave off a federal abortion ban by the Republican party. None of the solutions proposed even

come close to addressing the situation.

This is asymmetrical warfare, with the Democrats playing by an entirely different set of rules. While the Democrats remain dedicated to antiquated institutions and procedures, the Republican party has remade the state in its image without even commanding a majority of voters. The Republican party has long wanted to undermine many of America’s institutions: numerous serious presidential candidates, sitting senators, and sitting judges have proposed repealing the 14th amendment (the foundation of modern American law), the 16th amendment creating the income tax, the 17th amendment directly electing Senators, and more. Democrats have not seriously countered at all. They are dedicated to playing by the rules of a game everyone has long since stopped playing.

The primary response to the rollback of several fundamental rights has been “vote and donate”. Voting is of course necessary, and so are donations and all sorts of political activism. That doesn’t make it less insulting. People have voted. The last two elections have seen record turnout for Democrats. The party has unified control of Government, despite all the caveats.

The problem is, in the current system, voting will not work, and people know that.

It would take decades of uninterrupted Democratic control of the presidency to flip the US supreme court. With the current coalitions and political structure, it’s effectively impossible for Democrats to ever win a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Even a simple governing majority requires a clear Democratic wave in the popular vote, and that majority would almost certainly require more red-state Democrats like Sinema and Manchin who would block legislation.

In short, “just vote” and using the current institutions is impossible, and voters recognise that. It is not possible to win back the right to abortion, basic environmental protection, schools free of religious indoctrination, basic regulation on guns, protect rights to contraception, marriage equality, and personal sexual activity without radical changes to the basic structure of American governance.

Winning elections doesn’t hurt anything, but it is not enough in an anti-democratic system that has been gamed to truly absurd extents. There’s no winning in this system, and that is apparent to most Americans, and to the vast majority of young Americans who disapprove of Biden. To rescue his presidency, and mobilise a real force at the midterms and in the future, Biden needs to boldly champion radical democratic reforms, use his

power and dare the Supreme Court and the Senate to stop him.

While in other times, disempowering institutions and taking unilateral action as a President may be unpopular, Americans recognise that our system is utterly broken. The supreme court has approval of only 25 per cent of the populace, by far the lowest measured. This is an institution that can exercise power only so long as it has buy-in from the people.

Supermajorities support serious reforms to the supreme court.

Young Americans in particular see their future collapsing before their eyes and understand the stakes. They know Biden can’t unilaterally pack the court, or make any significant reforms to the legislative or judiciary. That’s beside the point, however; he needs to put this on the agenda. He has been faced with a crisis of legitimacy, where the vast majority of the people vocally oppose the order being imposed on them. He has to stand with the people and lead the charge for their rights.

There’s no way through these rigged institutions. Only around. To save his presidency, this needs to be at the very forefront of his agenda.

Biden needs to reverse course and show aggression as soon as possible to counter the lacklustre response to Dobbs that has damaged his standing among Democrats and the young. Americans know the President doesn’t have this unilateral power, though they know he can do more. Most of all they want a fight. They want to know that the President recognises the gravity of the crisis. We’ve seen the most serious rollback in rights for American citizens since Plessy v Ferguson in 1896. The majority of Americans are under attack by a minority, and they need a President who recognises this and will respond in kind.

Biden has the opportunity to change course and be a two-term President who righted the country in a crisis of democracy. If Biden can’t do this, he will need to be replaced. Not only because it’s necessary, but because it’s the only way to recover his popularity and win re-election.

The Democratic party must reorient itself around radical democratic reforms and disempowering the Supreme Court, the Senate, and state governments. This is both necessary and inevitable. If Biden doesn’t do it, the next Democrat will need to. If they don’t, it will be impossible to exercise power of any sort, no matter the opinions of citizens.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Why did Norton avoid questioning the international community on issue of an installed PPP/C Regime?

Dear Editor, I listened intently as Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton reported to the nation in his weekly press briefing. He was talking about his recent engagement with members of the international community.

He began with the rehashed script of Guyana being again blacklisted as a narco-state, and he tried desperately to make a connection between the many drug busts and the PPP/C, but that ruse never really got off the ground.

What Norton fails to tell the people is that: now, with an independent and well-organised crime-fighting Police Force, drug busts can be effected; unlike their time in office, when the

Police were instructed not to make arrests of known drug lords, or were prohibited from investigating such crimes. This appalling scenario Norton will forever defend.

Further to our discussion is the fact that the largest drug-trafficking bust was made soon after the PPP/C assumed office in 2020. I make mention of The Marlon Primo shipment of 11.5 kilograms of cocaine (The largest shipment to date) from a Guyana port. So, these are questions or issues Norton should have raised with the eminent persons of the international community, but he did not. Interesting!

Norton rambled on into the area of "extra-judicial

killings". He was trying very hard to hide the real hardcore issues.

But the central theme of our discourse is the fact that Norton, either by intent or simply because he knew full well what would have been the response by his audience, did not broach the matter of an illegal PPP/C Government taking office here. Norton failed to ask the pointed question: Why did the international community install the PPP/C to office? I think this should have been the main focus of his meeting with them. Why did the ABCE countries ever endorse the results of the March 2020 Elections in favour of the PPP/C, and not the APNU/AFC Coalition?

Why should such an atrocity be countenanced by the international body?

The monstrosity of such an act should not have been sidelined by Norton; rather, it should have been the first item on his agenda discussion. But Norton is no fool, he knew well in advance that the international body was there at the rigging party, and took every last detail of the attempt.

So, rather than embarrass himself with a straightforward, no-nonsense answer like, "You were the intellectual authors of that rigging plan," he simply shied away from the question.

To think that a matter like the installation of an illegal Government in Guyana, which is so near

Sugar shortage in the land of Demerara Gold Dear Editor, It is disturbing that in the land of Demerara Gold, the everyday commodity of sugar has seemingly run out, and sugar prices are akin to those of precious metals.

Recently, I saw the GuySuCo CEO indicating that sugar is not in short supply, but hoarding and smuggling are taking place on the part of nefarious wholesalers and retailers.

Of course, if that is true, the CEO should expose these individuals who are heartlessly driving up the price of this everyday commodity.

From a video I have seen, the CEO has also told the nation to remain calm, and that supplies would soon be normalised. He had said then that packaged sugar would be available within two (2) weeks.

Intriguingly, the GuySuCo Facebook page adverted, on July 15, 2022, that packaged sugar is available at a particular supermarket.

Maybe the CEO had made an error.

The CEO also said that bagged sugar remains in stock, and consumers’ worries are being exacerbated by prophets of doom.

However, I must share some information which has come to hand; it puts in serious doubt the things that the GuySuCo ‘boss’ has said.

Maybe the sugar company can advise whether it is accurate to say that the company, between January and May this year, had sold some 4,300 tonnes of packaged and bagged sugar locally. Did the company also sell about 5,700 tonnes of bagged sugar to several Caribbean countries up to that same point? Similarly, did GuySuCo have sales amounting to around 3,700 tonnes of packaged sugar within the Caribbean as well?

If those quantities are aggregated, it would mean that, for this year, GuySuCo sold 13,700 tonnes of sugar, while it produced just

Democrats are facing...

Anti-democratic Government institutions are fundamentally reshaping society and people have no recourse without a radical change. As a smaller and smaller minority exert more and more power, something has to come to a head.

A state cannot operate so unmoored from popular sovereignty without a real rupture. Modern governments rely on at least some degree of consent of the governed.

There is no future where the Democratic party doesn’t embrace serious reforms to the current constitutional order, because radical resistance to the anti-democratic onslaught is required for

FROM PAGE 4

their continued existence as a party. If Biden wants to lead the country, he must take the lead. Without an aggressive and radical reposturing, he will be unable to recover his standing.

Nearly all Americans understand the country is in a crisis that requires a radical reshaping of our institutions.

The Republicans are leading it. Biden is a man out of step with the world around him unless he recognises this and acts decisively. (The Guardian) Ben Davis works in political data in Washington DC. He worked on the data team for the Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign

over 13,000 tonnes of sugar in the same period. Does this mean that the company sold out the sugar stocks it had in its bonds, and has not been able to replenish them?

Also, if the information is accurate, and I have every reason to believe the data, does it mean GuySuCo has deliberately robbed the Guyanese market of sugar, and assisted in pushing up the cost of living?

Mr Singh is huffing and puffing, but to me it seems he is really bluffing.

Guyana has traditionally utilised between 24,000 and 25,000 tonnes of sug-

ar per annum. More than half of the year has gone, and just about one-sixth of this local demand has been satisfied. It does not take a Nobel laureate to know what would happen in such a situation.

I have long learned that we can fool some of the people some of the time, but we cannot fool all of the people all of the time. The excuse of smuggling and hoarding is just a distraction from the real challenge. I ask now, should Mr Singh retain his post?

Sincerely, Rohan Sanichar

Saturday, July 16, 2022

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and dear to the heart of the PNC, could have been glossed over like that at an international forum simply

eludes me!

Respectfully, Neil Adams

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Page

Foundation ◄

Converting units of measurement The table shows some of the most common units and their equivalents.

Make sure you know these conversions.

Converting larger units to smaller units

To convert a larger unit to a smaller unit (eg m to cm), first check the number of smaller units needed to make 1 larger unit. Then, multiply that number by the number of larger units.

Converting smaller units to larger units

To convert a smaller unit to a larger unit (eg cm to m), divide it by the number of smaller units which are needed to make 1 larger unit.

To convert from a larger unit to a smaller one, multiply. To convert from a smaller unit to a larger one, divide.

Example 1 m = 100 cm So, to convert from m to cm multiply by 100, and to convert from cm to m divide by 100.

For example:

By

3.2 m = 320 cm (3.2×100 = 320) 400 cm = 4 m (400÷100 = 4)

Questions Convert the following to the units given in brackets: a) 5120 g (kg) b) 15 cl (ml) c) 245 mm (m)

(BBC)

Time passed on; and as the eldest son did not come back, and no tidings were heard of him, the second son set out, and the same thing happened to him. He met the fox, who gave him the good advice: but when he came to the two inns, his eldest brother was standing at the window where the merrymaking was, and called to him to come in; and he could not withstand the temptation, but went in, and forgot the golden bird and his country in the same manner.

Time passed on again, and the youngest son too wished to set out into the wide world to seek for the golden bird; but his father would not listen to it for a long while, for he was very fond of his son, and was afraid that some ill luck might happen to him also, and prevent his coming back. However, at last it was agreed he should go, for he would not

the

Brothers Grimm

rest at home; and as he came to the wood, he met the fox, and heard the same good counsel. But he was thankful to the fox, and did not attempt his life as his brothers had done; so the fox said, “Sit upon my tail, and you will travel faster.”

So he sat down, and the fox began to run, and away they went over stock and stone so quick that their hair whistled in the wind.

CONTINUED FROM FRIDAY

When they came to the village, the son followed the fox’s counsel, and without looking about him went to the shabby inn and rested there all night at his ease. In the morning came the fox again and met him as he was beginning his journey, and said, “Go straight forward, till you come to a castle, before which lie a whole troop of soldiers fast asleep and snoring: take no notice of them, but go into the castle and pass on and on till you come to a room, where the golden bird sits in a wooden cage; close by it stands a beautiful golden cage; but do not try to take the bird out of the shabby cage and put it into the handsome one, otherwise you will repent it.” Then the fox stretched out his tail again, and the young man sat himself down, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind.

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Snatching of Speaker’s Mace: Privileges Committee recommends suspension of 8 APNU/AFC MPs T he Parliamentary Committee of Privileges has recommended the suspension of eight A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Members of Parliament who participated in the infamous Mace grab and disruptions of the National Assembly sitting on December 29, 2021.

The Committee was tasked with considering a Privilege Motion which stated that the eight Opposition Members attempted to prevent the second and third readings of the Natural Resource Fund Bill No 20 of 2021, conducted themselves in a gross disorderly, contumacious, and disrespectful manner, and repeatedly ignored the authority of the Assembly and that of the Speaker, thereby committing contempt and breaches of privileges.

The eight MPs in question are: Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan, Natasha SinghLewis, Annette Ferguson, Vinceroy Jordan, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, and Maureen Philadelphia.

After seeking an extension to its one-month timeline to consider the violations committed by the members, the Committee finally completed the report and submitted it to be laid in the National Assembly for debate. The next sitting is slated for Thursday, July 21.

According to the report, the Committee's findings were based on video recordings, statements by staff of the Parliament Office and the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, eyewitness accounts by other

Members of the House, media reporters and the public, both locally and internationally.

Additionally, each Opposition Member was written to and asked to "show cause" why sanctions should not be meted out to them. Their responses were received and considered by the Committee.

With these on hand, the Committee “found that the named Members were in violation of the Standing Orders, established Customs and Practices regarding acceptable behaviour of Members in the Assembly”.

To this end, the Committee determined the appropriate sanction available for the National Assembly to impose is suspension from service in the House.

As a result, the Privileges Committee recommended that Christopher Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan and Natasha Singh-Lewis be suspended for four consecutive sittings each for attempting to prevent the second and third readings of the NRF Bill, and for conducting themselves in a gross disorderly, contumacious, and disrespectful manner, and repeatedly ignoring the authority of the Assembly and that of the Speaker, and thereby committing contempt and breaches of privileges.

Recommendation was also made for MPs Annette Ferguson and Vinceroy Jordan to be suspended for six consecutive sittings each for a similar offence.

However, their suspension was higher since the Committee concurred that they had committed “serious violations which were

A scene from the infamous Mace grab of December 29

severe and egregious by unauthorisedly removing the Parliamentary Mace from its rightful position in a disorderly fashion, causing damage to the Mace, injuring and assaulting a staff of the Parliament Office, while attempting to remove the Mace from the Chamber”.

Meanwhile, a similar recommendation of suspension for six consecutive sittings was made against Tabitha SaraboHalley, whose violations were found to be “severe and egregious with regard to unauthorisedly entering the communication control room of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) and destroying several pieces of audio-visual equipment, being public property”.

In addition, MP Maureen Philadelphia is also facing a suspension

recommendation for six consecutive sittings over her severe and egregious violations, whereby she “verbally assaulted a staff of the Parliament Office within the precincts of the National Assembly”.

The Privileges Committee is chaired by Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, and its members comprise of both Government and Opposition MPs. R e p r e s e n t i n g Government are: Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC; Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister,

Gail Teixeira; Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Charles Ramson; and Sanjeev J Datadin.

On the APNU/AFC Opposition’s side are: Khemraj Ramjattan; Roysdale Forde, SC; Geeta Chandan-Edmond, and David A Patterson.

It is understood that the Opposition Members did not participate in the last three of the five Committee meetings. Hence, the other members including the Chairman went ahead and concluded the report with the recommendations for suspension of the eight Opposition MPs in question.

The report is expected to the laid in the National

Assembly next Thursday, however, that is it a Private Members’ Day – meaning, the day is set aside for the Opposition’s business to be dealt with. They have three motions on the agenda.

But according to Minister Teixeira, Government is hoping to start the debate on the Report afterwards on Thursday.

She noted that this is the first time, in recent years, that the Privileges Committee has managed to conclude a matter before it.

“But it’s good in a sense that this is a very serious matter and the Committee was able to rule and make a decision, of course by majority,” the Parliamentary Affairs Minister stated.

8

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Testing… …British meritocracy

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hether they want to admit it or not, it’s the European empire-building projects (Spanish, Portuguese. English and their successors) that created racism “to keep us in our place”. The empires might’ve faded - and in the case of the Iberian powers that started it all, reduced to dust – but the effects linger and still keep us in thrall. From Europe to the Americas we’ve seen the backlash in xenophobic politics that manifested itself in anti-immigrant and anti-(any)coloured hysteria!!

In Britain, it was the invasion of Poles and other Eastern Europeans- more than any economic concerns - that drove Brexit!!

Yet, here we are, following the resignation of Boris Johnson as PM the Conservative Party – think far-right redneck Republicans! – an Indian-origin fella by the name of Rishi Sunak is in the running to succeed him!! Shades of “The Empire strikes back”!!! But the question is - can Sunak pull a Skywalker and dent that Death Star of British racism that kept us in the mud for a century and a half??

To answer the question let’s look at this Sunak chap who’s already made history.

He was already a Chancellor of the Exchequer since 2020 – which, as keeper and controller of the British Purse is considered the #2 man in British governments! And after only being elected as an MP in 2015, that’s what’s called a “meteoric rise”!! Born in 1980 when Margaret Thatcher was in her heyday, Sunak’s Indian-origin parents were born in England but products of the British Empire. Their parents – Sunak’s grandparents, originally from the Punjab - had ended up in Kenya, Tanginika and various other British detritus in the African continent as part of the seemingly inexhaustible fungible Indian labor pool.

They cut to Britain in the 1960’s - just ahead of Idi Amin but right into the anti-Black, anti-immigrant trauma of the infamous Enoch Powell’s “Rivers of blood” harangue - that shut down further colored immigration. But they worked their butts off, so Sunak’s parents became a Doctor and his mom a pharmacist running their neighborhood pharmacy. They, in turn, scrimped to send Sunak to one of the most prestigious (and expensive) Grammar school in England – Winchester and then on to Oxford to read for his very competitive Bachelors in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). A Fulbright scholarship took him to Stanford in California for an MBA that got him into the top investment house Goldman Sachs!! Then onto private hedge funds for the big bucks!! But the Stanford stint also saw him getting hitched to the daughter of of the founder of Infosys – and one of the richest men in India!!

Returning to the UK in 2009 as a billionaire family set the stage for his next move. …British race temperature Since Sunak did experience English racism – but said less so than his grandparents and parents’, the family’s and community’s progress is a testament to hard work and grit.

He plunged into Conservative politics and was given a safe Tory seat in 2015, where he backed Theresa May’s Brexit stance. An early Boris Johnson backer after May’s ouster, Sunak was made Secretary to the Treasury by Johnson and Chancellor in 2020.

Sunak proved to be a great strategist and when Boris’ “party-gate” brought the Conservatives into disrepute, he was the first to resign - putting pressure on Johnson who soon stepped down. To select a successor the Conservatives have made their first cut from six candidates. This’ll continue until there are two standing to face the registered 600,000 Conservative party members. Sunak’s most likely opponent will be young, attractive (and blonde) Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt – runner up in the first cut.

With all of Sunak’s qualifications and experience at the top, the bookmakers favour Mordaunt. Why? You figure!! …the system The question arises whether, if Sunak beats the bookies’ odds and becomes the PM, does that change anything? Or does he become a British Obama who just won’t be able to buck the “deep state”??

Your Eyewitness picks the “deep state!!

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

NEWS

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

AFC not afraid of consequences in parting ways with APNU – Ramjattan …not prepared to give up parliamentary seats

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eader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan has positioned that his party is not afraid of the consequences which may arise after parting ways with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) this yearend, amid chatter about the reduction of its parliamentary presence.

The AFC had announced its split from the coalition earlier this month, after forming the APNU/AFC seven years ago.

In a press conference on Friday, Ramjattan outlined that the Cummingsburg Accord provides for termination between three to five years. The AFC would have agreed on three years at its recent National Executive Conference (NEC).

Now, he said they are “unafraid” of the consequences to come and are unprepared to give up any of its parliamentary seats.

“We opted for the threeyear termination…I do not see anything that would affect our parliamentary relationship in Opposition. I’m unafraid of the chatterati about consequences on our nine parliamentarians.”

the AFC decided to stay in “a revised political alliance with APNU, whether coalition or a parliamentary cooperation agreement but the AFC must demand and secure a firm agreement and structure for it to have a greater influence on policy positions and political action within the alliance while maintaining its independence and rebranding and regaining its identity”.

The AFC had joined hands with the APNU to contest the 2015 General and Regional Elections and the coalition subsequently won. The parties signed

accord.

On December 24, 2019, after much back and forth between APNU and the AFC, a revised Cummingsburg Accord was signed, but the full details were never released to the public.

the Cummingsburg Accord, which outlined the parliamentary seats and ministerial portfolios for AFC and APNU members, respectively. However, APNU, led by former President David Granger, had been accused of continuously violating the

Following the AFC’s recent NEC, the APNU issued a statement whereby it expressed satisfaction that the smaller party decided to stay in the coalition. It had added that the AFC’s decision to remain in the coalition will “add impetus” to the parties’

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

Ramjattan added, “We’re not going to give up our seats.

Those seats were earned.

The APNU people will know that too. Why should we want to give up our parliamentary seats when being in Opposition now, that is a good platform to carry out Opposition works.”

The AFC leader has contended that his party will continue to engage the APNU in maintaining its working relationship.

When the split was an-

nounced, Ramjattan had said that the AFC would only consider entering into a new coalition with the APNU closer to the next General and Regional Elections due in 2025. While the AFC had announced its decision to remain in the coalition with APNU until the expiry of the Cummingsburg Accord in December, no definitive position was shared regarding the party’s way forward until this announcement.

Initial reports were that

“joint efforts” to win the next national election.

Since it came into office after joining forces with the APNU in 2015, the minority AFC has been criticised for the submissive role it has been playing to the APNU. Decisions the former Government made, such as the closure of sugar estates, which put thousands of sugar workers out of jobs, were passed unchallenged and even supported by the AFC. This is despite the AFC retaining the Agriculture Ministry.

This passive relationship with APNU was cited by former AFC parliamentarian Charrandas Persaud, as one of the reasons he voted for the No-Confidence Motion that brought down the APNU/AFC Government in 2018.

10 NEWS Impersonating a doctor is Revised curriculum “contextually illegal – Health Minister proven relevant” for Guyanese SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

...says could be charged criminally

H

ealth Minister Dr Frank Anthony has weighed in on the controversy regarding the impersonation of a doctor, warning that practicing medicine without a licence is a felony.

Dr Anthony was referring to the case of Mikhail Tadius McLennan, who was caught a few days ago posing as a doctor while volunteering at the Guyana Cancer Foundation.

Minister Anthony said the medical practitioner’s act speaks of a doctor’s impersonation and contended that those who are culpable of such offences should face the necessary penalties and consequences.

“The Police and the DPP, I would say, would know how to handle these things. But the laws are there and are clear,” the Minister said.

According to the Medical Practitioner’s Act: “...any person, not being a medical practitioner who takes or uses the name, title, addition or description implying or calculated to imply that he is registered as a medical practitioner under this Act or that he is recognised by law as a person authorised or qualified to practice medicine or surgery; pretends to be or holds himself out as,

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

whether directly or by implication, a person practising, or authorised or qualified to practice medicine or surgery, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars and to imprisonment for eighteen months.”

On Tuesday the Guyana Cancer Foundation distanced itself from McLennan, who was a volunteer at the institution and who allegedly pretended that he is a medical doctor.

After the news of the Guyana Cancer Foundation

started to circulate, McLennan issued a statement on his Facebook page, apologising and confirming that he is not a medical doctor.

Also, Advisor to the Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy noted that he has since advised the Chief Medical Officer to contact the Medical Council of Guyana on this matter, and the matter will be investigated.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the University of Guyana (UG), the country’s premier tertiary education institution, confirmed that McLennan was never registered as a student at any of the university’s campuses.

In a statement, UG said that it views the incident involving McLennan as very serious and urges the young man, and all others wishing to take up significant professions, to follow the lawful and bona fide route in doing so.

Further, the university added that it “does provide many avenues for different types of students as well as academic counselling to assist prospective students in making the right choices in fulfilling their dreams and achieving success.”

It is therefore urging persons to take advantage of

learners – NCERD

Mikhail McLennan

these opportunities.

Also, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan whom the man had listed in his CV that was presented to the Cancer Foundation, as a reference and whom he said was his aunt, in a Facebook post denied being a relative of McLennan.

She said: “This character never approached me to be a reference for him and I am in no way related to him.”

The man’s CV also claimed that he is a former student at Queen’s College and Texila American University but persons from those institutions have since denied such.

NCERD Director Quenita Walrond-Lewis

T

he curriculum reform process that was embarked on by the Education Ministry now presents a framework for learning that is contextually appropriate for Guyanese children, and provides the opportunity for them to be involved in their education.

The renewed curriculum has been piloted in 105 schools across the country in

every education district.

Director of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development, Quenita Walrond-Lewis highlighted during this week’s Education Spotlight programme, that the revision was tailored specifically for local use, and is now student-centred.

CONTINUE ON PAGE 11

NEWS

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana gets US$130M IDB loan for Revised curriculum economic recovery from COVID-19 proven...

FROM PAGE 10

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ction will be geared at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Guyana’s public policy and fiscal management response to the COVID-19 pandemic with a US$130 million loan from the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB).

The operation, the second of a two programmatic-based loan series, will support the Guyana Government’s efforts to promote macroeconomic stability and withdraw emergency tax measures as part of a strategy to adapt its public policy and fiscal response to the new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first phase of this operation previously approved in December 2020 was disbursed in January 2021.

A statement highlighted that this new phase of IDB financing will also support measures to increase the efficiency and transparency of Government procurement processes as well as measures to promote greater fiscal sustainability, address climate change and accelerate economic recovery with greater gender equality.

These include the ap-

proval of a medium-term fiscal framework, the implementation of recovery measures included in the Guyana COVID-19 National Action Plan and the approval of a new institutional framework for public investment management, among other measures.

The IDB loan has a maturity period of 20 years and a grace period of 5.5 years and an interest rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR).

Last year, IDB and its private sector arm, IDB Invest, closed the year with $19.5 billion in new financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, as they helped countries recover from the pandemic and usher in an era of sustainable and inclusive growth.

This financing was the second-highest annual total in the history of the IDB and IDB Invest and helped countries invest in priorities ranging from COVID19-era healthcare and digitalisation to climate change action, supply chains and education. The funding also aided in reducing gender inequality, expanding entrepreneurial ecosystems, and empowering small and midsize companies, which accounted for over twothirds of the region’s jobs.

In November 2020, the IDB approved a loan of US$22 million aimed at strengthening the country’s public health response to the deadly virus. Under the Contingent Credit Facility for Natural Disaster and Public Health Emergencies, it sought to finance public expenditure necessary to

contain the transmission of the disease and mitigate further health and economic consequences.

Guyana is experiencing another wave of the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in a hike in positives and more deaths.

Authorities have indicated that the BA.5 subvariant of Omicron could be circulating locally. This has been coupled with calls from authorities for persons to get themselves vaccinated and boosted against the novel virus.

Since 2020, Government has implemented a slew of measures and financial relief for those affected by the pandemic circumstances, with various sections of society and households benefitting from cash grants.

Every household has benefitted from $25,000 in direct cash transfers.

Pensioners also received a one-off pension bonus of $25,000. Persons living with disabilities also benefitted.

As of the end of March 2021, over $28 billion in banking relief to businesses in various sectors has been provided, helping to cushion them from the fallout of the pandemic.

“Just the entire process of itself is very contextually relevant for us. It is something that brings education back to the heart of learning…You are going to see things that are unique to our Guyanese context that is put over in a sense that is more student-centred for our learners, easier for our teachers to apply and we basically have taken the guess-work out of teaching and learning. Even as we look at the approaches that we would inculcate in the classrooms, we are teacher being the seat of all knowledge and move towards child-centred approaches in teaching and learning.

Walrond-Lewis pointed out that the new curriculum no longer functions in a one-dimensional approach for the benefit of regurgitation. There is cross-curricular integration in the four core subject areas that were revised.

“Children get to be co-creators in their education experience, not just passive recipients. We’re no longer teaching for regurgitation of facts. We’re looking for our learners to become critical and cognitive thinkers, for them to become doers, creators of their education.”

Moreover, the Director said this approach looks at building a citizen of the

country and not only about passing a test. Another aspect that has been taken into account is how the curriculum is delivered.

In Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, 10 and the District of Georgetown, there will be a scale-up in the phased approach taking place. This is from Grades One to Four.

“It’s delivery that you really see difference for our learners…Our approach to training or getting our teachers ready has also shifted. We need to follow what is best practice or current in the research literature. That caused us some self-reflection on how could we modify our approach to help our teachers feel comfortable in the new dispensation,” she related.

The Education Ministry is engaging educators once monthly in their indigenous learning environments, for “cluster-based” training.

A structure programme is provided for the curriculum implementation, while addressing constraints and challenges native to schools within the area, such as power outages or other factors.

The curriculum reform process commenced back in 2018 after it was found that the framework was not reviewed in some three decades.

12 NEWS

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Taxi driver further remanded on rape charge

Ameer Inshanally

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ire car operator Ameer Inshanally of Sand Reef Albion, Corentyne Berbice Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) was on Friday refused bail when he made his second appearance in the court of Albion Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh on a rape charge.

14-year-old Hemwattie Indar died days after ingesting a poisonous substance, after alleging she had been raped by the accused.

Inshanally appeared virtually before the Magistrate, and was refused bail. He had initially denied knowing the teenager when the case was called in June. On Friday, Magistrate Singh ordered that he makes a disclosure of his witnesses within 45 days.

The accused, who was unrepresented, made a verbal request for bail, but the court refused the request.

Magistrate Singh instead informed that the accused could make an application for bail through the High Court.

Inshanally will have to return to court on September 15, when the Police are expected to make full disclosure of statements.

It has been reported that the teenager was picked up

by Inshanally as she was awaiting transportation to attend school. However, after she had boarded the taxi, Inshanally reportedly drove to New Amsterdam under the pretext of going to purchase fuel. While in New Amsterdam, he reportedly engaged in sexual

Dead: Hemwattie Indar

intercourse with the teen without her consent.

After allegedly committing the act, he reportedly drove back to Albion, where he dropped off the victim at the head of the Albion Estate Road. Feeling violated, traumatised, and embarrassed after the ordeal, the teen reportedly went home and consumed a poisonous substance. It was after she had been rushed to the medical facility that she told her mother what had transpired, and her mother immediately alerted the Police.

A medical examination conducted on the teenager proved that she had indeed been sexually penetrated.

The suspect was later arrested and charged for the crime.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sugar shortage: Uitvlugt factory produces nearly 100 tonnes of sugar I

n a move to address the apparent shortage of sugar in the country, the Uitvlugt Estate factory last week ramped up its production and according to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), the entity has commenced bagging operations and has so far accumulated some 2000 bags of sugar (100 tonne) to be distributed locally.

Citizens have been complaining of the apparent shortage of sugar on the local market, something which has persisted for some two months. The situation has resulted in some retailers who have sugar in stock increasing their prices.

On Friday, GuySuCo said that Uitvlugt Estate commenced its bagging operations on Thursday. In fact, it has already accumulated close to 2000 bags of Genuine Demerara Cane Sugar (50kg/110lb bag).

“The Estate is progressing swiftly to maintain its bagging operations throughout the weekend and the following weeks. The Estate’s management continues to work diligently to ensure grinding operations remain steady and encourage all workers to strive towards achieving set weekly sugar production targets,” a missive from the sugar company detailed.

Earlier this week, workers

Bagging of 50kg/110lb Genuine Demerara Cane Sugar at Uitvlugt Factory

attached to Uitvlugt staged a picketing exercise outside the estate calling on GuySuCo to honour the Holiday With Pay (HWP) entitlement for the first crop of 2022 to workers.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and GuySuCo were slated to meet on Friday to discuss the issue but the meeting was postponed after the Union indicated the unavailability of one of their key personnel.

Nevertheless, the GuySuCo Executive Management congratulated the Uitvlugt Team on their progress and “express grati-

tude for the continued efforts towards the Estate’s success despite the challenges.”

It was announced last week that the Uitvlugt factory was gearing up to begin producing 1000 bags of sugar per day as a direct response to the apparent sugar shortage.

Last week, GuySuCo said that the Uitvlugt Estate factory team has successfully completed machinery and steam trials with the installation of a new gearbox, a critical part of the factory’s operations. This is to gear the factory up to produce 1000 bag of sugar per day.

The Uitvlugt factory has been out of operation since March of this year after a mechanical issue was detected, forcing the estate to call off its first crop for 2022. The issue has since been rectified.

A senior GuySuCo official had told Guyana Times last week that the sugar corporation had taken a decision to only sell sugar to three categories of users: supermarkets, bakeries, and manufac-

turers.

While the local shops may not have had access to the commodity for resale, the official insisted that the supermarkets have access to the product.

However, when the Uitvlugt Estate resumes sugar production at 1000 bags a day, the goal is to restart the sale of sugar to wholesalers.

Moreover, it was noted that when drier weather prevails, the Uitvlugt factory can produce 2000 bags of sugar per day.

“And Guyana don’t use more than 3000 bags of sugar a week,” the official pointed out.

At this point when the sale of sugar is resumed to wholesalers, it is the hope of GuySuCo that they service the local market first.

“The Corporation has to be careful because our mandate is to supply to Guyana… once [we start] reselling to wholesalers from next week, what the wholesalers do with it, that’s out of our control,” the official explained.

When asked about the widespread reports of a sugar shortage, the official revealed that GuySuCo had found out

that some wholesalers have been buying the commodity in bulk and sending it to Venezuela, where it is sold for higher prices.

“It’s not a suspicion,” the official contended. It was disclosed that on June 5, 2022, some 2000 50kg bags of sugar were shipped to the North West District (NWD) – a region which reportedly does not consume that much sugar.

“Region One has a population of 26,000…Georgetown has a population of about 90,000 people and they don’t use so much sugar in a week,” the official reasoned. “So, what are they doing with the sugar?”

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has since warned that any supplier hoarding sugar in a bid to increase the price for the commodity would be dealt with accordingly.

In a recent social media post, GuySuCo said that the price for a 50kg bag of sugar is $9900. This publication understands that anyone desirous of purchasing sugar can do so directly at GuySuCo, but the minimum number of bags to be bought is 50.

14 NEWS

SATURDAY, JULY 16,, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Taxi driver gets 16 years for raping schoolgirl A taxi driver has been sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl. The man, Feroz Shakeer, 36, was found guilty last month of raping the minor on December 3, 2015.

The custodial sentence was imposed on Friday by Demerara Sexual Offences Court Judge Priya SewnarineBeharry. During the convict’s sentencing hearing, the court heard that ever since the incident, the rape surviour has been having suicidal thoughts and harming herself.

She urged the Judge to imprison the man who ruin her childhood for the rest of his life.

In her victim impact statement read to the court by prosecutor State Counsel Cicelia Corbin, the victim said that seeing Shakeer during the trial brought back a lot of resentment.

“I was angered, my body

Jailed: Feroz Shakeer

began shaking because of the fear that he might try to do me something. He raped me when I was a child, only 12 years old. He robbed me of my childhood and turned what could have been a fun childhood with no care in the world, into a nightmare. He ruined my entire life. He took my choice away and I want him to pay,” she wrote in her impact state-

ment. According to her, she does not trust anyone.

After considering the aggravating and mitigating factors, Justice SewnarineBeharry imposed a 16-year sentence, ordering that Shakeer, given his youthful age, be exposed to counselling and vocational training so that he can live a productive life when he is released from custody.

It was the prosecution’s case that on December 3, 2015, Shakeer picked up the girl, her cousin, and two other school children from the G3 Mall at Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

After he dropped off the two children, the girl and her cousin were left in the vehicle.

But instead of taking the minors home, he drove to an isolated area in Diamond where he raped the victim.

Shakeer was represented

by Attorneys-at-Law, George Thomas and Madan Kissoon.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sterling Products Ltd employees to get 7% salary increase for 2022 …workers now represented by CCWU

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mployees of Sterling Products Limited are set to benefit from salary increases over the next two years, after the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Clerical and Commercial Workers’ Union (CCWU).

This agreement will see employees benefitting from an increase of seven per cent in wages for the year 2022 and eight per cent for the year 2023 across the board. In addition, meal and snack allowances have seen increases along with annual bursary awards.

The agreement was signed in the presence of the Chief Labour Officer (CLO),

Dhaneshwar Deonarine at the Labour Ministry, Brickdam Georgetown.

Sterling Products Limited was represented by Chief Executive Officer Ramsay Ali, Finance Controller Mahindra Sammy, and Human Resources Manager Maneka Jacob.

The Clerical and Commercial Workers Union was represented by President Sherwood Clarke, Junior Vice President Seecharan Sukhu, Union Consultant Gladstone George, and Employee Representative Elvis Peters.

Clarke lauded the company for ensuring that the

negotiation was done amicably, resulting in a robust agreement being generated to support the interest of the employees.

Human Resources Manager Maneka Shiwprashad-Jacob conveyed that the company holds the interest of its employees in high regard.

“I look forward to this continued good relationship that we have with this Union…As you can see from the collective bargaining agreement, we at Sterling Products Limited care for our employees, we value them, and this is evident through our conditions and the benefits in the agree-

ment.”

Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Products, Ramsay Ali added, “There are a cou-

ple of times we had to come here when we couldn’t reach a consensus and the process here was good.”

He further stated that employees of Sterling Products are also enjoying numerous other benefits that are not being captured in the Collective Labour Agreement. These benefits include pension scheme, and medical and education assistance plans.

The Chief Labour Officer indicated that the cordiality demonstrated where there is an agreement and no need for a conciliation is remarkable. He commended both management and the union for negotiating in good faith and coming to an agreement that will benefit the workers.

16 NEWS

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Appointment of Top Cop

Consultations between President Ali, Norton put on hold – await Chief Justice’s ruling on legality of constitutional commissions

President Dr Irfaan Ali

A

ttorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, has given an undertaking that the process of meaningful consultation between President Dr Irfaan Ali and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on the appointment of Clifton Hicken as Commissioner of Police will be put on hold.

This process of consultation will be held in abeyance until Chief Justice Roxane George, SC, rules on Norton’s challenge to the President’s appointment of Patrick Findlay as Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), as well as the appointment of the

Integrity Commission.

The Opposition Leader is arguing that Findlay’s appointment is illegal, null, void, and of no legal effect on the ground that President Ali did not “meaningfully consult” with him, as is required by Article 211 of the Constitution of Guyana.

In addition to a Fixed Date Application (FDA) in which he has asked the court to declare Findlay’s appointment unconstitutional, Norton has also filed a Notice of Application (NoA) requesting a conservatory order staying the consultation process until his FDA is determined.

During a hearing of the NoA on Friday, Justice George agreed with Norton’s lawyer, Roysdale Forde, SC, that the order was necessary to maintain the status quo. As such, she granted it. But after Nandlall gave the undertaking, she recalled the order and fixed August 8 for arguments.

In a letter dated July 7, Nandlall wrote to Forde, seeking meaningful consultation between Norton and the President on the appointment of Hicken as Top Cop, with the Opposition Leader given on or

Chief Justice Roxane George, SC

before July 19 to express in writing his considered opinion on the subject. In light of Friday’s court proceedings, Norton is no longer required to respond to that letter.

Also, on Friday, QC Darshan Ramdhani entered an appearance on behalf of Findlay.

Meanwhile, the Chief Justice has committed to hearing the FDA expeditiously, noting that, “I wouldn’t want to prolong this matter.” She said she desires to render a decision within one or two weeks after hearing arguments.

Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken

Quashing of appointments

Last month, Norton lodged the FDA, asking the High Court to quash the recent appointments of the Chairmen and members of the Police Service and Integrity Commissions, who were sworn in before President Dr Ali on May 31 at the Office of the President, Georgetown.

Besides Findlay as Chairman, Attorney-at-Law Mark Conway and businessmen Ernesto Choo-a-Fat and Hakeem Mohammed are the new members of the PSC.

The Integrity Commission has Demerara Bank Corporate Secretary Chandra Gajraj as Chairperson, along with Mohamed Haniff, former Solicitor General Dr Kim Kyte-Thomas, Hardesh Tiwari, and Reverend Wayne Chris Bowman as members.

Norton, who is also Leader of the PNCR — the largest party in the APNU/AFC coalition — has complained that he was not afforded a “reasonable opportunity” to express a considered opinion on the matter of consultation with respect to the appointments of the constitutional commissions. He deposed that President Ali did not provide adequate information to him in respect of his rationale, reasons and/ or grounds, having regard to the respective persons’ suitability and/or competence for appointment to the respective public offices.

Against this backdrop, he has argued that the spirit and letter of the Constitution in respect to consultation and meaningful consultation were violently violated by the President.

Among other things, this politician is seeking an order quashing the appointment of Findlay and Gajraj as the Chairmen of the PSC and Integrity Commission respectively, and an order declaring that all actions taken by those Commissions are null, void, and are of no force and effect.

According to Norton, the President’s appointment of Hicken as the acting Commissioner of Police was unilateral, and not in keeping with Article 211 of the Constitution.

Given that the life of the last Police Service Commission (PSC) expired on August 8, 2021, and there has been no Chairman of the Public Service Commission, and that no Public Service Commission has been constituted under the Constitution, Norton argues that, as of June 29, the Chairman of the PSC and the President could not have lawfully engaged in any consultation, as required by Article 211 (1) of the Constitution.

Moreover, Norton has submitted that Findlay is a politician, was a candidate for the PPP at the 2011 and 2015 National Elections, and was appointed as Permanent Secretary by that very party.

Noting that the Constitution contemplates that the PSC is not politicised, he pointed out that, up to May 2021, Findlay had identified himself as a member and supporter of the PPP/C. In addition, the Chief Justice has set July 20 to hear a case filed by Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones, which challenges the constitutionality of President Ali’s appointment of Hicken.

Jones, in his FDA, contended that Hicken’s appointment is “unreasonable, ultra vires the Constitution and Common Law, and is illegal, null, void, and of no legal effect.”

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton

Meanwhile, on the heels of criticism from the PNC, Nandlall has defended the Head of State’s decision to appoint Hicken.

“The President is completely justified in proceeding to put someone to perform the functions of the Commissioner of Police. National security and public safety, and the need for there to be an administrative head of the [GPF] would trump the need for procedural regularity, and the doctrine of necessity would justify a departure from what is required by the Constitution in this case, because there is an impossibility in securing constitutional compliance…” he has argued.

He has said, “It cannot be the law that the process would grind to a halt or the country must go without a Commissioner of Police if a recalcitrant Opposition cannot get its house in order and appoint a Leader of the Opposition. Since those with whom the President was supposed to consult were not available for consultation, his actions of going ahead with making the appointment are justified under this legal principle.”

Then, on June 28, immediate past Chairman of the PSC, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe, petitioned the High Court to block the recently reconstituted PSC from promoting or publishing a promotions list of officers of the GPF until the challenge mounted by the previous PSC, challenging its June 2021 suspension by the President, is adjudicated.

But shortly after Slowe had filed this application, the PSC announced the promotion of scores of senior Police officers.

With the Full Court on Thursday refusing applications for leave to appeal and a stay, the way is cleared for High Court Judge Gino Persaud to proceed with hearing the challenge to the President’s decision.

The Full Court held that it found no merit in Nandlall’s application for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal its May decision upholding Justice Persaud’s ruling to hear the substantive matter. Slowe was added as a party to the case by the Full Court, since he is contending that his appointment as Chairman of the PSC was wrongly terminated.

NEWS

17

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Micobie man freed after languishing in jail for almost 10 years …as Judge stays murder charge over trial delay

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emerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon has frowned upon the state of affairs in Guyana’s criminal justice system, particularly the issue of accused persons languishing in jail for lengthy periods on remand, in some cases 10 years, before they are afforded a trial.

While delivering his ruling in the State vs Jones Raymond on Friday, the Judge pointed out that delays in the administration of justice cannot be tolerated, as a delay constitutes a violation of one’s constitutional rights.

Raymond, 58, an Indigenous man of Micobie Village, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), was remanded to prison on December 28, 2012 for the murder of Gary Joseph, 33, which had occurred at some time between December 26 and December 27, 2012.

Agony

Following a Preliminary Inquiry (PI), which Justice Kissoon said was completed promptly, the murder accused was committed to stand trial on October 15, 2014 at the Essequibo High Court.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)

had received the depositions from that PI on March 23, 2015, but had remitted the case to the Magistrate’s Court for the presiding Magistrate to correct “several material irregularities and/or omissions” on part of the Magistrate. Justice Kissoon has said that, seven years later, the Magistrate is yet to comply with the DPP’s directive. In light of this, he said, the man never had a “valid Preliminary Inquiry”.

The Judge disclosed that Raymond’s unfortunate circumstances were brought to his attention by the Superintendent of Prison.

As for Raymond, who wanted to end his “agony”, the Judge said, the man opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, as he saw this as his only way out of prison.

The Judge recalled that, in 2021, he had given directions for the accused to be taken before the Essequibo Criminal Assizes, for his plea to be taken and a sentence to be imposed. Notwithstanding those directions, Justice Kissoon added, the accused is before him again.

Come December 2022, he pointed out, the time that the accused would have spent on remand would add up to 10 calendar years,

which equates to 15 prison years. Having regard to the foregoing, Justice Kissoon held that “a grave tragedy, the unthinkable, has occurred in relation to Jones Raymond without compassion, conscious and judicial discretion.”

Had it not been for the intervention of officers of the Prison Service, the Judge said, he would have been unaware of the case against Raymond, whom he described as a voiceless man who is incommunicado and far removed from his home and community without representation.

Stayed

In the circumstances, Justice Kissoon has permanently stayed all criminal proceedings against Raymond, ordering that he be released from prison immediately. In so doing, he ruled that the stay was warranted in the “exceptional circumstances” of this case: where there has been an undue and inexcusable delay without cause on the part of the State; when Raymond, who is clothed with the presumption of innocence, despite his requests and representation by him to have his matter heard, has had his request to plead denied;

and where his case has still not been tried, despite previous orders for his case to be heard.

In the end, the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, or any other institution, has been ordered to assist Raymond financially or otherwise, to ensure that he meets home safely.

Referencing several scholarly legal articles and case laws on access to justice, Justice Sandil Kissoon declared that Raymond’s fundamental right to a fair trial within a reasonable time, as guaranteed by Article 144 of the Constitution, has been violated, and continues to be violated, due to the inordinate period he has spent in pre-trial detention.

Cannot be condoned

Justice Kissoon expressed that he is unable to contemplate how “we in the criminal justice system arrived at this juncture in 2022…a citizen can serve the equivalent of a few months short of a 15-year sentence on remand, and this is somehow acceptable in the system that prevails.”

He emphasised that this

Freed: Jones Raymond

laxity cannot, and should not, be condoned, and it should not be tolerated when the liberty of a citizen has been, and continues to be, wantonly violated with no effort to remedy these circumstances.

“To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay, right or justice”, said Justice Kissoon as he quoted from Clause 40 of the Charter of the Magna Carta.

Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed appeared for Raymond, while State Counsel Muntaz Ali appeared for the prosecution.

It was the prosecution’s

case that Joseph and several friends were imbibing at a shop on Boxing Day of December 2012 when Raymond inquired from him about what he had done to his son.

The prosecution had contended that Raymond armed himself with an arrow and bow, which he used to shoot Joseph. The weapon struck the man in his abdomen.

The injured man was rushed to the Mahdia Hospital, and then transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he died while receiving treatment.

103 new COVID cases Bladen Hall man succumbs days detected, 4 in ICU after being stabbed at drinking spot T T

wenty-one-year-old Krishna Maniram, an audit clerk at National Hardware, and of Lot 190 Bladen Hall, East Coast Demerara (ECD), succumbed days after he was stabbed by a man at a bar at Mon Repos, ECD. The stabbing incident occurred on Saturday evening.

According to the dead man’s sister Vineta Maniram, her brother left their home on Friday evening with four of his friends and went to the S&S bar at Mon Repos, ECD, where they were imbibing alcohol.

She related that while at the bar her brother’s friend got into a heated argument with another man, and in a bid to represent his friend, her brother got involved.

It was during the row; her brother was stabbed three times about his body with a broken bottle. “… he was stabbed in his face, his neck, and belly. I heard that he and his friend went into the bar, and his other two friends stayed outside. The man got mad because my brother’s friend was looking at him. It’s like my brother didn’t even know he got stabbed because I hear that after he got stabbed, he run the boy out the bar with

Dead: Krishna Maniram

a belt and as soon as he bank the turn he drop down,” she told Guyana Times.

She recalled that after her brother was stabbed, she received a call from his friend informing her of what had occurred. She said her brother was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital and was later transported to the infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

“When I go to Georgetown Hospital, they tell me that he bleed out, all I see was the nurses putting plaster on the stab them and that was all. He raised up and he

talk to me and everything… then they tell me that he have to do the surgery…”.

“They also tell me that he test positive for COVID and Sunday they take he to Liliendaal centre,” she said.

The woman explained that after the stabbing incident, she went to the Police to follow up on the incident, and was told that they are unable to locate the suspect.

“They [the Police] are helping a little bit but they told me that they cannot arrest nobody because they have to know the person name and address and so.

They said because they cannot, don’t want to arrest the wrong person. But the only person that can give that information is the person [his friend] that see everything,” she explained.

The woman said her brother’s death came as a surprise to the family since they were planning his engagement and wedding.

“My brother was a very nice person. He was supposed to get engaged to he girlfriend in December and then he was going to get married. All I just begging is for the Police to see what they can do for us and find the person that did this,” she said.

he country has recorded 103 new cases of the novel coronavirus, taking the total positives detected to date to 69,730.

According to new statistics released by the Ministry, 38 persons are in institutional isolation, four of whom are in the ICU. A total of 912 are isolating at home while four are in institutional quarantine.

Recoveries stand at 66,512 while the death toll remains at 1264.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Guyana over two years ago, a total 669,077 tests have been conducted countrywide and of this, some 31,526 males and 37,204 females were found to be positive.

Of the 103 new cases recorded on Friday, nine were recorded in Region One (Barima-Waini); 11 from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); five cases from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); 50 from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); six in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), three in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), one in Region Seven (Cuyuni-

Mazaruni), and 18 in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

There were no new cases recorded in Regions Eight and 10 within the reporting 24-hour period.

According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recent figures, some 557,917,904 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 6,358,899 deaths.

In the Region of the Americas, that is, Latin America and the Caribbean, the number of confirmed COVID-19

cases has increased to 166,308,606 while the death toll in the region has gone up to 2,773,046.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 2267480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health. gov.gy.

Global figures show that 552 million people have tested positive for the virus and 6.3 million have died.

18

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Three children die as landslide J/ca: Govt says it’s strengthening sweeps over Colombian school measures against human trafficking

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t least three children have been killed by a landslide that buried a rural elementary school in northwestern Colombia, according to authorities.

Officials in Antioquia province said about 20 children of preschool and firstgrade age were at recess, along with a teacher and the mother of one of the students, in the cafeteria of La Lejia school when the landslide hit on Thursday.

Most of them escaped unharmed, but three died and two youngsters who had to be dug out of the

building were taken to hospital for treatment.

The landslide in the mountains south of Medellin was the result of heavy rains plaguing much of Colombia due to the cyclical La Nina weather phenomenon. The rains are projected to continue until September, according to the meteorological institute.

Juan Pablo Lopez, Antioquia’s secretary for territorial development, said water-saturated soil broke loose near the top of the mountain on which the

school stands in an area near Andes.

Dozens of villagers helped rescuers from the military in the effort to save the children. Video footage shared on social media showed dozens of people with shovels trying to remove a heap of felled trees and rubble. Two digging machines were also deployed.

Another landslide on the outskirts of Medellin, some three hours away, killed two people on Thursday, authorities said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Haiti fuel terminal reopens but gang war persists

Police have been moving in to clear the streets of protesters complaining about fuel shortages

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aiti’s main fuel terminal has resumed operations after a severe wave of gang violence forced it to close last week.

The Varreux terminal is in the rundown Cité Soleil area, the scene of battles between two rival gangs, and its closure had caused petrol shortages.

The terminal operator tweeted late on Thursday that a tanker carrying 45,000 barrels of imported fuel had arrived.

Since last week, 89 people have been killed in Cité

Soleil on the outskirts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

In recent days, hundreds of protesters have been burning tyres and blocking roads demanding urgent action to restore the supply of petrol.

Gang violence has shot up since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse by mercenaries a year ago.

According to the Mayor of Cité Soleil, Joël Janéus, two criminal alliances, known as G9 and G-Pèp, are fighting for control of the neighbourhood.

One local human rights

activist, Gabrielle Paul, told the BBC that conditions were “very difficult” in Cité Soleil, where thousands of residents who relied on trucks to deliver food and drinking water had been completely cut off by the violence.

“People are being killed and injured and the injured can’t get proper care,” she added.

The move to ease fuel shortages comes as the United Nations Security Council prepares to vote on extending its political mission in Haiti, hours before its mandate is due to run out.

China has called on the Security Council to ban sales of small arms to Haiti and to support sending a regional police force. It also wants sanctions to be imposed on gang leaders.

However, a draft resolution put forward by the US and Mexico stops short of an arms embargo, which other member nations consider unenforceable. (Excerpt from BBC News)

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he Government of Jamaica said it is strengthening the national framework to combat human trafficking with the development of a National Policy and Plan of Action on Trafficking in Persons (TIP), through the National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP).

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Courtney Williams, who is chairman of NATFATIP, made the disclosure while addressing the third Bilateral Dialogue for the United States-Jamaica Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership, which was held on July 13, at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Kingston.

The CPC partnership aims to provide support and strengthen the work of the NATFATIP. The contributions include the implementation of a child-friendly space, the development of a TIP handbook and training of service providers such as Police officers, to identify victims of human trafficking.

Williams said that the Government is providing

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, and Chairman of the National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP), Courtney Williams (left), looks on while US Ambassador to Jamaica, Nick Perry (centre), shakes hands with Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, the Hon Zavia Mayne. Occasion was the third Bilateral Dialogue for the US-Jamaica Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership held on July 13, at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Kingston

more comfortable and safer spaces for survivors of human trafficking, particularly for vulnerable groups.

He noted that the new policy frameworks will allow the Taskforce to gain greater support from other Ministries and agencies in strengthening efforts against human trafficking and provide assistance for vulnerable persons.

The National Policy to Combat TIP aims to strength-

en Jamaica’s ability to prevent human trafficking through public education, which will help to reduce the vulnerability of at-risk groups.

It will also provide protection and assistance to victims of TIP and to prosecute and punish those who violate the human rights of Jamaicans and foreigners who are trafficked in Jamaica’s jurisdiction. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Barbados announces measures to ease burden on citizens

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he Barbados Government on Thursday announced a raft of new measures aimed at easing the burden on citizens as they deal with the increased cost of living occasioned by various global situations including significant increases in energy prices.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley in an address to the nation said it was important for Barbadians to deal with the situation given that there will be no knight in shining armour coming to the assistance.

Mottley said that a number of new benefits “would kick in the next few days or weeks” and the Government

would further elaborate on those measures in a statement to the Parliament on Tuesday next week “so as to ensure that those things that require the force of law would have that benefit…”

She said that the Government would continue the school feeding programme for school children during the summer holidays, the Ministry of Finance offering relief for householders in their electricity bills by reducing the value added tax (VAT) from 17.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent for the electricity charge up to the first 250 kilowatt hours.

In addition, the Government through the Customs and Excise Department will ex-

pand a list of food items on which no VAT will be charged and a few on which no duties will be charged.

Mottley said that the Government has also concluded a compact that will be signed today with the private sector leading to the reduction of prices on 45 key items for a period of six months from July 21 this year.

In providing the details for the new measures, Mottley told the nation that during the summer holidays parents “go through a rough time” having to deal with children who are at home and ensuring that they are well fed. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

US companies to invest $40bln Peru’s Congress declines OAS summit over gender neutral bathroom rule in Mexico through 2024

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nited States companies plan to invest US$40 billion in Mexico between now and 2024, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told a meeting of US and Mexican executives on Wednesday, according to Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

Lopez Obrador and Ebrard are in Washington after a meeting between the Mexican president and his US counterpart Joe Biden, as well as other officials, on Tuesday.

Calling it “great news for Mexico”, Ebrard re-

vealed the prospective investments on Twitter as Mexican officials met the executives for a business breakfast in the US capital.

Mexican officials said the talks could deliver progress on a raft of pending investments in Mexico

by US energy companies.

Billions of dollars in foreign investment in Mexico have been held up by disputes between companies and the Government as Lopez Obrador tightens state control of the energy market.

Still, Lopez Obrador on Tuesday told Biden that Mexico was ready to work

with the US to help secure energy supplies, and promote the economic integration of North America.

Mexican Economy Minister Tatiana Clouthier, who was also at the business breakfast, said on Twitter that Lopez Obrador noted he had come to listen to energy companies, including Sempra Energy.

The US Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, said in June that Mexico and the US are working through disputes involving US companies worth some US$30 billion. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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he Peruvian Government on Friday said the country runs the risk of being unable to host the Organisation of American States (OAS) annual General Assembly this year because of a congressional decision opposing gender neutral bathrooms at the event.

Peru’s Congress, controlled by socially conservative parties, rejected on Thursday the Government’s request to host the Western Hemisphere regional body’s assembly in October due to a requirement that it offer gender neutral bathrooms at the event.

On Twitter, lawmaker Ernesto Bustamante, the head of Congress’s foreign re-

lations committee, said the OAS had “attempted to introduce...gender ideology” into Peruvian law.

Peru, a deeply Catholic country, is among Latin America’s most socially conservative nations, with years of infighting among lawmakers and activists over whether the state should recognise multiple gender identities or only biological sex.

Government offices do not normally offer gender neutral bathrooms.

The OAS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The theme for this year’s Assembly is “Together against inequality and discrimination.”

Foreign Minister Cesar Landa said on Twitter that

Congress’ decision “gravely affects Peru’s international image” and asked that it reconsider its stance.

The President of Congress, Maria del Carmen Alva, said she expects the Assembly will ultimately take place in Lima, but without the gender neutral bathroom requirement.

“I understand that implementing these bathrooms comes with costs...for the Government,” she said.

The largest congressional bloc, Popular Force, led by former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, voted unanimously to reject the OAS Assembly. Fujimori has previously criticised the OAS over an electoral controversy.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil rises 2% as no immediate Saudi output boost expected

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il gained 2.5 per cent on Friday after a US official told Reuters that an immediate Saudi oil output boost was not expected, and as investors question whether OPEC has the room to significantly ramp up crude production.

The comment during US President Joe Biden's Middle East visit comes at a time when spare capacity at members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is running low.

"Part of the support is that everybody and their brother who digs down into the Saudi situation see that they don't have a lot of capacity left," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.

Brent crude futures settled at US$101.16 a barrel, rising US$2.06, or 2.1 per cent, while West Texas Intermediate crude settled at US$97.59 a barrel, gaining US$1.81, or 1.9 per cent.

Brent crude futures for September delivery rose US$2.06 to settle at US$101.16 a barrel, a 2.08 per cent gain.

Both benchmarks saw their biggest weekly percentage drops in about a month, largely on fears earlier in the week that a nearing recession would chop away at demand. Brent lost 5.5 per cent in its third weekly drop, while WTI was down 6.9 per cent in its second weekly decline.

Biden, prompted by energy and security interests, arrived in Jeddah on Friday and had been expected to call for Saudi Arabia to pump more oil.

But the United States does not expect Saudi Arabia to immediately boost oil production and is eyeing the outcome of the next OPEC+ meeting on Aug 3, a US official told Reuters.

The United States could still secure a commitment that OPEC will boost production in the months ahead in hopes that it will provide a signal to the market that supplies are coming if necessary.

Meanwhile, the US oil rig count, an early indicator of future output, inched up by two to 599 this week to their highest since March 2020, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co said.

Also signalling more oil supply on the horizon was Libya's oil chief, who said crude output will resume after meeting groups that have blockaded the country's oil facilities for months.

Lifting force majeure on production could mean a return of 850,000 barrels per day.

On the economic front, the US Federal Reserve's most hawkish policymakers on Thursday said they favoured a rate increase of 75 basis points at its policy meeting this month, not the bigger increase traders had priced in after a report on Wednesday showed inflation was accelerating.

Concerns that the Fed might opt for a full 100 bps rate rise this month and weak economic data had led to Brent and WTI shedding more than US$5 on Thursday to below the closing price on Feb 23, the day before Russia invaded Ukraine, though both contracts clawed back nearly all the losses by the end of the session.

Analysts, however, expect continued pressure on oil from concerns over the global economy. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Ukraine strikes significantly reducing Russia's offensive potential, Kyiv says

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krainian rocket strikes have destroyed more than 30 Russian military logistics centres in recent weeks and significantly reduced Russia's attacking potential, Ukraine's Defence Ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

The official, Oleksandr Motuzianyk, singled out the role played by US-produced HIMARS rocket systems, one of several types of longrange weapon supplied by the West to help Ukraine fight back against Russia.

"In the last weeks, over 30 of the enemy's military logistical facilities have been destroyed, as a result of which the attacking potential of Russian forces has been significantly reduced," Motuzianyk said on national television.

Motuzianyk told Reuters in separate comments that

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overnight, authorities said.

Another wildfire that broke out near the southeastern town of Tarascon on Thursday and burnt at least 1000 hectares has been stabilised, according to firefighters.

Wildfires also raged across Portugal, Spain and Croatia, burning homes and threatening livelihoods, as much of Europe baked in a heatwave that has pushed temperatures into the mid40Cs in some parts.

One of the two Gironde fires was around the town of Landiras south of Bordeaux, where 4200 hectares have been burnt, roads closed and an extra 480 residents

the 30 targets were destroyed by multiple launch rocket systems, including HIMARS. If confirmed, the comments would suggest that Western weapons are having an impact on the battlefield and could indicate

a shift in the war's dynamic after nearly five months.

Russia, which invaded Ukraine on Feb 24, has captured a chunk of territory in southern Ukraine and used its artillery supremacy in the east to make gradual territorial gains, eventually

European Commission sues Hungary over anti-LGBTQ law

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he European Commission has launched legal action against Hungary over an anti-LGBTQ law and its refusal to renew the licence of Klubradio, a broadcaster critical of the Government.

Friday’s two lawsuits add to a long list of increasingly bitter standoffs between Hungary’s hardline nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the liberal core of the EU over human rights and democratic standards.

“The European Commission today decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU over a Hungarian law which discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity,” said the EU’s executive.

It also sent a second lawsuit to the Luxembourgbased court over Budapest

Hundreds more evacuated from homes as wildfires spread in France

undreds more people were evacuated from their homes as wildfires continued to rage out of control in southwestern France, authorities said on Friday.

More than 1000 firefighters, supported by nine water-bomber aircraft, have been battling since Tuesday to master two blazes fanned by scorching heat, tinder-box conditions and strong winds.

"The situation is still adverse," said the authority for the Gironde department, where the blazes are raging.

The fires have now burnt 7300 hectares, a total that increased by 2000 hectares

US military forces fire a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) rocket during the annual Philippines-US live fire amphibious landing exercise (PHIBLEX) at Crow Valley in Capas, Tarlac province, north of Manila, Philippines, October 10, 2016

capturing Luhansk region.

A top Ukrainian general said on Thursday that Russia had not taken a "single metre" of land in the last week and that Ukrainian strikes were disrupting Russian supply lines, forcing Moscow to keep its ammunition further back from the front line. Reuters was not able to immediately confirm battlefield reports.

HIMARS have a longer range and are more precise than Ukraine's Soviet-era artillery, allowing Ukrainian forces to hit Russian targets that were previously unreachable.

On Friday, Ukraine's Defence Minister said Kyiv had taken receipt of a first consignment of M270 multiple rocket launch systems, without specifying which country provided them.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

evacuated, bringing the total there to almost a 1000.

The other blaze, that has already burnt 3100 hectares, was along the Atlantic Coast close to the "Dune du Pilat" - the tallest sand dune in Europe - in the Arcachon Bay area, above which heavy clouds of dark smoke were seen rising into the sky.

Around 6000 people were evacuated from surrounding campsites on Wednesday, and another 4000 people early on Thursday.

Three houses and two restaurants were destroyed overnight in that area, authorities said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

rejecting Klubradio’s airwaves application.

Klubradio, whose guests often criticise Government policies and which now only broadcasts online, was forced off air more than a year ago.

The other case relates to a law Hungary enacted last year banning the use of materials seen as promoting homosexuality and gender change in schools.

Touted as protecting chil-

dren by the Government of Orban, who presents himself as a defender of traditional Catholic family values, it was criticised by human rights groups and international watchdogs as discriminating against LGBTQ people and labelled a “disgrace” by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Gay marriage is not recognised in Hungary and only heterosexual cou-

ples can legally adopt children. Orban’s Government has redefined marriage as the union between one man and one woman in the Constitution, and limited gay adoption.

Bottom of Form The EU executive has withheld billions in aid to Hungary over disputes related to gay rights, as well as the independence of its media and courts. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Sri Lanka seeks way forward after President quits

S

ri Lanka is seeking a way out of political and economic chaos after its President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned and fled the country.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as temporary leader on Friday and has the ruling party's backing to take the role permanently.

This makes him the favourite when a new President is chosen next week, but may prove unacceptable to protesters.

Rajapaksa fled to Singapore, sparking celebrations in the street.

He and his family have been blamed for a deep economic crisis, with Sri Lankans facing acute shortages of food, fuel and other basic supplies.

Businesses and shops reopened in the capital, Colombo, on Friday morning after a curfew was lifted, but soldiers could still be seen on major roads.

At the same time, thousands of people were back in long queues outside petrol stations.

The process of Parliament

People offered food to soldiers in Colombo to celebrate Rajapaksa's departure

electing a new President will begin today, with MPs expected to take a vote on July 20.

After being sworn in as interim leader, Wickremesinghe promised to act quickly to put a democratically elected president in place.

Given the governing party has a majority, MPs are thought likely to back Wickremesinghe, who has close links with the Rajapaksa family.

But whether Sri Lanka's public would accept this is another matter, because Wickremesinghe's resignation as PM was a key de-

mand of protesters.

Earlier this week, crowds stormed the former Prime Minister's compound, clashing with security forces.

A demonstrator, Manuri Pabasari, told the BBC at the time that a protest rally against Ranil Wickremesinghe was expected in the coming days.

"He has no people's mandate [and] is a well-known Rajapaksa supporter," she added. "I mean the new president and the new prime minister should be not a Rajapaksa supporter." (Excerpt from BBC News)

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

guyanatimesgy.com

DAILY HOROSCOPES

ARCHIE

(March 21-April 19)

DILBERT

(April 20-May 20)

Note what others do, and you'll gain insight into how you can offer something everyone can appreciate.

Refuse to let someone meddle with your mind, plans or progress. You need to call the shots.

Stay on top of expenses, contributions and subscriptions. Say no to persuasive people trying to take advantage of you. Put emotions aside and work with passion, precision and innovation.

Take charge and see matters through to the end. Your diligence will pay off, and someone special will appreciate your effort. Leave nothing to chance. Romance is encouraged.

(May 21-June 20) Pay attention to joint endeavors and shared expenses. Don't feel you have to keep up with others. Set boundaries and live within your means. Make your position crystal clear.

PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)

(July 23-Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Slow down, take time to go over documents and make changes that will save you financially. Looking at the big picture will help you recognize what you can do to make your life run smoothly.

Take pride in who you are and what you do. Share with the people you love. Heart-to-heart talks will help resolve pending issues and encourage you to incorporate what makes you happy into your routine.

Actions speak louder than words.

Be mindful of others and do whatever it takes to make a difference. Setting an example for those around you will discourage people from criticizing or complaining.

Set standards and boundaries.

Protect against those trying to push or manipulate you. Be bold; make your position known and your objective clear. Travel and socialize.

SUDOKU (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Have fun with your friends and family. A little laughter will lift your spirits and help you put a positive spin on whatever you encounter. Walk away from manipulative situations.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Change will motivate you to cut back and put your energy where it counts. Eliminate excess, and seek out people who make you feel good about yourself and what you want.

LAST PUBLISHED WORD -- CERTIFY

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Give others the freedom to do as they please, and you'll get the same in return. Consider your main objective and what you can do to get to a place that will satisfy your needs.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Stick to the facts and go on your way. Being honest will help you put your life in perspective. Focus on eliminating little things that cause you unhappiness and replacing them with positive pursuits.

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

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“The Open”, golf tourney’s oldest major…

Tiger Woods teary-eyed in farewell at St Andrews A

n emotional Tiger Woods has conceded he is unlikely to play “The Open” at St Andrews again, after missing the cut at the 150th edition of golf’s oldest major on Friday.

The 15-time major winner carded a second-round 75 to sit nine over par, well short of the projected cut mark at the home of golf.

Woods was desperate to compete in this landmark tournament, after his career was nearly ended by a car crash in February last year, and he admitted this was probably his final outing at an Open on the famous links.

It was fitting, then, that the 46-year-old Woods – who has twice lifted the Claret Jug at the Fife course – was given a stunning ovation as he concluded his round, which left him with tears in his eyes.

“It’s very emotional for me. I’ve been coming here since 1995… I think the next one comes around in what, 2030? I don’t know if I will be physically able to play by then,” he said. “So, to me it felt like this might have been my last British Open here at St Andrews. And the fans, the ovation and the warmth, it was an unbelievable feeling.

“I understand what Jack [Nicklaus] and Arnold [Palmer] had gone through in the past. I was kind of feeling that way there at the end: just the collective warmth and understanding. They (fans) understand what golf’s all about and what it takes to be an Open champion.

I’ve been lucky enough and fortunate enough to have won this twice here, and it felt very emotional,” Woods has said.

“I just don’t know what my health is going to be like. And I feel like I will be able to play future British Opens, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to play that long enough that, when it comes back around here, will I still be playing?”

Woods admitted he was choked up by the response of the fans and his fellow professionals, including Rory McIlroy.

“As I walked further along the fairway, I saw Rory right there,” he said. “He gave me the tip of the cap. It was pretty cool, the nods I was getting from guys as they were going out and I was coming in. Just the respect, that was pretty neat; and from a player’s fraternity level, it’s neat to see that and feel that.

“And then, as I got closer to the green, more into the hole, the ovation got louder, and you could feel the warmth and you could feel the people from both sides. It felt like the whole tournament was right there,” he explained.

“I had a few tears. I’m not one who gets very teary-eyed very often about anything.

I put my heart and soul into this event over the years, and I think the people have appreciated my play in the event. I’ve won it three times.

“Life moves on, and I think that’s what people understand. And they knew my circumstances this year, of just playing, period. I was very lucky to have had a great team around me to get me to where I was physically able to play three times this year, and (I’m) very thankful to all of them for getting me to this spot,” he said. (Excerpted from Sportsmax)

Windies wicketkeeper-batsman CAS dismisses Russian appeals Denesh Ramdin officially retires against bans from FIFA and UEFA from international cricket International & European football…

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ppeals by the Russian Football Federation (FUR) and some of its clubs against bans from international and European football have been rejected.

That country’s clubs and national team were suspended from all competitions

by FIFA and UEFA in February, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Six appeals were launched against the decision, but all have been dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The FUR says it could now appeal to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.

CAS held hearings with the parties involved over video on July 5 and 11. “The panel determined that the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the public and Government responses worldwide, created unforeseen and unprecedented circumstances to which FIFA and UEFA had to respond,” said a CAS statement.

“In determining that Russian teams and clubs should not participate in competitions under their aegis while such circumstances persisted, the panel held that both parties acted within the scope of the discretion granted to them under their respective statutes and regulations”, the statement continued.

In April, Russia dropped an appeal against the country being suspended from the 2022 World Cup by FIFA. However, the FUR continued with an appeal against FIFA and UEFA, while Zenit St Petersburg, Sochi, CSKA Moscow and Dynamo Moscow appealed against UEFA. The CAS statement added: “The panel found it unnecessary to characterise the

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nature of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but only to focus on the consequences of such conflict for the competitions affected.

“The panel finds it unfortunate that the current military operations in Ukraine, for which Russian football teams, clubs and players have themselves no responsibility, had, by reason of the decisions of FIFA and UEFA, such an adverse effect on them and Russian football generally, but those effects were, in the panel’s view, offset by the need for the secure and orderly conduct of football events for the rest of the world.”

The FUR has said it “strongly disagrees” with the CAS’ ruling, and a “decision on further actions will be made after the analysis of the grounds for the CAS panel’s decisions”. It added: “The options may include appeal to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, and filing claims to CAS related to compensation for financial losses incurred by the FUR as the result of UEFA and FIFA’s actions. (BBC. COM)

ormer West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Denesh Ramdin has announced his retirement from international cricket.

The 37-year-old Trinidadian, who last played Test cricket for the West Indies against Australia in January 2016, made his debut against Sri Lanka in July 2005. In 74 Tests, he scored 2898 runs, which included four centuries and 15 half-centuries, at an average of 25.87. He took 205 catches, and effected

12 stumpings in his Test career.

Ramdin made his decision known on Instagram on Friday.

“It is with great pleasure that I announce my retirement from international cricket,” said Ramdin, who last donned West Indies colours in a T20 match against India in December 2019.

“The past 14 years have been a dream come true. I fulfilled my childhood dreams by playing cricket for Trinidad and Tobago and the West Indies. My career afforded me the opportunity to see the world, make friends from different cultures, and still be able to appreciate where I came from.”

Notwithstanding his retirement from international cricket, Ramdin said, he will still be playing franchise cricket.

Ramdin played 139 ODIs for the West Indies, scoring 2200 runs, with two centuries and eight half centuries, and averaged 25.00. He also completed 181 catches and seven stumpings. He played 71 T20I, in which he scored 636 runs. In those matches, he took 43 catches and pulled off 20 stumpings.

(Sportsmax)

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SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ENGLAND O50S WIN 2022 MARLBOROUGH CUP -despite Dhaniram's hat-trick -Windies O50s finish as runners-up

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ngland have won the 2022 Marlborough Cup, and in the process have maintained their perfect home record with a 71-run win over the West Indies.

Much had been anticipated from this clash, as the West Indies had given the English guys a huge

tras contributed a healthy 50 runs to the England total and was the second top score.

Sudesh Dhaniram, who ended with 3 for 43 off his 8 overs, was ably supported by Sunil Dhaniram with 2 for 54, and Fareed Hosein with 2 for 46. The West

Losing the two Dhaniram brothers for a combined 25 runs didn't help. Rajendra Sadeo fought off the opening English attack to score 37 runs off 62 deliveries, with 2 fours and 2 sixes, but lost his wicket just when he was well set.

Windies had suffered a

West Indies O50 were the runners-up

The victorious England O50

scare in their warm up encounter last Thursday, when Windies fell short by 16 runs in chasing a massive 302 posted by England.

Stephen Foster starred with bat and ball as the hosts put on a clinical display of over-50s cricket. He stroked 83 off 82 balls as England piled on 274/8 off their allotted overs, then cleaned up the Windies’ tail with 2/5.

The West Indies did not help their cause when ex-

Indies, however, lost their last 6 wickets for just 15 runs, tumbling from 188/4 to 203 all out. Rob Nelson took 3 wickets in an over to finish with personal best figures of 4/23.

The Windies had left themselves with too much to do in the last 15 overs; they needed more than 9 runs an over at that stage despite a valuable partnership of 83 runs from Narine Bidhesi (54) and Azad Mohammed (44).

huge blow early in the day when they lost the services of their Vice captain Ishwar Maraj, suffering from an injured right elbow. Maraj had struck a sparkling 103* on Sunday against Wales, and 45 the next day against the Indians.

Earlier in the day, England had gotten themselves off to a rollicking start, with Giles Ecclestone (43) and David Snellgrove (38) adding 99 for the first wicket at 7.6 an over.

Foster came in at #5, and batted beautifully for his 83 - which saw him regain

Emily Mayne shoots 69 to rocket up the leaderboard

Sir Garfield Sobers

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round, with a total score of 160.

Japan’s Taisha Motto leads with an overall score of 10 under par 134 (68, 66) after two rounds.

The championship, held at the Torrey Pines South Golf Course in California, ends on Friday.

Both golfers have had a busy season. Recently, they competed at the 34th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships in Puerto Rico, where Mayne topped the Under- 18 age group - a first for any Jamaican female golfer.

As soon as they return from the current championships, they will head off to the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships (for seniors) in the Turks and Caicos Islands. (Sportsmax)

for the West Indians.

Ambassador Colin Croft graced the occasion with his presence at the Marlborough College ground, where he mingled with everyone throughout the day and the evening.

Former England Test player Roland Butcher also visited the West Indians at the Broxbourne Cricket Club ground, where he spent the day mixing with both the English and West Indian players and supporters.

Attorney Rabi Sukul, who also serves as legal counsel for the Cricket West Indies Masters Association, also spent Thursday with the teams at the Gravesend Cricket Club, along with some of his friends.

Cricket legend Sir Garfield Sobers sets up Foundation to help young people all over the world

IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships…

mily Mayne enjoyed an excellent second day at the IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships in the United States of America on Thursday, July 15, carding a three-under-par 69 to move from 40th into a tie for eighth place, and just two shots off the lead.

The Jamaican teen has an overall score of 141, after shooting a 72 in the opening round.

Kelli Ann Strand of the USA was atop the leaderboard with scores of 71 and 68, for an overall score of 139. Aman Dhiman is the other Jamaican at the championships. He is also competing in the 15-18 age group. He scored nine over par 81, and is tied at 158th at the end of the second

his position as the leading run-scorer in O50Is, overtaking Australia's Peter Solway (690 runs) and becoming the first batsman to score 700 runs at this level.

However, he then became the first wicket of a Sudesh Dhaniram hat-trick that tripped England up from 253/5 to 253/8. Before this match, Dhaniram had taken just one wicket in O50Is, and that at an average of 177.

England emerged deserved winners of the Marlborough Cup, having gone through another season unbeaten. Their overall record in O50Is is now 20 wins and 6 losses, reinforcing their status as one of the world's leading sides at this level. Sudesh Dhaniram won the Man of the Series

ricket Legend Sir Garfield Sobers has announced the establishment of a new Foundation, dedicated to supporting underprivileged young cricketers.

The Sir Garry Sobers Foundation has been set up with the goal of changing the life trajectories of young people all over the world.

Through the Foundation, Sobers - an icon of the game, and widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time - hopes to give aspiring players the opportunity to maximise their potential through world class coaching and mentorship.

The Sir Garry Sobers Foundation will focus not only on giving young cricketers the coaching and tools to strive for excellence in the sport, but also to imbibe the values of honesty, fair play, and giving back to their communities.

The Foundation will strive to raise an endowment of $50 million over the next five years, to be built upon by fu-

ture supporters who share Sir Garry’s long held values of focusing on talent and character, without regard to race or family background.

The initiative has been launched with the support of Bravia Capital, a private investment firm headquartered in New York. It was established in 2000 by Bharat Bhise.

Sir Garry has said: “Junior cricket development has always been very close to my heart. After my retirement, I spent seven years in Australia and elsewhere coaching, and I loved it just as much as playing. It was so rewarding, and took me back to my ‘boy days’, as we say in Barbados.

“As a mere lad in short pants, I found myself playing with my friends in the streets, and getting a message that I had been called up to play for West Indies. Many people helped me to manage that massive transition, and so I am honoured to have an opportunity to give back to the cricket community.

“It is indeed a privilege to work with Bharat Bhise and Bravia Capital.”

Bhise added: “There have been a number of extraordinary sportsmen in numerous sports through time.

However, not many have had the stellar track record that Sir Garry had through his career: as the greatest batsman, pace and spin bowler, fielder and captain.

“I have had the privilege of learning the qualities of selflessness, humility, insight and wisdom from Sir Garry, that fostered my interest in developing this Foundation.

“In addition to his work with thousands of juniors across the world, Sir Garry has selflessly mentored scores of major international cricket stars, talking them through periods when their career was slumping, with no reward other than the gratitude and friendship of his mentees.

“What we hope to accomplish through the Foundation is to instill values personified

by Sir Garry, such as leadership, sportsmanship, fair play, and sharing that have sadly been diluted in the recent era of pro cricket.”

Sobers made his debut for West Indies at the age of 17, and enjoyed a 20-year international career that stretched between 1954 and 1974. In 1975, he was Knighted for his services to cricket.

Alongside the launch of his new foundation, Sir Garry has also stepped into the world of social media. His new Twitter, Facebook and

Instagram channels will give fans the opportunity to hear previously untold stories, take a look around the wonderful archive of memorabilia from Sir Garry’s remarkable career, and even interact directly with the great man himself.

Find Sir Garry via Instagram: @ SirGarfieldSobers; Twitter: @SirGarrySobers; and Facebook: @SirGarrySobers.

(Voiceonline.UK)

CLASSIFIED ADS NOTICE Maylene Duncan and Jessie Cozier of Charity, Essequibo, the witnesses to the execution of the last will and testament dated the 11th day of November, 2010 of MOHAN a.k.a MALA, deceased who died on the 10th August, 2021, are hereby requested to contact Mr. Khawn Rodney, Attorney-at-Law at Lot 216 South Road, Lacytown, Georgetown, within 14 (fourteen) days from the date of publication of this Notice for the purpose of swearing the Affidavit of Attesting Witnesses. Dated at Georgetown, Demerara. This 12th day of July, 2022.

WANTED LOOKING FOR AN HONEST AND RELIABLE BABYSITTER/TUTOR FOR A TODDLER AND INFANT. Must be well spoken and should have at least 3 subjects CXC including English and Maths. Must be able to work without supervision and work flexible hours when needed. Must be living on the East Bank or in Georgetown. CALL: 622-6297 FOR MORE INFO.

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

WI vs Bangladesh: ODI Series, Game 3 of 3…

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West Indies looking for consolation win today

-Bangladesh looking to test bench strength ble on how we are going about to bat on that wicket. Yes, we have to improvise, and we are looking forward to tomorrow's game."

Asked about changes, Pooran hinted there is a possibility of some other guys playing, but the aim, he said, is to win.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has said that Bangladesh will be looking to test their bench strength. "The most important thing is to test our bench

Bangladesh spinners enjoying the surface

By Brandon Corlette

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icholas Pooran and his West Indies side will be aiming to chalk up a consolation win in their final One Day International (ODI) match at Providence today, Saturday July 16. Bangladesh, on the other hand, will be aiming for a clean sweep of this series, and to register 11 wins in a row against West Indies in

the ODI format.

On the eve of this final ODI match, West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran said: "We discussed about batting 50 overs. Regardless of batting first or batting second, you have to find that way. Again, in the ODI setup, we are a new team, a group of young guys trying to figure out how we want to play this cricket.

“We need to assess condi-

The Providence surface on the eve of the final ODI (Brandon Corlette photo)

tions better, and decide what shots we are going to play on that wicket. We have not gotten the answer yet, so we are looking forward to the game, try and assess as fast as possi-

strength. We don't do it often in the Bangladesh team.

I think it is completely fine for me to miss a match. If we don't test our bench strength

now, then when will we do it?"

Bangladesh was precise in their planning and execution in the two games thus far. Skipper Tamim won both tosses and put West Indies in, after which his bowlers piled on the pressure by bowling a large number of dot balls in the first 20 overs.

It forced the West Indies batters into playing big shots in the middle overs, and Bangladesh caught most of their chances, thereby restricting the hosts to low totals.

While the Tigers allowed a late flurry of runs in the first game, Bangladesh shut down West Indies for 108 in 35 overs in the second ODI. Bangladesh's bowlers have been clinical in the series thus far: Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nasum Ahmed led the attack with superb spells of spin bowling, while Shoriful Islam took a four-wicket haul in the first game.

West Indies (probable XI): 1 Kyle Mayers, 2 Shai Hope, 3 Shamarh Brooks, 4 Brandon King, 5 Nicholas Pooran (capt & wk), 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Akeal Hosein, 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Romario Shepherd, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh Motie.

Bangladesh Captain Tamim Iqbal has said Bangladesh would look to give the players on their bench some game time, so Taskin Ahmed, Anamul Haque and Ebadot Hossain are likely to get their chances.

Bangladesh (probable XI): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Litton Das, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Afif Hossain, 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Mosaddek Hossain, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Ebadot Hossain

Pooran has been more useful with ball than bat in the opening ODIs Campers engaging in a training session

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Campers bonding

he Annual Everest Cricket Club Camp (ECC) returned on Wednesday July 13, 2022 after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Club President Manzoor Nadir is grateful for the camp and is optimistic that the players would gain the necessary exposure from the camp.

According to Nadir, the reception the camp received at the launch has been overwhelming. He said club officials had anticipated about 30 campers and 10 staff, but a whopping total of 46 campers has been enlisted.

Nadir explained that, within the camp, there are approximately 30 persons who play competitions and

fall within the under-19 division.

He also detailed that there are about twelve under-11 campers, and there are a few new associate members who need to be nurtured.

Questioned why clubs like the Everest Cricket Club should host camps, Nadir said, “The hosting of this camp is very important to the club. First, our players come to practice, but they lack game exposure. At the camp, they get to play cricket. We focus on games, as the regular members do a lot of work during the weekly practice sessions.

“It is also important as the campers are able to bond better as well as be-

ing exposed to information lectures. For the Club, the camp is like a nursery, bringing more kids to the club; therefore, providing a pool of persons we can draw from.”

The ECC President further reiterated that, during the camp, players would be allowed to make more lasting friendships among themselves, as well as build team spirit. Nadir touted that, outside of the other areas, a camp allows for more talent development, which prompts an eagerness in attendees to take on other clubs in competition.

“Sport is a great contributor to personal development. We have emphasized the development of skills which will serve them well throughout their lives.

Cricket today is a career, and they can earn an income if they work at developing these skills. Some members of our club are playing in

leagues in the USA,” Nadir has posited.

During the five days of action, the campers will go through cricket drills, including warm up, cool down, batting, bowling, and fielding, under the guidance of Camp Leader Saheed Mohamed and Camp Coach Travis Mohamed. The indoor sessions would seek to widen attendees’ knowledge of the game with modules such as captaincy, field placing, careers in and around cricket, and discipline.

Sponsors of the camp are Sterling Products Limited, Narine’s Liqour Store, Parliament Office, Bounty Farm Limited, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Toucan Industries, General Marine, Metro, Mattai’s Food Market, Ariel Enterprise, Ravin Radiator Works, AP Ranch, Clear Waters Inc, Bakewell, Coss Cutters, China Wholesale and Gain Mart.

World Athletics Championship 2022…

Archibald books spot in Men’s 100M heats

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uyana’s Olympian Emanuel Archibald has competed in the Men’s 100M preliminary round of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Running in heat four in lane 2, the Guyanese registered a time of 10.31 to book his spot in the heats of the Men's 100m event.

Running in Heat 4, Archibald’s time of 10.31 was just the right speed, as he dominated his heat with an advantage of 0.17 over Dorian Keletela of the Athlete Refugee Team, who clocked a time of 10.48.

At the end of the four heats, Archibald was the quickest among the 25 qualifying athletes. His time of 10.31 was followed by The Gambia’s Ebrahim Camara’s 10.37 and Indonesian Lalu Muhammad Zohri’s 10.46.

Archibald is a South American Championships silver and bronze medalist, 6 times National Champion, and an athlete who has found himself three times in the top eight at the South American Championships. He is also the country’s record holder for the long jump, and he also represented Guyana at the Tokyo Olympics, where he made it out of the preliminary stages in the 100M.

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business

WI vs Bangladesh: ODI Series, Game 3 of 3…

West Indies looking for consolation win today -Bangladesh looking to test bench strength

Page 23

Tamim Iqbal has been key for Bangladesh

Page 23

See story on page 23

Emanuel Archibald

Archibald books spot in Men’s 100M heats

President of the Everest Cricket Club, Manzoor Nadir

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