Guyana Times - Saturday, March 11, 2023

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Saturday, Mar 11 – 06:15h – 07:00h and Sunday, Mar 12 – 07:00h – 08:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, Mar 11 – 06:20h – 07:50h and Sunday, Mar 12 – 06:45h – 08:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 4.02 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 06:45h and 19:09h reaching maximum heights of 2.72 metres and 2.65 metres.

Low Tide: 12:42h reaching a minimum height of 0.47 metre.

Refrain from inciting racial tensions –Joint Services Chairman to WPA activists

supported PPP/C.” The WPA member further stated, according to the article, “We come to tell you that we will ensure that our brothers and sisters in uniform do the right thing and this thing will be over quickly.”

In response, Brigadier Bess reminded that “…irrespective of the its ethnic composition, the Joint Services of Guyana is an apolitical institution and will continue to uphold the novel posi-

LOTTERY NUMBERS

The Chairman of the Joint Services of Guyana, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, has called on political activists and commentators to stop making “mischievous statements” and inciting “racial tension” in the country.

Brigadier Bess, who is the Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), was at the time responding to statements made by Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Executive Member, Tacuma Ogunseye, during a public meeting on Thursday evening at Buxton, East Coast Demerara.

In a statement on Friday, the Joint Services Chairman referenced an article published by the online news agency, Demerara Waves, in which Ogunseye was quoted telling residents at the Buxton meeting, where the issue of Local Government Elections was discussed, that “…the Afro-Guyanesedominated Police and soldiers… would stand with Afro-Guyanese in resisting the mainly Indo-Guyanese

tion of service to the people of Guyana.”

Further, it was noted that the Joint Services – which comprises of the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Fire Service along with the GDF – is guided by the Constitution which mandates it to stand firm in the protection of the law and in the execution of its duties, in keeping with its constitutional responsibilities, and not by any partisan values and interests.

To this end, the Chairman

of the Joint Services urged “…particularly social and political activists and commentators, to refrain from these and other misleading and mischievous remarks which incite racial tensions, deviating from the promotion of the peace and security which the [Joint] Services are mandated to mandate.”

According to the Demerara Waves article, Ogunseye told residents that it would suggest to its Opposition partners that “… instead of mobilising to participate in the elections on election day, we mobilise to turn (LGE Day) as a day of national resistance and African uprising.”

This call for national resistance was supported by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, who also at the meeting and indicated, on the contrary, that his party –the PNCR-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – will participate in the upcoming Local Government polls that is set for June 12, 2023.

The WPA, which was one of the five political parties that joined forces to establish the APNU in 2011, exited the coalition in August 2020, citing “disrespectful treatment”.

Condemned

Meanwhile, following the article, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, SC, who is the Secretary of the Defence Board, strongly con-

demned the utterances of the Opposition politicians. He called out Ogunseye for exhortations to the Armed Forces of Guyana to join a mass uprising against the lawful and democratically elected Government of Guyana, referencing the Forces’ “ready access to weapons”, for them to be “battle ready”, and for also preying on the dominant Afro-Guyanese composition of these law-enforcement agencies.

…says Joint Services apolitical, committed to serving all Guyanese …AG condemns Ogunseye’s “racist incendiary call”

Joint Services Chairman Brigadier Godfrey Bess

WPA Executive Member Tacuma Ogunseye

Defence Board Secretary AG Anil Nandlall, SC

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Good way to start with youths

It’s a fact that youths today make up the larger part of the population of almost every country in the world. This presents certain challenges for policy-makers to develop, implement, and maintain programmes and activities which must be economically and socially oriented to satisfy their (youths’) desires.

It is also well known that the absence of well-thoughtout programmes with respect to youth development impacts negatively on our young people, and sometimes even lead to them resigning themselves to lawlessness and other anti-social behaviours that are damaging to society.

Former Caricom Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque had some time ago said the majority of victims as well as perpetrators of crimes reported by the Police are young males 18 to 35 years old. He pointed to the fact that there are a number of socio-economic determinants of crime, the least of which is the high youth unemployment in the Region. This is surely a reason to be concerned, as, right away, one would begin to worry about the kind of future these persons would have, and the contributions they would make to their societies, if any at all. Certainly, this is enough reason to cause Governments and policy-makers to take a closer look at what is happening in their individual countries, and take steps to remedy the situation.

Certainly, there is a great need for intervention in order to combat the current challenges facing young people. In order to prepare young people for workplace success, job training programmes need to go beyond technical instruction and also teach “life skills” such as communication, reliability, and teamwork. This push to teach youths life skills has been validated by employers, who have consistently reported that, above all, they want to hire employees who possess workplaceready skills such as communication, teamwork, motivation and responsibility. Technical skills, they say, can be learned on the job.

In addition to teaching youths the life skills employers look for, there is a need to introduce complementary life planning activities in this component. These activities help youths in assessing who they are, their aspirations for the future, and define realistic steps towards achieving these goals.

Guyana has a number of programmes geared towards equipping young people with various skills for the world of work etc. This is commendable, as focus is being placed on combining teaching life skills with the various academic or technical subjects. These programmes include assessment and identification of ways to build competency and skills supportive of healthy behaviours, to help young people as they mature into adulthood.

Additionally, institutions such as the family and religious bodies need to take up their roles more seriously, as happened before. Historically, the older generation had managed to transmit their beliefs, values, traditions, customs and institutions to the younger members of their societies. This was achieved largely because of the impact of agencies of socialisation such as the family, religion and the schools. Today, the impact of these institutions has been challenged and undermined by new forces, particularly television and the internet, and the pop culture as a whole.

Further, the role of the Private Sector should never be underestimated. There is a need for funding for many crucial programmes aimed at creating better opportunities for young persons here. Such programmes, once effectively implemented, would see our young people become well equipped with the necessary skills to develop themselves, and in turn contribute to the overall development of the country. The Private Sector is one of the main beneficiaries of an educated and skilled workforce, and it should seek to invest in, and help to build the pool of, the talent it wishes to draw from.

It is well accepted that progressive countries in the world have strong systems for engaging youths in policy formation and in creating or altering programmes designed to support youths. We believe that if our young people are to make more mature and responsible judgments and engage in activities that are the hallmark of a socially productive adulthood, certain support systems for development must be present in the environment. Teaching life skills is a good way to start.

Two planes of the Royal Australian Air Force Roulettes aerobatic team performing during the Australian International Airshow, Aerospace and Defence Expo at Avalon Airport in Geelong (AFP)

Protecting Caribbean women in digital spaces

By ElizaBEth talBErt

The rights of women in the Caribbean need to be protected in physical and virtual spaces.

The prevalence of cyberviolence, its root causes and impacts are gender-based, with a disproportionate impact on women. Similar types of violence against women and girls occur in offline and online spheres, or originate in one sphere and are carried into the other. In the most serious cases, cyberviolence can lead to physical assaults, and even suicide.

One objective of International Women's Day (IWD) this year is to spotlight the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces. The theme for IWD is 'DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality'.

In 2018, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences defined online violence against women to include any act of gender-based violence (GBV) against women that is committed, assisted, or aggravated in part or fully by the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as mobile phones and smartphones, the Internet, social media platforms, or e-mail, because she is a woman, or affects women disproportionately.

Women worldwide and in the Caribbean are increasingly falling victim to cyberattacks, particularly via social media. There have also been several instances of stalking and trafficking resulting from cy-

ber activities. Additionally, the rapidly growing access and use of ICT, accelerated by COVID-19, has impacted gender equality and women's rights, including the worsening of existing forms of violence against women (VAW), especially sexual harassment and the emergence of new forms of VAW, such as non-consensual image sharing and harassment of women in virtual spaces. It is imperative to implement measures to prevent, address, and criminalise these acts, to ensure there are consequences for perpetrators. We must also ensure that useful help is available for survivors.

While digital spaces are a challenge for the safety of women and girls, they can be leveraged to protect and promote their rights. Here in the Caribbean, the United Nations, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has taken several measures using ICT to protect our women. For example, through the EUfunded Spotlight Initiative in Jamaica, HOPE, a mobile app, was launched in 2021 in collaboration with the civil society organisation Eve for Life.

The app can help you to understand if you or someone you know is affected by gender-based violence (GBV). It does this through questions that you can answer. It has information on the right to a life free from violence in a "know your rights" section. Through the analysis of scenarios, it also helps address common myths related to GBV.

Finally, the app provides

hints on the actions that you can take to be safe, and the contact information of support services.

The digital space also has the potential to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and raise awareness on human rights.

In 2022, the Caribbean Observatory on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) was launched. The observatory is an advocacy platform that permits monitoring and tracking progress towards the advancement of integrated SRHR and GBV in the region.

While there are several initiatives that can help to address technology-facilitated GBV and promote the right to a life free from violence, we recognise that the work needs to continue, and more needs to be done, including promoting the further development, use, and dissemination of safe technology for GBV prevention and response.

In addition to highlighting the need to protect women in digital spaces, IWD this year serves to recognise and celebrate women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education, further promoting gender equality. There is a plethora of women in the Caribbean who deserve recognition for their work to advance transformative technology and digital education in our region whom we should be celebrating and elevating. Today, let's highlight two of the women in tech who have been making strides in the Caribbean, and can inspire

more women to participate in the digital space while promoting safe spaces.

Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran from Guyana, for example, is the founder of a co-working space that fosters a tech and entrepreneurial community. She works tirelessly to close the opportunity gaps for Caribbean entrepreneurs in the digital space, and to close the gender gap for women and girls in computing.

Another stellar woman in tech is Jamaican Melissa James, an award-winning diversity expert who has been dedicated to increasing diversity in the technology industry.

This March 8, join us in celebrating women in tech, but let's also engage all year long in helping to protect our women in ICT spaces! UNFPA, as the UN agency responsible for sexual and reproductive health, remains dedicated to supporting Governments and stakeholders to protect the rights of women from various forms of violence, while aiming at achieving three transformative results: zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero GBV and harmful practices.

UNFPA is committed to helping the Caribbean through deliberate, strategic and collaborative actions that lead to a world in which every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. (Jamaica Observer)

(Elizabeth Talbert is Director of the UNFPA Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean, and representative to Jamaica.)

We must end the victimisation and discrimination, and strive for unity

Dear Editor, I am saying from the outset that the contents proffered in this missive are not meant to offend anyone, whether in Government or in Opposition, or any organisation or as an individual. Rather, it is intended for all to have a mature discussion on the problems facing the country, and its present and future direction. Facts, truth, and our conscience, and not falsehoods or parochialism, should be our guide in a frank and serious discussion.

It is a fact that His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali is loved by the people all over the country, and that since taking office in August 2020, he has done a stupendous job in laying the foundation for a bright and prosperous Guyana for all Guyanese. Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips has, on several outreaches, stated that the primary goal of President Dr. Ali’s Government is to improve the lives of the poor, and

develop Guyana to such an extent that no one would be excluded or left out.

As Guyanese, we have been blessed by the Creator with an abundance of natural resources; we have more than all the countries of the Caribbean combined. Along with gold, bauxite, timber, rice, sugar and pristine rainforests, Guyana is sanctified with the recent discovery of huge reserves of oil, and this has dominated the economy and has increased its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a level never seen before in the country or in the Caribbean. With oil revenues averaging over US$1 billion annually, metaphorically speaking, the country seems to be operating on all its cylinders.

Lest we forget, Guyana is also a land of many waters, six races, and boasts the Kaieteur Falls - the highest single-drop waterfall in the world. That said, in under three years, President Ali’s government has provided more

than 20,000 house lots to the residents, built more than 1000 houses for firsttime homeowners, and it seems that the 50,000 jobs promised by President Ali during the campaign will be achieved on or before 2025.

Additionally,

Government has succeeded in attracting foreign and local investments, and is in the process of modernising the age-old infrastructure, building new roads, improving education and health care, and has furnished rice farmers with free manure and more acreage of land to increase their yield and reap a bountiful harvest. But, more importantly, as announced by Minister of Agriculture Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha, the Rose Hall Sugar Factory which was shuttered by the Granger Administration is scheduled to reopen in October 2023.

With these countless achievements, coupled with the huge discoveries of oil, there is no doubt that

President Dr. Ali, Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips, and the Cabinet have placed Guyana in a unique position globally, and have made it the envy of the Caribbean and its Latin American neighbours.

While many have applauded the Government for all its accomplishments, some have sensed that something is amiss in the country, especially since there has been a massive exodus of qualified youths to the Caribbean and North America. Statistics have shown that some 12,000 persons, including 85 percent of youths with degrees from the University of Guyana, are leaving or have left the shores of Guyana annually. Many have cited the low wages/ salaries paid to workers as one of the reasons for the brain drain never seen before in Guyana, not even during the reign of the PNC, when there was a ban on toiletries and key food items to sustain life.

SVN commended for educational achievements

Dear Editor,

I commend the administration, staff, parents and students of Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) for the school’s extraordinary performance at CXC and CAPE 2022. One of the school’s students led in CAPE, and all of the students’ extraordinary achievements are worthy of celebration. Their success is really remarkable.

I wish to most heartily congratulate lead educator (Principal) Swami Aksharananda, and everyone else responsible for the school’s grand success. The achievements highlight professionalism, commitment and hard work on part of the leader, teachers and students, and commendations are in order.

For years now, students of SVN have been impressing with their commitment, drive, and ambition to be successful. Those of us

who, in whatever way, provide support and encouragement are proud of the SVN Class of 2022, and all others who did their best.

As an educator who taught for forty years at various levels, I always felt that outstanding performances should be recognised, and I am pleased that the Ministry of Education and CXC and CAPE have recognised the achievements of the school, and the students in particular. I am delighted that the school has been recognised nationally and regionally for exceptional 2022 performance and for leading in CAPE. The data analysis reveals that SVN is among the top 2% of schools at CXC and CAPE.

I am also pleased to see Education Minister Priya Manickchand attending one of the school’s programmes for the first time, as noted in Swami-ji’s wel-

coming remarks on Friday, March 10. In her address, she saluted the principal, Swami-ji, and highlighted its high achievements. She recognises and shares in the success of students and educators.

I am deeply heartened that the Ministry of Education has recognised accomplishments of our young people of the West Coast community. The Ministry and parents of the students have every reason to be proud of their sterling performance. A prolonged round of congratulations is especially due to all of them. The school has not been the beneficiary of Government’s assistance, although it has been serving an under-served and neglected community. Members of the diaspora have been very supportive of the school, although financial goals have

not always been achieved. Raising funds has been very challenging. The school can do well with more assistance.

I and countless others visited the school countless time over the last couple of decades, contributing in whatever way we could to help students materially and financially. Others from the diaspora did likewise, and in New York, I and members of the diaspora assisted in whatever way we could financially through fundraising efforts.

I commend those who took the initiative to organise fundraising activities for SVN, and who donated to help the school educate youngsters. And once again, I laud the school’s leadership for achievements.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Vishnu Bisram

Refrain from inciting racial tensions...

“This racist incendiary call for public disorder and resistance, positioned as an alternative to the democratic process of Local Government Elections lawfully due, is capable of amounting to several criminal offences, including but not limited to, sedition, seditious libel, inciting riotous behaviour and exciting racial hostility in order to create a breakdown of law and order within the State of Guyana, if not treason,”

Nandlall contended. According to the Attorney General, such inflammatory publications cannot be justified under the rubric of freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Constitution, especially since Article 146 which guarantees such freedom, expressly excepts at Article 146 (3) “...hate speeches or other expressions, in whatever form, capable of exciting hostility or ill-will against any person or class

of persons.”

AG Nandlall went on to outline that persons such as and those of his ilk are of a bygone era and are stuck in a time warp long gone –which has no place in this modern Guyana or any modern democratic society as a matter fact.

“Nevertheless, we cannot become complacent and ignore these dangerous threats intended to strike at the foundation of the freedoms we enjoy and the

Another reason cited by the youths is the nascent and unfashionable victimisation and discrimination based on race or ethnicity. It should be clear to all and sundry that our youths are not prepared to accept the discrimination and victimisation meted out to their parents and grandparents decades ago because of their race or political affiliation.

It is my conviction that these issues must be addressed to allay the fears of our youths, who are 66 percent of the population. We are in the 21st century, and there should be no place in society for victimisation, discrimination, and petty politics. These decades-old issues cannot be ignored or swept under the rug; they must be addressed to ensure that peace and tranquility prevail in the country. This is the gut-wrenching reality all of us must face to help promote unity and President Dr. Ali’s “One Guyana” initiative.

As Guyanese, we must be true to ourselves, and not apportion blame to any organisation, group, or person, but endeavour to end victimisation and discrimination, and strive for unity. We should not be afraid of the challenges.

It is said that no country can be developed without its most precious youths, who are the future of the country. While the time

has come to reconcile what is happening, many of our youths have felt restricted and left out of the political and policy decision-making processes. Others are of the opinion that political power has changed the civil dynamics in the country, and that they are being dictated to, frowned upon, talked down to, and ostracised by some in authority.

In a democracy, peopleregardless of race, ethnicity or party affiliation - should be free to express their views and vote for the party of their choice without fear of reprisal or victimisation. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, pronounced in Article 21 that everyone has the right to vote for a party of his or her choice, without fear of reprisals or victimisation.

We must acknowledge that we are, first and foremost, Guyanese; and, as such, we are our brothers and sisters’ keepers. But, most importantly, we are all God’s children, created in his own image and likeness. So, as part of the human family resident in Guyana, I am appealing to all to please stop the victimisation and discrimination, and unite, love, and respect one another as one people, one nation, with one destiny.

Sincerely,

Dr Asquith Rose

FROM PAGE 3

rule of law, which protects us as a civilised nation.”

“All right-thinking citizens must therefore echo their voices against such perilous rhetoric and the law enforcement agencies are obliged to take such action as they deem necessary. History has shown that when such conduct is ignored, it inspires the perpetrators with greater boldness to public detriment,” the Attorney General stressed. (G8)

Saturday, March 11, 2023

06:00 (Sign on) Inspirational Time

06:30 Cartoons

07:00 Evening News (RB)

08:00 Stop Suffering

09:00 Movie - Mia and Me: The Hero of Centopia (2022)

10:30 Indian Movie - Singh Is Bliing (2015)

13:00 Movie - The King's Daughter (2022)

14:30 Movie - The Tiger Rising (2022)

16:30 The Future of

17:00 Payless Power Hour

18:00 Evangelistic Hour

18:30 Hepzibah

19:00 The Evening News

20:00 Islam for Guyana

20:30 Movie - The Story of Us (2019)

22:00 Movie - M3GAN (2022)

00:00 Sign off

NGSA Math Questions

Guyana inks US$35.4M deal for Single Electronic Identification System

petitive sphere in a world that is advancing drastically along a technological landscape,” the Guyanese leader stated.

Monitoring of immigrants

Moreover, with the new requirements in Guyana for work permits, managing work permits and managing the immigration process, President Ali pointed out that this new resident ID card will allow local authorities to conduct their monitoring of immigrants electronically.

– President Ali

al community is faced with and we are advancing our work in our technological transformation, to position Guyana to be among those countries that are ready for the new digital age,” the President contended.

He also indicated that as a result of being ISO compliant, one of the key features of this new e-ID card is the level of privacy that will make it is second to none, globally.

The Guyana Government on Friday signed a US$35.4 million contract with Germanbased company, Veridos Identity Solutions, to implement the Single Electronic Identification System here that will see new e-cards being issued to Guyanese for the conduct of a wide array of transactions as well as to monitor the issuance of work permits in the country.

Back in October 2021, Guyana had reached out the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government for assistance in introducing the electronic identification card. With the intervention of His Highness, Sheikh Juma bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, two international companies were shortlisted.

Veridos, a global leading provider of integrated identity solutions, was subsequently selected after making a presentation to the Guyana Government.

It was explained that the evaluators found that the partially-owned German Government company pre-

sented the best solution for Guyana.

Consequently, the US$35.4 million contract with Veridos was signed virtually on Friday and according President Dr Irfaan Ali, getting to this stage was a long process but will promote the ease of doing business and personal transaction in Guyana.

“E-ID systems promote the idea of ‘One Citizen, One Identity’ by assigning a unique national registration number to each citizen for use by all Government agencies [and the] private sector. For example, in the banking sector now, we know the difficulties there [but] through this card, the banking sector now can have fingerprint verification and validation of the person who’s before them. So, the need for proof of address and all the other documentation is eliminated. So, the cost of doing business, the effectiveness, the competitiveness, the efficiency will all improved as a result of this technology,” he stated.

According to the Head of State, the card’s capabilities are also in keeping with his Government’s commitment to promote e-Governance in order to improve the productivity of businesses and the delivery of Government services through the introduction of e-Health, e-Education, e-Security, e-Agriculture, electronic permit, and license processing among other areas.

He further noted that the enhancement is necessary because there is an immediate need to implement a robust national identity management system that focuses on the integration of identification services across Government agencies, security, ease of use, and acquisition of IDs.

“This ID system would improve access to all citizen-centric Government services and benefit the citizens, private sector and Government alike. This will bring us in line with solutions used by the most developed economies, and position Guyana to be a com-

“The resident card will be added on the Electronic ID System and will be used to better document the immigrants working in Guyana. So, this is very important. The work permitting resident card is part of the delivery of this project and it allows us to ensure that that we manage the immigrants coming in and manage the work permit system,” he stated.

The Head of State went on to outline other internationally-recognised features of the new resident card, which is not only ISOcertified but will also be accepted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for international travel.

“As a result of that compliance, it brings with it technical and international standards and requirements that are met into operability, secure and interoperable identity credential, privacy and cross border protection. As you know, these are important issues the glob-

To this end, while noting that the Electronic ID System and accompanying software will be tailored for Guyana’s use and will include implementation services, training of administrators and operators, local help desk support and 60 months of support and maintenance, Ali outlined that the system will adhere to the highest level of international standards.

“The system allows the capture of individuals’ biographical and biometric information based on international standards and stores it to provide identity-based services to individuals and other Government offices. The ID and resident cards are laser engraved, black and white technology with secure, pre-printed designs and devices for a state-ofthe-art polycarbonate document, which includes a chip that can integrate a variety of services to the individual,” the Head of State detailed.

The project is expected to have a 12-month implementation period.

Quality product

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Veridos Mexico, Rolando Colchado promised to deliver a quality product to the country and its people.

“We are very committed for this project and it would be an honour to work with you and develop this… project together with you. So, thank you very much for this opportunity and [we’re] looking forward to start as soon as possible with this implementation,” the Veridos officially stated.

Friday’s contract signing was witnessed virtually by Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum. Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Senior Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar were also present during the signing ceremony at State House. (G8)

…new e-ID cards will improve doing business, transactions

President Dr Irfaan Ali with Government officials at the virtual contract signing for the implementation of the Electronic Identification System and ID cards

Veridos Mexico Managing Director, Rolando Colchado

New opportunities...

…and challenges in rice

There’s a lot of talk about “food security” concerns driving strategies in the agricultural sector worldwide. We’ve been told that the world’s running out of land and water, so, with increasing population – now EIGHT BILLION AND COUNTING!! – prices in the sector can go nowhere but up!! Sounds good for us that we have all this land and water, no?? NO!! Just listen to our rice farmers – now our biggest agri block with the downsizing of sugar. Once again, they’re up in arms complaining that the price@ $4000/bag for paddy - is still too low.

They’ve shown that when they total up their inputs –ploughing, harvesting, fertilizers, pesticides, seed paddy, labour, water user fees, fuel etc…they consistently end up behind the eight ball!! And your Eyewitness hasn’t even mentioned the year-round rainfall in which our weather pattern has been stuck!! Rice needs water, but at specific times!! Other times, the field has to be dry!! Like at harvesting time, when the combine can’t be pulling out the water-and-mud-logged rice plants with the paddy grains!! We should note that, of recent, yields have plummeted from 50 to 40 bags per acre!

Now, this is bad news for both the farmers and the Govt!! How so for the latter?? Well, it had been announced that we were shooting to up our rice exports from 600,000 tons annually to 1,000,000 tons!! But at the present prices, farmers can’t even MAINTAIN production, much less increase it!! So, what to do?? Well, luckily the Government hasn’t thrown up its hands and said, “This is a free market… and the market will set prices”. Well, in theory, that’s true, but as we know, the US and the EU have always subsidised their farmers because of the strategic nature of food supplies.

So, if we want to play with the big boys in the rice market, we gotta play by the rules presently made by those big boys. Can’t be “do as we say and not as we do”!! Right now, rice world market prices are in a slump, occasioned by large production surpluses by India – the largest exporter of the commodity!! Last year, the WTO reminded India that their subsidies to rice exceeded the allowable 10%!! An idea of what subsiders are offered can be gleaned from the US menu for rice farmers – “federal crop insurance, government-set price supports, marketing loans, and trade promotion programs” – plus US$250 million doled out directly in 2022!!

The bottom line is that, if we are to avoid the Dutch disease, we gotta diversify – and agriculture is supposed to be the area where we have a comparative advantage.

If we can’t make it there, we can’t make it anywhere!!

…with oil

Now that we got oil, we’re getting friends all over the place!! Eric Williams famously pointed out that “oil don’t spoil”…but Trinidad’s experience has shown that it does run out!! And the effects are just like if it spoiled – no money coming into the Treasury!! Well, so what’s the lesson?? Simply that we gotta get as high a price as we can, so we can make as much money as we can while the oil’s flowing!!

With Exxon having us over a barrel (of oil??) with that contract the PNC’s Raphael Trotman signed, we gotta do the best on prices with what we have: which is the 14.5% of cost oil. What we also need is to be protected from the vagaries of market prices – which isn’t set by supply and demand, as most folks think – but by SPECULATORS, who gamble on where they THINK supply’s gonna meet demand!! Hence the need for purchasers who need real –and not speculative – oil!!

Enter India, courtesy of the efforts of VP Jagdeo!!

…in agro-processing

With most money made on money, small countries like ours gotta add as much value to our agri products as we can before exporting them. Enter agro-processing, which the Government’s pushing.

But we gotta go beyond the mom-and-pop operations!!

Guyanese need to have ‘know-how’ on technology for country’s development – PM

…as ICT Roadshow 2023 launched to target 5 regions

As the Government of Guyana continues to push its Information and Communications Technology agenda, the annual ICT Roadshow 2023 was rolled out and will target young people in at least five regions across the country.

Under the theme “Today’s Youths, Tomorrow’s Digital Innovators”, the event is organised and led by the Industry and Innovations Unit at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The initiative will run for seven days across five regions, that is, Regions Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice Corentyne), targeting hundreds of Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Form students.

The aim is to engage young people and spread awareness of the importance of ICT in Guyana’s social, environmental and economic development.

According to Prime Minister Brigadier Ret’d Mark Phillips, who officially launched the ICT Roadshow 2023 at his office on Friday, ICT literacy among the Guyanese population is important especially for the country’s future development. He contended that Guyana’s continued development would not be possible unless citizens are educated on ICT-related things.

“We’re a bit behind the curve but I’m happy that on the Government’s side, we making the investments now to ensure that we’re up to date with the technology. And from our side, we’re hav-

ing this roadshow where we’re going out to communities and make our people aware of ICT because unless you’re knowledgeable of ICT, it’s difficult for you to work not only the public but also in the private sector. It’s difficult for you to even, as far as I’m concerned, exist in Guyana today,” Phillips stated.

The Prime Minister went on to note that while the roadshow will target and attract young people, there will be curious adults wanting and willing to learn about the sector as yet. To this end, he urged the organisers and stakeholders leading the initiative not to turn them away.

“Treat them as the young pop-

ulation because Guyana is developing at a terrific rate, yes, and people out there are aware of that and everybody wants to be part of what is being offered. So, whatever training is available, when you go into any community, we’d like to see not only the youths turning up, but the older folks turning up too,” he stressed.

PM Phillips further explained that one of the major aspects of the Guyana Government’s ICT agenda is bridging the digital divide. He contended that this roadshow is an important initiative in that quest to the bridge the digital divide since the allows the population to become aware of ICT and the possibilities within the sector

that are available to them.

“We can invest in all the hardware like building all the ICT hubs, installing the computers at the hubs and having the connectivity but unless the people have the know-how on how to utilise technology that becomes available to them it means that the whole project will be incomplete. So, the ICT Roadshow is an important aspect of ensuring that we achieve the strategic aim of bridging the digital divide,” the PM indicated.

Meanwhile, Outreach Officer at the OPM’s Industry and Innovation Unit, Jennifer Persaud-Boodhoo, who is leading the roadshow, noted that stu-

dents will be sensitised about the ICT sector, which can motivate them to pursue education and careers in technology-related fields.

“It is our strong belief that this roadshow will impart ICT knowledge, dialogue and inspire our young people to develop and reinforce tools that can enhance Guyana’s technological frontier. With professionals from both Government and private sector agencies, we are grateful that you are taking your time to help us enable a digitally connected society,” Persaud-Boodhoo posited.

Among the stakeholders participating in the ICT Roadshow 2023 is the Guyana Telecommunications Agency and its Director, Andre Griffith, who said young people do not need much convincing of the importance of ICT to the future.

“We don’t really need to convince them of the importance of ICTs. But thesssssssssssssss challenge, I think, with the young people is not just use of ICTs, it is safe use, it is responsible use, it is productive use. And I think, this is what we’re going to try to take to them with the roadshow,” the ICT specialist indicated.

The first ICT Roadshow 2023 event will be held on Monday in Region Five.

The OPM’s Industry and Innovations Unit has embarked on a number of initiatives to further this development agenda on the ICT landscape, such as Guyanese Girls Code, ICT Summer Camp, and Hackathons. Moreover, ICT hubs are being established countrywide under Government’s ICT programme. (G8)

Prime Minister Mark Phillips with members of his ICT Department and stakeholders who are leading ICT Roadshow 2023

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Abandoned general store building goes up in flames

…flying embers cause small flames in neighbouring shipping yard

Alittle over two years after the owner of the business was shot and subsequently died from an altercation outside of the establishment, the Robinsons General Store, located on Lombard and Drysdale Streets, Georgetown, was on Friday destroyed by fire.

The store has been non-operational for some time now, following the businessman’s death in 2020.

According to information from neighbours, however, the building is frequented by drug addicts.

At the scene, Divisional Fire Officer Hemchandra Persaud explained that the Fire Service received the distress call at around 10:55h and immediately responded.

But by the time they arrived, not much could have been done to save the aged, old wooden structure.

“The building burn down like in ten minutes time,” an eyewitness explained to this publication.

“All I hear is “fire!” ... When I come around and look, I see the building on fire and I end up call the fire reel. The building burn very fast cause is a dry building, in like ten minutes time the building done come down,” the eyewitness related.

Up to news time, the cause of the fire was not yet determined. Fire Officer Persaud said an investigation is underway.

At the scene, firefighters had to turn their attention to a small inferno that ignited in the nearby shipping yard, Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC).

Flying embers from the burning business establishment landed on some containers in the compound across the road, causing smoke to start emanating from them.

“It was reported that one of the containers, on top of it has some pieces of wood and apparently the wood ignited,” the Fire Officer related

to this publication.

That fire was quickly extinguished with the assistance of workers of the shipping yard.

“No major damage as per now has been reported but

the situation appears to be under control,” it was explained.

Gobin Persaud, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GNIC, further told this publication that staff-

ers at the facility conducted a thorough inspection to ensure there were no other affected areas.

Meanwhile, it was disclosed that two appliances from Central Fire Station,

one from Alberttown Fire Station and one from West Ruimveldt Fire Station had responded to the fire.

Businessman

It was reported that on the day of the incident, the businessman, 70-year-old Lennox Robinson, was sitting on a chair in front of the business establishment when at around 12:10h, he was confronted by two men on a bicycle.

Police Headquarters had said an argument quickly ensued between the men, which escalated into a physical altercation.

During the confrontation, the businessman – who was a licenced firearm holder – was relieved of his gun and shot by one of the suspects who later escaped with the weapon.

After being shot, the businessman collapsed. He was rushed to a city hospital where he had to undergo surgery. (G11)

The abandoned Robinsons General Store on fire

41% males, 56% females are obese in Guyana – Chronic Diseases Unit

With over 50 per cent of Guyanese suffering from obesity in Guyana, glaring statistics show that women make up a higher percentage of those in this bracket when compared to males.

Technical Officer for diabetes at the Chronic Diseases Unit, Dr Nandishaw Ramsingh appeared on the Health Matters programme, where obesity was the focal topic. She revealed statistics on Guyana’s obesity standing, where over 50 percent of the population is affected.

“We do know that at least 50 per cent of our population are obese…Obesity is when there is an abnormal

accumulation of fat along the abdominal tissue. That’s where you can be able to see it most. In Guyana, we have at least 41 per cent of our male population that is obese and about 56 percent of our female population,” Dr Ramsingh shared.

Signalling that obesity affects persons of all ages, the technical officer outlined that healthy habits must be cultivated from a young age.

“This is a lot and we really need to have something done. A lot of persons think that obesity is only for the old people but this actually starts from a small age. Parents have a lot to do when it comes to obesity.”

Risk factors include persons who lack physical activity, use of medications, consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks, chronic diseases, among others.

“Reach out to the Chronic Disease Unit if you need to or the nearest health centre. These are places that you can be able to seek guidance, information and any other relative issues that you may have. You can be able to talk to us. Obesity is what we need to get rid of. We need to break it down,” the healthcare professional disclosed.

The Health Ministry has been advocating strongly for health workers to en-

Man mulls suing State after being wrongfully charged for illegal gun, ammo

Charges for the offences of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition have with withdrawn against Nyron Joseph of Lot 17 John Street, Newburg, Georgetown, by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dexter Todd and Associates Law Firm has said.

According to a statement from the firm, their client was charged on February 1 with the offences after the Guyana Police Force’s Legal Advisor, Attorney-atLaw Mandel Moore found that there was sufficient evidence to prefer a charge

against him.

When the matter came up for hearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, the law firm said that its defence lawyer, Dexter Todd, argued that Joseph had been wrongfully charged and that there were no statements by the Police linking him to the alleged crime.

As such, Todd requested that the case file be sent to the DPP for “proper legal advice”.

“The file was sent to [DPP] for review and returned on the 8th of March 2023 back to the Chief

Magistrate where the matter was called again. The [DPP] ordered that both matters be withdrawn and discontinued,” the firm disclosed in a statement earlier this week.

Attorney Todd has since commended the DPP for her chamber’s swift action in “not allowing an innocent man to face an entire trial in which there could have been no hope for a conviction”. In light of this, Joseph is now considering whether he will take legal action against the Police Force/State for tarnishing his good character and name. (G1)

gage patients on this topic. Controlling diets, incorporating different forms of exercise and other measures can put the country a step further, she explained. Another important recommendation is for persons to read labels of foods they’re using to understand the contents of what they’re consuming.

“In the future, we already have an expected number of at least $4.3 trillion behind obesity. This will cause a severe economic impact on countries around the world,” she pointed out.

A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.

The World Health

Organisation states that obesity, as well as its related noncommunicable diseases, are largely preventable. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices, by making the choice of healthier foods and regular physical activity the easiest choice. This means enabling this as the most accessible, available and affordable choice.

At the individual level, people can limit energy intake from total fats and sugars; increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts; and engage in regular physical activity. (G12)

Technical Officer for diabetes at the Chronic Diseases Unit, Dr Nandishaw Ramsingh

Contracted teachers to travel with ease with new waiver system

Teachers on contract will be able to travel freely following the waiver of the requirement to present proof of asset or money.

Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain dispatched a letter to all Regional Education Officers across the country, informing them of this change.

The Education Ministry’s policy required that teach-

ers who are on contract must apply for permission to leave the country at least six weeks before they travel. In addition, contracted teachers must provide a transport/title, cash or guarantor which acts as surety that he or she will return.

In the case where a guarantor is needed, he or she must be a senior teacher above the age of 45 years and must have at least three

years of service remaining.

With the current arrangement, there are instances where teachers find it difficult to meet the requirements to be allowed to travel.

With immediate effect, the Ministry said all contracted teachers, whether they are travelling or not, must request from the Human Resources Department of the Ministry, a waiver letter to travel without restriction.

Requests can be made in person or through email at hr@moe.gov.gy. Henceforth, transport/title, cash or guarantor are no longer required.

On receiving the waiver letter, the teacher must submit same to the Immigration Department to have it signed and stamped. This waiver letter will allow the teacher to travel out of Guyana during the duration of his or her contract.

Teachers in possession of a waiver letter must still adhere to the previously established guidelines when travelling, which states that they must inform their Department of Education of their intention to travel, their departure date, and their resumption date at least 10 days before they travel.

Additionally, the Departments of Education must communicate its decision to the teacher within five days after receipt of application. If a teacher is unable to resume duty as approved due to unforeseen circumstanc-

es, the teacher must communicate in writing prior to the date of resumption.

Any teacher who does not return within the stipulated time and does not communicate in writing prior to the date of resumption, will have his or her salary withheld, and deduction will be made for unauthorised absence.

The correspondence noted that Head Teachers are required to inform the Department of Education within three working days of the non-resumption of teachers who were granted permission to travel. (G12)

Canadian officials express readiness to collaborate with Guyana Fire Service

drive-through bays to house six apparatus, leaving one bay available for training and fu-

ture growth. Later in the day, Benn made an impromptu visit to

Central York Fire Services, where he was given a tour of the facility.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn on Thursday visited the town of Bradford West Gwillimbury’s recently commissioned Fire Station in Canada.

He was accompanied by Consulate General (ag) Grace Joseph, Executive Assistant to the CG, Nutana Singh, and active diaspora member Mahesh Ramdeo.

The delegation was welcomed by Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor James Leduc, Fire Chief Brent Thomas, and Deputy Fire Chief Steve Hall, and given a guided

tour of the new facility, along with insights into its operation.

During brief discussions, Mayor Leduc, Thomas, and Hall expressed their readiness to collaborate with Guyana’s Fire and Rescue Service – a position which was lauded by Benn.

In a statement from the Home Affairs Minister, it was explained that the collaboration “aims to provide opportunities to create innovative responses to the changing challenges faced by firefighters, while strengthening future resilience, effectiveness, and efficiency to deliver the highest quality service to the Guyanese

public.”

The new, state-of-theart, 19,000-square-foot facility, which was opened in June 2022, was designed with diversity and inclusion in mind, as well as the future growth needs of the local Fire Service.

In addition to being a fully accessible building and home to the primary Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), the new building features boardrooms and a training room; a community room (available to all community members); dorms; a gym and dayroom; a kitchen and dining area for firefighters; and four oversized

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn touring the town of Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire Station

“Yankee” sentenced to 4 years for trafficking Jamaica nationals

tionals’ passport. In addition to the prison terms, the convict was also fined $200,000 and ordered to pay $6,300,000 restitution to the victims.

According to a report from Police Headquarters, Browne was arrested on April 28, 2021, and charged contrary to Section 3 (1) (a) and Section 4 of the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act after the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had issued a wanted bulletin for him the day prior.

them to a village where they related their story and made a Police report.

An investigation was immediately launched, which eventually led to Browne’s arrest and prosecution. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Superintendent of

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has secured two human trafficking convictions in less than one month. This time, a 44-year-old man, was on Thursday, found guilty by Magistrate Wanda Fortune of trafficking two Jamaican nationals as well as withholding their passports.

Tito Browne, known as “Tommy” and “Yankee”, of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on each of the two counts of Trafficking in Person (TIP). The sentences will run concurrently. He was also handed a one-year jail sentence on a count of withholding the foreign na-

He had been on trial for the offences for several months at the Linden Magistrate’s Court. During the proceedings, the two male victims and several Police ranks were called to testify.

According to the prosecution’s facts, in November 2020, one of the victims met an individual in Trelawney, Jamaica, who indicated to him that Browne had some farming work for him to do in Kara Kara Creek, Guyana, and that he was willing to pay US$5000 for the work to be done.

The first victim then informed the second victim about the opportunity, and together they arranged with Browne, who promised to facilitate all their travel expenses.

They then left Jamaica on December 12, 2020. When they arrived in Guyana, Browne instructed them to inform immigration that they would only be spending two weeks.

Upon arriving at the campsite at Kara Kara Creek, Browne informed them that they would be spending six months at the campsite and confiscated their passports.

The victims recounted that from the date of entry to April 24, 2021, they worked at the Kara Kara camp but never received any compensation from Browne.

The victims added that Browne would visit periodically and demand that they work more diligently. He also continuously promised to pay them but never did.

The duo stated that they could only contact their family on Browne’s phone when he visited. They recounted being unable to travel from the campsite and related that for the last three weeks, no one visited them, which caused their supplies to run low.

Eventually, the victims were forced to venture from the camp in search of other campsites, walking through bushes and swamplands until they managed to locate a logger who eventually took

Police Pindar-Whittaker.

Only recently, the Guyana Police Force secured a conviction against 64-year-old Feezal Shaw, a wildlife trader, who was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on one count of human trafficking and ordered to pay $2,127,000 in restitution to the survivor, a Venezuelan national.

The Government’s commitment to preventing human trafficking has been demonstrated in the implementation of several policies and collaborations with various stakeholders, including the Guyana Police Force (GPF); Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC); Maritime and Airport security officials; medical professionals; and Education, Welfare, and Guidance officers.

Notably, Guyana has maintained its Tier One status in the US Department of State 2022 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. According to the report, “The Government of Guyana fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The Government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore, Guyana remained on Tier 1.”

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry continues to encourage people to report all suspicious activities on hotline numbers (592) 227-4083 or (592) 623-5030.

Spanish-speaking persons can contact (592) 6240079. (G1)

Jailed: Tito Browne, convicted human trafficker

Magistrate Wanda Fortune

Disagreements among residents will not stymie community development – Edghill

Anew trend of people objecting to roads being built across communities will not hinder infrastructural development, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has posited.

The Public Works Minister recently inspected a series of ongoing infrastructural projects in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), including sea defence works and road commitments. However, he highlighted a new trend among people in communities.

“We also have a new phenomenon I’m seeing developing where people are objecting to where roads are going. Roads are awarded and people in the community are objecting to where the road is passing with claims that sometimes are difficult. One man indicated that he owns a road and if the contractor is going to build on that road, the contractor has to pay him for the materials he would have put on the road,” Edghill divulged.

In another case, a contractor has been unable to work due to the objection of a few persons. The intention is to now construct the road in an undisputed area. Other such issues have aris-

en, and the Ministry had to intervene.

The Public Works Minister has emphasised that such issues must not hinder infrastructural projects within communities.

“We cannot allow in Guyana, disagreement among people to hinder community development. We have to change our attitude…People who have feuds should not use those instances and those things to prevent communities and a whole region from benefitting from development. We have to improve this with resolution.”

He added, “Government is seeking to bring development to everybody everywhere. While there are people who are quarrelling and saying ‘you didn’t come to us yet’, where awards are made, people are saying ‘we don’t want that here’.”

Edghill said when it comes to development in the region, engagements were facilitated with almost all contractors and works are moving apace. The unavailability of adequate aggregates is also being addressed.

“Some projects are advancing. Some are delayed. So, that needs to be addressed…We are aware that the demands for aggregates and crusher-run is great in the country so Government has put in place, a programme for the acquisition of aggregates and crusher-run,” Edghill assured.

The Mainstay Road has been completed whereas works on the Capoey Road has significantly advanced. The bridge is being built to get into the village.

“The bridge should be completed within one month time. I established with the contractor that even though he has until June for the completion of his work, the fact that the community

is not earning revenue because the community sells sand and trucks cannot

go in, while he is waiting on the curing period of the bridge, the remaining part

of the road must be completed to the level of asphaltic concrete.” (G12)

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill

SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 2023| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Rupununi Conservation Society awarded prestigious Parker/Gentry Award

The South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) has been awarded the Parker/ Gentry Award, an annual prize for outstanding and under-recognised conservation models around the globe, for their efforts to preserve wildlife, engage young people, and support traditional livelihoods in the Rupununi region.

The museum said it recognises the significant impact the group has had on Guyana’s natural and cultural heritage through its research and conservation of native species and its thoughtful stewardship of the places they inhabit.

Chair of the Award Selection Committee at the

Field Museum and an expert on Guyana’s freshwater fish, Dr Lesley de Souza expressed, “It’s a real honour to support that mission by recognising one of the country’s most inspiring and effective local conservation groups…The Guyanese Government is making a major push to safeguard the country’s biodiversity.”

Originally founded in 1998 by a group of friends eager to reverse the decline of certain species native to the area, SRCS’s work is firmly rooted in the forests, savannas, and wetlands of Guyana’s Rupununi. This globally-celebrated biodiversity hotspot is home to a large number of Indigenous communities, many of which lend their expertise

to the Society’s conservation goals.

The experts who staff and currently lead SRCS come from all walks of life—from tour guides and teachers to business leaders and scientists. Since 2002, its mission is to preserve the wildlife, environment, and culture of the Rupununi region of Southern Guyana through community-based conser-

vation, environmental education, and research.

President of SRCS, Leroy Ignacio stated, “It is an honour for SRCS, the people of Rupununi, our friends around the world, and Guyana to receive this prestigious award from the Field Museum…In our experience, collaboration between local experts, the scientific community, and national entities provides a model that promotes local efforts to produce tangible conservation impacts.”

SRCS projects to date include population studies of globally threatened birds such as the Endangered Red Siskin (Spinus cucullatus), Vulnerable Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), environmental education and traditional knowledge programmes in Indigenous communities, habitat preservation and restoration, and work to restore populations of globally Vulnerable Yellowspotted River Turtles (Podocnemis unifilis).

The Field Museum is a forward-thinking scientif-

ic leader on a mission to explore, protect, and celebrate nature and culture.

From exhibitions that inspire journeys of discovery in visitors young and old, to the ground-breaking research and conservation efforts driven by 40 million artifacts and specimens, they are on a mission to spark public engagement with science and uncover solutions for a brighter world.

Established in 1996 and made possible by an anonymous donor, the Parker/ Gentry Award is named after conservationists Ted Parker and Al Gentry, who were killed in a 1993 airplane crash while pursuing conservation work in South America. Past awardees represent remarkable achievements in more than a dozen countries and across diverse ecosystems, from the rainforests of South America, Africa, and India to valuable freshwater resources like the Great Lakes in North America, to coastal regions worldwide. (G12)

Kim Spencer holding a Red Siskin, one of the endangered species studied by the SRCS

International Day of Women Judges

Women have fought long, hard to prove they belong – Chancellor

As Guyana joins the rest of the world in celebrating International Day of Women Judges (IDWJ), Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards has spoken of the long and hard fight endured by women to prove that they belong in all institutions where decisions are made.

“We are truly grateful for the recognition given to women Judges for their work. Their immense contribution and continued commitment to the rule of law, access to justice, and ensuring fair and equal justice for all, are being recognised,” said the Head of Guyana’s Judiciary.

According to her, the declaration of March 10 as IDWJ by the United Nations is a monumental feat for women globally because it

has not only raised the visibility of women Judges but has also provided added impetus for them to continue to serve as an inspiration to young women and girls.

Justice CummingsEdwards added, “We join with our sisters in judiciaries across the world

to work even harder towards eradicating gender inequality and other related challenges in the justice system. We applaud the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), UNODC, and all others involved in the declaration of an International Day to rec-

Carnegie to launch indigenous recipe book

…as 3-day taste test kitchen event concludes

Meanwhile, Cook Supervisor Michael Patterson shared that a lot of people have been coming to sample the tuma. According to Patterson, he is elated to be part of such a historic event.

ognise the contribution of women Judges. We also applaud the United Nations for its recognition of the importance of women Judges and its adoption of the resolution to mark the International Day of Women Judges.”

“This day is recognised by the highest authority representing all countries of the world that women have a fundamental right to develop their skills and fully participate in positions of responsibility without gender discrimination or gender bias, including the Judiciary,” the past President of the IAWJ, Vanessa Ruiz, rightly declared.

Moreover, Justice Cummings-Edwards highlighted that the Judiciary of Guyana is commendably represented by women, adding that there are more women than men as Judges and Magistrates and that women are at the highest level of decision-making.

“The senior judicial leadership positions held by

the Chancellor, the Chief Justice, the Registrar, and the Chief Magistrate, are all women. As we celebrate this day, we reflect on the progress made and look forward to even more. We also reaffirm our commitment to the principles of justice and full and equal participation of women in all positions and levels of decision-making.”

In her message in recognition of IDWJ, the acting Chancellor reflected on the women Judges who have served before and paved the way for others to follow. In so doing, she alluded to the efforts of these “trailblazers”: former Chancellor of the Judiciary and Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Dr Désirée Bernard; Justice (retd) Claudette Singh, now Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); and Justice (retd) Claudette La Bennett. “We salute the women Judges and Magistrates in our justice system,” the acting

Chancellor concluded. Meanwhile, the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) noted that IDWJ is celebrated yearly to promote equal and complete participation of women at different levels of the Judiciary. “Through innovation and technology, women have spearheaded the new norms in the Judiciary in Guyana with the implementation of virtual courts and electronic notice boards. The establishment of the Judicial Service Commission is a reinforcement of a strong Judiciary, essential to ensure an efficient justice system,” the organisation said in a statement on Friday.

In extending IDWJ greetings to the female members of the Judiciary, the GAWL assured that it remains committed to supporting Chancellor CummingsEdwards and acting Chief Justice Roxane George, SC, and commended them for their hard work.

The Carnegie School of Home Economics is set to make history with the publishing of Guyana’s first-ever recipe book of Indigenous cuisines.

Acting Principal of Carnegie School of Home Economics, Sharmaine

Marshall shared that this initiative was birthed through a financing arrangement with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for a six-year project named the Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Development (HESAD) Project.

The project recently developed a Nutrition Strategy and playbook that outlined the nutritional problems of the beneficiaries of the HESAD Project in Regions One and Nine, with the aim of making awareness interventions in nutrition, especially in relation to women, youth, and children.

“The purpose of it is to document the history of the…Indigenous recipes in

Guyana, particularly from Region One and Nine. That is what the project is about, so we would have gathered these recipes from various Indigenous nations in Guyana, and we would have conducted…a test kitchen. Because the recipes submitted are from different formatting…what we wanted to do was to standardise it into a form where anyone can pick up this book and use it,” Marshall explained.

Marshall shared that the taste test kitchen event, which was hosted for a three-day period at the Carnegie School, saw tremendous support as people came out in their numbers to sample these foods.

“We have…overwhelming support. We have gained much traction, and what I find is that people are anxious on the third day, persons are coming in way before the time, so I would say it’s a huge success, we have gained traction, especially from the Indigenous communities as well,” Marshall said cheerily.

“It’s interesting to be a part of history and this is so rich, it’s really Guyanese unique culture and we’re just topping it right here. It’s great being a part of such a historic project and historic event, and this is the…promotion and preservation of Indigenous culture, especially with the food,” Patterson remarked.

“The tuma food, that’s a big rush about it, of course, we have other options… farine, farine cake, cassava roll, starch bread, a variety of appetizer, drinks… the black potato wine [and more],” Patterson boasted.

The US$11.15 million HESAD project aims to improve livelihood resilience through income generation, access to assets, improved nutrition, and adaptation to climate variability and change. The lead agency for the implementation of the HESAD Project is the Agriculture Ministry, through its Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU).

The historical recipe book, which will feature 50 recipes, will be designed and printed by Carnegie and will be available free of cost. A total of 300 copies are expected to be printed and handed over to the National Toshaos Council, who will distribute them to various communities across the country.

Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards

Acting Principal Sharmaine Marshall and a team of cooks and other staff

MMG+ recognised internationally for empowering women entrepreneurs

MMG+, Guyana’s provider of mobile financial services, has been recognised internationally by Concordia at the 2023 Americas Summit in Miami Florida, for its partnership with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.

The recognition of mmg+ for the collaboration highlights the company’s outstanding contribution to the economic empowerment of women, a release from the company said, adding that the partnership has helped to bridge the gender gap in business by providing women entrepreneurs in Guyana with the tools and resources they need to succeed in the digital economy and ecosystem.

The partnership has resulted in the creation of a mobile money learning

track on the HerVenture app that covers a range of topics including mobile money services, regulations, and security.

According to the release, it gives women the knowledge and skills they need to establish and grow their businesses and provides an introduction to mobile money, including how it works, how to use it and how to manage their businesses through the use of mmg+.

General Manager of mmg+, Bobita Ram attended the 2023 Americas Summit and was a part of the panel that spoke to both the partnership with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and how the company [mmg] continues to evolve the mobile money industry in Guyana.

"We are honoured to be recognised for our partner-

ship with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women at an international level," Bobita Ram said.

"We believe that women entrepreneurs have the potential to drive economic growth and create positive social impact and our partnership the Cherie Blair Foundation has enabled us to empower women entrepreneurs by providing them with access to mobile money training and resources,” she is quoted as saying in the release.

The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women is a global organisation that empowers women entrepreneurs in developing and emerging economies. The partnership with mmg+ has been instrumental in achieving this goal by giving women entrepreneurs the access to training and resources that are critical to their success.

“We are thrilled to partner with mmg+ to provide women entrepreneurs with access to mobile money training and resources" said Helen McEachern, CEO at the Cherie Blair Foundation.

"Mobile money is a critical tool for women entrepreneurs, offering a route to financial autonomy, independence and economic empowerment. We are committed to supporting them to unlock its potential.”

It was added that mmg+ remains committed to sup-

porting women entrepreneurs and empowering them to succeed. The mobile money learning track on the HerVenture app is just one example of its ongoing efforts to drive positive change in the lives of women entrepreneurs in Guyana.

New admin building City Hall looking to part ways with contractor, seeking legal advice

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is currently seeking legal advice on how it can part ways with Dave Constructing, the company that was awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to build a new administrative building in the south-eastern corner of the City Hall compound.

Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore revealed that construction was stalled because of issues with the contractor, who kept requesting multiple extensions. According to Mentore, construction has been stalled for about a year now. He added that the contractor did a lot of “general work”, but never actually completed a specific phase. As such, he said, the Council is seeking legal advice on how to end the relationship with the company and hire another firm.

“He did a lot of general work…externally and internally; so, in doing that, we weren’t able to actually complete a phase. We would have been moving to complete the downstairs, which would have been the Treasurer’s Department, and then we have the other departments on the other floor; but we didn’t get the chance to complete any of the phases. Most of the work he did was general,”

Mentore explained.

“Most of the work that has to be done is the…finishing work, framing up things and putting ceiling. We have to settle it now, as it relates to finishing work…that in itself takes time, but it also takes money,” the Deputy Mayor added.

According to previous reports, the building was being constructed in phases. In 2019, central Government gave $75 million to the M&CC for the first phase of construction works. The second phase of construction would have commenced in December 2021, after the Government handed over

a $30 million subvention to City Hall to complete the building.

The new building, when completed, is expected to have an elevator, a room for the holding of statutory meetings, and all the vital administrative departments.

The construction of the administrative building became a top priority for the municipality, given the dilapidated state of the existing structure, which is unsafe for staff.

In addition to construction of the administrative building, the historical City Hall building is also being rehabilitated.

General Manager of mmg+, Bobita Ram (left); Director of ExxonMobil Foundation, James Jones; Founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Cherie Blair, and President of Wallace Global Impact, Charity Wallace, are pictured during the 2023 Americas Summit in Miami, Florida

The administrative building under construction

Oil prices rise after buoyant US payrolls

Oil prices climbed more than 1% on Friday after betterthan-expected US employment data, though both benchmarks fell more than 3% on the week on US interest rate hike jitters.

Brent rose US$1.19, or 1.5%, to US$82.78 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) was up 96 cents, or 1.3%, at US$76.68.

Expectations of further rate hikes in the world's largest economy and in Europe have clouded the global growth outlook and driven both crude benchmarks down this week.

However, the US Federal Reserve may have less reason to raise interest rates as aggressively as some had feared, after a government report on Friday rekindled hopes of easing inflation amid signs the pandemic-disrupted labour market is normalizing.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell has warned of higher and potentially faster rate hikes, saying the central bank was wrong in initially thinking inflation was "transitory". Its next monetary policy meeting is planned for March 21-22.

"Oil prices are fluctuating wildly on renewed fears of Fed interest rate increases," said Price Group analyst Phil Flynn.

A strengthening dollar is also making oil more expensive for holders of other currencies.

Global shares, which often move in tandem with oil prices, hit a two-month low as investors dumped banks.

Broader US employment data for February beat expectations with nonfarm payrolls rising by 311,000, compared with expectations of 205,000 jobs added, according to a Reuters survey. This is likely to ensure that the Fed will raise interest rates for longer, which analysts have said would weigh on oil prices.

On the supply side, major oil producers Saudi Arabia and Iran, both members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, re-established ties after days of previously undisclosed talks in Beijing.

US oil rigs fell by 2 to 590 this week, their lowest since June, according to data from Baker Hughes.

The United States was reported to have privately urged some commodity traders to shed concerns about shipping price-capped Russian oil in a bid to shore up supply.

Investors are closely monitoring export cuts from Russia, which decided to trim oil output by 500,000 barrels per day in March.

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden proposed a budget that would scrap billions of dollars in oil and gas industry subsidies.

Money managers cut their net long US crude futures and options positions in the week to Feb 21, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said. (Reuters)

Around the World

Ukraine says Bakhmut battle is grinding down Russia's best units

Ukraine has decided to fight on in the ruined city of Bakhmut because the battle is pinning down Russia's best units and degrading them ahead of a planned Ukrainian spring counter-offensive, an aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

The comments by Mykhailo Podolyak were the latest signal of a shift by Kyiv this week to continue the defence of the small eastern city, site of the war's bloodiest battle, as Moscow tries to secure its first major victory in more than half a year.

"Russia has changed tactics," Podolyak said in an interview published by Italy's La Stampa newspa-

per. "It has converged on Bakhmut with a large part of its trained military personnel, the remnants of its professional army, as well as the private companies."

"We, therefore, have two objectives: to reduce their capable personnel as much as possible, and to fix them in a few key wearisome battles, to disrupt their offen-

sive and concentrate our resources elsewhere, for the spring counter-offensive.

So, today Bakhmut is completely effective, even exceeding its key tasks."

Russia has made Bakhmut the main target of a winter push involving hundreds of thousands of reservists and mercenaries.

It has captured the eastern part of the city and outskirts to the north and south, but has so far failed to close a ring around Ukrainian defenders.

Kyiv, which had seemed at the start of March to be planning to withdraw westward, announced this week that its generals had decided to reinforce Bakhmut and fight on. (Excerpt from Reuters)

German gunman kills 6, unborn

at Jehovah's Witnesses hall

Agunman in Germany shot dead six people before killing himself at a Jehovah's Witness worship hall in Hamburg, authorities said on Friday, in an attack that is bound to renew calls for stricter gun controls.

Eight other people were wounded, including a seven-months pregnant woman who lost her unborn daughter, police and prosecutors said at a news conference.

Officials said they had been tipped off about the perpetrator but had not taken away his legally-owned gun before the shooting at an event on Thursday night.

The killer's motive remained unknown but a political reason had been ruled out, the officials said.

Authorities identified the

gunman only as Philipp F. The 35-year-old, a German citizen and former Jehovah's Witness, began shooting through a window at the hall, where dozens of people were gathered, before entering. He shot himself on the first floor when Police arrived minutes after the shooting started shortly after 9:00 pm (2000 GMT), the Police said.

Germany has suffered a number of mass shootings in recent years as well as a plot by a heavily armed group that aimed to overthrow the Government. Following the previous shootings, Germany introduced stricter gun ownership rules and the Government has announced plans to tighten controls further.

After political violence, Peru reckons with economic fallout

The anti-Government protests that killed dozens and dealt body blows to some of Peru’s most critical sectors are starting to wane but they have left their mark on the country’s economy. Operations in the country’s copper-rich south are steadily ramping up and the iconic ruins of Machu Picchu, the nation’s crown jewel, are once again open to foreign tourists.

But for three months, vital highways were choked off by boulders and burning tyres, lucrative copper mines were paralysed and the rail lines leading to the ancient Inca citadel, like much of Peru’s economy, were ground to a halt amid shockingly violent demonstrations.

Surveying the damage inflicted upon a monolithic mining sector and the nation’s iconic brand as a bucket-list travel destination, analysts told Al Jazeera they see signs

child,

– Police

The Hamburg shooter was known to Police, who had visited his apartment prior to the attack in response to an anonymous tip raising concerns about his state of mind. But they did

not have enough grounds to take away his weapon, a legally-held semi-automatic pistol made by German company Heckler & Koch, officials said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Chile’s abortion rights movement faces uphill battle

Abortion is illegal in Chile, a traditionally Catholic country, except in three limited circumstances: nonviable pregnancies, rape or risks to a mother’s life.

And a years-long push by rights advocates to loosen those restrictions suffered a serious blow last year when Chileans rejected a new draft constitution that would have enshrined reproductive health and bodily autonomy as fundamental rights.

But despite the setback, as an estimated 400,000 women gathered to mark International Women’s Day in Santiago and other cities this week, access to safe, free and legal abortion remains one of the Chilean feminist movement’s key demands.

years, Chileans have taken significant steps to break free from the late dictator’s enduring imprint on the country.

Triggered by rising costs of living, Chile was rocked by months of unrest in 2019, when Pinochet’s enduring 1980 constitution was singled out as a root cause of a lack of social welfare and gaping inequality. The social mobilisations pressured politicians to grant a referendum to rewrite the constitution in 2020, which almost 80 percent percent of Chileans approved.

Anti-Government protests that gripped Peru in the last few months have left their mark on the economy

of a cautious restart of these key sectors. However, months of turmoil, a continuing political standoff and threats of renewed protests will pose serious challenges to the country’s economic growth in 2023, they warned.

As a clearer picture of the economic fallout has

emerged, they have said one thing is certain: more instability will hinder mineral investment and deter tourism – economic engines which account for 10 percent and 3.9 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), respectively.

Even in a country as in-

ured to political chaos as Peru, which has endured seven presidents in seven years, the chaotic ascension of President Dina Boluarte in December following the removal of her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, plunged the country into violence unseen in decades.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

This year is especially significant in the fight for abortion rights in Chile, as 2023 marks 50 years since General Augusto Pinochet staged a bloody coup and seized power. During his 17-year rule, Pinochet forced conservative, Catholic values on the country, and in 1989, a year before his regime ended, he prohibited abortion in all circumstances.

Still, in the last three

The result was a highly progressive draft constitution that set out to enshrine equality and a range of human rights, but which critics dismissed as overly ambitious and complex. Consequently, the first draft was widely unpopular: 62 percent of voters rejected it in a 2022 general referendum.

Chile is currently in the process of drafting a second constitutional proposal. However, this time political parties are guiding the process and the result is expected to be more moderate, meaning reproductive rights could be left off the table. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Ukrainian service members fire a mortar towards Russian troops outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 6, 2023

DAILY HOROSCOPES

A partnership will change how you handle personal, legal and financial matters. A physical challenge will be daunting, but will also make you aware of what to incorporate into your daily routine.

(March 21-April 19)

Your desire to handle everything will help you maintain control, but it will also run you ragged. Call on someone you know you can trust to help you out and give you some breathing room.

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Do what you can to lend a helping hand, but don't allow anyone to take advantage of your generosity. Invest in yourself first. Be wary of people trying to separate you from your money.

Engage in something that brings you joy. Let your creative juices flow and you'll develop innovative ideas. Mix business with pleasure, socialize and share your plans.

(June 21-July 22)

Sit back and accept whatever situation you face. A domestic change may not be something you initially want, but you'll realize it's the best thing for you. Time is on your side.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

You'll have plenty of opportunities but little time to execute your plans. Assess matters quickly and initiate the changes necessary to improve your situation.

Simplify your life. Don't take on a fight you cannot win. Put your energy where it counts. Focus on educational pursuits that hone your skills and add to your qualifications.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Participating in a creative activity will encourage positive change and better emotional connections. Recognize your skills and use them to achieve financial freedom.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Be resourceful, ask questions and reach out to people who can help you. Don't put up with nonsense or someone trying to sabotage your plans. Be direct and take action to right a wrong.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Dedication and determination will help convince others to join you. Home improvements or a change to your living arrangements will pay off and help you lower your overhead.

Refuse to let an emotional incident or a manipulative individual push you to change your mind. Stand by your beliefs and refuse to let anyone interfere with what's best for you.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

You can get things done if you start early. Don't get worked up over things you can't change; it will only slow you down and make you grumpy. A lifestyle change will save you money.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023: Aus vs Ind, Test 4 of 4…

Australia chase serieslevelling win against India

Usman Khawaja ground out a gutsy century to put Australia on top after day one of the fourth Test against India in Ahmedabad.

The opener said he had completed “a long journey” by finally making it to three figures on what is his third tour of India in the long format.

Australia amassed 255-4, with Khawaja on 104 not out at stumps, reaching his ton with a boundary from the first ball of the day’s final over.

A nine-wicket victory for Australia in the third Test last week has fuelled hope they could complete a fightback from 2-0 behind to draw this series, and this start has boded well. While it was Khawaja’s day, others helped

NBA news…

the score along, with Travis Head making a brisk 32 at the top of the innings, and captain Steve Smith adding a hardy 38 from 135 balls before falling to an inside edge off Ravindra Jadeja.

Mohammed Shami bowled Marnus Labuschagne (3) and Peter Handscomb (17), but Cameron Green cracked a rapid 49 not-out that contained eight fours, as he kept Khawaja company late in the day.

Khawaja got to 99 with a single from the final ball of the penultimate over, making it a nerve-jangling end to day one, as he retained the strike to face Shami. The 36-year-old left-hander held his nerve, clipping away a leg-side four to make it a

day for him and Australia to savour. It took him 246 deliveries to get there, and Khawaja will look to bat on deep into Friday to pile pressure on India.

Comeback on the cards?

After day one, Australia will be fancying their task in this match. They are seeking back-to-back men’s Test wins against India for the first time since December 2014. The last time they had consecutive wins in a series in India was in December 1969.

India have not lost more than one game in a men’s Test series on home soil since losing 2-1 to England in November-December 2012.

The hosts can’t lose this series, of course, but a draw

might feel like a defeat, given they won the opening two Tests.

Classy Usman

Six of Khawaja’s 14 Test tons have come since the start of 2022, underlining what a sen sational late-career re vival he is enjoying. This was his first Test centu ry against India at any ground, with his previous highest score having been the 81 he made last month in Delhi.

In an end-of-day inter view, he recalled being a drinks carrier on his first two tours of India, but this time he is making his pres ence felt.

Kevin Durant out for three weeks

- after missing home debut with warm-up injury

- Khawaja hits century SCOREBOARD

Kevin Durant must wait at least three more weeks to make his home debut for the Phoenix Suns, after injuring himself in the warmup against Oklahoma City. Durant sprained his left ankle before the Suns’ 132-101 NBA win over the Thunder.

The 34-year-old Durant joined Phoenix in a February trade from the Brooklyn Nets. He scored 23 points on his debut at Charlotte, and has averaged 26.7 points in the three away games he has played for the Suns, who sit second in the Western Conference Pacific division.

The forward is enduring an injury-plagued campaign, having already spent around eight weeks on the sidelines due to a knee sprain while playing for

Brooklyn. Elsewhere, feuding rivals Dillon Brooks and Draymond Green had to be separated from each other by officials during reigning champions Golden

Saudi Pro League football…

State Warriors’ defeat at Memphis Grizzlies.

The pair, who traded comments in the build-up to the game, were involved in a tense confrontation in the second quarter of Grizzlies’

131-110 victory. Memphis scored 48 points in the first quarter to set the platform for the win, achieved without star point guard Ja Morant, who has been suspended for allegedly holding a gun in a nightclub.

Warriors, champions in six of the past eight seasons, have lost eight successive games on the road, and their away record slipped to 7-26 with another defeat.

The Milwaukee Bucks extended their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference as a 118-113 win over Brooklyn improved their record to 48-18.

Sacramento Kings edged out the New York Knicks 122-117, while the Indiana Pacers needed overtime to beat the Houston Rockets 134-125. (BBC Sport)

Australia 1st Innings

Travis Head c Jadeja b Ashwin 32

Usman Khawaja lbw b Patel 180

Marnus Labuschagne b

Mohammed Shami 3

Steven Smith (c) b Jadeja 38

Peter Handscomb

b Mohammed Shami 17

Cameron Green c †Bharat

b Ashwin 114

Alex Carey †c Patel b Ashwin 0

Mitchell Starc c Iyer b Ashwin 6

Nathan Lyon c Kohli b Ashwin 34

Todd Murphy lbw b Ashwin 41

Matthew Kuhnemann not out 0

Extras (b 9, lb 3, nb 2, w 1) 15

TOTAL 167.2 Ov

(RR: 2.86, 693 Mins) 480

Fall of wickets: 1-61

(Travis Head, 15.3 ov), 2-72

(Marnus Labuschagne, 22.2 ov), 3-151

(Steven Smith, 63.4 ov), 4-170

(Peter Handscomb, 70.4 ov), 5-378

(Cameron Green, 130.2 ov), 6-378

Furious Ronaldo storms off pitch after Al-Nassr defeat

Afurious Cristiano

Ronaldo stormed down the tunnel, kicking water bottles out of his way after his AlNassr team lost 1-0 at AlIttihad in the Saudi Pro league on Thursday.

The defeat marked the second match in a row

in which the 38-year-old Ronaldo failed to find the net, with Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe parrying away a fierce shot from the Portugal superstar in injury time.

Brazilian Romarinho scored 10 minutes from time to seal victory for

Al-Ittihad, who leapfrogged Al-Nassr to take top spot in the league table.

Al-Ittihad’s fans taunted Ronaldo throughout the match, repeatedly chanting the name of his rival, Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo, who has scored eight goals in seven league games this season, took off his captain’s armband before leaving the pitch, and looked set to throw it, before regaining his composure. He applauded the Al-Nassr supporters, before leav-

ing the field of play. “Disappointed with the result, but we stay focused on our season and the games ahead. Thank you, Al-Nassr fans, for your support, we know we can count on you!” the Portuguese said on Twitter after the game. (Reuters)

(Alex Carey, 130.6 ov), 7-387 (Mitchell Starc, 135.3 ov), 8-409 (Usman Khawaja, 146.1 ov), 9-479 (Todd Murphy, 165.3 ov), 10-480 (Nathan Lyon, 167.2 ov) •

DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Mohammed Shami

Patel

8-47-1

Iyer 1-0-2-0

1st Innings Rohit Sharma (c) not out 17

Gill not out 18

Kevin Durant Ronaldo

Usman Khawaja scored a fine 180

WI Tour of SA 2023: Test 2 of 2…

South Africa in commanding position

- after Bavuma’s 171*

Temba Bavuma’s second Test century has lifted South Africa from a precarious position and put them in command of the second Test against West Indies on day three at the Wanderers.

It was a century he had long waited for, 88 innings to be precise. Only Zimbabwe’s Adam Parore (92 innings) had to wait longer after his first Test ton to get to his second.

Bavuma finished the day unbeaten on 171, with South Africa’s lead swelling to 356, a seemingly untenable position when West Indies dominated the first session and left them at 69 for 4 at lunch.

Bavuma came to bat early in the day, after Kyle Mayers had Dean Elgar steering a catch to gully, and Tony de Zorzi chopping on. Bavuma and Aiden Markram played watch-

fully, till Kemar Roach got Markram to nick off with a jaffa. Bavuma then held the fort with Ryan Rickelton, but Rickelton got an edge to Joshua Da Silva off Raymon Reifer just before lunch.

Bavuma flicked Roach through midwicket to bring up his half-century off 107 deliveries, but two overs later, Alzarri Joseph returned to the attack and got Klaasen to top-edge a pull that Da Silva claimed.

The South Africa captain was then joined at the crease by Wiaan Mulder, and the two ensured they didn’t suffer any further damage in the second session, with the lead rising to beyond 200 at tea.

In the evening session, Bavuma had a nervous moment as Roach drew the outside edge, but the ball fell short of second slip, and was deflected to the boundary rope. In the same over, he cut Roach behind point to move to 90. He was helped along in the nineties when Jermaine Blackwood’s throw from midwicket missed the stumps at the striker’s end and ran away for four overthrows.

The century came in his second Test as South Africa’s captain, after bagging a pair in his first. In fact, at SuperSport Park, he lasted just three balls across the two innings - the shortest stint for any Test captain.

Once he got to his century, he put the afterburners on for a short phase, hooking Joseph twice to the fine leg boundary.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa 2nd Innings

Aiden Markram c †Da

Silva b Roach 18

Dean Elgar c Chase b Mayers 5

Tony de Zorzi b Mayers 1

Temba Bavuma (c) not out 171

Ryan Rickelton c †

Da Silva b Reifer 10

Heinrich Klaasen † c †

Da Silva b Joseph 14

Wiaan Mulder c Chanderpaul

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Joseph, at this point, switched to the short-ball tactic, especially targeting Mulder. His first bouncer to the allrounder hit him on the glove, and Mulder needed some medical attention. Batting on 99, Bavuma thrashed Joseph over cover in his second over of the spell to reach his century. The relief and joy on Bavuma’s face was palpable.

Mulder also joined in, deciding to attack Joseph to counter the short ball barrage that was being thrown at him by the fast bowler. He got to 42 - his highest Test score - before he miscued a pull to deep square leg off a back-of-length delivery that cramped him for space. The duo had put on a stand of 103 runs off 160 deliveries.

Bavuma reined in his aggression after Mulder fell, but started rotating strike with greater fre-

b Joseph 42

Simon Harmer lbw b Holder 19

Keshav Maharaj not out 3

Fall

quency as he was joined by Simon Harmer at the crease. It took him just 62 deliveries to move to 150 as West Indies’ bowlers started to tire. Even when the second new ball brought about a bit of extra bounce, Bavuma remained largely

Elgar, 3.4 ov), 2-8 (Tony de Zorzi, 7.1 ov), 3-32 (Aiden Markram, 16.6 ov), 4-69 (Ryan Rickelton, 29.4 ov), 5-103 (Heinrich Klaasen, 42.3 ov), 6-206

Mulder, 68.6 ov), 7-277

90.2 ov)

untroubled.

Jason Holder, who bowled economically without reward through the innings, finally gave West Indies another breakthrough, trapping Harmer lbw in the third over before stumps. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Lara hopes to use performance mentor role to help Windies compete with world’s best once again

Brian Lara is the greatest batsman the West Indies have ever produced. The 53-year-old Trinidadian terrorised bowling attacks all around the world from 1990 all the way to his last game for the regional side, against England in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.

During that span, Lara scored 11,953 runs in 131 Tests at an average of 52.88, including 34 hundreds and 48 fifties, the biggest of those hundreds coming at the Antigua Recreation Ground against England in 2004, when he scored a world record 400*.

His ODI numbers were equally impressive, as he scored 10,405 runs in 299 matches at an average of 40.48, with 19 hundreds and 63 fifties.

Now Lara hopes to give back to West Indies cricket as a member of the support staff of the senior Men’s team.

Before the team’s ongoing Test series against South Africa, Lara joined the coaching staff as a per-

formance mentor.

Lara described the feeling of wearing the West Indies colours again in an interview with Cricket West Indies on Thursday.

“These are the colours that made me who I am today. It’s a different set of emotions. I remember several years back, when I was a youngster living out my dream, spending 17 years plying my trade in these

very colours,” he said.

“Now, it’s a bit different being a member of staff, looking at present day players and trying to implement a style of play and a philosophy of the game that was successful in the past. I feel that, in time, we will see the benefits of this,” he added.

The former West Indies captain also described what his role would be with the team, moving forward.

“I think it’s pretty simple. We have to improve our performances, and not just sporadically; we have got to do it on a consistent level, and I’m not going to pretty it up. That is what I’m here to do as a performance mentor: to get the players to play better cricket more consistently, and to get the West Indies back competitive with the best cricket playing countries in the world,” Lara said. (Sportsmax)

Temba Bavuma scored his second Test ton

West Indies made inroads early on day three

Brian Lara and Kyle Mayers

GCB Senior Inter-County four-day tournament 2023…

Essequibo thrash Berbice inside two days

By Brandon Corlette at enmore

Table-leaders

Essequibo have completed an eight-wicket victory against Berbice inside two days at Enmore, in round two of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) Senior Inter-County fourday tournament.

Both teams were without some key players, who are preparing for national duties, but the young and upcoming players stood out. Berbice failed both times with the bat, scoring 94 all out and 105 all out across both innings. Left-arm spinners Ricardo Adams and Garfield Phillips did most of the damage for Essequibo, while Nigel Deodat had 6-49 on Senior Inter-County de-

but for Berbice.

The men from the Cinderella County completed the win before tea on day two, ending victorious on 25-2 in 9.4 overs, after posting 175 in their first innings and being equipped with a lead of 81 runs.

Essequibo resumed the second day on 156-9 in 48.4 overs. Wazim Mohammed slammed Nigel Deodat for a six over long-on off the second ball of the day, to get the morning going. The final wicket eventually fell at 175 after 53.2 overs.

Deodat, who had five wickets on day one, was the Berbice team’s chief wicket-taker, ending with 6-49 in 16.2 overs. Mohammed was unbeaten on 22 as Essequibo had a healthy lead.

In their reply, Berbice

wickets fell like dominoes, as the inexperienced top-order was exposed by Neiland Cadogan and Ricardo Adams. Alex Algoo was the first to be dismissed, bowled by Cadogan for five. Left-hander Javed Karim continued his poor form at the top, and was dismissed for two, bowled all ends up by Adams. In this inter-county tournament, Karim has recorded scores of 03, 00, 00, and now 02 in this innings.

The brisk Cadogan then trapped Garfield Benjamin at the crease for a 10-ball duck. Shamal Angel (11) then played with hard

hands and was caught at the wicket off Adams, as Berbice sank further.

Jason Sinclair (09) was unlucky to be run out at the non-striker’s end, when Seon Hetmyer drove one back to the stumps and Sampson effected the run out. The senior Hetmyer, stand-in captain owing to an injury sustained by Junior Sinclair, took Berbice to lunch at 45-5 after 21 overs. Nigel Deodat was also looking promising before lunch. Phillips, another left-arm spinner, came into the attack, but Deodat and Hetmyer added a counter-attacking 50-run part-

West Indies Women's Under-19 Team on the rise

Stars Under-19 squad have made it to the international stage. Allrounders Djenba Joseph, Zaida James and Trishan Holder impressed with their agility and dynamism, and made their international débuts for the Senior West Indies. They also had the honour of playing at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa last month.

“We are seeing signs of growth and improvement in the programme. This is very pleasing, as this is part of the pathway established by CWI. We have also seen a jump in the number of young women and girls across the region who have been participating in cricket, so we want to keep that level of interest in the game,” Liburd said.

nership.

Seon Hetmyer, who used his feet brilliantly throughout his innings, eventually lost his wicket by that route, when he was bowled by Phillips for 28.

Deodat continued a fine debut as he displayed the art of sweeping. The little man also timed the ball well to

ensure Essequibo bat again, but his innings of 30 from 41 balls ended when he was removed by Phillips. Berbice closed out their innings on 105-9 with Junior Sinclair being injured and unable to bat. Phillips ended with 4-14, while Adams and Cadogan each had two wickets.

Greaves Cycling Classic pedals off today

“They are eager to learn, they are excited to play every day, the body language is always positive, and they are super proud to represent the West Indies”.

Those words were uttered by Steve Liburd, Head Coach of the West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 Women’s Team, as he spoke of the great group of players under his tutelage.

Liburd has overseen this programme since it started in the summer of

2022, and has seen significant growth of the players. Cricket West Indies have made a major investment in women’s cricket, which has seen tremendous growth.

Last year saw the first ever West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 Women’s tournament in Trinidad, and from that tourney, a team was chosen to tour the United States of America in Fort Lauderdale.

From there they held several camps at the

Coolidge Cricket Ground, headquarters of CWI. They then had a tour of India, where they played against India “A”, India “B”, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in Vizag and Mumbai. Following that, they had the great opportunity to participate in the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup in South Africa. The programme is bearing fruit, as three members of the Rising

“This year, we will continue with the development of our players, as we look towards the next events on the regional calendar and the international calendar. There are so many amazing opportunities in cricket for girls and women.

“Women’s sports are on the rise…young girls have female sporting icons to look up to. Our players are very enthusiastic, and we want to keep encouraging them to raise the bar.” (CWI)

The Alanzo Greaves Cycling Classic is billed for today, Saturday March 11, at the National Park from 9:00h.

This race will see the Open category contesting 25 laps, and the first six finishers would receive prizes. Juniors will be contesting 15 laps, and the top three finishers would be receiving prizes. The Juveniles will be contesting 10 laps, and the top three finishers would be receiving prizes. Kids will be riding for one lap.

Race sponsor Alanzo Greaves would be donating a BMX bicycle to a child who does not own a bike. Entrance fee for the race is $1,000, but children would be paying only $500.

Greaves aims to host at least two races every month throughout the year 2023.

The last local cycle race, held on Sunday March 5, has seen We Stand United rider Jamual John clinching the top spot. John won the “One Guyana” Bartica Cycling Classic Road Race held on Sunday last in Bartica. That event was restarted after the first edition in 2019 after being a victim of COVID-19, like all the other sports.

Last Sunday’s event was well supported by local fans, who turned out in their numbers to rally their local cyclists, who did well, apart from having another first-hand taste of the best cyclists in Guyana.

Essequibo are leading this inter-county tournament

Seon Hetmyer, brother of Shimron Hetmyer, batting for Berbice (Brandon Corlette photos)

Glasgow is an integral part in the WI U-19 Women's team

Alanzo Greaves