Guyana Times - Saturday, March 18, 2023

Dead: Police Sergeant Jermain Semple

Remanded: Fawazz McRae

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips, along with Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and US Ambassador to Guyana, SarahAnn Lynch, pose for a photo with the seven-member delegation from the US House Committee on Ways and Means. The delegation, led by Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman Jason Smith, also includes Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL), Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV), Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Congressman Mike Carey (R-OH), and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND)

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Saturday, Mar 18 – 02:30h –04:00h and 14:30h – 15:15h and Sunday, Mar 19 – 03:00h –04:30h and 15:00h – 15:45h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, Mar 18 – 13:55h – 15:25h and Sunday, Mar 19 – 14:50h – 16:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be light rain showers and thundery showers during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly between 3.12 metres and 6.25 metres.

High Tide: 14:21h reaching a maximum height of 2.42 metres.

Low Tide: 07:53h and 20:27h reaching minimum heights of 0.95 metre and 0.71 metre.

US Congress officials pledge support to modernise Guyana’s energy, infrastructure sectors

…visiting Guyana to engage local stakeholders, Opposition

The United States has further pledged its support towards a number of developmental areas in Guyana, including modernising the country’s energy sector as well as its physical infrastructure.

This commitment was made by a seven-member bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) from the United States Congress currently in Guyana to engage local stakeholders on a number of areas of mutual interest including governance and bipartisan cooperation between the two countries.

Led by Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman Jason Smith, the delegation also includes Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL), Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV), Congresswoman

They arrived in Georgetown on Thursday evening with an agenda to meet with Government offi-

Additionally, the congressional delegation will also meet with prominent business leaders from the

Embassy in Georgetown, the visit of the US officials seeks to further examine the bilateral and economic cooperation between the United States and Guyana.

Strengthening relationship

On Friday, President Dr Irfaan Ali hosted a State Lunch for the congressional delegation at State House in Georgetown.

During his brief address, the Head of State spoke about the importance of democracy, enhancing trade and ways of strengthening the overall relationship between the two countries.

Michelle Fischbach (RMN), Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Congressman Mike Carey (R-OH), and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND).

cials and Opposition leaders to discuss issues related to governance, economic matters, and the importance of bipartisan cooperation.

United States and Guyana to learn first-hand about Guyana’s exponential economic growth.

According to the US

President Ali also informed the congressional delegation of developments in Guyana and reiterated his Government’s commitment to a strong partnership with the United States in several areas including, energy, food security, climate change and national security.

US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch with the seven-member delegation from the US House Committee on Ways and Means

President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Cabinet Members hosted a State Lunch for the visiting US bipartisan Congressional delegation on Friday

Views

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Fastest-growing older population

Areport titled “Decade of Healthy Ageing” by the World Health Organization (WHO) included useful insights into the status of the world’s older populations, and what health authorities and policymakers and international development partners could do in order to ensure this group of people is not left behind.

According to the report, at least 14 per cent of all people aged 60 years and over – more than 142 million people – are currently unable to meet all their basic daily needs. The report brings together data available for measuring healthy ageing, defined by WHO as “the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age”.

WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, some time ago, said that humans now live longer than at any time in history. “But adding more years to life can be a mixed blessing if it is not accompanied by adding more life to years.”

He said the Baseline Report for the Decade of Healthy Ageing has the potential to transform the way policy-makers and multiple service-providers engage with older adults. The report also discusses what is needed to promote collaboration and better measure progress towards healthy ageing.

WHO says that optimising “functional ability” is the goal of the Decade of Healthy Ageing, which began in 2021 and addresses five interrelated abilities that all older people should enjoy: the ability to meet basic needs; to continue to learn and make decisions; to be mobile; to build and maintain relationships; and to contribute to society.

The Baseline Report presents the experience of countries which have been successful in starting healthy ageing initiatives in each of these areas, such as Ireland, Mexico and Vietnam. It also stresses that older adults must be engaged throughout.

According to the report, only one-quarter of countries around the world are compiling comparable data which can be used to monitor global progress towards healthy ageing. Some countries that are collecting and using data to improve policies and programmes for and with older persons are presented in the report. These countries are Chile, China, Finland, Ghana, India, Qatar, Singapore, and Thailand.

A number of indicators to be reported on by countries as a demonstration of commitment towards healthy ageing were agreed on by WHO Member States as part of the Global Strategy on Ageing and Health 2016-2020, and endorsed in 2020 within the context of the Decade for Healthy Ageing 2021-2030. Examples are the establishment of a national committee or forum on ageing; comprehensive assessments of the health and social care needs of older people; and a policy on strengthening long-term care.

It should be stated that the Caribbean has been recognised as having one of the fastest-growing older populations in the developing world. This certainly poses its own challenges, and Governments and other actors will be required to take the necessary measures to ensure that this segment of the population lead healthier and more productive lives.

There is no doubt that among the more pressing issues affecting older persons are health concerns and the quality of care being provided to them on a daily basis. It is therefore crucial for Governments to put in place systems which would allow for older persons to obtain the health services they need.

WHO’s new Guidelines on Integrated Care for Older People recommend ways community-based services can help prevent, slow, or reverse declines in physical and mental capacities among older people. The guidelines also require health and social care providers to coordinate their services around the needs of older people through approaches such as comprehensive assessment and care plans.

Director of the Department of Ageing and Life Course at WHO, Dr John Beard, had previously noted that older adults are more likely to experience chronic conditions and often multiple conditions at the same time. Yet today’s health systems generally focus on the detection and treatment of individual acute diseases.

He had reasoned that if health systems are to meet the needs of older populations, they must provide ongoing care focused on the issues that matter to older people – chronic pain, and difficulties with hearing, seeing, walking, or performing daily activities. On this basis, he noted that this required much better integration between care providers.

In Guyana, we may want to give serious consideration to recommendations presented by WHO.

By Karolína augustová

Since 2015, when deepening crises across Asia and Africa coupled with the war in Syria resulted in a significant increase in the number of people seeking asylum in Europe, stopping socalled “irregular migration” has been a priority for the European Union.

As more and more people fleeing bloody conflicts, totalitarian regimes, climate change-related catastrophes and extreme poverty started showing up at Europe’s gates, EU member states began to fortify their borders. Electric fences, watchtowers, dog patrol units, helicopters and surveillance drones mushroomed across European frontiers, and the budget of the EU border agency, Frontex, ballooned to more than $800m (754 million euros), making it the best-funded among all EU agencies. The EU also moved to export its border control strategies and technologies to countries in its neighbourhood, from the western Balkans and Turkey to North Africa and the Sahel. The resulting regional border architecture, designed specifically to keep refugees out of the EU, left almost no safe and legal paths to asylum in member countries, compelling many to embark on dangerous journeys to try and enter Europe without authorisation in the hopes of applying for asylum once they reach their desired final destination.

As a researcher and activist, I spent years tracing refugee journeys and documenting the treatment of asylum seekers at the hands of European border security officials. The worst incidents I documented took place in the borders between Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Many who tried to migrate through these states told me that they have been

abused by border security officers and showed me marks of torture, ranging from electric burns to still-bleeding cuts and bruises, on their bodies.

“When the Croatian police caught us as we were trying to enter the country from Bosnia-Herzegovina, they put us all into a very dirty van,” Mazin*, a young journalist from Pakistan, told me. “It was hot and there was not enough oxygen, so many people were vomiting.”

He recounted how the police officers beat him and other asylum seekers before illegally pushing them back into Bosnia without processing them. “They drove us to the Bosnian border, made a line in front of the van, and told us to get out one by one,” Mazin said. “As we passed through, police officers in the line all beat us hard with their batons.”

Many other asylum seekers told me that their experiences with security personnel at those borders had been similar to that of Mazin – experiences marked by cruelty, sexual violence and torture. Thousands of similar testimonies have also been recorded and published by rights groups and international organisations.

But while documenting the violence directed at people migrating across European borders, I also encountered rare stories of humanity and kindness: stories about individual border officers refusing to be violent and resisting illegal “pushbacks”; stories about officers defying their supervisors’ commands in order to help asylum seekers; stories about officers taking personal risks to blow the whistle on their organisation’s illegal practices.

Empathy, kindness and adherence to international law, which means respecting the human rights of all those

attempting to cross borders, should be standard in all border security work anywhere in the world. But in the current climate, where migration is being perceived as a threat by many, acting against international refugee law and inflicting violence on those classed as “irregular migrants” became part of the job description for most European border officers. And thus, even the simplest acts of kindness, empathy and humanity towards asylum seekers are rare, and require much courage on the part of officers at Europe’s borders.

“When we were spotted by border officers in Macedonia,” Mustafa from Afghanistan recounted, “one of them saw the conditions we were in, saw how our shoes were broken from weeks of walking, and said to me ‘I will pretend that I did not see you. Walk this direction for five kilometres, and there, you can pass the border without anyone seeing you’.” Mustafa told me this unnamed officer’s kindness helped him complete his long and dangerous migration journey. “This person did not return us like the others. Thanks to him, we managed to cross to Serbia and moved closer to our destination.”

While the officer who helped Mustafa did so simply by looking the other way, others who wanted to support refugees and end illegal border protection practices followed different paths of resistance. For example, in 2019, a police officer in Croatia anonymously reported his border unit to the county’s ombudswoman for abusing refugees. In his complaint, he said that out of fear of losing his job, he personally participated in more than 1,000 illegal pushbacks. He said the pushbacks he participated in were often very violent, and involved beatings and theft. He asked the ombudswoman

to take action to stop these illegal practices. Some refugees talked about individual officers who stopped their colleagues from beating detainees or stealing their money. Others spoke fondly of officers who, even when they were not able to offer any practical help, acknowledged their humanity and showed empathy. Members of one Afghan family, for example, remembered a Croatian officer who cried with them as he led them back towards the Bosnian border. They recalled the officer saying “Please, don’t cry. Sorry. I don’t want to do this, but I must follow the orders.”

Similarly, Hamid from Algeria said a group of officers who spotted him near the Italian border in Croatia showed him kindness and even encouraged him to continue with his efforts to find a haven in Europe. “I was very scared that they were going to beat us as others do,” he told me. “But they took us to a restaurant and bought us warm food. One of them said: ‘Sorry, we cannot let you go because we have orders to return you [to the country you entered Croatia from]. But please, come back and try again.’”

These few uplifting stories of solidarity are important and should be shared – not to humanise the European border regime that is underpinned by extreme brutality, but to show that small acts of compassion, kindness and resistance from inside of the border units are possible and must be encouraged. Individual border officers can make a difference. (Al Jazeera)

(Karolína Augustová is an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow at Aston University and an activist researching EU migration externalisation, border violence, and human smuggling.)

A rice-farming display at the 2-day Regional Science Fair held at the Woodley Park Secondary in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice)

At Europe’s hostile borders, the smallest acts of kindness matter

Garbage collector remanded for killing Berbice youth …Police on hunt for 2nd murder suspect

Agarbage collector attached to Cevons Waste Management - a private waste collection company - was on Friday remanded for allegedly murdering a plant pot maker in Berbice last Sunday.

Ryan Dhanpat, a 34-year-old garbage collector of Smithfield, New Amsterdam, has been remanded to prison for the murder of 22-year-old Kevin Small, a plant pot maker, which occurred on March 12.

Dhanpat appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on Friday, and was not required to plead to the indictable charge of murder.

It is alleged that on Sunday last, at Budhan Scheme,

Dhanpat chopped Small, resulting in his death.

An autopsy performed on the body of Small by Government Pathologist Dr Vevakanand Brijmohan gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage due to an incised wound to the forearm.

Dhanpat has been remanded until April 28, when the case comes up again.

Meanwhile, the court was told that the Police have been advised to contact a second suspect. According to the prosecution, the Police are on the hunt for him. The prosecution also told the court that the investigation has been completed, and the Police are awaiting the autopsy report.

Also attending Friday's hearing was Shamar Wilson, who was also injured during the chopping incident. Police had report-

ed that on that Sunday morning, at about 10:30hrs, Small, Wilson and another friend left Mount Sinai for the Canje River at Caracas to swim.

Upon their arrival, three other youths approached them, and an argument ensued which resulted in a fight. In his bid to escape, Small jumped into the river, but was grabbed by one of the attackers, who started firing chops.

The Police said Wilson jumped in to help his friend, but one of the attackers turned his attention to him, and wounded him with a cutlass. He was subsequently assisted to get to the hospital.

It had been reported that a cellular phone had gone missing, and the ac-

cused along with others had confronted both Small and Wilson last Friday, and there was a chopping incident.

The men had reportedly been hunting the two on Saturday evening, and on

Sunday morning learned that they had gone to swim. After being injured, Small fled the scene and reportedly went to an abandoned house, where he subsequently bled to death. (G4)

US Congress officials pledge support to modernise...

met with members of the parliamentary Opposition on Friday.

According to the US Embassy, the visiting officials discussed shared values of inclusion and bipartisan cooperation in policy formulation with the Opposition parliamentarians during the meeting.

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton led the team, which included Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones, Amanza WaltonDesir, David Patterson and Vinceroy Jordan.

exercised jurisdiction over revenue and related issues such as tariffs, international trade policy, and the bonded debt of the United States.

Moreover, the Guyanese leader further pointed to the shared principles of promoting democracy, the rule of law and respect for international law.

Energy

On the other hand, the Ways and Means Committee Chairman commended President Ali and Guyana for the leadership shown in a number of areas in the Region and pledged continued US support and cooperation in several areas including support for the modernisation of the country’s energy and physical infrastructure.

In fact, during a subsequent interview with USbased Fox News Digital, Congressman Smith lauded the “American-Guyanese bilateral relationship” and spoke about the potential of Guyana’s energy resources.

“Guyana’s abundant energy resources have the potential to lift its people out of poverty, help power the world, and ensure

more affordable energy for American families and job creators,” he told Fox News Digital.

The Guyana Government is currently pushing the country’s transition to renewable energy with a focus on mixed energy sources. Key among these initiatives is the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s gas-to-energy project, which features the construction of a 300-megawatt (MW)

Combined Cycle Power Plant and an Integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch accompanied the delegation to meet the President.

From the Guyana Government’s side, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo; Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hugh Todd; Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat; Amerindian Affairs

Minister, Pauline Sukhai; Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill and other Cabinet members as well as several Government officials were also present.

Opposition meeting

Meanwhile, the US congressional delegation also

Chairman Smith and his Committee members are wrapping up a three-country tour which saw them visiting Mexico and Ecuador before their arrival in Georgetown.

The House Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest committee of the United States Congress and is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. Since 1795, the committee has

This is second visit to Guyana this week by officials from the US Government. Joseph Salazar, Special Advisor for the Western Hemisphere from the Office of US Vice President, Kamala Harris; and Michael Taylor, Deputy Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Office of Caribbean Affairs were in Georgetown earlier this week to continue talks on mutual cooperation.

Energy and food security and the transformative Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) were among the topics on the agenda during a meeting on Monday between the US officials and a high-level Guyana Government team led by President Ali. Meanwhile, a follow-up meeting is expected at a subsequent date, to discuss PACC 2030 – an initiative launched by Vice President Harris last year to improve cooperation between the US and Caribbean countries. (G8)

Saturday, March 18, 2023

06:00 (Sign on) Inspirational Time

06:30 Cartoons

07:00 Evening News (RB)

08:00 Stop Suffering

09:00 Movie - Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)

10:30 Indian Movie - Rowdy Rathore (2012)

13:00 Movie - Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002)

14:40 Movie - Your Place or Mine (2023)

16:30 Wheel of Fortune

16:50 Exxon Mobil AEMG Ep. 27

17:00 Payless Power Hour

18:00 Evangelistic Hour

18:30 Hepzibah

19:00 The Evening News

20:00 The Future of

20:30 Movie - The Spy Next Door (2010)

22:00 Movie - Transfusion (2023)

00:00 Sign off

Murder accused Ryan Dhanpat

Dead: Kevin Small Injured: Shamar Wilson

The US Congress officials met with Opposition Parliamentarians on Friday afternoon

NGSA Math Questions

Perpetrators of hate speech must be held accountable – MP Datadin

As there continues to be widespread condemnation against the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) over the racist and divisive remarks made at its recent public meeting, calls are now being made for perpetrators of hate speech to be held accountable.

This is according to Government Member of Parliament, Attorney-atLaw Sanjeev Datadin, who joined Government officials, private sector representatives, and other sections of society in condemning the statements made by WPA Executive Member, Tacuma Ogunseye.

During the WPA meeting held in Buxton, East Coast Demerara on March 9, Ogunseye had made incendiary remarks, which according to Datadin, sought to promote hate.

The MP described Ogunseye’s remarks as bitter, divisive, racist and determined to hinder the coun-

try’s progress. Ogunseye also reiterated the unproven claim by Opposition members that Afro-Guyanese are being oppressed under the current Administration.

Further, Ogunseye appeared to encourage the use of violence to advance a political agenda, insinuating that members of the Joint Forces should “turn those guns in the right direction”.

Recognising the liberties afforded concerning free

speech, MP Datadin, who is also a renowned Guyanese lawyer, emphasised that there is no protection under the Constitution for the promotion of hatred and racism.

“It is disturbing that people take such liberties and say such things in public settings in Guyana. They are Guyanese and they are entitled to their views, but they are not entitled to divide us. They are not entitled to tell us how we should treat our fellow Guyanese, and they are not entitled to tell us that we should stand for violence against our fellow Guyanese. Civilised societies don’t work that way,” he said.

MP Datadin added that any attempt to create a racial divide that conflicts with the country’s trajectory in building a “One Guyana” should be condemned by all.

To this end, Datadin called on Guyanese to point out the perpetrators and not turn a blind eye to such divisive speech.

“Anybody who has a modicum of intellect or even common sense would know that every conversation about racial and ethnic division started by madmen, ended in tragedy. There is no place for such behaviour here. We should not tolerate it. If we are going to be successful as a country, we have to resist this hate speech.

“We must call it out! We must charge the perpetrators, and prosecute them. It

12 months' jail for man who stole from doctor

A31-year-old man, who stole items from a medical doctor, has been jailed for 12 months for simple larceny.

Ryan Rahayida of Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was found guilty of the crime following a trial be fore Magistrate Esther Sam at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.

He committed the offence on February 25, against Dr Dominic Heyliger, a 27-year-old doctor attached to the Suddie Hospital on the Essequibo Coast.

Rahayida had initially pleaded not guilty and had been remanded to prison af-

ter the prosecution raised objections to him being released on bail. The custodial sentence was imposed on

Friday.

B&E

In a separate matter before the same Magistrate, Shorwin Thomas, 18, a labourer of Charity Squatting Area, Essequibo Coast, was charged with break and enter and larceny. He allegedly committed the offence between March 1 and 2, on Naeem Bacchus’s stall. When the defendant appeared before Magistrate Sam, he was not required to plead to the charge. Bail was granted to him in the sum of $50,000 and the matter was adjourned until April 3. (G1)

takes us as a people to stand up and say we would not tolerate that. And that is what we have to do,” the attorney stressed.

Datadin said such language has no place in a democratic society.

Only Thursday, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn disclosed that there is a “legal review” of the statements made and if they are found to be seditious, he contended that “the law will take its course”.

Describing the remarks as “open calls” for “misadventure and distress”, Minister Benn argued that “we cannot have persons who would want to call out in a democratic environment, where there is a Parliament, where there are courts…there are resorts in the Parliament, and there are resorts in the legal system.

“If any person or any organisation feels aggrieved, rationally, with their perception in relation to gover-

nance…there is representation in Parliament, and there (are) also the courts, the legal system. We should not allow persons to vicariously, in a crowded hall of people, shout ‘Fire!’ or call one set of people to attack another set of people, or to suggest that persons who have arms in a formal Disciplined Services area to turn those perhaps against the State or against (their) fellow Guyanese,” Minister Benn stressed.

Despite the mounting criticism over his remarks, Ogunseye is being backed by his party – the WPA, which has defended him.

Moreover, he is also receiving support from the APNU Opposition with APNU/PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton saying Ogunseye’s right to “free speech must be respected”. The Opposition Leader further described the utterances from the WPA camp as just “poor choice of words”.

(G8)

Government MP, Attorney-atlaw Sanjeev Datadin

WPA Member Tacuma Ogunseye

Jailed: Ryan Rahayida Shorwin Thomas

Death by poisoning Mother who killed her 2 children appeals 98-year jail term

unanimously guilty of two counts of manslaughter over the death of her children following a trial before Justice Navindra Singh and a jury at the High Court in Demerara.

On the first count, for the killing of four-yearold Hodascia Cadogan, Rutherford was sentenced to 45 years in jail; while on the second count, for the killing of one-year-old Jabari Cadogan, she was ordered to serve 53 years in prison. The prison terms were ordered to be served consecutively, meaning that her cumulative sentence is 98 years.

New world...

…IDs

The Court of Appeal is set to hear the appeal filed by Hofosuwa Rutherford, who was convicted in 2018 of unlawfully killing her two young children by feeding them rat poison. The three-Judge bench led by Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards will begin hearing the woman’s appeal against her convictions and 98-year jail sentence on March 29. Rutherford was found

The State had adduced evidence that the mother had given each of her children half of a tablet of aluminium phosphide (rat poison) on March 27, 2014, at Supply Branch Road, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) where they all resided. During her trial, Rutherford’s initial story was that she had bought cold tablets from a man at the Plaisance bus park in Georgetown, who sells rat poison. However, the logic behind this story was not ac-

cepted by the jury.

Rutherford had been hospitalised for seven days after the poisoning of her offspring, and she had said she had drunk two rat poison tablets after giving same to her children.

“No one in this world loves my children more than I do. I love them to my soul.

I am sorry for my shortcomings and my faults,” the convicted children killer had stated at her sentencing hearing.

She had then turned her

attention to Justice Singh, who she begged to have mercy on her.

“Justice Singh, even God in Heaven above is merciful, and I am asking you to grant me a second chance so I can make things right,” a crying Rutherford had pleaded.

Meanwhile, Justice Singh had seemed perplexed as to why the State had indicted the mother for the lesser offence of manslaughter, contending that “everything points to murder”. (G1)

Just before the end of 2022, VP Bharrat Jagdeo announced we’d be entering the brave new world of universal digital IDs. He said Government would soon be issuing new digital ID Cards with the assistance of Dubai technology company G-42. More germanely, “the ID Cards will have a secure chip which can store data, including blood type, date of birth, driver’s licence and taxpayer’s identification number.” As such, it will be integrated into the data banks of a host of our Government institutions, including the GRA. Eventually, Guyana would be sourcing e-passports, which can be used at our airports for paperless entry into the country. The UAE would be providing 90% of the funding, while Guyana would fund the remainder.”

Well, a contract has been signed, and suddenly our citizenry has woken up, and some of them are up in arms. The Opposition has weighed in to point out that such an undertaking should’ve been laid and debated/discussed in the National Assembly. Now, this is exactly what a responsible Opposition in a democracy ought to be doing – insist on getting involved in matters affecting the country, so that they can possibly show that they have better ideas than the incumbent Government!! Not calling for treason!!

Digital IDs are the latest tools to assist Governments in serving their citizens. Right now, there are digital identity programmes in Estonia, Belgium, Pakistan and India, and at various stages of development across Africa and the world. As was indicated by VP Jagdeo, there are a host of accepted and recognised real-world benefits. From airports to health records’ systems, technologists and policy makers with good intentions are digitising our identities, making modern life more efficient and streamlined.

Governments seek universalised Government services, while the banking, travel, and insurance industries aim to create more seamless processes for their products and services.

But as we’ve seen from the 18th century, technology’s a two-faced creature – there are always downsides that weren’t visible at the onset. And the more heads at the table from the beginning, looking over the deal, the better. For starters, we already have near-perfect facial recognition technology and other identifiers - from the way we walk and breathe to irises. Biometric databases are being set up in such a way that these individual identifiers are centralised, insecure, and opaque. Then there is the capacity for geo location of identifiers — that is, the tracking of digital “you” — in real time. A constant feed of insecure data from the “Internet of Things” may well connect you (and your identity) to other identities and nodes on the network without your consent. That’s not good for our right to privacy!!

…political strategy??

Your Eyewitness is kinda confused with the hold-me, loose-me strategy of LoO Aubrey Norton. Here it is, he’s the leader of a mass party that’s in the business of collecting as many votes as it can. So, could he tell the nation why he’s tying bundle with a bunch of old men who are trying to recapture their glory days from the 1970s?? Or explain to the visiting seven-member US Congressional Delegation - here to observe the Exxon operations - why he’s not condemning the call for the army to overthrow a Government the US certified as democratically elected??

Norton’s trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds when he said that while he wouldn’t use the treasonous words, he understood the frustrations that led to the words. They were protected by “free speech”!! But Norton has been around the block and back where politics is concerned. He knows that free speech doesn’t confer the right to yell “FIRE!!!” in a crowded theatre.

Much less, “Army Coup!!”

…and treason

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn’s playing it cool on the treasonous words. He knows he and the administration’s being baited!! He said he’ll allow the law to take its course!! In the meantime, let them swing in the wind!!

Convicted killer Hofosuwa Rutherford

Dead: Hodascia Cadogan Dead: Jabari Cadogan

Cop shot to head by cousin dies

US researchers find need for comprehensive sex education in Guyanese schools

Researchers from prominent universities in the United States recently conducted a study in Guyana and they have since underscored the need for a comprehensive sex education (CSE) programme in local schools.

The Guyana Foundation said on Friday that, in collaboration with the George Washington University and the Elliott School for International Affairs – both located in Washington, DC – it recently hosted research personnel M Elliott and C Pereira during their stay in Guyana.

Six days after he was shot to the head by his cousin, Police Sergeant Jermain Semple succumbed to his injures. Semple died on Friday afternoon, March 17, 2023. Commander for Regional Police Division 10, Hugh Winter, confirmed the death of the sergeant.

On Wednesday, Semple’s cousin, 27-year-old Fawazz McRae, was slapped with an attempted murder charge, and appeared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer a charge of attempting to murder Semple, 32, of Hopetown, West Coast Berbice. The accused was not required to plead to the indictable charge, and was remanded to prison.

Reports are that on Sunday, March 12, the Policeman, who had been stationed at the Tactical Services Unit, his brother Dervon Semple and his cousin were imbibing at the Crown and Anchor Grill and Bar in Linden. At about 21:00h, a fight ensued between the cop and his brother. During the altercation, the cousin went to make peace, and a fight then ensued between the

Police Sergeant and his cousin. Police in a release said that, as a result, the cousin took out his licensed handgun, a .32 pistol, at about 21:30h, and discharged two rounds in the victim’s direction.

One struck the cop to his head, causing him to receive severe injuries. He was then rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex, where he had been in critical condition and on life support.

Police in a statement said the cousin was arrested and the firearm was retrieved, which contained four live rounds in the magazine and one live round in the chamber. According to the Police, McRae received injuries to his left elbow and right ear during the fight, and was escorted to the hospital for medical attention. He was subsequently discharged, arrested, and told of the allegation against him. Two .32 spent shells were found at the crime scene.

On Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, along with Commander of Police Regional Division 10, Hugh Winter, visited the injured Police Sergeant. They were briefed about his condition by doctors.

It was noted that the findings of the study were based on a wide cross section of interviews that was completed during the research period.

“The report concluded that as Guyana looks to the future, a comprehensive sex education curriculum that addresses the needs of Guyanese youth in primary and secondary schools will be crucial to increasing inclusive and equitable education for all,” a massive from the Guyana Foundation detailed.

It went on to state that the research study further posits that the implementation of a comprehensive sex education curriculum in Guyanese schools for youth under 18 will decrease teen pregnancy, decrease the transmission of HIV/AIDS, prevent gender-based violence, and promote bodily autonomy and empowerment.

The full report is expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Education and other educators. This collaboration has gone further to prepare a sample curriculum and a detailed lesson plan which is available through the Guyana Foundation.

In a comment, Founder of the Guyana Foundation, Supriya SinghBodden shared that she and her team would sincerely like to thank George Washington University, particularly Professor Jennifer Fox and the Elliott School of International Affairs for their invaluable contribution to Guyana.

“We will make good use of your

findings. These results clearly point out that if we start early enough with sex education, we can save lives and empower people not to fall victim to gender-based violence, sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy. Guyana needs to protect every citizen, not lose any more,” Singh-Bodden stressed.

This is not the first time the need for comprehensive sex education in Guyanese schools has been brough up.

Back in 2018, during Episode 11 of the University of Guyana’s (UG) “Turkeyen and Tain Talks”, it was highlighted that the current Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) programme, offered in secondary schools, lacks relevance and is inadequate in meeting the needs of adolescents while denying them access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.

This view was expressed by Representative of the Guyana Equality Forum (GEF), Joel Simpson, while speaking on the topic: “Education and Freedom: Education Reform and Socio-Economic Development in Guyana”.

In his presentation, Simpson had said that the lack of comprehensive sexuality education, homophobic and

transphobic bullying and school dropouts along with the gaps in the reintegration of teenage mothers into the school system were issues that were deliberately ignored while discussing education reform.

He had noted too that evaluations by the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) have shown that programmes on sexual education could help youths delay the onset of sexual activity, reduce risky sexual behaviour, reduce the number of sexual partners, and increase responsible behaviour, including protection from HIV; Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy.

In addition, Simpson had explained that the GRPA’s evaluations of the HFLE programme taught in public secondary schools in Guyana found that it ignored the basic human rights of young people by denying them critical information on a range of issues.

Moreover, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund in Guyana (UNICEF Guyana) has been pushing Comprehensive Sexuality Education under its Spotlight Initiative to help combat violence against women and girls here.

TURN TO PAGE 14

Dead: Police Sergeant Jermain Semple

Remanded: Fawazz McRae

Researchers M Elliott (left) and C Pereira (right)

Motorcyclist dies after slamming into truck while overtaking car

Aspeeding motorcyclist died on Friday after slamming into a truck as he was attempting to overtake a car along Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD) Public Road.

Dead is Daniel Marshall of Albouystown, Georgetown.

Reports are that at about 06:50h, the 42-year-old motorcyclist was proceeding north along the western side of Friendship Public Road at a fast rate of speed, and as he attempted to overtake a silver-grey motor car that was proceeding in the same direction, he lost control of his motorcycle and collided with the right-side rear of motor lorry GTT 345.

Police said that at the time, the motor lorry was proceeding south along the eastern side of the road. As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist fell onto the road, where he received injuries to his head and body.

He was picked up in an

unconscious condition by the Police and public-spirited citizens and placed on the eastern parapet. An ambulance was summoned but he was pronounced dead by emergency medical technicians.

Special education needs Teachers trained to strengthen learning experience for children

Twenty-one special education needs (SEN) teachers of children with autism have benefitted from a training workshop held at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) to impart fresh knowledge on bettering their engagement.

This initiative was a collaborative action between the Special Education Needs (SEN) Unit and Childlink Inc, through the “One Life Too” Project. It featured teachers of children with autism in special and mainstream schools.

The body was then taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

The lorry driver is in custody, assisting with the investigation. (G9)

National SEN Officer Savvie Hopkinson reminded teachers of the need to grapple with, and refresh, their knowledge of the learning process, for it is not always the same for everyone, and learning can happen in a variety of ways.

Explaining that learning doesn’t always come easily, she stated that, often, obstacles must be overcome in order for new knowledge to be gained.

She reminded participants to be cognizant of environmental challenges, such as access to learning opportunities and other aspects of the learning environment. Additionally, students with special education needs and disabilities learn differently.

Further, she encouraged participants to embrace the maxim “all children can learn”, because this professional conviction is vital, and must permeate the minds of teachers and be present in classrooms. It is the single factor that compels the teacher to reflect on presentation, methodology, differentiation, and to treat respectably those who learn differently.

Moreover, it is the conviction that has compelled SEN teachers to expel pejorative descriptors and destructive labelling from their minds, and never to speak or apply them to their students.

Director of ChildLink, Omattie Madray, and “One Life Too” Project Coordinator Samantha Hutson, represented the organization which has been a pillar in the training programmes throughout the life of the project.

Hutson stated that as someone working with parents and children with disabilities, she has learned to be more accepting and to practise consideration when engaging with people.

“Often time, you would hear that a child is at this age or grade at school and does not know to read or write their own name, and immediately the blame falls on the teacher, without any consideration that the child may have a learning disability or have other things going on at home that are

preventing the child from making progress,” she said.

She further said that it is the hope of Childlink that through these continuous training collaborations, teachers would have the tools needed to further help children, while also giving guidance to parents.

The workshop sessions were facilitated by SEN Officers Ms. Gale Layne Blue, who delivered on “Inclusive Classrooms and the Teacher” and “Student Collaborations”, and Ms. Yolanda Trotman Phillips, who engaged participants on “Embracing Diversity.”

Participants included in the training were attached to New Amsterdam Special School, David Rose Special School, Diamond Special Needs School, Beterverwagting SEND Centre, Schoonard Learning Centre for Diverse Needs, Linden Resource Centre for Special Needs, Amelia’s Ward Primary, Vreed-EnHoop Primary and Gifted Hands Learning Centre.

Daniel Marshall lying on the roadway following the accident

Teachers engaged in the training exercise

CoI to probe death of BOSAI operator – Labour Ministry

ACommission of Inquiry (CoI) will soon be appointed to probe the recent accident at BOSAI Minerals which claimed the life of an operator, the Labour Ministry has directed.

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton has taken these actions to bring clarity and conclusion to the investigation, following the accident involving Neptrid Hercules, who was employed by BOSAI in Linden, Upper Demerara River.

Home Affairs Minister

Robeson Benn has warned against the use of physical and emo tional abuse in penitentia ries across the country, stat ing that the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) must maintain the human rights of prison ers.

Addressing the issue of inmate treatment in the pris on system, the Home Affairs Minister explained that force must only be used as a last resort to bring about order. He cautioned that prisoners are also protected on the ba sis of human rights.

“Again, I want to em phasise on the question of the rights of prisoners. They have rights and those rights are human rights. I’ve said I don’t want men struck, abused. Only in the last resort to prevent the situation from getting out of order or bring things out of control. We do not want physical abuse. We do not want emotional abuse,” he voiced.

According to Minister Benn, there can be signifi-

cant investments in infrastructure and security, but failures can come at the point of a person or the system. Reflecting on unfortunate incidents which have occurred throughout the years, he emphasised that the Prison Service must upskill to create an exemplary system, so as to reduce the likelihood of such incidents reoccurring.

Psychiatric counselling,

education and reintegration with the community were among the highlighted areas which were recommended for the Guyana Prison Service to shift its focus.

“We don’t want to return to those dangerous days. We don’t want to return to the 2002 jailbreak situation. We don’t want to return to the fire which destroyed the Camp Street Prison and killed 17 prisoners. We don’t want those things. We want an exemplary prison system for our country.”

“The prison system has to deal with the question of upskilling of professionalism. We have to have exchanges with other jurisdictions to learn how to do what they do, to avoid the things which they have learnt from, and to have a sense of continuous improvement,” he shared.

In this light, Benn said attention also needs to be placed on engaging prisoners in activities, rather than having them in a vegetative state during their incarceration.

He directed, “I don’t want them lying about in the prison cells and complexes all day doing nothing. Men not doing anything every day, vegetating – some of them plotting their next move. Some of them are even executing their next move inside the prison with the use of cell phones, which they somehow get into the prisons along with marijuana. We have got to work on those issues.”

It was reported that compulsory training programmes were designed to address every class of inmates within the penitentiaries, where 1415 inmates have been trained in literacy and numeracy, technical and vocational skills; and behaviour modification.

The administration also commenced the Fresh Start Programme, where 10 inmates have received tools to earn a sustainable income in cosmetology, tailoring, welding, carpentry, joinery, landscaping and animal husbandry. (G12)

This is in keeping with Section 72 (1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Chapter 99:06 of the Laws of Guyana. The Act gives the Minister the power to direct a formal investigation into any accident arising out of or in the course of employment of any worker where he considers it expedient to do so.

“Competent persons, which will include an experienced mining engineer and a geologist, will be appointed to serve on this commission, whose main purpose will be “to determine the cause(s) of the accident and make recommendations for the prevention of accidents generally and more specifically the recurrence of similar accidents,” the Labour Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Hercules went missing in the early hours of the morning on March 11 along with the CAT D9T Dozer, which he was operating at the time.

This was as a result of a failure experienced by the overburden dump where he was working in the East Montgomery Mine, which caused them to be covered by the overburden material. The body of Hercules was found several days later on Tuesday, after an extensive search. The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission lent support and technical assistance for the recovery.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn – a former geologist – was on site lending support and was labelled instrumental in finding Hercules. The late employee is said to have been found in some 100 feet of overburden.

“The Minister is deeply concerned about this matter. He holds the view that this accident should never have happened and he owes it to the family, his co-workers, and the community to ensure that there are no recurrences. Hence the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry to provide answers to the numerous questions that abound and recommendations for implementation,” the statement later outlined.

Meanwhile, the Occupational Safety and Health Department has instructed the company that the suspension of work activities in the middle dump of the Montgomery Mine, where the accident occurred, should continue until a reassessment is done for the extraction of the dozer.

In 2020, 32 persons died in workplace accidents, with that number falling to 27 in 2021. In total, 184 workplace accidents were investigated this year, inclusive of the 19 fatal events. (G12)

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton has ordered a CoI into the fatal accident

“We don’t want physical abuse in prisons” – Benn

The BOSAI mine where the accident occurred

2020 election fraud cases adjourned again

The electoral fraud matters against two Opposition members and four Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) employees have been further adjourned until Tuesday, April 18 by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who presides at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

GECOM clerks, Denise Babb-Cummings and Michelle Miller; GECOM Elections Officer Shefern February; and the electoral body’s Information Technology Officer Enrique Livan along with Opposition members Volda Lawrence and Carol SmithJoseph, were charged back in 2020, for attempting to rig the March 2020 election in favour of the APNU/ AFC.

Particulars of the charge against them read that between March 2 and August 2, 2020, at Georgetown, they conspired with former GECOM Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield and former Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont

Mingo to defraud the electors of Guyana by declaring a false account of votes cast. Miller, on the other hand, is charged separately with conspiracy to defraud. It is alleged that between March 3 and 5, 2020, at High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, together and with others, with intent to defraud the people of Guyana, she did not use the figures from the Statements of Poll (SoPs) for ascertaining the figures to make the declaration of the results for the said District Four, thereby

resulting in a false declaration being made for the said District.

Each of the six defendants has pleaded not guilty and has been granted cash bail. More than half of the 32 electoral fraud charges are being dealt with by the Chief Magistrate, while Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus and Senior Magistrate Leron Daly are dealing with the others.

Former CEO Lowenfield’s election report claimed that the APNU/AFC coalition garnered 171,825 votes while

the PPP/C gained 166,343 votes.

How he arrived at those figures is still unknown, since the certified results from the recount exercise supervised by GECOM and a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) pellucidly showed that the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes while the coalition garnered 217,920.

The recount exercise also proved that Mingo had heavily inflated the figures in Region Four—Guyana’s largest voting District, in favour of the then caretaker APNU/AFC regime.

In August 2021, GECOM voted to terminate Lowenfield, Roxanne Myers, and Mingo.

The firing of these officials was met with much satisfaction by the Government which hailed it as a step in the right direction to restoring public confidence in GECOM.

Myers, Mingo, and Lowenfield are also facing criminal charges related to their official duties at GECOM in the conduct of the 2020 national elec-

tions, for which they are on bail.

Last month, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, during his weekly programme—Issues in the News—decried the “slow pace” at which the matters are moving.

In light of this, he indicated that he would write Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, for an update on the status of the prosecution of the cases.

Once the information is provided, he said it would

be released to the public. The Attorney General believes that the cases are not being treated with the alacrity they require.

Although the charges were instituted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) upon the advice of the DPP, Nandlall had said: “But it doesn’t mean that the Government will sit idly by and allow these charges to just fall away. We are equally important stakeholders in this society, as you are members of the public, you are equally interested in the outcome of these charges.” (G1)

Denise Babb-Cummings Michelle Miller

Volda Lawrence Carol Smith-Joseph

Guyana Government hosted the visiting bipartisan delegation from the United States Congress at State House on Friday

CANU busts EBE man with $400,000 worth of cannabis

Officers from the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) while conducting an operation in Lombard Street, Charlestown, Georgetown on Friday, busted a man with a large quantity of cannabis.

During the operation, the officers said the suspect was carrying a backpack. He was intercepted and a subsequent search of the backpack revealed a parcel containing suspected cannabis.

As such, the 27-year-old resident of Zeelugt Housing Scheme, East Bank of Essequibo (EBE), was arrested and taken to CANU Headquarters, along with the suspected narcotics.

The parcel was found to weigh approximately 2.33 kg (5 lbs) and tested positive for cannabis, with a street value of $400,000.

The ganja that was found by CANU ranks

Investigations are currently ongoing into the matter.

More than a week ago, CANU ranks intercepted a motor car in the vicinity of Hill Street in Lodge, between D’Urban and Norton Streets, Georgetown, and found therein some five pounds

of marijuana. The driver of that car, a 31-year-old man from Fellowship, Mahaicony, ECD, was arrested.

Reports are that CANU officers intercepted motor car PZZ 2006, and a subsequent search of the vehicle revealed two brick-like parcels suspected to be canna-

bis. The driver was arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters along with the

suspected narcotic, which tested positive for cannabis weighing approximately

5 lbs (2.144 kg) and having a street value of $643,200. (G9)

Teacher escapes jail time, repays stolen cash to ex-boyfriend

A23-year-old teacher, who was remanded to prison until she repaid the $467,000 she admitted to stealing from her ex-boy friend, has reimbursed the man the money in full.

Nickacia Sobers, 23, of Soesdyke-Linden Highway, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday to answer to a simple larceny charge.

While at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, the edu cator pleaded guilty to steal ing $467,000 from her ex-boy friend, Richard Brathwaite, on December 20, 2022, at Avenue of the Republic.

As a consequence of her guilty plea, and her promises to repay the man, Sobers was remanded to prison and given until Friday to repay the sum in full.

When the matter came up on Friday, Sobers repaid all the monies. In light of this, her former lover refused to proceed with the matter, and as such, the charge against her was dismissed.

At the woman’s initial court appearance, the Police

in an intimate relationship that ended on December 20, 2022.

Brathwaite operates a shoe stall in the vicinity of Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, and on the day in question, he secured the money in his car, which had been parked in front of his stall. After Sobers had visited the man’s stall, the pros-

ecutor told the court, she went into his car, where she spent some time alone before Brathwaite dropped her off at the Timehri bus park. When Brathwaite drove back to his vending spot, he made checks for the money, but discovered that the sum was missing. He immediately reported the matter to the Police, and Sobers was arrested.

During her address to the court, Sobers admitted to stealing her ex-lover’s money, stating that she had outstanding debts and used the money to pay them off.

According to her, she made several attempts to repay Brathwaite, but he refused to accept part payments from her. While Brathwaite confirmed that Sobers had promised to repay him, he said that calls to her cell phone went unanswered. Given what the two parties told the court, the Chief Magistrate remanded Sobers to prison, and gave her until Friday to repay Braithwaite.

If she had failed to repay the sum, she would have been sentenced. (G1)

US researchers find need for...

Launched in 2017, the Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership between the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in support of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

UNICEF Guyana is expected to contribute and lead several Spotlight Pillars. Among those is Pillar 3, which addresses Prevention with the recognition that favourable social norms, atti-

tudes and behaviours should be promoted at the community and individual level to prevent Violence Against Women and Children (VAWG), including family violence.

This includes equipping children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will empower them to realise their health, well-being and dignity, and Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) was identified as vital to this.

According to UNICEF

FROM PAGE 9

Guyana, the school settings provide an important opportunity to reach large numbers of young people with sexuality education before they become sexually active, as well as offer an appropriate structure within which to receive CSE systematically over time. Additionally, UN body noted that teachers remain central to the process given their critical role in the effective delivery of sexuality education with the right knowledge, skills, and comfort levels. (G8)

Taxi driver busted with over 1000 grams of ganja

AWest Bank Demerara taxi driver was busted with over 1000 grams of marijuana on the western end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge on Friday.

Reports are that the 33-year-old taxi driver of Patentia, West Bank Demerara, was caught by the Police at about 10:20h with the drugs.

According to Police, acting on information received, a Police Constable on motorcycle patrol intercepted the driver of motor car HD 1997, and instructed him to stop.

Police said that the Constable attached to the

Brickdam Police Station, was on motorcycle patrol at Agricola and went to the

Demerara Harbour Bridge where he intercepted motor car driven by the sus-

pect proceeding west on the Harbour Bridge.

The 33-year-old suspect was instructed by the rank to stop at the other end of the bridge.

Upon stopping, the Constable, accompanied by a Corporal, searched the car and found three bulky transparent plastic bags containing leaves, seeds, and stems, which they suspected to be cannabis, in the car’s trunk.

The driver was informed of the offence and escorted to the La Grange Police Station, where the cannabis was weighed and found to be 1361 grams. The suspect remains in custody pending charges. (G9)

The cannabis that was found by Police

The car that was intercepted by Police

Iwokrama signs MoU with PAC to strengthen biodiversity conservation

mal collaborations at the national and international levels.

Iwokrama Rainforest was created in 1996 under the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development Act of 1996. It was set up as a protected area to show how forests can be used for social and economic benefits, such as food and medicines, while at the same time being sustainably managed and protected.

The programmes of Iwokrama contribute significantly to conservation education, awareness and research. Known by the Indigenous Machushi people as a “Place of Refuge”, the Iwokrama Rainforest is a gift to Guyana, the Commonwealth, and the world, setting a national

standard for sustainable forest practices.

In December 2022, the PAC signed a second MOU with an international conservation organisation, the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), to aid in elevating its protected area system. The aim of that MOU was to allow the Commission to develop the capacity whereby it can leverage more financial support in managing the country’s existing protected area system, particularly in the Kanuku Mountains.

According to the FZS website, it supports the Kanuku Mountains by helping the PAC with setting up and training a small team of rangers in the Kanuku Mountains, and assisting with field-based activities; helping to plan and supervise the construction of con-

trol posts out in the field, together with the Protected Areas Commission rangers; organizing, carrying out, and documenting ranger patrols; and regular analysis of high-resolution satellite data for early detection of illegal activities.

The FZS had first signed a MoU in 2015, to provide Guyana with financial and technical support for the development of the country’s protected area system. Two experts from the FZS group were tasked with advising the PAC on setting up the conservation area system, lending support to establish administrative and monitoring systems for the Kanuku Mountains, the crafting of monitoring plans and biodiversity surveys, and liaising with representatives of other interest groups.

The Iwokrama

International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in the form of a Technical Assistance Agreement (TAA) with the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), to strengthen collaboration in the field of technical as-

sistance on protected area management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change.

Under this agreement, the PAC and Iwokrama will receive mutual support in several areas, including research, capacity development, education and awareness, bio-inventories, and fundraising.

Iwokrama and PAC have

had a longstanding relationship since the PAC’s creation in 2011, as both entities worked together towards mutual conservation goals of the National Protected Areas System (NPAS) of Guyana. This MOU formalises that relationship, so that both entities can continue to benefit and increase their opportunities through for-

Nude body of woman found at Leguan foreshore

Authorities are currently investigating the death of a woman, who was found on Friday morning at the Leguan foreshore in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

As of now, the woman’s identity remains unknown, and detectives are awaiting an autopsy report to determine the cause of death.

According to Police, at around 07:12h on Friday morning, an unknown caller reported seeing what appeared to be a body at Uniform Beach, Leguan Island.

As a result of that report, Police ranks went to the area and the body of the female was seen facing upwards, washed up on the beach. The body was clad

The unidentified woman

only in a black brassiere, with what appeared to be a silver wedding ring on a finger and a silver chain around the neck.

The woman was picked up and transported to

Parika Stelling. On arrival at the Stelling, the body was checked for marks of violence, and there were black and blue marks between the legs and on the side of her body.

The body was then escorted to Leonora Cottage Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.

It was then escorted to Ezekiel Funeral Parlour, awaiting a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.

The Guyana Police Force is urging anyone with information about this incident to come forward and assist the authorities in their investigation. They are also appealing to members of the public for any assistance in helping to identify the woman or her relatives. (G9)

Scenes from the MOU signing

US announces aid as Venezuela struggles with humanitarian crisis

The United States has pledged more than US$171M in humanitarian assistance and development funding to help Venezuelans impacted by the South American country’s economic and political crisis.

Seven million people have left the country in recent years as a result of the crisis, and most are now scattered around Latin America and the Caribbean, according to figures from the United Nations. Many face difficulties accessing basic services, food and formal employment.

“This new funding will help provide food, healthcare, emergency shelter and access to legal and protection services,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said virtually at Friday’s donor con-

ference in Brussels.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a statement that US$84M of the funding will go to direct aid for Venezuelans who remain in the country. Another US$31M will be used to

help the economic integration of Venezuelans who have fled to Colombia and Ecuador.

The remaining US$56M will support a number of humanitarian programmes for Venezuelans and their host communities, covering

emergency shelter, access to healthcare and the protection of vulnerable groups, USAID said.

The funding follows Washington’s announcement in September that it would provide nearly US$376M in humanitarian aid to Venezuelans.

The US backs Venezuela’s opposition, recognising its parallel legislature and decrying what it says is socialist President Nicolas Maduro’s dictatorship.

Under former President Donald Trump’s Administration, the US intensified its sanctions against the South American country. It froze and seized Venezuelan Government funds at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and used the money to support opposition lawmakers who oppose Maduro. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

El Salvador extends emergency powers in year-long gang crackdown

Lawmakers in El Salvador have once again extended a state of emergency that suspends certain civil liberties as the Government of President Nayib Bukele continues its fight against gangs.

The so-called state of exception, renewed for a 12th time late on Wednesday by the Salvadoran Congress, came into effect last year and has led to around 66,000 arrests in the Central American nation.

It allows arrests without warrants, Government access to private communications and detentions without the right to a lawyer.

“We ask that this regime be extended for more time,” Police Director Mauricio Arriaza told reporters ahead of this week’s 30-day extension.

“We need to keep fighting criminal groups, we need to give assurance to Salvadoran families, for their lives and their property.”

The text of the legislative decree stated that the “war against gangs conducted by the Government has allowed the Salvadoran population to feel a sense of security”.

While the emergency measures enjoy widespread support in El Salvador, human rights groups and United Nations experts have raised serious concerns around violations of due process, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment of detainees.

Last month, rights groups and the Salvadoran Police Union told Al Jazeera that a rising number of Salvadorans detained

Amid US pressure on fentanyl, Mexico raises drug lab raids data

Mexico’s army has dramatically revised upward the number of drug lab raids it says it conducted under President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, according to Government data and leaked military documents reviewed by Reuters.

The documents, found among a trove of millions of emails leaked last year by the Guacamaya hacker group, show the upward revision being due to the army retroactively including hundreds of inactive labs on its seizures list under Lopez Obrador’s presidency. Figures for the years of previous Administrations were left unchanged.

Mexico’s army, in a response to a freedom of information request in February, now says it seized 635 synthetic drug labs during 2019, 2020 and 2021 - the first three years of Lopez Obrador’s Administration - up from 104 busts it had previously reported for the same period.

The army also said it seized nearly 500 labo-

ratories in 2022, according to a military response to a Reuters request in January, by far the highest annual figure this century.

The hiked-up figures are not credible, say two former senior law enforcement figures in Mexico and the United States, as well as two serving Mexican security sources.

“These numbers are outrageous and not worth the paper they are written on,” said Matthew Donahue, former US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Regional Director who was previously based in Mexico and retired from the agency last year, when presented with Reuters’ analysis of the data.

In his view, the numbers were aimed at “placating the United States and to make it appear they are doing something, when clearly they are not.”

Donahue said his allegations were based on past experience of working in Mexico, though Reuters could not independently verify his claims. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Death toll from Colombia coal mine explosion climbs to 21

El Salvador’s gang crackdown has already led to 65,795 arrests, according to official figures, prompting the creation of a new mega-prison to house detainees

under the state of exception have been “re-arrested” upon release after either being granted bail or having their cases dropped.

That raised fresh fears

that Bukele’s Government plans to ensure that detainees remain behind bars, particularly in advance of 2024 elections. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Gangs sow terror in Brazil cities for 3rd night

Several cities in north east Brazil are suffering from serious unrest caused by marauding criminal gangs.

For the third night, gang members set buses ablaze and carried out gun attacks on buildings in urban areas in Rio Grande do Norte state.

The attacks are thought to have been sparked by conditions in jails holding gang members.

Brazil’s Government sent hundreds of federal security forces to the region

earlier this week.

Justice and Security Minister Flavio Dino said hundreds more could be sent in the coming days as unrest continues. The state government has convened a crisis cabinet and has asked the Federal Government for more support.

The attacks were ordered from within the state’s jails when gang members’ requests for televisions, electricity and conjugal visits were turned down, Brazilian news outlet Terra quot-

ed the State’s Secretary of Public Security Francisco Araujo as saying.

Conditions in Brazil’s notoriously overcrowded jails have long been under scrutiny.

In 2017, the Government sent a Penitentiary Intervention Task Force (FTIP) to Rio Grande do Norte jails following a riot which left at least 30 inmates dead. Some have said the task force routinely uses violent methods to bring prisons under its control.

Local media have reported that two rival gang factions have now struck a temporary truce and become allies in the attacks against security forces.

Several cities in Rio Grande do Norte have suspended public transport and closed schools in the wake of the violence.

At least two people were killed in clashes with police earlier in the week and 67 people have been arrested, reported AFP. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Ten miners reported missing after an explosion caused by accumulated gas in coal mines in central Colombia have been found dead, raising the death toll to 21, authorities said on Thursday.

The explosion in several adjoining coal mines took place late on Tuesday in a rural area of Sutatausa, about 75 km (46 miles) north of Bogota.

“I have been in communication with Governor Nicolas Garcia, who just informed me that despite all the efforts of rescue teams, unfortunately 21 people lost their lives in the tragic accident in Sutatausa,” President Gustavo Petro said on Twitter.

Every workplace death is not only a failure of companies, but also of society and the Government, added Petro, who was elected partly

on promises to shift the country from oil and coal, its two top exports, and toward renewable energy.

Activities at the mines have been suspended, the national mining agency said in its own tweet, and an investigation to establish the causes of the explosion will take place before a reopening can be considered.

Serious accidents are common at open pit and subterranean coal and gold mines in Colombia, mostly at illegal or informal operations and those without proper safety measures.

There were 117 accidents at mines in Colombia last year, according to the agency, killing 146 people.

The deadliest recent accident was in June 2010, when 73 people were killed in a mine explosion the northwest. (Reuters)

Chile inks US$630 mln earthquake insurance deal with World Bank

Chile has agreed to an earthquake insurance programme with the World Bank protecting it from US$630 million worth of damage from strong earthquakes, in an effort to shore up risks to public debt from possible natural disasters.

The insurance will cost 4.75% of the total value of the insurance each year, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

The South American nation is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area characterised by frequent

earthquakes and active volcanoes.

The southern Chilean city of Valdivia was struck in 1960 by a 9.5 magnitude earthquake, the most intense on record, which caused over 1600 deaths.

In 2010, an 8.8 magni-

tude quake and subsequent tsunami in Chile killed more than 500 people and caused some US$30 billion in damage, wrecking hundreds of thousands of homes and mangling highways and bridges.

“This insurance will al-

low Chile to receive pre-established compensation payments for up to the maximum coverage, in the event of certain high-intensity parameterized seismic events that cause material damage to the country and public finances,” the ministry said.

“If an earthquake is greater than a particular threshold and occurs in a particular zone and depth, the insurance provides for a specific payout associated with the event, which, on average, occurs approximately every 70 years,” it added. (Reuters)

Millions of Venezuelans have left their country during its persistent economic crisis [Raquel Cunha/Reuters]

Oil prices settle down, post big weekly losses on bank fears

Oil prices settled lower Friday, reversing early gains of more than US$1 a barrel as banking sector fears caused both benchmarks to reach their biggest weekly declines in months.

Brent crude futures settled down by US$1.73, or 2.3%, to US$72.97 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell US$1.61, or 2.4%, at US$66.74.

At their session low, both benchmarks were down more than US$3. Brent fell nearly by 12% in the week, its biggest weekly fall since December. WTI futures fell 13% since Friday’s close, its biggest since last April.

“The underlying fundamentals aren’t as terrible as what is being priced in here, but there is concern the oil is not as safe a place as cash or gold,” said John Kilduff, Partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.

Oil prices tracked equity markets lower, dogged by the banking sector crisis and worries about possible recession.

All three indexes were sharply lower in afternoon trading, with financial stocks down the most among the major sectors of the S&P 500 following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank and with trouble at Credit Suisse and First Republic Bank.

Prices had recovered some ground after support measures from the European Central Bank and US lenders, but dropped again when SVB Financial Group said it had filed for reorganisation.

Pressure stemmed from “the continued fragile state of the market”, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

Analysts still expect constrained global supply to support oil prices in the foreseeable future.

OPEC+ members attributed this week’s price weakness to financial drivers rather than any supply and demand imbalance, adding that they expected the market to stabilise.

WTI’s fall this week to less than US$70 a barrel for the first time since December 2021 could spur the US Government to start refilling its Strategic Petroleum Reserve, boosting demand.

And analysts expect China’s demand recovery to add price support, with US crude exports to China in March heading towards their highest in nearly two and a half years.

Saudi Arabia and Russia in a meeting on Thursday affirmed their commitment to OPEC+’s decision last October to cut production targets by two million barrels per day until the end of 2023.

An OPEC+ monitoring panel is due to meet on Apr 3. (Reuters)

Around the World

War crimes court seeks Putin arrest over deportation of Ukraine’s children

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on Friday against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of the war crime of illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, in a move that caused outrage in the Kremlin.

Putin is only the third serving President to have been issued an ICC arrest warrant, after Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.

His forces have been accused of multiple abuses during Russia’s year-old invasion of its neighbour Ukraine, including by a UN-mandated investigative body that this week described soldiers making children watch loved ones being raped.

Moscow has repeatedly

Russian

denied accusations its forces have committed atrocities during the invasion, which it calls a special military operation.

The ICC issued the warrant on suspicion of the unlawful deportation of chil-

dren and unlawful transfer of people from the territory of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

Russia has not concealed a programme under which it has brought thousands of Ukrainian children

to Russia, but presents it as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the conflict zone.

While it is unlikely that Putin will end up in court any time soon, the warrant means that he could be arrested and sent to The Hague if travelling to any ICC member states.

“This makes Putin a pariah. If he travels, he risks arrest. This never goes away. Russia cannot gain relief from sanctions without compliance with the warrants,” said Stephen Rapp, US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues under former president Barack Obama.

The legal move provoked a furious response in Moscow.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Ten million children in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are in dire need of humanitarian assistance as a result of the spiralling conflict.

In a report published on Friday, the United Nations children’s agency said nearly four million more children are at risk in neighbouring countries as hostilities between armed groups and national security forces spill across borders.

“Children are increasingly caught up in the armed conflict as victims of intensifying military clashes, or targeted by non-state armed groups,” said MariePierre Poirier, UNICEF regional director for Western and Central Africa.

“The year 2022 was particularly violent for children in the central Sahel. All parties to the conflict need to urgently stop attacks both on children and their schools, health centres, and

homes.”

The central Sahel has been riddled with instability since ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda-affiliated armed groups started to jockey for power.

The violence, which first took root in Mali in the wake of a 2012 uprising in the country’s north, has since spread throughout the Sahel and reached West African countries. Attacks have also inflamed communal tensions driven in part by intense climate change.

Armed groups fighting for supremacy and control of resources have left more than 18.6 million people in the region experiencing “severe food insecurity” – an increase of 5.6 million since the end of June 2022.

UNICEF’s report highlighted the number of children at risk had doubled since 2020. In Burkina Faso, three times more children were killed in the first nine

“Demonising refugees”: UK's plan to stop boat migration draws fire

The United Kingdom Government has proposed a contentious new law that would allow authorities to deport people arriving on its shores via small boats across the English Channel that divides the island from France.

Several charities and human rights groups have criticised the plan – known as the Illegal Migration Bill –saying it criminalises the efforts of thousands of genuine refugees.

The announcement this week comes after the UK’s

conservative Government made stopping boat arrivals a top priority. Last year, the Government made it a criminal offence for individuals to arrive in the UK without a visa or special permission.

More than 45,000 people entered by crossing the channel in 2022, according to Government figures – a jump of more than 17,000 from the previous year’s record.

This year, nearly 3000 people have made the dangerous crossing that varies in width from 240km (150 miles) at its widest to 34km

(21 miles) at its narrowest.

In a summit held in Paris last Friday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a deal to stop cross-channel migration, with London saying it will give France US$576M over the next three years to help stop the boats.

If the bill is passed, the home secretary will have the power to detain and remove those arriving on boats to either their home country or a safe third country, such as Rwanda.

Canada: Teen kills 2 officers on duty in Edmonton

Two Police officers in the western Canadian province of Alberta were shot and killed in the line of duty while responding to a family dispute.

The suspect in the fatal shooting is a 16-year-old male, according to reports in Canadian media.

Police in the city of Edmonton said the teenager died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Bottom of Form

The law will also allow authorities to detain arrivals without bail or judicial review for up to 28 days. Those who are under 18, individuals deemed medically unfit to fly, or those at real risk of serious and irreversible harm in their home country will be exempt.

Even in these cases, the individuals will have a maximum of 45 days to remain in the UK before their appeal is exhausted. Authorities could then remove them. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A woman who is related to the suspect was also taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The officers killed were Travis Jordan, 35, and Brett Ryan, 30. Both worked with the Edmonton Police Service. Jordan had been with the force for more than eight years, while Ryan had been an officer for more than five years.

Police Chief Dale McFee said the two officers were shot on Thursday after responding to a domestic dispute call at an apartment complex in Edmonton at

around 00:47 local time (06:47 GMT).

As they approached the apartment, Chief McFee said they were shot by a young male suspect.

“At this time, all indications are that they did not have a chance to discharge their firearms,” he said.

“The two members were rushed to the hospital by our own members who worked valiantly to save their lives en route. Unfortunately, they were both declared deceased at the hospital.”

Chief McFee appeared visibly emotional as he spoke to reporters on Thursday about the incident.

Edmonton mayor Amarjeet Sohi described it as a “very difficult and sad day”.

Eight Police officers have been killed on the line of duty in Canada in the last six months. The other fatalities occurred in Ontario and British Columbia. (Excerpt from BBC News)

President Vladimir Putin chairing a meeting on the social and economic development of Crimea and Sevastopol, via videolink in Moscow, Russia March 17, 2023

“Catastrophic insecurity”: 10 million children in Sahel need aid

Violence in the central Sahel has spilled over into the northern border regions of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo months of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021, according to UN data. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Keep sensitive information to yourself. Take your time and work carefully and thoroughly, with an eye on the bottom line. Don’t attempt to please anyone other than yourself.

(March 21-April 19)

You’ll have trouble making up your mind regarding emotional issues. Talk to someone you trust about the pros and cons of something that tempts you, and you’ll get a different perspective.

(April 20-May 20)

A passionate approach to whatever you do will give you the stamina you need to reach your goal, but it will also attract jealousy and interference. Work alone for best results.

(May 21-June 20)

PEANUTS

(June 21-July 22)

Share your thoughts. Launch a plan that is within your means financially, but is also innovative and difficult to decline. Distance yourself from anyone trying to take charge.

Don’t share too much information. You may enjoy an audience, but if the people around you know more about you than you do about them, an imbalance will occur that may not favor you.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Do what others expect of you and take a break. A breather will help you see things differently. Organize your life and figure out how to up your game. A change of heart is apparent.

Listen, learn and set a course that allows you to keep your options open. Traveling and pursuing education will encourage you to try something new. Be a leader, not a follower.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Follow a path that allows you to explore new territory. Taking a trip, joining a group or heading in a creative direction that helps you develop skills you enjoy using will lift your spirits.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Step back and make decisions based on facts. Question what doesn’t seem right and be willing to carry out your plans alone if that’s what it takes to get things done your way.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Keep things in perspective. If you let your emotions take the reins, you’ll miss out on meeting someone or doing something that can improve your life. Listen intently to others.

Control situations, read between the lines, verify your thoughts and put in the time and energy to adjust whatever isn’t working for you. Take control instead of letting someone step in and take over.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Simplify your life. Channel your energy into clearing clutter instead of letting the little things get to you. Pay attention to health. Make stability your goal.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

India vs Australia: ODI Series 2023, Game 1 of 3…

Rahul, Jadeja guide India home in jittery chase

Arearguard century partnership between KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja helped India come out on top in a jittery run chase against Australia in the opening ODI in Mumbai on Friday (March 17).

Rahul and Jadeja joined forces at a crucial stage, with India losing five wickets in the low-scoring contest, but the duo showcased excellent temperament to guide the hosts home with 61 balls to spare.

India were put under a lot of pressure very early in the chase. Defending just 188, Australia needed early wickets, and the move to hand Marcus Stoinis the new ball worked. Ishan Kishan failed to negotiate the movement and was trapped lbw, and the lefthander also wasted a review on his way back. Starc then bowled a testing spell in the powerplay, which saw him silence the home crowd.

The left-arm seamer bowled two identical deliveries that swung back into the right hander, to account for Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav off successive deliveries. While Rahul drove the hat-trick ball for a beautiful boundary, the Australian seamer continued to pose questions by consistently moving the ball.

Starc was given an extra over with the new ball, and the decision worked wonders for the visitors, as Shubman Gill failed to keep a drive down and got caught at point.

At 39/4, India were under extreme pressure,

before Hardik Pandya and Rahul resurrected the chase. Pandya hammered his first ball for a boundary; and Rahul, at the other end, started to find the boundary as well.

The stand-in captain then took on the short ball from Cameron Green to uppercut him for a six, but when he attempted a pull against Stoinis, he got out by finding the fielder near the boundary.

That brought out Jadeja to the middle, and the two batters took their time to eat into the target.

As the last recognised pair, both Jadeja and Rahul took on the responsibility, and were content with just the odd boundary, given the required run rate was well within control.

The returning Glenn Maxwell, brought on to trouble Jadeja, did find

Euro 2024 qualifiers…

some grip on the surface, but both the batters managed to negate the threat. When Stoinis offered width to Jadeja, the allrounder broke the shackles by powering it to the boundary. Rahul eventually brought up his fifty as India then slowly took control of the contest. The 30-year-old then stamped his authority by fetching three boundaries in the space of five deliveries, including a huge six off Adam Zampa over wide long on.

That eventually forced Australia to throw in the towel, as the duo guided India home quite comfortably in the end.

Earlier in the day, Australia were stunned by India’s spectacular turnaround with the ball, as they went from a strong 129/2 to get bowled out for just 188. Australia lost

Travis Head early in the game, but Mitchell Marsh, opening in place of David Warner, gave them a very good start by constantly finding the boundary in the powerplay. Marsh also showcased his power game and cleared the ropes a few times, including a stunning straight six off Shardul Thakur as Australia raced to 59/1 by the end of the powerplay.

While Steve Smith edged behind to the ‘keeper, Marsh continued his onslaught after bring-

`

to 81 off 64 in no time, as India were put under the pump. However, Jadeja came to India’s rescue, as he got one to grip a little off the surface, forcing Marsh to mistime and get caught at short third man.

Jadeja himself then took a stunning catch from the same position to get rid of Marnus Labuschagne. Those two wickets triggered a collapse.

Mohammad Shami came back into the attack to rip through the middle order. Green missed a de-

SCOREBOARD

Australia (50 ovs maximum)

Travis Head b Mohammed Siraj 5

Mitchell Marsh c Mohammed

Siraj b Jadeja 81

Steven Smith (c) c †Rahul b Pandya 22

Marnus Labuschagne c

Jadeja b Kuldeep Yadav 15

Josh Inglis †b

Mohammed Shami 26

Cameron Green b

Mohammed Shami 12

Glenn Maxwell c Pandya b Jadeja 8

Marcus Stoinis c Shubman Gill

b Mohammed Shami 5

Sean Abbott c Shubman

Gill b Mohammed Siraj 0

Mitchell Starc not out 4

Adam Zampa c †Rahul

b Mohammed Siraj 0

Extras(lb 7, w 3) 10

TOTAL 35.4 Ov (RR: 5.27) 188

Fall of wickets: 1-5

(Travis Head, 1.6 ov), 2-77

(Steven Smith, 12.3 ov), 3-129

(Mitchell Marsh, 19.4 ov), 4-139 (Marnus Labuschagne, 22.4 ov), 5-169

(Josh Inglis, 27.5 ov), 6-174

(Cameron Green, 29.3 ov), 7-184

(Marcus Stoinis, 31.3 ov), 8-184

(Glenn Maxwell, 32.2 ov), 9-188 (Sean Abbott, 33.4 ov), 10-188

ing up his fifty. From 50 off 51 balls, Marsh went

(Adam Zampa, 35.4 ov) • DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Mohammed Shami 6-2-17-3

Mohammed Siraj 5.4-1-29-3

Hardik Pandya 5-0-29-1

Shardul Thakur 2-0-12-0

Ravindra Jadeja 9-0-46-2

Kuldeep Yadav 8-1-48-1

India (T: 189 runs from 50 ovs)

Ishan Kishan lbw b Stoinis 3

Shubman Gill c Labuschagne b Starc 20

Virat Kohli lbw b Starc 4

Suryakumar Yadav lbw b Starc 0

KL Rahul †not out 75

Hardik Pandya (c)c

Green b Stoinis 25

Ravindra Jadeja not out 45

Extras (lb 5, nb 1, w 13) 19

TOTAL 39.5 Ov (RR: 4.79) 191/5

Fall of wickets: 1-5

(Ishan Kishan, 1.6 ov), 2-16

(Virat Kohli, 4.5 ov), 3-16

(Suryakumar Yadav, 4.6 ov), 4-39

(Shubman Gill, 10.2 ov), 5-83

(Hardik Pandya, 19.2 ov) • DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Mitchell Starc 9.5-0-49-3

Marcus Stoinis 7-1-27-2

Sean Abbott 9-0-31-0

Cameron Green 6-0-35-0

Adam Zampa 6-0-37-0

Glenn Maxwell 2-0-7-0

livery aimed at off stump to get bowled, and Stoinis

Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal squad

-picked by new boss Roberto Martinez

Cristiano Ronaldo has been picked in Portugal’s squad for their Euro 2024 qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg this month.

There were question marks about the 38-yearold forward’s international future following the 2022 World Cup. He left the pitch in tears after Portugal were eliminated by Morocco at

the quarter-final stage.

Roberto Martinez has since replaced Fernando Santos as the team’s manager, and picked Ronaldo in his first squad. Martinez said Ronaldo “is very important for the team”, and “I do not look at the age”.

Portugal host Liechtenstein on 23 March, and are away to Luxembourg three days later.

Ronaldo, who has scored a men’s record 118 goals in 196 appearances for Portugal, left Manchester United in November following a controversial interview in which he criticised the club before joining Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr on a free transfer in January.

He has scored eight goals in nine appearances for Al Nassr. (BBC Sport)

edged one behind to get caught by Gill, who had dropped him on nought first ball earlier. Josh Inglis, who looked good initially in his short stay, inside-edged one onto his stumps as the slide continued. While their final hope, Maxwell, chipped one to Hardik in tame fashion, Mohammed Siraj came back to wrap things up, as Australia’s innings came to a screeching halt, which eventually played a role in them conceding an early lead in the series. (cricbuzz)

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Caption: Evin Lewis and Rashid Khan were team-

KL Rahul and Jadeja took India to victory

Cristiano Ronaldo

Local horse-racing

2023…

March 19 meet to be in remembrance of late Justice Kennard

Justice Cecil Kennard, who passed away on Saturday, March 12, 2022, will have his legacy in horse racing commemorated on Sunday, March 19, with a race meet at the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, East Berbice.

With more than five million dollars in cash prizes up for grabs, the feature race of that event will be contested over one mile, and the winner’s purse would be Gy$1M and a trophy — donated by the Kennard family.

The late Justice Kennard has been described as Guyanese to the core. His legal career spanned several decades, and began in 1962 after he graduated from the prestigious Lincoln’s Inn in London and was called to the local bar that same year.

In 1965, he was appointed Crown Counsel in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and after Guyana became

Independent in 1966, he continued in that office as State Counsel.

Justice Kennard also served as Legal Adviser to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) from 1971 to 1973, during which time he also acted as a rent assessment magistrate on a part-time basis.

After spending a number of years in Antigua, prosecuting a number of high-profile cases there, Justice Kennard returned to

Guyana in 1977, and was appointed a High Court Judge.

In June 1985, he was appointed a Justice of Appeal, followed ten years later, in January 1995, by his appointment as Chief Justice.

In 1996, he was awarded the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH) for distinguished service in the area of law, and was, in that same year, appointed Chancellor of the Judiciary.

Justice Kennard had also served as Chairman

of the Police Complaints Authority until 2017.

Other races billed for March 19

There are five other races on the March 19 card. Those are: The G & Lower – to be run over seven furlongs for a winner’s purse of $500,000.

The J & Lower – to be run over six furlongs for a winner’s purse of $350,000.

The K & L Non-Earners (lifetime) race – to be run over six furlongs for a top

prize of $180,000.

The L Open event – to be run over six furlongs for a top prize of $200,000.

And the Three-year-old Maiden Class – to be run over seven furlongs for a top prize of $350,000.

The organizers have said the races would be held under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority. In the event there are less than five horses entered for any race, the club reserves the

right to cancel or reframe that race, or reduce the prize money, after consulting with horse owners.

An owner must pay at least $5000 for each of his horses entered in a race. The names of the horses not paid for would not appear on the official programme, nor would they be allowed to participate in the race.

Five horses must start a race before the third-place prize becomes payable, and seven horses must start a race before the fourth-place prize becomes payable. In any race in which only four horses participate, the prize money would be reduced by 25%. And if only three horses start any race, the prize money would be reduced by 40%.

Horses can be entered by contacting Dennis Deoroop on 640-6396, Jingo Jagdeo on 618-7278, Basil Bactawar on 661-7815, Fazal Habibulla on 657-7010, or Ivan Dipnarine on 331-0316. (Brandon Corlette)

Round two of Milo U18 Schools’ Football tourney on

today

Second-round action in the Milo Under-18 Schools’ Football tournament begins today.

The first round, which concluded last Saturday, saw fierce competition, especially from out-of-town schools like Santa Rosa, 8th of May, Christianburg Wismar, and Mackenzie High, among others.

After the first round, Carmel Secondary lead Group A, superseding Chase’s Academy only on account of goal difference. On the account of those two schools picking up victories, Dora Secondary and Bygeval Secondary are on zero points.

In Group B, Bartica Secondary lead the charge, owing to a victory over Bush Lot Secondary, while East Ruimveldt are a close second, following a victory over Marian Academy.

Group C sees Westminster Secondary on top, with New Central High and Charity Secondary both in second position, having drawn their encounter.

Annandale Secondary is

the only team in the Group without points thus far.

Two-time defending Champions Christianburg Wismar Secondary lead Group D. A victory has placed 8th of May Secondary on three points also. Goal difference is the only factor separating these top two teams. Vryman’s Erven and West Demerara are yet to collect any points.

Group E is led by Mackenzie High, with Patentia Secondary in second position on account of goal difference. Both North Ruimveldt and President’s College are yet to collect points.

West Ruimveldt and Ann’s Grove Secondary lead Group F, while Queen’s College and Vergenoegen take up the third and fourth spots, having lost their firstround games.

Group G is led by Charlestown Secondary and Cummings Lodge, who both picked up three points in Round One. St Cuthbert’s and Berbice Educational Institute are in the remaining two spots.

West Indies legend

Group, H is led by Santa Rosa, while St. Stanislaus College trails in second position. Dolphin Secondary and New Amsterdam are yet to pick up points.

The second round of this year’s 9th edition of the Massy Distributionsponsored Milo tournament will commence with Group A action between group leaders Carmel and Dora Secondary from 11:00hrs.

Another group leaders’ battle will see Bartica and East Ruimveldt Secondary going at it from 12:45hrs. West Ruimveldt and Queen’s College will face off in a Group F clash at 14hrs, while Group H action will see Dolphin Secondary and Santa Rosa battling from 15:45hrs.

On Sunday, Vryman’s Erven and West Demerara Secondary will get the ball rolling from 11:00hrs, with a clash between Mackenzie High and Patentia Secondary set to follow at 12:45hrs. Chase’s Academy will take to the field against Bygeval Secondary from 14:00hrs, while the fi-

Alvin Kallicharran to visit Berbice

One of Guyana’s most illustrious former West Indies cricket captains and batting maestros, Alvin Kallicharran – “Kalli”, as he’s long since become known in every cricketing corner of the globe -- will be celebrating his 74th birthday on March 21, 2023 in a most memorable manner.

Kallicharran will be returning to Port Mourant in East Berbice, his birthplace and the spawning ground for his eventual career as one of the most outstanding batsmen Guyana and the West Indies have ever produced, for the official launching of an illustrated children’s storybook celebrating his cricketing journey.

Authored by Tony McWatt, son of the late former Guyana and West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Clifford Babyboy McWatt, the Alvin Kallicharran Guyana’s Pocket Dynamo Caribbean Cricket Superhero Illustrated Children’s Storybook chronicles Kalli’s cricket career, from the humblest of beginnings to its finest ever perfor-

mance, his 1975 Inaugural ICC World Cup thrashing of Australia’s legendary fast bowlers at England’s Oval Cricket Ground.

Published as a 32page document plus covers, this full coloured, illustrated paperback, the Alvin Kallicharran Guyana’s Pocket Dynamo Little Giant Caribbean Cricket Superhero Children’s Storybook, will be officially launched in celebration of Kalli’s 74th birthday at a Berbice Cricket Board-hosted event on Tuesday March 21, 2023. This is a special event to be held at the Port Mourant Community Centre at

Portuguese Quarters in Port Mourant.

Starting time for the March 21 launch is 3:00pm sharp. During the launch, several hundred copies of the book will be presented to the Berbice Cricket Board for subsequent distribution to the county’s primary schoolaged young cricketers, courtesy of Laparhan Canada.

While in Berbice, Kallicharran will also conduct a two-hour coaching session for the county’s youth cricketers. The coaching session will run from 3:005:00pm on Monday March 20, and will be held at the Port Mourant cricket ground.

The late Justice Cecil Kennard

The cash prize and trophy for the feature race is being donated by the Kennard family

Alvin Kallicharran in his playing days

Action in the ongoing Milo U18 Football tournament

nal game of the day will see Santa Rosa and Saint Stanislaus College in action

from 15:45hrs. The Milo tournament is also being supported by

GINMIN, Genequip, MVP Sports, and the Ministry of Education (MoE).

West Indies 4-Day Championship 2023…

Savory’s century keeps Guyana Harpy Eagles soaring

Force are 106-3, requiring another 306 runs to win on the final day.

Earlier, Guyana restarted the day on 96-3, with Leon Johnson supporting Savory with 74, his second fifty of the match. The duo of Savory and Johnson added 141 runs for the fourth wicket, to keep Red Force at bay.

Johnson’s 74 came off 158 balls, and included 10 fours and one six.

Savory lost partners in Kevin Sinclair (01) and Anthony Bramble (02), but the Essequibian displayed patience in scoring five fours and one six in his unbeaten 101. Guyana had declared on 247-6, setting a target of 412 for Red Force to win.

‘The Prince of Essequibo, Kemol Savory, playing in his third first-class match, has slammed an unbeaten 101 against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

Playing in this thirdround match of the West Indies Four-Day Championship, Savory’s patient knock came off 222 balls and took Guyana to 247-6 declared.

Red Force are still in the hunt, with Darren Bravo’s unbeaten 63 making him stand tall. Red

Pres Ali meets with national athletes

-National Plan for Athletics to be implemented

In Red Force’s second innings, they lost openers Keagan Simmons and Jeremy Solozano cheapy to Nial Smith and Keemo Paul, but Bravo stood firm with his 63 from 105 balls. Paul then accounted for Jason Mohammed (13).

Jyd Goolie is unbeaten on 14 as Red Force seek to chase the big total on day four. Paul has 2-38 in 10 overs, while Smith has 1-21 in eight overs.

In the other fixture at Providence, Windward Islands need one wicket to win, while Jamaica need 182 runs to win. Jamaica were 233-9 when stumps were drawn after 99 overs. Aldaine Thomas (55) and Abhijai Mansingh (50) were the main contributors. Shermon Lewis has 4-22 in 14 overs. At Queen’s Park

Oval, Leeward Island beat Barbados Pride by two wickets, ending victorious on 247-8 in 49.2 overs. Kieran Powell slammed 104, while Jahmar Hamilton made 55.

Chaim Holder had 3-38 in a losing effort.

The final day will resume at 10:00h Eastern Caribbean time today. (Brandon Corlette)

SCOREBOARD

Guyana 2nd Innings

Tevin Imlach c Mohammed

b Muhammad 3

Matthew Nandu c Solozano b Khan 33

Kevlon Anderson c

Jangoo b Bravo 15

Kemol Savory not out 101

Leon Johnson c Simmons

b Charles 74

Kevin Sinclair c Solozano

b Charles 1

Anthony Bramble lbw b Bravo 2

Keemo Paul not out 7

(6 wickets, 83.0) (11 extras) 247

FOW: 5/1 (3.1) Tevin Imlach

31/2 (11.3) Kevlon Anderson

80/3 (26.5) Matthew

Nandu 221/4 (76.6) Leon

Johnson 227/5 (78.1) Kevin

Sinclair 230/6 (79.6)

Bowling

Tion Webster (11-2-29-0)

Uthman Muhammad (14-3-38-1)

Darren Bravo (9-1-23-2)

Justin Manick (9-0-33-0)

Bryan Charles (23-3-60-2)

Imran Khan (10-0-28-1)

Jyd Goolie (4-0-16-0)

Jason Mohammed (3-1-11-0)

Red Force 2nd Innings

Jeremy Solozano c Bramble b Smith 0

Keagan Simmons c Johnson b Paul 8

Darren Bravo not out 63

Jason Mohammed lbw b Paul 13

Jyd Goolie not out 14

Total (3 wickets, 39.0) (8 extras) 106

FOW: 2/1 (1.4) Jeremy Solozano

31/2 (10.5) Keagan Simmons

70/3 (19.5) Jason Mohammed

Bowling

Ronsford Beaton (6-2-20-0)

Nial Smith (8-2-21-1)

Keemo Paul (10-0-38-2)

Kevin Sinclair (8-1-12-0)

Veerasammy Permaul (7-1-14-0)

Second Alanzo Greaves Cycling Classic set for tomorrow

An athlete addressing President Ali

His Excellency

President Dr Irfaan Ali has met with a number of national athletes at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive in Georgetown.

During that meeting, the Head of State reassured the group that his administration is working on a National Plan for Athletics, that includes employing qualified officials such as coaches, doctors and nutrition specialists;

while building infrastructure across the country and implementing other initiatives that would help athletes realise their full potential.

“I believe we have enough talent in the country that we can make a big impact on the regional and international stage,” the President has said. He reminded the athletes of the various infrastructural projects for sports development currently underway, includ-

ing the development of a synthetic track in Linden, which is expected to be completed soon.

During the meeting, the President also opened the floor for discussions and suggestions.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Honourable Charles Ramson Jr; Director of Presidential Affairs, Mrs Marcia Nadir-Sharma; and the Director of Sport, Mr Steve Ninvalle, were also at the meeting.

The second Alanzo Greaves Cycling Classic is set for tomorrow, Saturday March 18, at the National Park, and the categories that will be contested are Seniors, Juniors, Juveniles and Kids. The organizers have said the Seniors/Open category will be a 20-lap contest, for which the first six

finishers would receive prizes. Juniors would be contesting for 15 laps, and the top three finishers would receive prizes.

Juveniles would be contesting 10 laps, and prizes would be presented to the top three finishers. Kids will be contesting a single lap.

Greaves, a former cyclist, will also be donating

a free BMX bicycle to a ‘kid’ who is without a bike. Entrance fee for this racing event is one thousand dollars, but the kids would be paying only five hundred dollars. Greaves aims to host at least two races in every month throughout 2023 in order to push development of the sport in Guyana.

Alanzo Greaves addressing cyclists at last weekend’s event

Thomas and Mansingh scored half-centuries for Jamaica on day three at Providence (Brandon Corlette photos)

Kemol Savory scored a maiden hundred