Guyana Times - Saturday, October 22, 2022

2nd person charged for abducting Mahaica businessman

Local Government Elections AFC flip-flopping; "now undecided on contesting with APNU" – Ramjattan

Guyanese on trial in NYC for smuggling 18 birds in “Happy Birthday” bag

Essequibo Coast father charged for wounding daughter

Govt working to have more flights, cargo into Guyana in near future –Edghill

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, Oct 22 – 02:30h – 04:00h and Sunday, Oct 23 – 03:00h – 04:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, Oct 22 – 14:45h – 16:15h and Sunday, Oct 23 – 15:15h – 16:45h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine and light rain showers during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 14:44h reaching a maximum height of 2.48 metre.

Low Tide: 08:17h and 20:37h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.71 metre.

Participation of more women, youth leaders needed in upcoming LGE – Pres Ali

…urges political parties to “gear up”

As Guyana prepares for the holding of the long-overdue Local Government Elections (LGE) in March, President Dr Irfaan Ali has called for the participation of more women and young people at the polls.

On Thursday, Government revealed that Monday, March 13, 2023, has been selected as the date for local government polls and this has been relat ed to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

According to President Ali, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government had committed to holding Local Government Elections once GECOM indi cates its preparedness. Now that a date has been fixed, the Head of State is calling on all Guyanese to work to gether in renewing efforts to build the local governance system, build and strength en communities especial ly municipalities and town ship.

In fact, the Guyanese leader pointed out that in recent time, it was seen how mismanagement affect townships and municipali ties across the country.

“This is a time for us to work together. This is a time for us to come together. This is the time for us to strength en our governance system to work towards building a sys tem that delivers to our peo ple. We are hoping that with these Local Government Elections, we can bring to gether local leadership that includes women and young people that shows our seriousness in building and strengthening gover nance at every single level,” President Ali stated.

Good governance

The Head of State said the PPP/C has always been committed to upholding the rule of law and following a democratic pathway to good governance. The par ty believes in democracy, he stressed, while adding that they will be working to de liver a team of local govern ment leaders that will work for the betterment of citi zens.

“An important part of de mocracy is local governance. Local governance and local government system is an essential part of our gover nance framework… As your President, I am humbled to say that I will spare no effort and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic will spare no ef fort in working with every single community, every single municipality, every single township in putting together a team and bring ing together a team that is reflective of a ‘One Guyana’ agenda, a team that will

promote development.”

“A team that will work integrally with the region al governance system and the Central Government to ensure that our develop ment takes place not only at a rapid and efficient pace, but our development brings people together and our de velopment strengthens our communities, and better services delivered to our communities,” he asserted.

To this end, President Ali is encouraging all stake holders including political parties to participate in the upcoming local government polls.

Participate fully

“We all, as stakeholders, have to participate fully in

this process. We ask all polit ical parties and Opposition to get ready. You have long enough notice to be part of this democratic process… We believe in democracy. We believe in allowing de mocracy to work. We believe that the people are the cus todian of their will to elect who should govern. And we are confident that in the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic… we will be working to deliver a team that will be able to work with every community, for the good and betterment of every citizen,” the President said.

However, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the now main Opposition political party, remains tight-lipped on its participation in the next LGE, while its minori ty coalition partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC), is yet to make a definitive decision on whether they will be contesting the polls together or on its own.

On Thursday, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall informed the Chairperson of GECOM, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, of the selection of March 13, 2023 as the LGE date.

The Local Authorities (Elections) Act, Chapter 28:03, states that elections

are held according to the date set by the Minister.

Earlier this week, Justice Singh had written to the Minister, advising him that based on GECOM’s work plan, elections can be held anytime between March 13 and April 24, 2023.

Local Government Elections are constitution ally due every two years in Guyana and was last held in 2018.

While Local Government Elections were due in 2020, the elections fiasco that played out following the March 2 General and Regional Elections that year resulted in LGE being de ferred to last year.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton

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Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Parents

Every year, the United Nations General Assembly observes “Global Day of Parents”, a day set aside to honour parents throughout the world.

In Guyana, it is no different, there are a lot of parents who should be thanked for the unwavering commitment and unending sacrifice made towards the good upbringing and development of their children.

While a lot of children in Guyana ought to be thankful, there are many who have been left abandoned, neglected and forgotten. Another militating factor which plagues not only Guyana, but the Caribbean, is the absent role of the father, the flip side of which invariably leads to increased cases of single parent mothers.

These dynamics, which some sociologists argue are a product of years of social and cultural degradation of the psyche of the slaves and indentured labourers at the hands of colonial masters, so that they can effectively maintain control, have left an indelible mark on the characterisation of our people.

While there are no recent local statistics to go by, which is an indictment on our research and analytical institutions, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, in collaboration with (the United Nations Children’s Fund) UNICEF, has outlined, in its Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) sometime ago, that “almost one third (29 per cent) of all children under five years are living in a household without their biological father. One in three children (30 per cent) comes from the poorest quintile, whereas one in eight (13 per cent) comes from the richest quintile.” Taking into consideration the prevalent cases of child neglect and proliferation of single mothers, it can be rationally construed that, after 10 years, that figure has increased.

According to the United Nations, “many men have difficulty assuming the responsibilities of fatherhood, often with damaging consequences to families, and inevitably society at large. Some fathers inflict domestic violence or even sexual abuse, devastating families and creating profound physical and emotional scars in children. Others abandon their families outright, and fail to provide support. Researchers continue to explore how the presence or absence of fathers can affect children in areas such as school achievement and crime.”

Sadly, too many children in Guyana are left without the critical nurturing support of a wholesome family unit during the most crucial years of their upbringing, leading them down a narrow path of anger and self-denigration. The spin-off effects of this leave the young ones susceptible to negative influences such as gang-related crimes, drug abuse, and from a sociological perspective, the perpetuation of the deserting cycle as the child becomes an adult.

There is no denying that, in recent years, there has been an increase in crimes being carried out by juveniles. Whether they were the masterminds is yet to be determined, but what is clear is that egregious acts of murder and robbery are being committed by children, who come across as unsympathetic and distanced when caught or confronted.

According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), there are factors that may reduce the onset of risky behaviours in delinquent juveniles; these are seen as protective factors, and include “close emotional ties with at least one adult, a sense of safety and belonging to an educational institution”, which will impart strong social skills, ability to solve problems, and a sense of purpose and independence.

The root of the problem, however, has to be addressed at the family level. Through the process of educating, we need to propel a greater awareness of just how important a role both parents play within the construct of the family, and the influence this has on the positive developmental trajectory of the child.

Guyana’s exit from WI Cricket is overdue

Dear Editor, In January 2019, I wrote a letter calling for Guyana to exit West Indies Cricket and develop a local sports policy that would in clude establishing a crick et academy at Turkeyen and upgrading Skeldon and Affiance cricket grounds to international standards, all with the intention of going it alone.

Among my recommen dations were the implemen tation of the following to achieve the objective:

* Government to estab lish a Sports Policy in which the Ministry of Education would employ a vast array of qualified cricket coach es to conduct coaching in schools across Guyana.

* The coaches, along with Guyanese cricket leg ends, develop a Policy Paper that would be used to in form the overarching strat egy to move Guyana to Test status within five (5) years.

* Coaching being avail able at the club level to pro vide continuity from school team to national team.

* The present crop of Guyanese national crick eters being integrated into the system and become the nucleus for a Guyana team to enter ICC international cricket competitions in T20 and ODIs in the short term.

* In collaboration with the University of Guyana, establish a Cricket Academy which would be used to round our players

and complete the prepara tion for international crick et.

* The Government must adopt a sports policy, in col laboration with corporate Guyana, to provide spon sorship etc. which can pos itively impact the tourism industry as well as other aspects of Guyana’s econo my.

Fast forward to October 2022, the West Indies have been relegated to the sta tus of minnows, where they have to play among the sec ond-string teams, includ ing Scotland, Namibia, Ireland, UAE, Zimbabwe and Scotland (who whipped them in the first qualify ing round match) to book a place in the T20 World Cup finals. This is so, af ter entering the 2021 T20 World Cup as defending Champions and being elim inated in the first round, whilst fielding a team com prising a number of over weight and unfit players despite the availability of younger players who were performing.

When you look at the quality of West Indies Cricket among the min nows, the level to which the quality of West Indies Cricket has sunk over the years is very painfully ob vious. Afghanistan, who started playing ICC cricket decades after West Indies, are automatic qualifiers in the 2022 T20 World Cup, while West Indies have to

play for qualification.

Anyone suggesting that West Indies Cricket has im proved would be being eco nomical with the truth, and should be subjected to psy chiatric evaluation. The re ality is that, in the 2021 T20 World Cup, West Indies, the then defending cham pions, were eliminated in the first round under Mr. Pollard; and now, in this 2022 T20 World Cup, under Mr. Pooran, they have been shamelessly kicked out by Ireland from Qualifying for the Group of 12. In fact, West Indies have ended up at the bottom of the Group, which, as far as I am con cerned, is rock bottom.

According to the words of a senior citizen, they are as low as a “duck’s ankle”. That the current manager and bowling coach are still in charge is unbelievable, and only a fool with the highest accolades for fool ishness would have expect ed anything different from what has transpired. The current manager and bowl ing coach should have been gone since the conclusion of the 2021 World Cup, but we all know that insanity re sides in places where you least expect it.

They must be fired with immediate effect, prefera bly before the plane touch es down on West Indian soil, wherever that may be. Though I am seldom chal lenged with words, I find great difficulty in finding

the appropriate ones to de scribe those two. The char latans who have dominated West Indies Cricket admin istration over the past two decades are merely living in hope, spewing rubbish at every opportunity, but offering no clear and logi cal plan to do anything that makes sense to save it from further destruction.

Like Montesinos de livering his Whitsuntide sermon, this lone voice of mine crying in this dis graceful wilderness of West Indies Cricket exhorts the Guyanese public and the Government to listen, not with careless intentions, but with all your hearts and senses. This voice says that West Indies Cricket is suf fering from a rare form of cancer, diagnosed as insu larity and greed, which is malignant; and the future outcome is clear for all to see, even the blind includ ed.

The question must be asked, “Must we abandon this sinking West Indies ship, or must we sink with it?” I say, “Hell, no!”, the “May Day” call must be sounded and heeded with alacrity. Time to put aside sentiments and false pride. The trumpet must be sound ed loud and clear for all to hear. Time for GUYEXIT: Guyana’s exit from West Indies Cricket.

Yours truly, Eric Whaul

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony joined staff of the Ministry on Friday to design Rangolis as Guyanese joined the rest of the world to usher in Diwali – The Festival of Lights (Health Ministry photos)

Significance of the CCCJ's Ruling: PNC exposed!

Dear Editor, Wednesday's ruling by the CCJ in effect puts this ridiculous election petition case by the PNC to its final resting place; it is that sim ple. All along, we were confi dent that our final appellate court; that is, The Caribbean Court of Justice, would have done the right thing and thrown that petition out for good. Now that this hurdle is over, it would be interest ing to know the real reason behind the PNC's move to file a petition.

Why did they file a peti tion in the first place, when it was pellucid to all that the PPP/C had won the March 2020 Election? The votes, which are all that mat ters, clearly showed that the PPP/C won; there is no doubt about that!

So, we go back to the real reason for their petition, and one sees it all bound up in the fact that the PNC are

bad losers, and they were not in the least about to ac cept defeat. Caught between a rock and a hard place, whether to accept defeat or do the disgraceful thing of trying every which way to legitimise a fraud, it be came their obsession to get an overturn to the entire election altogether. This is the justification for their ac tions in that petition.

Therefore, they were all hell-bent on legitimising a fraud, where that declara tion that puts the losers as winners is all that matters to them. This was exempli fied in the 5 months we en dured in frivolous lawsuits and counter suits vainly try ing to prove them winners. But each attempt failed.

It further epitomis es the PNC’s vulgar stunt to validate Mingo's and Lowenfield's fraudulent dec larations. If this is not crass idiocy, then what is? We

are engaged in a discussion where that party is desper ately seeking the attention of a court - with its compro mised judges, of course - to decide as to who wins an election. This is utter crap! But we are talking about a place called Guyana.

So, the sum total of it all is, should the CCJ rule that the local appellate court has jurisdiction in the matter, then the next logical thing would have been an over turn of the election results and the installment of the illegal PNC. This was their plan; this was their objec tive; this is the asinini ty that would have taken place.

I say this on the state ment made by Roysdale Forde when the appellate court ruled that they had jurisdiction in election mat ters, he came out swing ing that it means that the PPP/C must demit office.

Forde made those foolish remarks knowing fully well that when a matter is taken over by the Appeal's Court, that court being a higher court, in effect nullifies the decision made by the lower high court.

It meant that the crook ed court - not the voter nor GECOM - would have been the sole arbiter of our elec tion, this is what was steer ing us in the face. But thanks be to The Almighty, this evil and diabolical plan was shot down. Where do we go from here only time will tell, but what is clear is that the PNC is not going to give up in its relentless search for power. In this re gard, we have to be ever vig ilant, keeping our guard up always, as we look towards the future.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

WI fail to qualify for ICC 2022 T20 World Cup Championship

Dear Editor,

The West Indies were hu miliated by Ireland, and sent home from Australia as they failed in an effort to qualify for participation in the pres tigious ICC 2022 T20 World Cup Championship.

The former two-time champions were badly beat en by Scotland, and then by Ireland by nine wickets, and now the team disgracefully make their way back to the Caribbean.

The West Indies won the toss in the must-win match against Ireland, and decid ed to bat first on a batting wicket. The trial-and-error opener Kyle Mayers was dismissed cheaply, and his partner Johnson Charlesanother player who was cat apulted to open the batting - was dismissed early in the power play. The team also lost the out-of-form Evin Lewis for a mere 13 runs; and Brandon King, who missed the second match against Zimbabwe with out any good explanation, was playing an innings to keep his place in the team. King played a solid innings, but in an effort to reach his half-century, he batted ex tremely slowly when in the forties.

Skipper Nicholas Pooran continued to fail miserably with the bat, and was dis missed for 13, while Rovman Powell was quickly sent back to the pavilion for six runs. Odean Smith scored a quick 19 not-out, while King made sure he was there at the end of the innings with

62 runs.

The West Indies man aged to scrape 146 for five at the end of their allotted 20 overs; and chasing a sim ple target of 147 to win on a perfect batting wicket, Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie blasted the West Indies’ bowling attack to all parts of the ground. Stirling, with 66 off 48 balls, and Lorcan Tucker, with 45 not-out, pi loted the Ireland team to an empathic victory.

While the West Indies were humiliated, their cap tain also did not have an answer to the attacking Ireland batsmen; team man agement did not have any strategy as they went into the game; The Windies’ best bowler, Alzarri Joseph, was not given the ball to open the bowling; and the genu ine world class all-rounder Jason Holder, with all his experience, was not allowed to bowl early in the innings.

Obed McCoy was asked to open the bowling, along with Pooran’s insular friend Akeal Hosein; and the two Irish openers hammered them all over the ground to set up an easy victory.

The West Indies’ perfor mance was very poor, and it is time the Caribbean’s lead ers intervene in West Indies Cricket, which has, for more than 30 years, been on the decline. It is clear that the administrators of West Indies Cricket, as well as the selectors and the players, are not performing with any success. Insularity is very visible, and the Caribbean

people must demand that the West Indies have clear criteria on their selection policy.

Fitness is one area which the administrators and se lectors are using very vindic tively. Evin Lewis was kept out of the team for not being fit, but at the last moment he was included in the team.

Shimron Hetmyer was also kept out of the team for fit ness, while others who were clearly unfit were selected to play in the team. Bickering, hatred, disrespect, jealou

sy and vindictiveness are all reasons why the perfor mance of the team is in con tinuous decline.

Failure of the West Indies Cricket team to be among the twelve teams in the world competing in the ICC World Cup is a disgrace.

“Cricket! Glorious Cricket!” desperately needs imme diate intervention of the Caricom Heads of States.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Appeal for President Ali to intervene in road repair works at Parika

Dear Editor, This is a direct appeal for President Irfaan Ali to inter vene in the current works taking place on the main road linking Parika to Hubu.

Repair works commenced on this road some months now, but, to date, one is left in disbelief to see the lev el of poor work being done. In some areas, the workers are digging up the road and leaving it like that for a very long time.

The contractor seems to be in no hurry to finish the work, and some parts of the road are in a poorer state than when he commenced the repair job.

For years now, road us ers, especially motorists, have been frustrated at the road’s condition. Many per sons have complained that their vehicles have been bad ly damaged while navigating huge potholes. Pedestrians have also been forced to walk in mud and huge pot holes to avoid the oncoming traffic.

When it was announced that road repairs would commence, we all felt some relief. However, we are dis satisfied with the manner in which the work is be ing done, and would like to register our concerns with the hope that the President would intervene.

The contractor and en gineer should be called in and asked for an update as

to when the project would be completed.

I should mention that this is a farming communi ty, and the farmers in this area contribute significantly to feeding the nation. There are also many loggers and sawmills in this area, and they contribute to the hous ing boom in the country. Many children also use this road daily to get to and from school.

Mr President, the polit ical representation in this region is very poor. No one seems to care, in spite of sev eral complaints having been made by residents in re gard to the condition of the road, the communities being flooded, the market being in deplorable condition, and many other concerns.

Mr President, we believe you mean well for Guyana. Your proactive approach to running the country, by meeting with the people on the ground, is very encourag ing; and we understand that you may not be fully aware of what is happening in ev ery community. On behalf of all affected residents, I am therefore bringing this mat ter to your attention with the hope that you would in tervene and get a better un derstanding of the problems we are facing.

Yours truly, Concerned resident of Parika/Hyde Park

(RB)

- Hotel Transylvania

(2022)

Offshore Diaries S2E7

Indian Movie - 777 Charlie (2022)

Movie - Hocus Pocus (1993)

Movie - The Secrets of Bella Vista (2022)

Offshore Diaries S2E7

Power

Evening News

Guyana

- Francesca Quinn, P.I. (2022)

-

(2022)

You

letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or

Page Foundation

A tree diagram can be used to show possible combinations of people, places, or things. It looks like a set of trees with branches.

Example:

At a school cookout, you can buy a ticket that allows you to choose one main item, and one side dish. The tree diagram shows the possible combinations.

Supplies

Cupcake liners in various colours

Scissors

Glue

Black craft paper

Directions:

1. Flatten your cupcake liners and make cuts (fringe) on the ribbed part of the liner. Stop cutting when you re ach the inside circle of the cupcake li ner.

2. Glue the cupcake liners to the piece of paper. Once they are dry they are ready to display :). (alittlepinchof perfect.com)

CONTINUED FROM FRIDAY

To find out how many possible combinations there are, count the number of branches. In this example, there are nine branches.

How many possible combinations could there be if you could also order chips as a side?

Add chips as a branch on each item. Since there are 3 items, add 9 + 3 = 12.

Exercises: Solve

Exercises: Interpret

1) How many different outcomes are there in the tree diagram?

2) Below is the tree diagram of the choices at the lunch you are going to attend. If you don’t like salad, how many different meal combi nations can you select from?

By The BroThers Grimm

TO BE CONTINUED

11 Albouystown squatters get new homes

As the Guyana Government push es ahead with the $1.5 billion Independence Boulevard Enhancement Project in Georgetown, near ly a dozen squatters have been allocated housing units to relocate.

This was revealed by the Housing Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on Friday. The CH&PA said the first 11 informal settlers residing along Punt Trench, Cemetery Road and Saffron Street in Georgetown were given the housing unit as

cilitate an affordable mort gage plan.

According to the CH&PA, the relocation is necessary especially since the area be ing occupied has been ear marked for the Public Works Ministry’s Independence Boulevard Enhancement Project.

CEO Greaves stat ed that this is a part of the Government’s response to safely and humanely re locate the squatters to an area that improves their socio-economic wellbeing, while also ensuring that Government’s develop

part of its relocation and re settlement programme.

These beneficiaries, who met with the CH&PA Chief Executive Officer Sherwyn Greaves, Director of Community Development Gladwin Charles and a team at the agency’s boardroom, registered for low-income, middle-income and young professional homes. The al lottees will now be moving forward with a banking in stitution of their choice to fa

ment programmes progress smoothly.

The allocation will see the beneficiaries being is sued with Certificates of Title, signalling legal own ership of their new land and will also give them the op portunity to have legal ac cess to electricity, water and other amenities.

A number of the infor mal settlers expressed sat isfaction with the agency’s response to their current sit

uation.

In fact, Triske Marshall – a father of four – stated, “I glad that Housing do some thing nice for us, take we out of a lot pressure [and] make our life more easier for us and our kids”.

CH&PA said it will con tinue to provide assistance for the informal settlers where necessary throughout the relocation and resettle ment process.

The $1.5 billion

Enhancement Project en tails the construction of a double-lane carriage way on the northern side of Independence Boulevard. Additionally, a single-lane carriageway will be con structed on the southern side.

There will be a prome nade between the two car riageways which will be 3 metres in width. On both sides of the roads, concrete drains will also be construct ed. Work has already start ed on the project.

The $1.5 billion Albouystown Beautification Project was officially launched in August of this year, and will also include the upgrading of Cemetery Road to four lanes.

During an impromp tu visit on Tuesday to in spect the works, President

Dr Irfaan Ali made it clear that the project aims to de velop the infrastructure in Albouystown as part of the Government’s overall plan to transform communities across Guyana.

“(We’re providing) new areas for recreation, the bou levard, the new lanes of road, the new walkways, enhance the general appearance of the community. But impor tantly, this project is going to enhance the value here. And it’s not only about this project. We’re going to look at all the cross streets, all the drains in Albouystown… upgrading them into con crete walkways and path ways and concrete roads, where the space will allow. We’re going to clean back all the drainage. We’re go ing to set aside a piece of land where we’ll take all the

services, give people small areas to have common ser vices, so that they would not lose their economic income,” he declared.

According to the Head of State, this is something Government is doing in ev ery community to improve living standards and create value and prosperity.

President Ali also as sured that this is not a oneoff visit, but rather he would be visiting as many commu nities as possible.

“I’m very pleased to walk through the entire commu nity today [Tuesday]. As I said, as far as time gives us the opportunity, we will be visiting every single commu nity to ensure that we work with all the people of the country to uplift their lives and to bring development,” he said.

…“I glad that Housing do something nice for us” – father of 4

$1.5B Enhancement Project

CH&PA Head Sherwin Greaves and staff of the Central Housing and Planning Authority meeting with the beneficiaries of the housing units, who will be relocating from Independence Boulevard to make way for the $1.5 billion Enhancement Project

An artist’s impression of the Independence Boulevard Enhancement Project

Ramps Logistics CEO on $500,000 bail for false declarations to GRA charges

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ramps Logistics (Guyana), Shaun Rampersad was hauled before a city Magistrate on Friday to face 10 charges which allege that the company made false declarations to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Particulars of the charges stated that between 2021 and 2022, at Georgetown, the company made several false decla rations for consideration of a customs officer, on an application presented to him for tax exemption on items.

Rampersad, who was represented by a battery of Attorneys-at-Law led by Nigel Hughes, was granted $50,000 bail on each of the 10 charges, totalling $500,000.

Hughes had initially asked for his client to be released on self-bail, cit ing that he is not a flight risk as he re turned to Guyana from Trinidad and Tobago to defend the company’s integ rity and that he is a businessman with assets in Guyana and overseas.

According to the prosecutor, the company falsely declared itself to be the seller of several items including heavy-duty machines, dehydrated sub stances, and calcium chloride.

Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, who presides at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, adjourned the case until November 25.

The GRA had instituted the charges against the company earlier this month.

According to the tax agency, the charges are in accordance with the pro

visions of the Customs Act Chapter 82:01 and stem from a recently com pleted investigation carried out by its Law Enforcement and Investigations Division.

In a press statement announcing the institution of the charges, the GRA said that as it continues to operate in ac cordance with its mandate, thereby al lowing for a “level playing field” for le gitimate businesses and the collection of revenue, it is encouraging individu

als/companies involved in any such il licit activities to desist and bring their businesses into compliance with the na tion’s tax, trade, and border laws.

The 10 charges are not the first runin Ramps Logistics, a Trinidad-based company, has had with the Revenue Authority here. It was revealed in June this year that the company was fined $20 million by GRA for violating local customs laws.

Elections...

…hurdles

If there’s any doubt we live in a very troubled democracy, the war of attrition on electoral matters should serve as a salutary reminder. But at least both of the warring parties still assume it’s a “democracy” – even though one now frets we’re becoming an “emerging apartheid state”!! So, there’s hope, no?? So how do we nurture that hope so we can have a REAL democracy - like in Britain, where they’ve changed FOUR Prime Ministers in four months?!! Aren’t there standards against which we measure ourselves??

Anyhow, we just had an appeal on an elections petition by the PNC/APNU thrown out by the CCJ. This was the one in which they claimed the order for the recount proposed by Granger was illegal! So – as the fruit of a poisoned tree – the elections couldn’t be determined by that process!! But the case wasn’t thrown out because the CCJ disagreed with them – but merely because they agreed with the Govt that the Guyana Court of Appeal didn’t have jurisdiction to hear the original appeal from the judgment of the CJ (ag) in the High Court!! And that judgement was because one of the parties to the action –Sanctimonious Gangster Granger himself – hadn’t been served notice in the stipulated time!!

Now, your Eyewitness gets it – the law is the law, and you gotta obey its rules. But jeez!! Isn’t that a tad harsh?? After all, this ain’t no garden variety case…this is about who rules the country for five years!! Shouldn’t SOME Court determine whether the Recount Order’s valid?? But all isn’t lost – there’s the second petition where the PNC asks what about all the anomalies – dead and emigrated voting?? Isn’t that ground for quashing the results??

Hopefully, we’ll find out before the next General Elections in 2025!!

But another sprouting democratic shoot is the final public consultations, next Tuesday, on changing the Registration of the Peoples’ Act (ROPA) that controls how our elections are conducted. From the moment Mingo started finagling with the votes on March 3rd, 2020 - till the PNC finally vacated Government in Aug 2020 - the PPP maintained that all the loopholes exploited by the PNC during those five months had to be closed!! The Opposition wants all sorts of bells and whistles added, but it ain’t gonna happen, since the Govt had already held wide consultations and received hundreds of submissions.

This ain’t gonna affect the next democratic shoot - the Local Government Elections scheduled for March 13, 2023. The AFC said it ain’t contesting because the list is “bloated” , but the PNC, which also raised that objection, is playing coy.

Clearly, it doesn’t want the PPP to control the Municipalities it dominates!! Wanna have its cake and eat it too!! Long live Democracy!!

…and ideological dogmas

Liz Truss’s fate - as the shortest serving PM in Britain’s long history - should be a cautionary take for all politicians – including those of our dear Midland!! Truss was a diehard supporter of the neo-liberal economic and political dogma introduced by Margaret Thatcher. As a young Tory, she and a group of neo-liberal diehards formed a group – 12 of whom she’d drafted into her Cabinet – that dedicated themselves to implementing their heroine’s dogma.

If Gorbachev saw the death throes of the communist experiment of left-wing dogma, Liz Truss will be forever associated with the death of its neo-liberal answer!! And what an ignoble death it’ll be, since it’ll bring down Britain to the level of the Third World it had created by draining the wealth of those nations to announce itself “Great” Britain!!

In the history of the world, it’s the only nation to label itself thus!!

While your Eyewitness does admit to a tinge of schadenfreude, he wishes them well. For auld lang syne!!

…and mobilisation

The Local Government Elections (LGE) will be a test of Pres Irfaan Ali’s PPP full-court press to woo erstwhile supporters of the PNC into the PPP Camp. Even though not as polarising as National Elections, we should get a hint!!

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

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

Ramps Logistics (Guyana) CEO Shaun Rampersad and his Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes leaving the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday

Govt working to have more flights, cargo into Guyana in near future – Edghill

…Europe, Africa among destinations being considered

Recognising that Guyana’s develop mental trajectory will have to be supported by a robust aviation sec tor, Government is seeking to have more flights coming out of the country.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill communicat ed this position during the observance of International Day of the Air Traffic

Controller. He asserted, “With the direction that we’re going as a Government, where we want to improve tour ism and make Guyana a hub for air traffic or connectivity between the Caribbean and South America, we want to be able to see more flights. We’d also see more private jets.”

Looking at the agenda

to cut the food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, the Minister recognised that this would require more dai ly flights for the movement of goods.

“We’re looking at improv ing the movement of cargo. We’re currently taking about the possibility of terminal B, with facilities for cold stor age, packaging, adequate sanitary and phytosanitary

Participation of more women...

But despite some $1.1 bil lion budgeted in 2021, the GECOM Chair had indicat ed in September last year that the agency was not in a state of readiness to host any elections since it was in the process of filling several senior posts at the GECOM Secretariat.

Some of those senior posts within GECOM be came vacant after former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; his Deputy, Roxanne Myers and former Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo were fired for attempts to sway the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections. They are currently before the courts facing elec toral fraud charges.

It was only in December

last that the Commission fi nally completed the appoint ment of a new Chief Elections Officer in the person of Vishnu Persaud. Then only last month, GECOM appoint ed Beverley Critchlow as the Assistant Chief Election Officer (ACEO).

Nevertheless, over the past months, the Elections Commission had been in pre paratory mode for the hold ing of the local government polls.

Already, some $2.9 bil lion has been allocated to GECOM for preparatory works to ensure the success ful planning and execution of LGE. More than $750 million has been set aside in Budget 2022 for the preparations to be undertaken by GECOM

for the hosting of LGE this year.

GECOM only recent ly concluded its Claims and Objections exercise, which captured more than 3000 new applicants who will be eligible to vote as of October 31, 2022, as well as a total of 18 objections to names on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE). Additionally, there were more than 1800 re quests for transfers.

At the last LGE held in November 2018, the then People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Opposition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, during which the PPP/C also claimed the majority of the LAAs. (G8)

facilities as we grow agri culture…We’ll have to have more daily flights flying out to the Caribbean for the cruise ships, hotels.”

At the Eugene F Correia International Airport, air traffic controllers service 135 landings and takeoffs daily. There are 22 offshore flights, 11 landings and take-offs at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with 50 aircraft overflying Guyana’s airspace.

With the completion of the additional two airbridg es at CJIA to take in Code D and E type aircrafts, the Minister said British Airways will be operating twice per week.

“We want to add other flights from Europe. We’re talking about people about taking flights in from Africa, whether scheduled or un scheduled. Flights in from the Middle East. Just the other day when we signed the Air Services Agreement with China, we’re taking about greater connectivity with China.”

The Public Works Minister further empha sised, “Guyana will become busier. This airport (CJIA) will become busier. We’re completing the superstruc ture which will carry anoth

er 20 area for concessions so we’d be able to accommo date in transit passengers in greater volume.”

Government is aiming to create a hub in Guyana, providing linkages with the Caribbean and countries in South America. To do this, he noted that efficiency and maintaining safe skies be comes of paramount impor tance.

Edghill has lauded the consistent performance of Guyana Air Navigational Services, as he shared that the level of efficiency has been recognised internation ally.

“I was proud when the Secretary General of the ICAO and the other region al representatives laud ed the efficiency and the great work of Guyana’s

Air Navigational Services, we are known throughout the world for the quality of work we produce right here from these towers…You and your work have been mak ing Guyana proud,” he ex pressed.

Technologies have been installed at CJIA, allowing flights to land even with fog cover. To have predictabil ity in landing and take-off, he added, assures airlines about timing, flight fixtures and the other factors in air service delivery.

“I look forward to the de veloping problem of conges tion at Timehri airport… That means greater income for the country and once we do better, the people do bet ter. We also have to keep a clear eye on sustainability.” (G12)

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill

Local Government Elections

AFC still undecided on contesting with APNU – Ramjattan …back-pedals 1 day after chair says party will boycott

The Alliance For Change is yet to de cide whether it will be contesting the upcom ing Local Government Elections (LGE) jointly with its coalition partner, the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU).

This week, Government announced March 13, 2023, as the date for the hosting of the long-over due Local Government Elections (LGE) in Guyana. This was communicated to Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, in a corre spondence issued by Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall.

At a press conference on Friday, Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan told the media that its National Executive Committee will reveal position on the LGE

after consultations, slated before 2023.

However, Ramjattan also informed that the party re mains undecided whether it will go to the polls as a coali tion with APNU.

“We have not yet decid

ed whether we’re running together or not with APNU. We will make that determi nation and reveal our posi tion later,” Ramjattan said.

Meanwhile, he could not say what will be some of the push or pull factors influenc ing their decision.

As it concerns the party’s participation, Ramjattan also held the same views as the APNU that it would be premature to comment, since they have to con sult with the membership. However, he renewed calls for a clean voters’ list.

“We have indicated to even the diplomatic corps that there ought to be a de ferral of the elections until we get the list right and all the other methods right, and then hold the elections.”

However, his utterance came one day after the par ty’s chair, Cathy Hughes told local news entity, Demerara Waves, that it will be boycot

ting the LGE in 2023.

Earlier this week, Justice Singh had written to the Local Government and Regional Development Minister, advising him that based on GECOM’s work plan, March 13 was the earliest date that LGE could be held. In fact, the Commission indicated that the elections could be held anytime between March 13 and April 24, 2023.

The work plan in ques tion was arrived at by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud, who was tasked by GECOM with coming up with a work plan for the holding of LGE. At first, that work plan was supposed to be limited to this year end. However, that has since had to be extend ed amid successive weeks of what has been described by the Government-nominated GECOM Commissioners as delaying tactics at Commission meetings.

LGE are constitution ally due every two years in Guyana and were last held

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton

in 2018. While the polls were due in 2020, the elections fi asco that played out follow ing the March 2 General and Regional Elections that year resulted in LGE being de ferred to last year.

But despite some $1.1 billion budgeted in 2021, the GECOM Chair had indicat ed in September last year that the agency was not in

a state of readiness to host any elections since it was in the process of filling several senior posts at the GECOM Secretariat.

Some of those senior posts within GECOM be came vacant after for mer Chief Elections Officer

Keith Lowenfield; his dep uty, Roxanne Myers and former Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo were fired for attempts to sway the re sults of the 2020 General and Regional Elections. They are currently before the courts facing electoral fraud charges.

It was only in December last that the Commission finally completed the ap pointment of a new Chief Elections Officer in the per son of Vishnu Persaud. Then only last month, GECOM ap pointed Beverley Critchlow as the Assistant Chief Elections Officer (ACEO). Nevertheless, over the past months, the Elections Commission has been in pre paratory mode for the hold ing of the local polls. (G12)

AFC Leader

Khemraj Ramjattan

2nd person charged for abducting Mahaica businessman

Amonth after 55-yearold retired Policeman Kenneth Bahadur was charged for abducting a businessman of Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), another man, Sameer Bacchus, charged with the same crime, ap peared on Friday before Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly and pleaded not guilty to a charge which stated that, on September 12, at Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown, he abducted Jagdish Mangal with intent to secretly confine him.

Retired cop Kenneth Bahadur of Melanie, ECD had not been required to

Charged: Sameer Bacchus

plead to the indictable charge when he appeared in court last month; but on Friday, Bahadur, who had been previously released on $200,000 bail, entered a notguilty plea.

Bail was also granted to Sameer Bacchus in the sum of $200,000 on Friday.

Police Headquarters have reported that the 35-year-old Jagdish Mangal, a businessman of Belmont, Mahaica, ECD, was ab ducted on September 12 at around 19:00h from a pop ular bar at Station Street, Kitty.

He was allegedly re lieved of over $3.6M worth

Ramps Logistics CEO on...

Ramps Logistics acts as the agent of motor ves sel Seacor Mixteca, and, ac cording to GRA, had failed to report the vessel depart ing Guyana, which violates the Customs Act; hence the fine was paid in lieu of court proceedings being instituted against the company.

In September, Ramps Logistics (Guyana) in stituted judicial review proceedings against the Government over the com

pany being denied a Local Content Certificate.

In its application, Ramps Logistics has said it is a “Guyanese company”, and contends that Government’s decision to refuse its appli cation for a Local Content Certificate is not only “un lawful, unreasonable and arbitrary”, but breaches the Local Content Act 2021.

The company has claimed it had satisfied all the necessary preconditions

FROM PAGE 8

to be granted such certifica tion and is therefore seeking a court order compelling the Government to issue the cer tificate and register it in the Local Content Secretariat.

In Ramps Logistics’ pleadings, Logistics Director Samantha Cole deposed that if the company is not added to the Local Content Register, it will be forced to reduce its operations and dismiss a majority of its cur rent employees. (G1)

of gold and diamond jewel lery by two men and the re tired cop. Based on reports, Mangal and the men are known to each other, and have an ongoing dispute over money.

Mangal told detectives that he was at the bar imbib ing when the two men and the retired cop arrived in a vehicle. The men exited the car, approached him, and began punching him about his body while telling him that they wanted their mon ey. The retired Policeman was allegedly heard telling the men to take the victim away, and Mangal was then forced into the back seat of the suspects’ vehicle.

Mangal has further claimed that while in the vi cinity of Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, one of the suspects pointed a gun at him and relieved him of a gold-and-diamond band val ued at $1.5M, a gold ring with a black diamond val ued at $1.2M, and a gold chain valued at $900,000.

Mangal also told the cops that he was taken to the home of one of the sus pects in Kitty, where he was forced at gunpoint to sign a note stating that he owed the suspects $900,000, before he was taken to a

hotel on Church Street, Georgetown, where he was ordered out of the vehicle by the two men.

The matter was later reported to the Brickdam Police Station, and detec tives who visited the bar at Station Street, Kitty ques

tioned several persons, in cluding the proprietor, about the incident, and the retired Policeman was later arrested.

As part of their inves tigations, Police detectives had reviewed footage from nearby CCTV cameras. (G1)

Charged: Kenneth Bahadur

President Irfaan Ali and members of diplomatic community enjoying seven curry at the a grand cultural and religious event on Thursday evening along the Avenue on Main Street, Georgetown to usher in Diwali 2022

Well-illuminated, decorated floats brighten Essequibo Coast in Diwali Motorcade

Thousands flocked the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to witness this year’s spectacular and breathtaking Diwali Motorcade on Thursday evening.

The event was organised by the Essequibo praant of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) as Guyana observes Diwali, the Festival of Lights, which will be celebrated on Monday. This grand spectacle was not held in two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several floats, including those from the Queenstown, Affiance, Huis T’ Dieren, Reliance, Bounty Hall, and Golden Fleece mandirs, assembled at the Affiance Mandir and made their way to the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground for the judging and prizegiving ceremony.

Essequibians were left amazed at the creative masterpieces that were on display. As expected, the flashing lights from mobile phones also created an exciting atmosphere.

The floats depicted the forms of various Hindu Gods and Goddesses, especially Mother Lakshmi, the Goddess

of light and prosperity, with whom the festival is most associated.

Also represented was hued Lord Rama with his arrow and bow, his wife Sita, his brother Lakshmana, and his faithful servant Hanuman, illustrating another belief of the genesis of Diwali.

These Gods were wellpresented by well-adorned children, who did exceptionally well as the floats travelled through the villages.

One of the crowd’s favourites was created by youths and members of the Golden Fleece Vishwa Jhotir Mandir, and it saw 24 children and adults representing the theme they wanted to portray.

Speaking at the grand Diwali programme, President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, stated that this tradition started 50 years ago, and has grown over the years. She reflected on the importance and significance of Diwali – the Festival of Light, which also represents Light over Darkness.

Meanwhile, the cultural

programme saw youths singing, chanting the scriptures, dancing, and reciting poems, among other performances. The winners of the motorcade will travel to Georgetown for the grand event on Sunday evening, October 23, in which at least 30 floats from Essequibo are expected to participate.

(Raywattie Deonarine)

Some of the floats that were on display during the motorcade

One of the young ladies depicting Mother Lakshmi

Performers during the rich cultural programme on Thursday evening

President of the GHDS, Dr Vindhya Persaud

A section of the crowd that turned up at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground

5 men on trial for 2016 murder of Berbice carpenter

The trial into the murder of Faiyaz Narinedatt com menced on Wednesday last before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury at the Berbice High Court.

On trial are Orlando Dickie, Radesh Motie, Diodath Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, and Niran Yacoob.

Police stated that be tween October 31 and November 1, 2016, in the county of Berbice, they mur dered Faiyaz Narinedatt, a 26-year-old father of two and carpenter. The men all pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them on Wednesday.

It was reported that on the night of October 31,

2016, Narinedatt attended a party hosted by US-based Guyanese businessman, Marcus Bisram at his home.

It is alleged that the businessman made sexual advances to Narinedatt, who rejected him by slapping him. The businessman was accused of ordering the five accused to kill Narinedatt.

As such, the carpenter was severely beaten and dumped on the Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice Public Road. His killers then drove over his body to make it appear like a vehicular ac cident.

Following the accusa tion brought against the USbased Guyanese, he was ex tradited to Guyana following

several court proceedings in the US. He has vehemently denied the allegations both in the US and in Guyana.

He was nevertheless charged for the Narinedatt’s murder and remanded to prison.

After several months, Magistrate Renita Singh ruled that there was not enough evidence to com mit Bisram to stand trial for the murder. Hours af ter his release, he was rear rested following a directive from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Shortly after, the DPP stated that she was satis fied that there was sufficient evidence to commit Bisram to stand trial and as such directed the Magistrate

Govt working to enhance image on US travel advisories

Amid consecutive trav el advisories from the US Embassy in Georgetown warning its cit izens to exercise caution in certain areas in the coun try, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn assured that the Government is contin uously working to enhance nationwide security – not only for locals’ wellbeing but also to improve its image on those internationally-circu lated advisory recommenda tions.

While persons are of the opinion that these advisories apply to the lack of security nationwide, Benn said this is not the case while noting that it only applies to cer tain areas in Guyana where robberies are dominant.

As such, he assured that stringent efforts are being made to strengthen nation al security.

“I am not aware of any particular advisory on trav el to Guyana. There may have been at some point some questioning of going to some particular areas, in the country or in the city like many other cities, even in the United States…”.

“Georgetown has areas where they are difficult ar eas to go through at difficult times in the day or night. The Stabroek area can be challenging during the day even… we are working on these things,” he said.

Earlier this year, the

US Embassy issued a se curity warning regard ing the Stabroek and Bourda Market areas in Georgetown.

The embassy’s state ment said that Georgetown is rated “critical” for crime, especially with incidents of robberies, sexual assault, vehicle accidents, and homi cides.

Further, it warned that this is particularly in highrisk areas after dark; while advising their personnel not to independently visit Stabroek Market.

Furthermore, Mission personnel were advised to use extreme caution when visiting Bourda Market during the day, and not to independently visit Bourda

Market at night.

Just a day after the re port, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) conducted a walkabout of the areas to begin mapping out strate gies for better policing in the capital city.

Nevertheless, Minister Benn reported that the country has seen a reduction in serious crimes.

“Surprisingly, we struck down the violent crime rate by some 20 per cent com pared to the previous year. So, from 2021 to 2020 seri ous crimes were reduced by 20 per cent in totality. We might have taught that it was influenced by issues re lated to COVID…”.

He said after an evalua tion, they found that much of the reduction had to do with the provision of more assets to the Police Force.

“…vehicles, much more materials, in terms of their operations, more focus, and energy in terms of crime fighting, we came out of the full distraction of not only of the COVID but also of the issues related to the nega tive elections experience we had…”, he posited.

Benn said currently, compared to 2021, serious crimes have been reduced by 18.5 per cent in Guyana and his Ministry will be moni toring the crime situation in the country, so that they can continue to strengthen secu rity.

to reopen the Preliminary Inquiry (Pl).

In 2021, Bisram asked the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to declare as unconstitutional a section of the Criminal Law Offences Act that allows the Director

of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to direct a Magistrate to re commit a person to a retri al even if the courts find that there has been insufficient evidence.

After the hearing in 2022, the Caribbean Court

of Justice ruled that the DPP, Shalimar Ali-Hack, does not have the power to direct a Magistrate to com mit an accused person to stand trial. As such, the CCJ ordered the immediate re lease of Bisram.

Essequibo Coast father charged for wounding daughter

A n Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) resident was arrested and charged for as saulting his daughter.

Police Regional Division #2 reported that they ar rested and charged Stephen Lowe, 59, a self-employed man of 36 Annandale, Essequibo Coast, for the of fence of unlawful wounding.

While no other details on the wounding were di vulged, Guyana Times was

told that the offence was committed on his daugh ter, Karen Lowe, of 36 Annandale Sand Top, Essequibo Coast.

It was also reported that the incident occurred on Tuesday last.

The man subsequent ly appeared at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court on Friday, before Magistrate Sam, and pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him. He was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.

“Satan” to know fate next Tuesday for teen’s murder

Ali and Taneisha Saygon. After calling several wit nesses, they closed their case against the accused on Monday. Reid’s lawyer, Konyo Sandiford-Holder, had thereafter made a nocase submission, but it was overruled by Demerara High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon, and Reid had been called upon to lead a defence, af ter which closing addresses were made by both sides.

Justice Kissoon then ad journed the matter to next Tuesday, when he would sum up the evidence before putting the case to the ju rors for deliberation on a verdict.

Thirty-seven-year-old

Alvin Reid, also called “Satan”, on trial for the murder of 14-year-old Malika Hamilton of Two Sisters Village, East Coast Demerara, will know his fate next Tuesday, October 25, when the case would be put to the jury for delibera tion of a verdict.

Reid has denied mur dering Hamilton between August 8 and 9, 2016.

Attorneys-at-Law pros ecuting the matter are Simran Gajraj, Muntaz

Reid, of Nimrod Street, Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara (ECD), had been committed to stand trial for the murder of the teen girl in 2018. However, in 2019, he was mistakenly released from prison while awaiting trial, and was recaptured only on September 21, 2022.

It has been reported that Hamilton and Reid, who had been known to each other, had gone for a swim in the Hope Canal on the ECD on August 8, 2016. She was never again seen alive, and

her body was subsequent ly found by residents of the community floating in the canal several miles away from the Hope Canal Bridge.

Hamilton had left home following an argument with her father over the tele phone, and had never re turned home. Reid, who had managed to evade the Police after being identified as a suspect in her murder, was eventually found hiding in a barrel in the Ann’s Grove cemetery a few days later.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

Dead: Malika Hamilton

Murder accused Alvin Reid

Murder accused: Orlando Dickie

Murder accused: Radesh Motie

Murder accused: Diodath Datt Murder accused: Harri Paul Parsram

Dead: Faiyaz Narinedatt

Charged: Stephen Lowe

Region 5 RDC 2023 Budget

Opposition Councillor fails to make submissions, now quesions non-inclusion

The Opposition A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change coa lition in the Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and the regional adminis tration were involved in a heated clash over the de velopment to communi ty grounds in the region on Thursday.

The regional administra tion said that the Opposition failed to make any represen tation in way of proposals for the region and therefore should not be speaking on such topics.

According to Councillor Delon Crawford, sever al community grounds in Region Five are in a state of disrepair and there are no proposals in the region’s proposed budget for 2023, to have those addressed.

Crawford made specif ic mention of the ground in the Seafield/Tempie Neighbourhood Democratic

Council (NDC), noting that across the region many com munity grounds are being neglected.

However, Regional Vice Chairman Rian Pieters told the RDC that many of the Councillors have no right to speak on such issues.

Crawford claimed that over the years, members of the Opposition have been proposing projects for their constituencies and none have made their way into the final budget which forms part of the national budget.

He said it has reached to a point where he has ques tioned the need to put for ward projects which he would like to see undertak en in the region.

“So Mr Chairman, it is a deliberate act on my part not to submit anything and I would say that again be cause to me it makes no sense. However, upon pe rusing our 2023 budget pro posal, I noticed thirty-three works and in those thir

ty-three works only three are being done in communi ties that do not support this Administration,” Crawford said.

“Shamelessly”

However, the Regional Vice Chairman said he could not sit silently and al low Crawford to “shameless ly try to justify the fact that he would have failed to rep resent his constituency”.

“I want to assure the people that live within that constituency although by admission the honourable member would have stat ed that he refused to par ticipate in making mean ingful representation on their behalf. I want to as sure them that they have a Government that cares and they will continue to benefit from developmental works like every other commu nity,” Pieters assured the RDC.

Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal, in re

sponding to the issue, said the Seafield/Tempie NDC has been benefiting equally like all of the other NDCs.

“The Councillor said that for years he has been making proposals and not much has been done. I am sure that he is referring to the period prior to 2020 because over the last two years we have seen tremendous develop ment in this region. Only re cently Central Government has approved over 130 roads for Region number Five and Seafield/Tempie is included in that and we will soon see how that area will be trans formed also.”

In the Seafield/Tempie NDC area, Ramphal said roads will be upgraded while 21 will be done in the Rosignol Zeelust NDC area, including three at Rosignol.

He made specific men tion of that NDC following accusations by Councillor Ismail Muhammed that the village of Rosignol is being neglected.

Some criminal activities appear to have been politically influenced – Minister Benn

…says occurrence gravely worrying

Noting that continu ous efforts are being made to improve the overall security in the coun try, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has con demned the politicising of crime in Guyana.

He acknowledged that based on confidential intel, some criminal activities ap pear to have been politically influenced and he is urging for this to cease.

During a recent televised programme, Benn reiterat ed that political influence on criminal activities is an is sue of grave concern.

“The issue we have oth erwise is those who may have an interest in continu ing and rejuvenating what occurred at a particular time where there were a nexus between politics and crime, and that is why we have been particularly worried about those who may want to resort to particular crim

inal acts … saying for in stance arson,” he explained.

Benn further explained that over the past two years, a number of schools and Government buildings were destroyed by fire, with some being ruled as arson, which he believes was politically

motivated.

“Much to our regret, it is challenging but we will build a new one, we will re pair where we can, and we are working hard to put in the systems where we can assure vigilance, assertive ness, and prevention in re lation to these issues… most of it has to do with aware ness by the population that if we lose particular assets to fire or violence, everybody loses.”

Moreover, Minister Benn contended that it is unfair to the persons who pay taxes in Guyana for their money to be wasted unnecessarily.

He said those monies that are being wasted as a result of criminal activities can be used to invest in new projects that will benefit all Guyanese.

“Also too, persons who provide the support, because many people provide sup port if not in buildings, they

provide support in commu nities, for schools by way of donations and other things, for the development for our infrastructure and the edu cation of our people…”.

Speaking specifical ly on the issue of the 2021 fire that destroyed the Brickdam Police Station, the Minister highlight ed that the Government is now forced to rebuild a new building when they would have preferred to make the investment elsewhere.

“We have to be on the watch and on guard all the time,” he said.

Just recently, the Guyana Fire Service said they have been making moves to curb occurrenc es of fire at Governmentowned buildings. Fire Chief Gregory Wickham said that the GFS has noted the rise in fires, especially at schools, which is also worrying to the Fire Department.

“The youths are try ing their best but they are not getting the support,” he said.

As it relates to commu nity grounds in the region, the Regional Chairman said that it is a work in progress as he pointed to improve ment to some grounds.

“Belladrum and so forth... Some of these grounds were neglected for over six to sev en years and today we have

seen much more develop ment. Persons can now go and have their recreational activities in the night also.”

Ramphal assured that the Region Five administra tion will continue to support all communities in that re gion regardless of which po litical party it is perceived they support while noting that the region has adopt ed the “One Guyana” notion. (G4)

Guyanese on trial in NYC for smuggling 18 birds in “Happy Birthday” bag

Three

internation al smugglers tried to sneak 18 small finch es through Kennedy Airport in hair rollers as they flew the tiny songbirds in from Guyana, the feds allege.

The little birds can mean big profits at songbird com petitions in Brooklyn and Queens, and the trio tried to slip them past customs packed in a blue “Happy Birthday” bag hanging from a wheelchair handle, accord ing to a federal complaint.

All three men were in dicted this week in Brooklyn Federal Court.

Ramchandra Kuldip and Chaitram Hubert flew into JFK from Guyana on a Caribbean Airlines flight on April 20, where they met Basant Doman, who works as an airport employee pas senger assistant, prosecu tors allege.

Hubert was sitting in a wheelchair with the bag on his lap, and Doman pushed him into the baggage area before Hubert handed him the bag, prosecutors said.

Doman hooked that bag onto the back of the wheel chair, and Hubert got up to see to his other luggage.

Kuldip approached both men to talk with them, and after that, Doman rolled the empty wheelchair to a dif ferent area of the airport.

The ruse didn’t work — a

US Fish and Wildlife Service agent stopped Doman and found the birds in the bag, partially covered by a nap kin, prosecutors said.

Kuldip and Doman sang after that, revealing the scheme to investigators, ac cording to the complaint.

Kuldip admitted to buying five of the birds himself in Guyana, for US$50 each.

Wildlife importers need a permit to bring animals into the US, and commer cial birds need to be quaran tined for 30 days to prevent the spread of disease.

The birds are often en tered into singing contests at parks — two birds war ble, and a judge picks the one with the best voice, while attendees place bets, according to the complaint.

The winning birds can sell for more than US$10,000.

The three suspects were arrested in September and released on US$10,000 bond. Their attorneys did not return messages seeking comment on Thursday.

Last year, another al leged smuggler, Kevin Andre McKenzie, tried a similar scheme in the air port, sneaking 35 finches in hair rollers in his suit jack et and wrapped around his ankles, prosecutors allege.

His case is still pending in Brooklyn Federal court. (NY Daily News)

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal

Councillor Dilon Crawford

Regional Vice Chairman Rian Pieters addressing the RDC

Around the World

Race to be next UK PM begins as momentum grows behind Boris Johnson

Oil prices settle up; China demand hopes outweigh recession worry

Oil prices settled up on Friday as hopes of stronger Chinese demand and a weakening US dollar outweighed concern about a global economic downturn and the impact of interest rate rises on fuel use.

To fight inflation, the US Federal Reserve is trying to slow the economy and will keep raising its short-term rate target, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick Harker said on Thursday in comments that weighed on oil.

But crude is gaining support from a looming European Union ban on Russian oil, as well as the recent 2 millionbarrels-per-day output cut agreed by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, known as OPEC+.

Brent crude settled at US$93.50 a barrel, up US$1.12, or 1.2 per cent. US West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) settled at US$85.05 a barrel, up 54 cents, 0.6 per cent. During the session, both benchmarks had been down by more than a dollar.

Brent was up by 2 per cent on the week, while WTI fell about 0.7 per cent.

Traders were squaring up positions ahead of the weekend after the WTI's November contract expiry, increasing volatility.

"The bias is to play the weekend to the long side," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.

Swings in the US dollar, which typically moves inversely with oil prices, added to choppy trade.

The dollar eased against a basket of currencies after a report said some Fed officials have signalled greater unease with big interest rate rises to fight inflation, even as they line up another big rate hike for November.

Brent, which came close to its all-time high of US$147 in March, was on track for a weekly gain of 0.8 per cent, while US crude headed for a loss of about 1.5 per cent. Both benchmarks dropped in the previous week.

Regarding the OPEC+ cut, which was criticised by the United States, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister said the producer group was doing the right job to ensure stable and sustainable oil markets.

On Thursday, oil gained after Bloomberg News reported that Beijing was considering cutting the quarantine period for visitors to seven days from 10 days. There has been no official confirmation from Beijing.

"The knee-jerk price action provided a useful glimpse of what to expect once more punitive restrictions are lifted," said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM, of the market's rally after the report.

China, the world's largest crude importer, has stuck to strict COVID-19 curbs this year, weighing heavily on business and economic activity and reducing demand for fuel.

Meanwhile, the US oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose two to 771 in the week to Oct 21, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co said.

US oil rigs rose two to 612 this week, their highest since March 2020, while gas rigs were unchanged at 157. (Reuters)

Indonesia says child deaths from acute kidney injury rise to 133

Indonesia's Health Minister said on Friday that the number of chil dren who had died from acute kidney injury (AKI) rose to 133 from the previ ously reported 99.

The deaths were among a total of 241 cases in 22 prov inces, Budi Gunadi Sadikin said, adding that most pa tients were children under the age of five.

Budi on Thursday said some medicinal syrups available in Indonesia con tained ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, ingredi ents that have been linked to fatal AKI in children.

Indonesia has temporar ily banned sales and pre scription of all syrup-based medications and formed an expert team comprised of lo cal health and paediatrics officials and World Health Organisation (WHO) repre sentatives to look into the AKI spike among children.

The country's food and drug agency has also named five locally-made products which contained excessive levels of ethylene glycol and has ordered the producers to pull them out of circula tion and destroy all remain ing batches. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Four senior Ministers on Friday threw their weight behind Boris Johnson to return as British Prime Minister, after Liz Truss's resigna tion triggered a contest to quickly replace her as Conservative Party leader.

Former Defence Minister Penny Mordaunt became the first candidate to officially declare, but Johnson and Rishi Sunak, once his Finance Minister, led potential contenders as candidates canvassed sup port ahead of voting next week.

With the Conservatives holding a large majori ty in Parliament and able to ignore calls for a gen eral election for another two years, the new party leader will become Prime Minister - Britain's fifth in six years.

Those seeking to re place Truss, who quit on

Thursday after six cha otic weeks, must secure 100 nominations from Conservative lawmakers by Monday. Truss herself succeeded Johnson after he was ousted by his col leagues in July.

The party hopes the

contest will revive its ail ing fortunes. Opinion polls suggest the Conservatives would be all but wiped out if a national election were held now.

Johnson has not for mally announced he will run but momentum was

growing behind him, with Business Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, levelling-up Minister Simon Clarke and President of the COP26 climate conference Alok Sharma giving him their backing. Influential Defence Minister Ben Wallace said he was lean ing towards supporting the former leader.

A Reuters tally of Conservative lawmak ers who have made pub lic declarations of support put Sunak on 68 back ers, Johnson on 33 and Mordaunt on 19.

A return to the top would be an extraordinary comeback for Johnson, who remains popular with par ty members although a YouGov poll of 3429 adults conducted on Friday found 52 per cent of Britons would be unhappy to see him re turn as Prime Minister. (Excerpt from Reuters)

UN sanctions Haiti top gang leader Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has approved a “sanctions regime” to punish criminal gangs in Haiti and called for an arms embargo on non-state actors as secu rity, economic and health cri ses deepen in the Caribbean country.

The UNSC on Friday unanimously passed a reso lution proposed by the United States and Mexico that sanc tioned powerful gang lead er Jimmy Cherizier, also known as “Barbecue”. The sanctions include an assets freeze and a travel ban.

“Jimmy Cherizier (AKA ‘Barbeque’) has engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security, and stabili ty of Haiti and has planned, directed, or committed acts that constitute serious hu man rights abuses,” the res olution reads.

While Cherizier was the only target named in the res

olution, the measure estab lishes a foundation for fur ther sanctions going forward.

“This resolution is an ini tial answer to the calls for

help from the Haitian peo ple,” the US representative at the UN, Linda ThomasGreenfield, told the Security Council.

“They want us to take ac tion against criminal actors, including gangs and their fi nanciers, who have been un dermining stability and ex panding poverty in their vibrant society.”

A former officer of the Haitian National Police (HNP), Cherizier now leads the “G9 Family and Allies” gang alliance. He is accused of various abuses, including the killing of civilians, dat ing back to his days with the security forces. The UN reso lution said his “gang confed eration” is playing a leading role in the ongoing blockade of a major fuel terminal in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Thomas-Greenfield also said Washington intends to bring forward another reso lution to send non-UN, for eign armed forces to Haiti to help maintain security and enable the flow of “desperate ly needed” humanitarian aid.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Mayor of Brazil meatpacking hub probed amid wave of electoral coercion cases

T he mayor of a major Brazilian agribusi ness hub is under investigation for telling business leaders they should direct employees to help re-elect far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, according to three people familiar with the case.

Santa Catarina state labour prosecutors are running the investigation into Mayor Joao Rodrigues of Chapeco, a hotbed for Brazil's meatpacking in dustry.

"Gather your employ

ees and direct them. Brazil cannot become a Venezuela. It will not if Bolsonaro remains President," Rodrigues said in a 55-second video seen by Reuters, address ing the local business community before stating his name and title.

Rodrigues told Reuters he recorded the video this week in Chapeco at a ho tel where he met about 70 entrepreneurs, but he de nied breaking any laws. He said to violate elec toral law would require

threatening or compen sating someone to take ac tion.

Brazil has seen a wave of complaints about Brazilian companies put ting illegal political pres sure on employees, amid the final stretch of a high ly polarised presidential campaign.

There have been more than 900 such claims against companies this year, up from 212 in 2018, according to nationwide data compiled by labor prosecutors in Brasilia.

Electoral law prohib its Brazilians from prom ising benefits or making threats to steer votes to ward or away from a par ticular candidate.

Rodrigues said some business leaders may have committed "abuses," but he questioned why they can not direct their employees regarding the upcoming vote. "Of course the busi ness owner should talk to the employee. He must. The company is his. It's his loss if his company fails."

(Excerpt from Reuters)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson making a statement at Downing Street in London, Britain, July 7, 2022

Haiti renewed calls for foreign security assistance as crises deepen [Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters]

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Keep your life simple, factual and within your financial and emotional ca pabilities. Get involved in physically and mentally challenging activities and test your ability to get things done.

DILBERT

(March 21-April 19)

Work quietly behind the scenes, and something good will transpire. Set a goal and refuse to let anyone step in and push you aside. Do your own thing and thrive. Believe in yourself!

(April 20-May 20)

Telling the truth and taking the high road may be difficult, but your honesty will pay off in the end. Don’t put your self in a precarious position if you want to maintain a healthy reputation.

(May 21-June 20)

(June 21-July 22)

Move forward with caution. Refuse to let your emotions take the lead. Keep busy, work alone and focus on self-im provement instead of trying to convert others to thinking and doing things your way.

Think before you spend money or let someone coerce you into something. Don’t believe everything you hear or let anyone pressure you into something that doesn’t fit your routine.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

(July 23-Aug. 22)

Get situations straight in your head before you talk about your concerns with others. Having the facts will help you make better decisions and keep you out of trouble. Work to make a positive change.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Take the initiative; good things will transpire. Put your energy where it counts and leave no stone unturned. Your dedication and desire to get things done will pay off. Romance is favored.

Align yourself with like-minded peo ple. Discuss possibilities and make unique suggestions that will address any concerns others might voice. Follow your instincts and protect your reputa tion.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Take a novel approach to make your surroundings entertaining, functional and comfortable. Seek out people who offer thought-provoking ideas. A part nership with a like-minded person could work well.

Keep a low profile. What you accom plish alone will be far more effective than anything you do with others. Focus on getting what you want at a price you can afford. Don’t risk your health or money.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Emotions and money won’t mix. Emphasize education, travel and en lightenment. Check out groups that share your beliefs, and make a pact with yourself to follow your dreams and pur sue your passion.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

You don’t have to stand alone. Reach out to people experiencing a similar sit uation, and together you’ll find solutions that improve your life. Fix underlying problems at home.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

MVP Sports’ Petra-organised Futsal…

Bent Street, Gold is Money, Team Cruel entertain on opening night

15th minute.

Excitement

galore was the main serv ing on Thursday night when the MVP Sports’ Petra-organised Futsal tour nament got underway at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue in Georgetown.

Patrons did not have long to wait for the excite ment, with the first goal of the tournament being netted within the first minute of the very first game; and the en tertaining trend continued throughout the night, as the likes of Bent Street, Gold is Money, Tiger Bay, and Team Cruel pulled off victories.

The tournament com menced with a clash be tween Team Cruel and Leopold Street, in which the former cruised to a 3-1 vic tory. Neron Barrow opened the scoring for Team Cruel, a team from Beterverwagting, in the 1st minute, and fol lowed up with a goal in the 12th. One minute lat er, Jamar Harrigan found the back of the net, to push Team Cruel’s score to 3-0.

Leopold Street’s consola tion goal came off the boots of Randy Maynard in the

The following fix ture was a stiff contest between Alexander Village and Mocha Family, in which Mocha Family pre vailed. A brace from Leon Yaw in the 11th and 23rd minutes had put Alexander Village in a competitive position; how ever, Mocha’s Kevin Agard had also net ted a brace in the 6th and 22nd min utes, result ing in a tied 2-2 score. As such, Rendell Haywood’s 27th min ute goal proved instru mental in Mocha’s 3-2 win.

Next up was a win for Tiger Bay as they took on Avocado Ballers. Two dou bles from Randy Roberts (21st, 28th) and Solomon Austin (22nd, 40th), to add to the opening goal from Akil Plass in the 8th, plus an own goal pro Tiger Bay’s tally to 6 goals.

Avocado Ballers tried McKenzie replied in the 9th minute. Regrettably,

his team mates Martin King (36th) and Shane Thorne (37th) found their rhythm a little too late, resulting in the 6-3 score.

In the following game, Gold is Money romped to victory by six goals scored against Herstelling, who had no reply for their oppo nents.

Michael Ballack (21st, 37th) and Dextroy Adams (22nd, 38th) led the charge for Gold is Money; while Joshua Samuels (20th) and Darren Benjamin (40th) added to the 6-0 win.

Also in the winners’ circle, Sophia enjoyed a walk in the park against East Front Road. Their first two goals came off the boots of Shamar Koulen in the 3rd and 7th minutes of the en counter. However, his exploits were punctuat ed by a Teon Vankevic goal in the 6th for East Front Road’s lone goal. Later on, Lennox Leung (38th) and Derwin (40th) each added one to Sophia’s tally for the 4-1 victory.

In what was the most re

sounding victo ry of the night, the experienced Bent Street trounced Team Spirit 10-0. Deon Alfred was the man with the golden boot, find ing the back of the net in the 37th, 38th, 40th and 41st minutes. Cojo Nelson was close behind, netting a hat trick in the 7th, 8th and 35th; while Adrian Nelson (21st, 23rd) added two and William Europe (6th) one for the mammoth total.

In addition to the on-court action, fans were able to get in on the fun just by being in the venue. Following a draw from ticket stubs collected, Colin Arthur was present ed with a Gy$10,000 MVP Sports gift voucher, and the draws’ giveaways will con tinue for the remainder of the tournament.

The MVP Sports’ tour nament will continue this evening at the same venue with another 6 exciting en counters. Aside from the ti tle sponsors, the tourna ment is being supported by ANSA McAL through their Lucozade and Magnum brands; and by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Amateur boxing in Guyana…

Desmond Amsterdam now ranked Guyana’s number one fighter

On the heels of yet an other bronze medal performance on the international stage, the pu gilist Desmond Amsterdam has surged to the top of the rankings in amateur boxing in Guyana.

Amsterdam’s feat of be coming the highest-ranked Guyanese boxer under the International Boxing Association (IBA) is a di rect result of his impres sive exploits at the pres tigious Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Elite Championships in February and the more recent South American Games in Paraguay. He has brought home bronze medals on both occasions.

His status has been con firmed following publication of the latest rankings by the world authority. According to the standings, the AMBC Elite middleweight bronze medalist has risen to the rank of 23rd. This is Amsterdam’s first-ever rat ing under the IBA, former ly AIBA.

Usually reserved in his attitude, Amsterdam lost to Benjamin Grimaux of

Argentina in the semi-final round of action in the South American Games. The un fortunate defeat transpired after the Guyana Defence Force Sergeant had made light work of Diego Mejia of Venezuela in the previous quarterfinal round of action.

Amsterdam also competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in August and secured a quar terfinal finish. The afore mentioned also played a significant role in his rap id ascension in the world standings.

Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle has said Amsterdam’s meteoric rise both locally and regional ly is a direct by-product and derivative of his commit ment, discipline, and over all dedication to the sport.

According to Ninvalle, Amsterdam’s current trajec tory illustrates what can be achieved via the platform of sport if long-term structured developmental programmes are appropriately imple mented.

He added that the GBA applauds the pugilist on

Desmond Amsterdam is now the #1 ranked amateur boxer in Guyana

his accomplishment, a feat which could not have been realised without “good old-fashioned hard work”.

Ninvalle has also con gratulated featherweight boxer Keevin Allicock, who also secured a bronze med al at the South American Games. Allicock is currently ranked 54th in his division, whereas he was previously ranked 19th.

Simona Halep provisionally suspended for doping offence

Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been provi sionally suspended from ten nis after testing positive for a banned substance.

The former world num ber one provided a sample, which tested positive for roxa dustat, at August’s US Open. Roxadustat is an anti-anae mia drug which stimulates the production of red blood cells in the body.

Romanian Halep, now ranked ninth in the world, said the positive result came as the “biggest shock of her life”.

“Today begins the hardest match of my life: a fight for the truth,” the 31-year-old wrote on Twitter.

“Throughout my whole ca reer, the idea of cheating nev er even crossed my mind once, as it is totally against all the values I have been educated with.

“Facing such an unfair sit uation, I feel completely con fused and betrayed.”

Halep, who won the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon the following year, said that she had tested positive for roxadustat “in an extreme

ly low quantity”, adding she would “fight until the end”.

She is the highest-profile tennis player to fail a drugs test since Maria Sharapova in 2016.

“It’s not about titles or the money,” said Halep. “It’s about honour, and the love story I have developed with the game of tennis over the last 25 years.”

In September, Halep an nounced she had undergone nose surgery to improve her breathing and was ending her 2022 season early.

She has won two titles on the WTA Tour this year, with her best Grand Slam result coming at Wimbledon, where she reached the semi-finals.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said Halep had exercised her right to have her B sample analysed, which confirmed the finding of roxadustat. The medication is used in the treatment of pa tients with kidney problems.

In a statement, it said: “While provisionally suspend ed, the player is ineligible to compete in or attend any sanc tioned tennis events organ ised by the governing bodies of the sport.” (BBC Sport)

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Futsal action was electrifying from the first night of the MVP Sports’ tournament

Ireland’s commanding victory boots Windies from 2022 ICC T20 World Cup

InHobart, where it was supposed to rain all day, Ireland celebrated one of their most crucial victo ries in T20 cricket, storm ing into the Super-12 round of the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup and dumping two-time

inside the powerplay. It could have been worse had offspinner Simi Singh clung on to a sharp return chance to dismiss Brandon King for one in the fifth over.

As the innings pro gressed, it was increasingly

Evin Lewis for the first of his three wickets. At 71 for 3 in the 11th over, Ireland were wresting control again.

King fights, Delany strikes

King had missed the Zimbabwe game due to an illness, but he showed no sign of rust as he seam lessly switched into hitting mode. Right from the mo ment he lunged out to drill an extra-cover drive to the boundary off the first ball, he meant business.

A late lift

King and Odean Smith eventually gave West Indies a late lift, even though there was a sense that they were at least 20 short of a compet itive total.

The Stirling-Balbirnie blitz

champions West Indies out of the tournament.

Full of confidence and bristling energy, legspinner Gareth Delany and opening batter Paul Stirling were the heroes of Ireland's stirring performance. After restrict ing West Indies to 146 for 5, a potentially nervy chase in a knockout game turned into a cruise as Ireland sprint ed to the target in the 18th over, not giving their oppo nents a whiff of a chance.

When Lorcan Tucker stepped out to loft Obed McCoy inside-out over extra cover to score the winning runs, the Ireland fans, who had turned up in large num bers, broke into trademark song and dance as they waved the Irish flag proudly in blustery Bellerive. It was only the second time that Ireland had qualified for the second round of a T20 World Cup, after the 2009 tourna ment in England.

STRUGGLE

West Indies started poor ly, losing Kyle Mayers and Johnson Charles to big shots

clear that some deliveries, especially when dug in, held up a touch more than oth ers, and the batters had to recalibrate their approach. It wasn't until the eighth over that West Indies be

King played the field per fectly, targeting the short boundaries and nudging into gaps to keep turning the strike over, not allow ing the bowlers to settle. For a while, with King and Nicholas Pooran around, there was the possibility of a West Indies recovery, but Delany's dismissal of the captain -- Pooran reached out and hit one straight to sweeper cover -- ended those hopes.

When Ireland came out to chase, their approach was evident. Stirling kept attack ing the spin of Akeal Hosein with ferocious sweeps, while Andy Balbirnie took advan tage of Pooran's blunder in bowling Odean Smith - and

gan to get going, when King crashed two boundaries square of the wicket as me dium pacer Curtis Campher erred in length.

After meandering at a run-a-ball, West Indies slow ly regained a bit of momen tum. Just as they were be ginning to threaten, Delany broke a 44-run stand when he dismissed a struggling

In his third over, Delany deceived big-hitting Rovman Powell in the air and off the pitch. In trying to fetch a slog sweep from outside off towards the longer bound ary, he was out to deep mid wicket in an over that went for just one. Delany finished with 3 for 16 off four overs, with West Indies struggling at 112 for 5 after 17 overs.

not Jason Holder - in the powerplay. Smith's record in this phase - an econo my of 11.18 in 11 overs for just three wickets - was far from encouraging, and the Ireland captain hit him for 4,6,4 off his first three deliv eries.

McCoy's slower varia tions proved expensive as well, and before West Indies knew what had hit them, Ireland had raced to 64 without loss in the first six overs.

Farewell, West Indies

When Hosein had Balbirnie caught at point for a 34-ball 37 in the eighth over, there was a ray of hope for West Indies. They didn't concede a boundary between

overs 7.5 and 10.2 - the only time when they appeared to have any semblance of con

trol.

Stirling broke free by carting Alzarri Joseph over the grass banks at deep mid wicket, and brought up his half-century off just 32 balls when he slashed Smith for four behind point in the 12th over. By now West Indies were running on fumes.

Smith had Lorcan Tucker caught and bowled in the same over, only to find out he had overstepped. It summed up the day’s play for the West Indies, as the prospect of an early depar ture from Australia became a reality. (ESPNcricinfo)

West Indies Innings

Kyle Mayers c Tector b McCarthy 1 Johnson Charles c Campher b Simi Singh 24 Evin Lewis c Adair b Delany 13 Brandon King not out 62 Nicholas Pooran (c)† c Tector b Delany 13 Rovman Powell c Tector b Delany 6 Odean Smith not out 19 Extras (lb 1, w 7) 8 TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.30) 146/5 Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Kyle Mayers, 2.4 ov), 2-27 (Johnson Charles, 4.2 ov), 3-71 (Evin Lewis, 10.5 ov), 4-99 (Nicholas Pooran, 14.1 ov), 5-112 (Rovman Powell, 16.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W Josh Little 4-0-31-0 Mark Adair 4-0-26-0

Barry McCarthy 4-0-33-1 Curtis Campher 2-0-28-0 Simi Singh 2-0-11-1 Gareth Delany 4-0-16-3 Ireland (T: 147 runs from 20 ovs) Paul Stirling not out 66 Andy Balbirnie (c) c Mayers b Hosein 37 Lorcan Tucker † not out 45 Extras (nb 1, w 1) 2 TOTAL 17.3 Ov (RR: 8.57) 150/1 Fall of wickets: 1-73 (Andy Balbirnie, 7.3 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W Obed McCoy 3.3-0-27-0 Akeal Hosein 4-0-38-1 Alzarri Joseph 4-0-39-0 Odean Smith 2-0-23-0 Jason Holder 4-0-23-0

Guyana Harpy Eagles announce Super50 squad

Hemraj, Paul out injured

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) on Monday afternoon an nounced a 14-man Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE) squad to play in the Cricket West Indies Regional One-Day 50-Overs tournament start

tional players Kemol Paul and Chandrapaul Hemraj, who are out because of inju ries. Quintin Sampson, who scored a pugnacious and im pressive 85 against a strong Berbice contingent, is the lone newcomer.

demonstrated immacu late form and/or fitness.

Sensational West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer adds strength and value to the GHE batting lineup, while an in-form Leon Johnson again leads the na tional side.

Ryan Hercules, who ear lier this year was Assistant Coach to Head Coach Esuan Crandon in the West Indies Championship 2022, and who has since received his CWI Level Three coaching certification, has now been appointed Head Coach of the Guyana Harpy Eagles for this year’s CG United Super50 tournament. He will be ably assisted by the hard-working and knowl edgeable Garvin Nedd, who gets his coaching break through after over fifteen years of invaluable agegroup coaching.

ment staff.

The tournament bowls off on Monday, October 31, 2022 with preliminary matches in Trinidad and Tobago and Antigua, and the Guyana Harpy Eagles open their challenge for the coveted CG United Super50 Championship Trophy against Windward Islands Volcanoes in a day/night en counter.

(CCC), Windward Islands Volcanoes (WV), and Guyana Harpy Eagles (GHE).

Zone B, consist ing of Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Jamaica Scorpions, Barbados Pride, and a CWI Academy Team.

Sherfane Rutherford, Anthony Bramble, Kemol Savory, Clinton Pestano, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Quintin Sampson, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, and Nial Smith.

ing on October 31 at Queen's Park Oval in the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

Noticeable omissions from the squad are interna

The squad includes three specialist wicketkeep er-batters in Tevin Imlach, Kemol Savory and Anthony Bramble, all of whom have

Physiotherapist Angelica Holder and Cricket Analyst Keshava Ramphal of Trinidad and Tobago re main a part of the manage

This year’s regional tour nament will comprise two groups in the preliminary rounds as follows:

Zone A, consisting of Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (TTRF), Combined Campuses and Colleges

The Zone A teams will play their preliminary matches in Trinidad, and preliminary matches for Zone B teams will be played in Antigua. The semi-finals and final will be played in Antigua.

The Harpy Eagles full squad reads: Leon Johnson (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach, Shimron Hetmyer,

The management staff comprises Albert Clements (Manager), Ryan Hercules (Head Coach), Garvin Nedd (Assistant Coach), Angelica Holder (Physiotherapist), Kheshava Ramphal (Cricket Analyst).

Reserves: Akshaya Persaud, Junior Sinclair, Antony Adams, Matthew Nandu, Ronsford Beaton, and Shamar Joseph.

Brandon King scored a solid half-century in a losing effort

Paul Stirling is congratulated after his big knock

Ireland rolled over West Indies

Paul Stirling played his best T20I knock

Leon Johnson Kemol Savory

Romario Shepherd

Shimron Hetmyer

-Quintin Sampson is lone newcomer