Guyana Times - Sunday, April 2, 2023

Khali Pareshram, and ranks of the

“Judge us on our work, not on race” – Jagdeo

…says more jobs available, economy

As the country approaches Local Government Elections (LGE) and rhetoric from the Opposition intensifies, Vice President and People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo is reminding the population to judge his party by its work, not through the lens of race.

The General Secretary pointed out during a recent press conference that since his party has returned to power, the country has undergone massive changes that include more jobs circulating and a non-oil econ -

resuscitated

ture,” Jagdeo said.

“No one can deny that. If you talk to APNU supporters, the most hardcore, they acknowledge this. When PPP is in office, you have resources circulating on the ground, in the communities. More people are employed today, than in the pre-COVID period under APNU because many lost their jobs.”

initiative designed as an initial means of providing income for those in dire need. The initiative has been rolled out across the country, including in Region 10.

ther said.

omy that stagnated under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), returning to life.

“Nobody can doubt that since the PPP got back into office, in spite of COVID-19, we have returned life to the economy. Because of our policymaking. And because of the clear signals we have sent to the business community. Because of the confidence we have demonstrated in the fu-

He also used the example of Linden (Region 10), where the PPP/C is aiming to construct 1000 housing units. Among the success stories are the dozens of elevated two-bedroom units that have been built, 400 house lots that were distributed in one housing drive compared to 360 in APNU/AFC’s five-year term and 18 young professionals who received the first set of homes in May 2022.

Another example he used is the availability of jobs, including the Government’s part-time

“With over 1000 people employed there through the part-time scheme alone. They will take home about $80 million, because about 1200 persons, maybe $100 million per month. That is $1.2 billion will be circulating in the economy, per year. Just from that one initiative. So, clearly that is happening, it is having an impact.”

“Our housing programme, if you look at it, young professionals building houses for people, getting them, this is designed not just to help people. We are hoping this will also have them vote for us. That is why we want people to judge on the basis of our work. Not based on race. The others want only on race. That’s it,” Jagdeo fur -

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

LGE were initially set for March 13 this year, but GECOM had deferred it in December 2022 to address issues relating to its registration exercise. This postponement occurred after court action was filed by Opposition-aligned persons, challenging the process used to compile the List of Electors, or Voters’ List, for the pending LGE.

In fact, APNU has still been non-committal about contesting LGE. At least two of its former coalition partners, Alliance For Change (AFC) and Working People’s Alliance (WPA) have confirmed that they will be boycotting LGE.

TURN TO PAGE 38

Vice President & PPP/C General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, Apr 2 – 03:00h – 04:30h and

Monday, Apr 3 – 03:30h – 05:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, Apr 2 – 14:05 – 15:35h and

Monday, Apr 3 – 14:45h – 16:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

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

Winds: East North-Easterly between 3.57 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 14:44h reaching a maximum height of 2.3 metres.

Low Tide: 08:20h and 20:41h reaching minimum heights of 1.01 metre and 0.86 metre.

LOTTERY NUMBERS

SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

More PAC meetings being held now than under APNU/AFC – Teixeira

…says transparency, accountability demand justice

Not only has the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government facilitated more meetings of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in less time than under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, but there is more attendance of meetings by Government Ministers than ever before.

This is according to Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira, who in responding to the criticisms of APNU and AFC presented the Parliament records to show that the PAC has, in fact, been more active under the PPP/C than in preceding years. In fact, even the previous PPP/C Government had a better track record of holding PAC meetings than APNU/ AFC.

On Saturday, Teixeira said that in the 10th Parliament under the Donald Ramotar Presidency, 57 meetings of the PAC were held between March 16, 2012, and November 3, 2014 – a period of 32 months. Additionally, under the current Dr Irfaan Ali Presidency, 51 meetings have already been held in the 12th Parliament between December 28, 2020, and March 6, 2023.

By comparison, Teixeira noted that the records show that in the 11th Parliament between September 9, 2015, and August 6, 2018 (40 months) just 44 meetings were held under the former APNU/ AFC Government.

Another complaint by the APNU and AFC about

Government Ministers’ absences was rubbished by Teixeira, who contended that in the 11th Parliament under APNU/AFC, the two sitting Ministers on the PAC – Volda Lawrence and Valarie Patterson –were excused 12 and 23 times, respectively, from PAC meetings. She further noted that in the current Parliament, the two sitting Ministers –herself and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill –have both been excused eight times and were absent twice. Not only were PPP/C Ministers more present at PAC meetings than the APNU/AFC

Ministers, but they were showing up during a busier time, she noted.

“It should not be taken lightly that the PAC in the 12th Parliament has a heavier agenda than both the 10th and 11th Parliaments; it had to finalise the work done in the 11th Parliament with regards to the PAC report on the combined 2015/2016 Annual Audited Reports, which was tabled and adopted in the National Assembly in 2022.”

Additionally, Teixeira noted that the current PAC has also had to address the Annual Audited Reports of the years 2017,

2018 and 2019, which were tabled at the end of 2020 due to the No-Confidence Motion and “the 14 months during which Guyana had no lawful Government, the 2020 elections and the five-month delay before the election results were declared.”

“The PAC is, therefore, dealing with a backlog not of its making but due to circumstances beyond its control. The Annual Audited Reports for 2020 and 2021 have also been laid on time and are before the PAC,” Teixeira further wrote in a statement.

The PAC of the 12th Parliament, being presided over by Chairman and APNU MP Jermaine Figueira

Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister, Gail Teixeira

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Prerequisite for unity in diversity

“When a group of persons live with a goal, an ideal, a mission, and look upon a particular piece of land as motherland, this group constitutes a Nation.”

It had been conceded that, at Independence, we had inherited a “state” but not a “nation”. We were a “land of six peoples”, that had been formed not out of some hoary past, like India, but thrown together by the Dutch, and then the British, with just one aim - to provide the cheapest labour possible to extract the wealth of Guyana for the “mother country”. Unfortunately, the Europeans were the worst caricature of the “evil stepmother” when it came to the needs of her “children”.

But one would have hoped that, after fifty-plus years of independence, we would have progressed a bit further than what we are presently witnessing towards becoming a nation: where one political party can call for the armed forces to turn their guns on one group of fellow Guyanese. And this was done in the presence of the Opposition Leader without the suggestion being unambiguously rejected. Why is this so? One reason is because we have been attempting to apply various foreign “isms”, with their operational institutions, without first having a clear understanding of the nature of our society. Fundamentally, because of our history, Guyana was a classic “plural society”, as described by the eminent Jamaican Anthropologist MG Smith. Our challenge is all matters is to deal with our immanent diversities.

Take the structure of the state and its governance institution we had been given by the British, along with the ideology of Liberalism to govern it. Sir Arthur Lewis, the West Indian Nobel Prize winner in economics, had in 1964 addressed the needs of plural societies after his experience in West Africa. Very pithily, he said this could be summarised as “Federalism” and “coalitions”. His advice, however, was ignored, even though he was made Chancellor of UG in 1965, and helped draft the PNC’s 1972-1976 Five Year Development Plan. The plan failed as much for not addressing the ethnic divisions in the country as anything else: the peoples did not feel they were all on a common mission.

The post-Independence PNC quickly jettisoned the ideology of liberalism for another foreign “ism” - “socialism” – which they tried to fob off as “indigenous”, but cogged wholesale from Tanzania’s “Ujama socialism”. The PNC augmented all the state institutions the British had used to govern the polyglot society with an iron fist - a tightly controlled centralised bureaucracy, an armed Police Force to which was now added an army from the disbanded “Volunteer Force”; Militia, National Service and other militarised bodies.

Throughout its reign, British had implemented a policy of “divide and rule” through a policy of differential recruitment into the armed forces. Rather than reversing this policy, as had been recommended by an International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in 1965 as part of the Independence package, the PNC Government increased the size of the armed forces, and the proportion of African Guyanese, who just happened to be their supporters. Not surprisingly, other groups were alienated from these state institutions - as they were from the Central Government - and were never conferred the legitimacy necessary for their integrative functioning and the country’s progress.

A Disciplined Forces Commission in 2004 made recommendations that were finally ratified unanimously by Parliament in 2010. Inter alia, it addressed the issue of the composition of the GDF: “With regard to manpower, the Commission recommended that recruitment procedures should have a particular focus on the Indian-Guyanese community, because of its general disinclination to join the Force; this should not be done to the neglect or exclusion of other ethnic groups. The Force should adopt recruitment procedures which must take into consideration cultural, sociological and psychological imperatives designed to attract Indian-Guyanese in particular to the GDF.”

Unless we confront the realities of our society, opportunistic politicians will continue to exploit what they consider to be advantages in our institutions, until the latter are refashioned to preclude those advantages.

Clarifying the misconceptions of a jaundiced mind

Dear Editor,

I refer to a letter published on 30 March 2023 by Mr. GHK Lall, bearing the caption “Only Mr. Nandlall, not the AG and legal practitioner, knows the answers to these questions”.

In this letter, Mr. GHK Lall offered comparative legal luminance on two cases, in which I was involved. One, while I was in Opposition in which I appeared for Carvil Duncan, then Chairman of the Public Service Commission against the Attorney General, and the other, Paul Slowe, Chairman of the Police Service Commission et al against the Attorney General, where I appeared in person as the Attorney General. In both these cases, different Executive Presidents purported to suspend these two constitutional officeholders from their official functions. It is common ground that by virtue of the nature and purport of their constitutional functions and status, these officeholders enjoy security of tenure and can only be removed or suspended in accordance with a regime outlined in the Constitution.

Mr. GHK Lall drew heavily on the obvious similarities of the factual and legal circumstances from which these two cases arose, critically accentuating the contradictory legal postures which he perceived that I adopted in each of them. I conceive his quintessential objective was to underscore, what he perceived as, duplicitous conduct on my part. The irrefragable truth is that in the legal profession, many times, lawyers are indeed obliged to take positions in cases that are in fact, and in law, inconsistent with po-

sitions they may have adopted in other cases. This, I daresay, is a vocational freedom and an ethical latitude which inhere in the legal profession. But I hasten to say that I need not invoke this facility in this engagement, for the position that I took in the two cases are neither different nor contradictory. Indeed, they were consistent: advocating for constitutional compliance.

Indeed, I will concede that the obvious similarities between the two cases can lead to the mirage of which I think Mr. Lall is a victim. However, when subjected to a juridical forensic examination, the legal issues are clinically disparate and different. I will now endeavour to illuminate the relevant jurisprudential differences in the two cases.

The procedural regime for the suspension/ removal of the Chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Public Service Commission is identical and expressed in Article 225 of the Constitution.

I outline hereunder the steps set out in Article 225, which are to be followed when a member of a Constitutional Commission is to be suspended and/or removed from office:

(i) The Prime Minister is authorised to ‘raise the question of removal’ of any member of the Commission on certain grounds including misbehaviour [Article 225 (2)];

(ii) It is the Prime Minister who must advise the President that the question of removal ought to be investigated, whereupon the President must act in accordance with that advice and appoint a Tribunal. In

appointing that Tribunal, the President acts in accordance with the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) [225 (4)];

(iii) That Tribunal shall enquire into the matter and recommend to the President whether the officer ought to be removed.

(iv) Removal is not suspension. Suspension vests exclusively in the President acting on the advice of the Prime Minister. Article 225 (6) is excruciatingly clear on this crucial issue: “If the question of removing the officer from office has been referred to a tribunal under this article, the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the prescribed authority, may suspend the officer from performing the functions of his or her office…”.

(v) Therefore, it is the Prime Minister who must make that exclusive and substantive determination whether to advise the President to suspend a Commission member. The power of the Prime Minister to render this advice is not dependent upon the establishment of a Tribunal established by Article 225 (4). The Tribunal’s duty is separate from the Prime Minister’s. Its duty concerns removal from office.

(vi) Additionally, when the Prime Minister advises the President on the suspension of a member of a Commission, the President “may suspend”. Here the President, himself, is vested with a discretionary power to make a determination whether or not to suspend a member. Hence the use of the word “may” as opposed to “shall” [see Article 225 (6) above]. Apart from this ad-

vice, there is no requirement that the President should consult with or act upon the advice of any other entity. Certainly, the President’s decision to suspend is not at all influenced in any manner whatsoever by the Tribunal to be established in accordance with Article 225 (4). In short, for the purpose of suspension, the establishment of this Tribunal is simply a procedural step in the chronology of the process. Its functional responsibility relates exclusively to the issue of “removal from office”, not suspension. To conclude, the President’s substantive power to suspend is unaffected by the presence or absence of the Tribunal whose establishment is but part of a procedural chronology vis-à-vis suspension.

Significantly, because of the security of tenure with which these officers are endowed, the law imposes procedural fairness and natural justice to be observed when the provisions of Article 225 are activated. Specifically, the Prime Minister is enjoined to accord a person the right to be heard, as a condition precedent, before advising the President that the question of his removal ought to be investigated. This procedural step is now concretized into a substantive right to natural justice and procedural fairness. This fundamental issue was conclusively settled by the Guyana Court of Appeal in Barnwell v AG of Guyana (1993) 49 WIR and by the Privy Council in Rees v Crane [1994] 1 AC 173.

Both of these cases involved the removal of High Court judges from office.

Commissioner Clifton Hicken and Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ Calvin Brutus on Saturday held a kite-distribution exercise in Agricola; Reid Avenue, Grove; and Timehri, East Bank Demerara (GPF photos)

Genuine community leadership is now evident

Dear Editor,

The ongoing preparation for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs) 2023 has stimulated the interest of a larger group of respected and influential residents within communities across the country. This obviously augers well for advancement of the transformational agenda being promoted by the PPPC Government.

It is extremely heartening to see that genuine leaders in all the communities around the country are now stepping up and demonstrating a willingness to be part of the local democracy. Indeed, the mechanism for persons to be elected to the various Community Councils is premised on sufficient individual or collective popularity within the specific Local Authority Areas to influence the confidence

of residents. This is given the role of Councilors when elected to plan, advance, and deliver initiatives that will ensure community development and top-level complementary services.

As Nomination Day draws closer, the PPP/C is busy scrutinising the names of the volunteers that are demonstrating their willingness to be part of the PPP/C List of Candidates. Party activists are conducting thorough on-the-ground outreaches to nominate the best possible persons in the communities to be candidates in these upcoming LGEs. This bottom-up approach encourages inclusive objective partnerships that will strengthen our local democracy.

It is recognized that many PPP activists have willingly made way in support of achieving the bigger picture of a broader repre-

sentative list of candidates, and this is very commendable. This exercised maturity encourages a balanced platform of inclusivity from which the generality of community issues and concerns will be addressed. The focal targeted blend in this regard includes respected strong prominent businesspersons, veterans, civil/servants, and religious leaders, along with youths and gender representations.

The foregoing approach is complementary even in the areas of strong PPP/C support, where the likelihood of defeat is hardly a consideration. Rather, even with the Party’s strength within some communities, genuine efforts are being made to take the country on a path to a more all-encompassing path by encouraging meaningful participation of all citizens. In

so doing, the party’s leadership has also implored its members to understand the embracing of the thematic approach of governance by the people for the people.

These LGEs will certainly give rise to more qualitative representation at the Municipalities, Village, and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils. Instructive in this respect is the fact that Guyana’s diversity must be fully recognized holistically, bridging culture and forging a stronger unity among our people.

The PPPC has fearlessly attacked the achievement of this ideal with passion and vigour, with the exceptional work of our President, Irfaan Ali, and his hardworking team of Ministers leading the applaudable ‘One Guyana’ initiative that is making significant grounds in trans -

Clarifying the misconceptions of...

The security of tenure which judges enjoy is similar to those enjoyed by members of the constitutional commissions. The constitutional regime for removal and suspension from office is likewise similar. In Barnwell’s case, the Judge was not afforded a hearing before the advice was tendered to the President that the question of his removal ought to be investigated. In fact, the Constitution is silent on this specific facility. In expatiating on this issue, the Court of Appeal adumbrated that a decision maker is “required to apply the rules of natural justice and procedural fairness to its deliberations; it had acted in breach of its duty to act fairly and in breach of the rules of natural justice when it made its representations to the President; and a contravention of the rules of natural justice rendered the decision void even if it could be shown that without such contravention there would have been an adverse result.”

In Paul Slowe’s case, there was undisputed compliance with this specific fundamental requirement of procedural fairness and natural justice. Prime Minister Mark Phillips wrote, offering the impugned persons, an opportunity to show cause. They responded in writing. The Prime Minister was unpersuaded. He then advised the President that the question of their removal ought to be investigated.

In contradistinction, in Duncan’s case, the complaint was that this very substantive right to natural justice was not extended to Duncan by Prime Minster Moses Nagamootoo. Although a letter from the Prime Minister offering Duncan was ex post facto, produced, there was no evidence that it was com-

municated to, or received by Duncan. Duncan robustly contended that he never received such letter. In accordance with the principles enunciated in the cases of Barnwell and Rees above, in Duncan’s case, I contended that the advice of the Prime Minister to the President and indeed, every step which ensued thereafter, was in breach of the rules of natural justice and procedural fairness rendering them all null, void and of no effect. I have every confidence that I would have succeeded had the then Attorney General not threatened the Hearing Judge in open Court causing him to abort the trial.

In Paul Slowe’s case, the crucial issue was that there was no Tribunal appointed under Article 225 (4). As I articulated earlier, the sole function of this Tribunal is to address the issue of removal from office. Neither Paul Slowe nor his colleagues were removed from office by the President. In fact, the question of removal did not arise in the case. The reason for the non-appointment of the Tribunal was because there was no Judicial Service Commission for the President to consult in order for such a Tribunal to be appointed. But again, this Tribunal bears no functional responsibilities relating to suspension. Suspension is an exclusive Presidential power exercisable upon the advice of the Prime Minister and with an element of deliberate judgment on the part of the President. The President received the appropriate advice from the Prime Minister and in exercising his deliberate judgment made a decision to suspend in the interest of the rule of law, national security and for the public good. I see nothing wrong with this

decision.

I am compelled to point out that Slowe’s case was not a case where there was a Judicial Service Commission in place which the President ignored in breach of Article 225 (4). There was no JSC in place. Therefore, it was not a case of constitutional non-compliance on the part of the President but a case of impossibility to comply.

The Honourable Chief Justice Roxane George confronted this conundrum in the recent decision of Jones v. AG & Clifton Hicken FDA 705 of 2022 , in which the President was constitutionally required to consult with the Leader of the Opposition to appoint an acting Commissioner of Police in compliance with Article 211 of the Constitution. At the material time, there was no Leader of the Opposition with whom to consult. The President made the appointment. It was alleged that the President breached Article 211. On this issue, the Chief Justice ruled:

“There could be no disregard of, and thereby a breach of the requirement for mean-

ingful consultation when it was impossible to so engage. The applicant therefore is relying on an impossibility to ground a claim of unconstitutionality. On this basis alone, the application is vexatious and an abuse of the process of the court.”

All these arguments were adeptly proffered to the learned Hearing Judge. His Honour’s attention was drawn to the Judgment of Chief Justice George in the Jones v AG et al. His Honour was passionately implored to travel the juridical path traversed by the learned Chief Justice. These pleas fell on deaf ears. Hence the intent to appeal.

I hope I have been able to clarify the misconceptions which have jaundiced the mind of Mr. Lall on this matter. I thank him for offering me the opportunity to elucidate this matter for the wider public.

Yours faithfully,

Hon Mohabir Anil Nandlall SC, MP Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs

forming Guyana’s political landscape. Undoubtedly, the non-racial all-community improvement approach is serving to inspire the confidence of many in participating meaningfully in strengthening our local democracy. Further, the notable struggle that the PPP General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo mounted during the PNC’s wicked efforts to ‘steal’ the 2020 Elections must continue. The overwhelming broadbased support the party received from the Civic component of society must be continuously embraced. This is appropriate and necessary, since wider participation at the LGEs will also open the local-level management structures to more meaningful inclusion and participation in the Local democracy.

For too long we have

asserted candidates for Local Government participation based on strict political allegiance, which is in itself a limitation in certain instances. The time is most opportune for Guyana to recognize and put the best persons in the relevant positions to strengthen our democracy. This opening up will put an end to petty corruption and bring greater accountability to the NDCs. Young professionals must feel free to put their names and time alongside the community leaders in a process that must lead to inclusive governance at the local level, and eventually lead to greater inclusivity at the national level.

All eyes are on the list of Candidates for Nomination Day on 12th April.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

15 Signs of Burnout

- Clues that you might be experiencing job burnout, and how to cope

knew she could not do it anymore. She had nothing left to give.

9. You resent the customers or clients you serve. Few people love dealing with angry or resentful customers, but when interacting with even non-angry customers makes you feel overwhelmed, and you might need a break!

10. You feel your work doesn't matter or is not making a difference. This is a huge sign of burnout, especially for healthcare and teaching professionals.

11. You self-medicate. Many cope with stress and burnout by using more alcohol, cigarettes, or unhealthy eating to cope with the stress.

there is something to heal from. We can sometimes feel as though we have to be “bigger” than our feelings, like we have to “push through it” and just "grin and bear it" or even ignore our feelings and experiences until they go away. But this can easily become exhausting, difficult to maintain, and worsen the feelings. Give yourself permission to slow things down for a moment and acknowledge your feelings and experiences of them.

BY: KaYtee Gillis, lCsW-BaCs

The stress of the past few years of a pandemic, coupled with the violence and trauma that plagued our cities, many report experiencing burnout or compassion fatigue in their jobs. Even though it feels like we can finally breathe after experiencing an almost three-year pandemic, many report feeling more stressed than usual—and more stressed than they did during the pandemic itself—most likely

due to job-related burnout. Read on for 15 signs that you might be experiencing burnout.

1. You are more tired than usual. When not related to sleep disorders or another medical issue, feeling tired all of the time is usually due to stress or burnout.

2. You feel more critical of work tasks. Maybe everything is annoying. Every. Thing. That email or text from a co-worker. The phone call from the office secretary. The knock at the door.

3. You feel bored or unchallenged. When we do not feel challenged, it can feel like our job is more work than normal.

4. Things feel tedious. From clocking in to answering calls, basic mundane tasks start to feel like they take more energy and effort than usual.

5. You skip lunch or breaks. Although it might seem counterintuitive, those who are burned out might find it easier to just sit at their desk instead of leaving for lunch or break.

6. You take more time off, come in late, or call in more often. You are desperate for a break and find you have less motivation for the job.

7. You are getting sick more often. Our bodies tell us everything we need to know about how we are doing.

8. You fantasise about different career fields or jobs with less responsibility. A client of mine who is a teacher knew she was burned out when she was looking for jobs, "anything but teaching!" She just

12. Your sleep is affected. If you are struggling to fall asleep or feeling like you cannot stay asleep, it might be due to the stress

2. Take a break. Instead of powering through or distraction, slowing down and allowing the feeling to run its course will result in greater healing. This might mean taking a vacation or a long weekend away for some. For others, it might mean stepping away from the desk and going out to lunch or leaving work on

on your body.

13. You struggle to pay attention or concentrate. If this is something new for you, it might be worth looking into whether this is due to stress at work.

14. Your medical issues are worse. People under more stress often find that their blood sugars are higher, their blood pressure is elevated, or other medical concerns are exacerbated.

15. You're reading this. If you are asking yourself if you are feeling burned out, this is usually one of the first indications that something is going oneven if only partially.

What You Can Do

1. The first step is to admit to it, because you can't heal if you do not recognise

time today.

3. Grounding and mindfulness. Grounding is self-soothing by orienting ourselves to the present moment and can help with stress. Focus on taking a few deep breaths to help regulate the body when you feel overwhelmed.

4. Positive selftalk. Remind yourself that what you feel is a normal reaction and that nothing is wrong with you.

5. Empower yourself. For many, this might mean looking for a change, whether it's a change in shift, hours worked, or even looking for different jobs. For some, who have experienced burnout for long periods, it might even mean a career change. (Psychologytoday.com)

Guyana learning from good & bad examples of other oil producers – Ali

…carefully balancing lessons to create a functional policy

The fact that Guyana, despite its inexperience, has been able to implement policies to govern the oil and gas sector that some of the more experienced countries have not put in place, is down to Guyana shortening its learning curve by learning from the good and the bad examples.

This is according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, during a press conference while on an outreach to Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara). Responding to questions from the media, President Ali chided those who fixate on the negative examples of oil and gas production, as opposed to the positive one.

“The capability has to be built. But a lot of people who talk about what we do here,

itive examples out there. That can show what oil and gas can do for the transformation of a country.”

“But there are also a lot of negative examples… and most times, 99 per cent of the times, you (sections of the media) go for the negative examples. You go for

ing made by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to plan for any eventuality, including the ill effects of oil and gas. But he urged persons to look at Guyana’s current progress in planning for the sector, despite its relatively inexperience.

but at the same time, ensure consumer rights are protected. Protect the environment, but ensure investments are protected. Ensuring balance is an important part.”

Advances

The Government recently had cause to defend its management of the oil and gas sector since 2020, with the Ministry of Natural Resources pointing out the various legislative and policy advances, both completed and planned, some of which have corrected mis-steps by the previous A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

per cent, a decrease from 75 per cent. Companies will for the first time also pay a corporate tax, 10 per cent.

Cost recovery audits were also completed, while continuous review and modernization of the oil and gas legislative framework is planned… including for the 1986 Petroleum and Exploration Act.

Guyana, with US oil giant ExxonMobil as the operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019, in the Stabroek Block. Guyana’s oil revenues are being held in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) at the New

York Federal Reserve Bank, where it is earning interest.

The oil rich Stabroek Block, which is producing the oil, is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Exxon, through its local subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest. (G3)

they will come to me and say in the same breath, look at the transformation in Dubai, in Kuwait, in UAE, in the United States. Major supplier of natural gas now. They will use all these examples.

In Kazakhstan, in Norway. There are hundreds of pos-

the failure. You can choose the failure or the success. There are many success stories that you can use as examples, why don’t we grab on to them?” the President questioned.

President Ali further assured that efforts are be-

“We have to plan for any eventuality. I support that. We are very young in this industry. But many sophisticated jurisdictions and countries, who are in this industry for 50, 60, 100 years, have not accomplished what we’ve accomplished. Because what are we doing? We’re shortening the learning curve. By looking at the worst and best practices and ensuring that we put into system a functional policy. That would allow the growth, but also the safeguard,” President Ali said.

“It’s the balance. In life you have to find the balance. The most important element in life for success is balance. Similarly for the country. When you’re making policies, the policies must be balanced to attract investment

Among the advances the government has made since coming to office in 2020, is passing the Local Content Act and setting up the Local Content secretariat. Other advances are new environmental permit conditions and fees, as well as setting up a Natural Resource Fund (NRF) with robust legislation governing its use and safeguards against non-disclosure of incoming revenue.

According to the Government, they were also able to update the principles and conditions of all new petroleum production licenses, with the completion of draft model Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) for the deep and shallow blocks.

The new PSA includes terms like a 10 per cent royalty rate. This is an increase on the previous 2 per cent in the former Government’s PSA it signed with ExxonMobil. The cost recovery ceiling is now 65

President Dr Irfaan Ali

According to the President, Guyana is shortening its learning curve to manage the oil and gas sector

More PAC meetings being held...

Teixeira also dismissed claims that the PPP/C’s amendment to the Standing Orders by requiring two Government members, two Opposition members and the Chairman to be present to form a quorum, is a strategy to sabotage the PAC. She noted that in 2022, following the passage of this amendment, the PAC “met 13 times of the 25 times it met for the period ending on March 31, 2023.”

She explained that while much work has been done on the combined 2017/2018 report, the report has not been concluded because of missing documents and the non-attendance of former accounting officers who functioned

during APNU/AFC’s term in office. The Minister also pointed out that the PAC is still examining the former Government’s term in office, so the argument that the PPP/C does not want to examine this period is “bizarre”.

When it comes to the meetings of the parliamentary committees, Teixeira noted that the number of meetings have also been quite similar across the two Administrations. The 11th Parliament (APNU/AFC) saw five meetings of the Special Select Committees, while the current Parliament has seen four. Meanwhile, the Parliament Management Committee (PMC) has met

seven times in both the 11th and 12th Parliament.

“Noteworthy is that at least eight meetings of the PMC in 2021 were convened and called off due to the lack of two - two quorum required by the Standing Orders due to the absence of the APNU+AFC MPs. When Opposition members accuse the PPP/C MPs of stymying the work of the PAC they are speaking out of guilt for what they did in the PMC for the years 2021 and part of 2022,” Teixeira said.

Another point made by Teixeira is that Guyana currently has a robust anti-corruption framework that has been strengthened by

FROM PAGE 3

the PPP/C Government. For instance, a National Coordinating Committee (NCC) was established in the first month of them taking office in 2020, to make sure Guyana is compliant and proactive on fighting corruption.

“I wish to emphasise that the PAC is examining the 2019 Audited Report, the year the APNU/AFC Government remained in office as a caretaker Government and spent and behaved as if it had a mandate to do so. This is a national disgrace! Transparency and accountability demand justice; the disgrace would be if nothing were done to correct this,” she said on Saturday. (G3)

…outreaches

Well, the President’s showing he’s a man of his word! He promised he’d be taking the Office of the President to the people, and he did just that for the second time; this time, in Region 3! Did you see those lines snaking into the Leonora Track and Field Stadium?? Looked more like pythons than snakes!! Giant pythons!! Five thousand issues were addressed, so there had to’ve been TWICE that number present, don’t you think?? Since Pressie lives right there in Leonora – a stone’s throw from the stadium - your Eyewitness wonders if he has lines waiting in front of his house when he visits from State House?!!

But your Eyewitness has a question. It’s great that Pressie’s showing the flag and bringing Government to the grassroots, but don’t we have MPs representing each region?? And as best as he remembers, Reg 3 got two of those: exactly what are these MPs doing for the voters in the Region, when at least TEN THOUSAND of them had unaddressed ISSUES?? For the record, there were 72,000 voters, of which the PPP snagged 47,000!! Shouldn’t those MPs be doing exactly what Pressie’s been forced to do??

Hey!! It wasn’t Pressie on his lonesome who solved those 5000 issues; he brought representatives of the various agencies. Doesn’t take rocket science to figure out these MPs can do the same!

Let’s face it folks: It’s very laudable for Pressie to be extending himself like this, but there’s a number of potential problems – not the least being that Pressie might just suffer from burnout, even though he’s a young man. The human body can take only so much.

The second problem is: his Ministers are getting away with murder!! They can just throw back, counting on Pressie to rescue them. And thirdly, he may foster the belief in the ordinary man that ONLY Pressie can solve their problems!!

The other concern your Eyewitness has is: with the oil industry taking off so rapidly, Pressie needs to have time to focus his attention on the big picture - as to what’s ahead - rather than becoming bogged down with the minutiae of individual problems at the grassroots. Then there are the political challenges in implementing his One Guyana vision. He’s been doing a great job, but it gotta be taxing!!

It’s your Eyewitness’s expectation that categorisation of the problems/issues that have come up would be used for the Regional Ministers to hone in on the suggested working outreaches - which they should now embark on immediately!! These ministers now have a model for their Regional work. The President has set the bar – let’s see if they can not only match, but surpass it. After all, there are FORTY of them to Pressie’s ONE!!

…fathers

Your Eyewitness knows this argument as to whether Jagan or Burnham’s the “Father of the nation” is far from over!! It’s one of those things like “who’s the best batsman”!! Everyone got their own measuring stick!! Well, one fella wrote a letter suggesting we take a completely new tack – considering other worthies!! Makes sense, doesn’t it?? Are there folks who might’ve surpassed Jagan and Burnham??

The fella proposed Critchlow!! Yeah, the trade unionist whose statue fronts the Public Buildings. So wha’d he do for Guyana?? Well, he formed the first Trade Union in the entire Commonwealth – not counting Britain, of course!! That’s a biggie!! But two challenges: his Dock Workers’ union didn’t cover a cross section of the country, even though in the Indian-Guyanese community he was initially known as the “Black Crosby” because he represented some of their problems. Unfortunately, he got involved in an organization that saw Indians as a threat, and soon refused to support the universal franchise that would’ve allowed them to vote. Sorry. Next??

…contortions

Your Eyewitness finds the contortions – verbal and physical – of the fringe elements trying to force the Opposition Leader into their hysteria hysterical!! Thing is, they’re getting no traction, and look like Chicken Little crying, “The Sky is falling…!”

Body at Leguan

Probe complex, time-consuming – Home Affairs Minister

…assures victim’s family of bringing killer to justice

The investigation into the murder of Roma Dookeran, the 68-year-old Canada-based Guyanese, is still ongoing following the discovery of her partially nude body on March 17 at the Leguan foreshore, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn said.

Despite the arrest of a taxi driver for questioning, no substantial information has been released to the public regarding the case,

leaving many questions unanswered.

Benn has stated that the investigation is complex and time-consuming, and the authorities are working tirelessly to bring justice to Dookeran’s family and loved ones.

“I know that it is under investigation, it is a distressing one, but they are working on it. Usually, these cases will require quite an amount of forensic examinations, checks,

and identifying the persons who may have had engagements with her to come to a definitive position on it,” he explained.

As the investigation continues, many are wondering what led to her tragic death.

Dookeran had been dropped off at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on March 14, 2023, to board a flight back home. However, she left the airport in a taxi and headed to

Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara before going to the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

It remains unclear how she ended up dead on the Region Three island.

The shocking murder has sent shockwaves throughout the community, with many members expressing their concerns about safety. The Police have reassured the public that every effort is being made to piece togeth-

er the events that led to Dookeran’s death, and those responsible will be brought to justice.

In the meantime, the family and friends of Dookeran are left grieving and seeking closure. As the investigation continues, the community remains hopeful that justice will be served, and that the authorities will provide more information to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the case. (G9)

Dead: Roma Dookeran

Police to crack down on alcohol sale at minibus parks

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be taking a strong stance against the sale of alcohol at the minibus and car parks in Georgetown in light of the spate of incidents that continues to plague the country’s roadways.

Some of the main contributing factors to the high rate of accidents on Guyana’s roadways are drunk driving and speeding. In response, local authorities will be rolling out a number of measures to clamp down on this

practice.

As a result, the Guyana Police Force in collaboration with the National Road Safety Council will be conducting spot checks at various locations across the country to clamp down on businesses selling alcohol without a licence and to detect drivers who are under the influence.

At the Guyana Road Safety Council Forum 2023 on Friday, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn announced that special emphasis will be placed on the bus and car parks in Georgetown.

“We know what the behaviours are…drinking and driving, associated things at the Stabroek Market places where people are drinking Heineken and other things. Some perhaps are smoking and then jumping into the bus and driving…. we have people making it more diffi-

cult for the traffic management,” he said.

The Police’s efforts are focused on eliminating the dangerous practice of selling alcohol on minibus parks and ensuring that those responsible for causing harm on the roads are held accountable.

Heavy fines and possible jail time are among the consequences for those found to be in violation of the law. The Police Force has emphasised its determination to curb the sale of alcohol on minibus parks and to prevent accidents resulting from drunk driving.

“This situation cannot continue if we want to achieve less than 100 road deaths for this year again to make it the third year running…”, he said.

The crackdown on the sale of alcohol on minibus parks also reflects the

Government’s commitment to public safety and the protection of its citizens. Over the years, officials have said that minibus parks are major hubs for transportation across the country, and their surroundings must be safe and secure for passengers, motorists, and pedestrians. The Police’s efforts to address the issue will go a long way in ensuring that the country’s roads remain safe and free from the dangers of drunk driving. (G9)

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn

Bartica vendor busted with meth, ganja

Silencing Hindu practices

It was noted in the press that, starting last month, Guyana had the serendipitous intersection of observances from the three major religions that involved fasting by their adherents –Nauratri, Ramadan and Lent. But somehow Ram Naumi, the celebration of the birth of Sri Ram, the seventh incarnation of Bhagwan Vishnu, which occurred at midday on the final day of Nauratri, got lost in the shuffle. There was only a single mention of the event in the press, notwithstanding in the almost three hundred Mandirs across the country there were observances involving thousands of devotees. Even though President Irfaan Ali and VP Bharrat Jagdeo, with AG Anil Nandalall, whose activities are minutely covered, did not earn coverage that they attended observances at Tuschen, EBE and Better Hope ECD Mandirs respectively.

Dev

Why this lacuna in reportage? It is a continuation of the “silencing” of the Hindu presence in Guyana, that characterised colonial rule when they were defined as “pagans” beyond the pale, who “worshipped idols”. I was a columnist at the Stabroek News in the early nineties, and, noticing that lacuna after participating with probably ten thousand devotees in the Shiva Ratri observances at the Cove and John Ashram, asked the General Manager if they would publish a supplement (at my expense) that would be distributed inside their newspaper. She told me, “No”, even though they carried other supplements, and advised me to publish my own Hindu newspaper. I did –“Caribbean Jahaji” - for the next few years.

What is regrettable about this continued silencing of Hindu practices is that its signalling that they are not “news that’s fit to print” is internalised by most Hindus. They generally confine their observances rather sheepishly to their private sphere. Ironically, in an age where we have now been convinced that females must not be excluded from any sphere of life, the Hindu worship of God in a female form during Nau Ratri is not promoted by woke females as “progressive”. The declaration of Phagwah and Diwali as National Holidays in 1967 helped unsilence those Hindu observances to non-Hindus, and one must give credit to PNC leader Forbes Burnham for that act. But the background to the institutionalisation of Hindu (and Muslim) holidays offers an insight into why that credit has been grudging. Speaking to the resolution introduced in Parliament in December 1962, Burnham expansively noted, “One of the difficulties in our community is that we have Christians living side by side with Muslims and Hindus living side by side with Christians, and none of those three understanding even some of the basic tenets of the other two…I believe that if we were able to share the holidays, we at least would be invited to attempt to learn each other’s point of view, creeds, beliefs and attitudes, and that further education and information will undoubtedly lead to a greater understanding and bring closer to us the day when we have a Guyanese nation as distinct from a country with a number of different peoples.”

A Consultation Committee was established in 1963 to make recommendations, and, in 1964, proposed to Parliament that Phagwah, Ram Naumi and Dipavali for Hindus and Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Ahza for Muslims be declared Public Holidays. But there were no Hindus on the Committee, and instead, an AfricanGuyanese (PPP) and an Indian Muslim supporter of the PNC. When the PNC, now in Government since the end of 1964, finally decided to pass the ordinances on these holidays in 1967, it unilaterally decided to remove Ram Naumi and Eidul-Fitr without proper consultation of the involved religious bodies. Criticism was raised by the latter.

The historian Mc Almont explained the non-inclusion of the relevant bodies. “To the question as to why an Afro-Guyanese was selected to speak for the two religious groups when there were several Hindu and Muslim members of government, he (the Chairman of the Consultation Committee) opined that the government felt its support came not from Hindus or Muslims, but from the Indo-Guianese community, and since the discussion was on “Indian holidays”, then any person selected by the government would speak on behalf of the Indian community.”

Sri Ram is a major Deity in the Hindu pantheon, and it is suggested that Hindus be permitted to be absent from their workplaces or schools on Ram Naumi, so they can observe Ram Naumi celebrations.

Police ranks in Regional Division

Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) on Friday evening arrested a vendor after he was found in possession of suspected marijuana and methamphetamine also called crystal meth.

The incident occurred between 20:00h and 21:30h at Second Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven.

According to reports, Police ranks conducted random searches around Bartica during which several persons were stopped and

searched.

One of those persons was a 35-year-old vendor of Second Avenue, Bartica, who had a black haversack on his shoulder.

Upon searching the haversack, cops discovered 16 transparent zip-lock bags of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis along with 25 transparent zip-lock bags of what is suspected to be methamphetamine.

The man was arrested and escorted to the Bartica Police Station along with the narcotics. When weighed,

the cannabis amounted to 26 grams, while the methamphetamine amounted to eight grams.

He is presently in custody pending charges.

Just recently, a man was arrested with a large quantity of cannabis at the New Amsterdam Ferry Stelling.

According to Police, he was carrying two bags with his accomplice. Upon searching one of the bags, four bulky parcels wrapped in transparent plastic containing cannabis were found. Seven other parcels

containing cannabis were also discovered in the second bag.

When the Police attempted to arrest both suspects, one of them reportedly jumped into the Berbice River and made good his escape.

The other suspect was arrested and taken to the Central Police Station, where the cannabis was weighed and amounted to 16.6 kilograms. Police are currently searching for the escaped suspect while investigations are ongoing. (G9)

Ravi

The illegal drugs that were found by Police in Bartica

Over 300 house lots allocated during Region 3 Presidential Outreach

…100-year-old Leonora

Close to 3000 Region

Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) residents were reached by the Central Housing and Planning Authority by the end of the two-day presidential direct outreach at the Leonora Track and Field Centre this past week.

At the end of the exercise, over 300 persons with outstanding applications in the region were also allocated house lots within the two-day period.

Other residents were given the opportunity to initiate their house lot applications, register for turn-key homes, and the steel and cement subsidy. Application updates and queries were also facilitated. The Guyana Water Incorporated was also able

Pasture matter resolved

to resolve scores of issues highlighted.

President Dr Irfaan Ali brought resolution to a more than 100-year-old issue when he presented land titles to residents of Leonora Pasture during the last day of the Office of the President’s direct outreach to the region.

Commenting on the matter, President Ali said on Friday, “Within 24 hours, we have been able to resolve, bringing titles to peoples’ homes.”

The agency was able to fast-track the processing of Land Titles for residents of Leonora Pasture, thereby closing the issue. The area, which was under the purview of GuySuCo, has more than 50 occupants.

“Due to the President’s intervention and the dili-

gent work of the relevant agencies, the long overdue issue was resolved, and the elated residents were presented with their titles,” the Office of the President stated.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal explained that the plan completed by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) sometime around 1969 was used to assist in the process of ownership within 24 hours.

Various agencies including the GL&SC, Central Housing and Planning Authority as well as the Land Registrar collaborated to expedite the issue.

The Head of State zeroed in that a robust housing drive is continuing in the region, with investments in several developing areas and schemes.

“The issues that continue to track a lot of attention would be around housing and that would be because of the lack of investment and vibrancy by the last Administration. That is being corrected,” he told residents.

Throughout its term in office thus far, Government has delivered 6400 house lots to applicants in Region

Three. From August 2020 to the ending of 2021, some 2182 lots were allotted in the region, of which persons are already accessing their new plots.

While the Ministry is making a dent in the existing backlog it met after assuming office in 2020, this number continues to rise. An evaluation of the pending applications for Region Three one year ago stood

at about 14,000. As of now, the number is now 13,652 pending applicants.

By the end of this year, the President shared on Friday that interventions are being made to open 10,000 house lots in the region. The low-income and young professionals housing programme will also aid persons in their journey to owning their own home.

(G12)

President Ali handing over a title to a Leonora Pasture resident

It’s no secret that love brings people together, and as said by the famous Henry Ford, "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success”, a testament to this would be the success shared by 52-year-old Shelly Fraser and her husband, who, since meeting some 20 years ago, have been using their kite-making talent to bolster a successful business.

In an interview with this publication, Fraser shared that when she first met her husband, he was into kite-making, and she decided to join him. She added that given her childhood background and undying love for the Easter holiday, it ‘blended’ right in.

She shared that, growing up, her brother made

kites for children within their neighbourhood, and she had a wonderful time flying the traditional ‘Caddy-Ole-Punch’ throughout the remainder of the year.

“My brother…used to make a lot of kites for the children in the neighbourhood. It was a wonderful time, I used to fly CaddyOle-Punch whole year…after Easter. I used to use my school book…and make my own Caddy-Ole-Punch. And [then] I reach up with my husband, and that’s what he likes (making kites) so it blend in,” she said in a cheery voice.

According to Fraser, she enjoys making kites because of the joy it brings to the faces of children, who are always amazed by the array of colours when they come out

with their parents to buy.

“Why I like to make kite is because of my husband. He’s the kite-maker really, and I follow him. I enjoy it because of the children…

“For the years we’re doing it, when we go on the road to sell, it’s wonderful… because the children get excited when they see all the different colours,” Fraser declared.

The talented entrepreneur shared that their unique kite designs go deeper than the drawing board, but comes from their religious belief.

“We’re Rasta…so we go for the six-point star, because it represents David’s house,” Fraser specified.

In every business, there are challenges. Fraser shared that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic which

struck Guyana in March of 2020, she had quite a lot of kites piled up that they were unable to sell that year. However, last year she successfully sold approximately 300 kites, and is currently in the process of making 200 for Easter this year.

“Due to the pandemic and so, we had a lot of kites [that] we prepared and did not get to go on the road and sell. Last year, when we go out, it was good; so this year we start a little late…and right now we have about 200,” she shared.

Persons who are interested in purchasing kites from this couple can contact them at (592) 6466754 or (592) 638-8197; or visit them at the Soesdyke Junction this Thursday, April 6, 2023.

EASTER

Easter is a Christian season that is dedicated to observing the Death

and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It marks the completion of Lent.

This week, Christians in Guyana would join the rest of the world in observing Holy Week, the most sacred week in the liturgical year.

Holy Week begins today - which is known as Palm Sunday in observance of Christ's entry into Jerusalem - and includes Holy Wednesday (betrayal of Jesus); Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday), which celebrates Jesus’s Last Supper with His 12 disciples; Good Friday (Passion of Jesus is observed). The week ends with Easter Vigil on Saturday in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Easter Sunday).

The raising of kites into the skies on Easter Sunday is done in Guyana to symbolise Jesus’s Resurrection. (Tassia Dickenson)

Shelly Fraser displaying two of their kites

A family in despair: mystery surrounds disappearance of Teejay Roxroy Prince

Afamily in Buxton, East Coast Demerara, is desperately seeking information on the whereabouts of their beloved Teejay Roxroy Prince, who has been missing since December 17, 2022. The 31-year-old man was reportedly staying with his aunt when he disappeared without a trace; and his disappearance has left his family in a state of shock and despair. Despite their best efforts, Prince’s family members and law enforcement officers have been unable to locate him since he was reported missing.

The circumstances surrounding Prince’s disappearance remain a mystery, leaving his loved ones struggling to come to terms with the situation. His sister, Carleena Prince, spoke to Guyana

Times about the emotional toll the ordeal has taken on the family. She said, “We just

want to know where he is, if he’s okay.”

Carleena said that even though her brother was living with his aunt, he was also staying with his girlfriend, who lives not so far away in Buxton. She said, however, that based on their knowledge, her brother had started seeing someone new shortly before his disappearance.

This sister recalled that on December 17, 2022, her brother received a call from the ex-girlfriend, who asked him to go to the hospital, since her brother was admitted a patient of the Georgetown Public Hospital. On that day, the new person that the man was dating also called with a request for them to meet.

The new girlfriend, the sister said, reported to the

family that when she had called Teejay to make plans, she had heard a woman in the background arguing. The new girlfriend said the phone was disconnected, the sister recalled, and all attempts to call him back proved futile, as her calls went to voicemail. After some hours had passed, the woman called Teejay’s mother to inform her of what had occurred. The family has since been unable to contact Teejay.

Carleena said contact was made with the aunt with whom he had resided, who said that he was not there, but rather was by his ex-girlfriend. According to the sister, the family went to the ex-girlfriend’s home, but he was not there, and she related to them that the last time she had seen him was on December

17, 2022, and she had also not been able to reach him.

The sister said the family made reports to the Police, and her aunt and her brother’s ex-girlfriend were taken into custody for questioning, but they were later released. She said it was only when the family visited Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken that a missing person’s release was issued about her brother.

“They had us up and down from one station to the next…,” she said.

The sister said that family members are also receiving anonymous calls that the man was murdered and dumped in the Buxton Backdam. After hearing this, she said, they immediately informed the Police.

“I went to the Police and asked them to get a dog and please come and sniff his clothes, so that we can go check the areas. I even told them to try and see if they can pick up where he last was or something from his phone location, and the female officer told me it was too much work,” the sister said.

Prince’s family members have said they are worried, and are hoping their loved one comes home. They are urging anyone with information about his whereabouts to come forward and assist in the investigation.

As the search for Teejay Roxroy Prince continues, they said, they can only hope for a positive outcome, and that he would soon be found safe and sound. (G9)

...“We just want to know where he is” – sister

Missing: Teejay Roxroy Prince

Marian Academy student named champion of Whiz Kids 2023

The second season of the Guyana Learning Channel’s Whiz Kids wrapped up on Friday afternoon with Joseph Prendergast from Marian Academy emerging as the 2023 champion.

The finals of the competition were held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre and saw two sets of semi-finalists competing for a spot in the lightning round.

Makai Dowlin, Miles Gonsalves and Aiden Persaud from School of the Nations, Demetrius Garaway and Kia Griffith from Jo’sel Educational Institute, and Joseph, were split into groups of three to compete for one of two spots in the playoff round. The

pupils answered an array of questions from four categories, English, Science, Mathematics and Social Studies.

Joseph and Makai scored the most points during their respective rounds. They then had to answer 40 questions each and the pupil with the most correct answers was crowned the winner. Joseph copped first place with 185 points while Makai scored a total of 145 points and was awarded second place.

Aiden Persaud was awarded third place. All fi-

nalists were presented with a certificate of participation.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand noted that the Guyana Learning Channel played an important role in education delivery while schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manickchand highlighted that the channel produces content daily, which is not only educational but also interactive and entertaining.

The game show features Grade Six students from various primary schools competing against each other by

answering questions in four categories: Mathematics, English Language, Science, and Social Studies.

New programmes and initiatives launched by the Ministry such as the NGSA Booster Programme, the Quiz Me platform, the printing of worksheets and the creation and distribution of study packages are all in sync with equipping students to succeed, Manickchand had noted when the Whiz Kid initiative was introduced. (G12)

Education Minister Priya Manickchand and Head of Distance Learning, Anieshaw Mohamed, with finalists of the Whiz Kids programme

Guyana on track to end TB by 2030 – Programme Director

Guyana is on track to end tuberculosis in the country by the year 2030, as the Health Ministry continues to build on mechanisms established to reach patients countrywide. On the Health Matters programme on Thursday, Director of the Tuberculosis Programme under the Health Ministry, Dr Jeetendra Mohanlall pointed to statistics, which show a decline in the incidence rate since efforts were made to tackle TB.

Challenges have nevertheless circled around the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lack of the Daily DOTS (Directly Observed

Therapy) for patients.

“We’re on track to end TB by 2030. However, we still have some challenges. COVID came and derail the programme a little bit. Persons are not having the daily DOTS. We still have some struggles in Region Four where we’re not getting the full daily DOTS,” Dr Mohanlall explained.

At the end of 2022, 396 new cases were detected or an incidence rate of 53 per 100,000.

He recognized, “We have actually made some strides over the years to reduce the incidence of TB. If we reflect back to 2012 when we actually rolled out all TB services in the 10

regions for detection and treatment, we had 92 per 100,000. Over the years, we were able to reduce it.”

Instances of Tuberculosis and HIV co-infection also exists but this been on the decline. In 2012, the co-infection rate was 32 percent when compared to 16 in 2022.

“We continue to work together with our colleagues from the HIV programme. There are a lot of work to do but over the years, we have managed to drop the burden of TB co-infection with a lot of prevention. On the note of prevention, we have new medications to introduce in the country for latent TB infection.”

A combination pill of rifapentine and isoniazid will be rolled out soon to decrease the pill burden.

The Director reasoned, “To treat latent TB infection currently, we’re using isoniazid daily for six months and with this combination that we will be launching soon, we will be giving the patients once a week for 12 weeks. That’s half the time and only once a week.”

For multi-drug resistant TB, five cases were detected last year. A regiment of 18 months to two years are sometimes needed but this treatment becomes difficult.

“That can be difficult managing patients for that long and as well as the support system needed. Most of our patients are low socioeconomic backgrounds so that can pose a major challenge. TB is linked to poverty and we see these things in where persons are from and the daily existence. We see a lot of strug-

gles,” he reflected.

A new regimen over the course of six months will be undertaken to treat this subset of TB patients.

Guyana has moved from one TB site in the year 2000 to now having some 21 sites across the country, and five established TB clinics in the prisons. Another site will be created at Soesdyke next for which staffers are being trained. The ministry had also rolled out region-

al testing for TB using the Gene X-pert technology. Tuberculosis is a disease caused by germs spread between persons through the air. While it typically affects the lungs, it can also affect other parts of the body including brain, kidneys, or spine. Despite being preventable and curable, TB remains a challenge, causing 1.5 million deaths globally every year. (G12)

Director of the Tuberculosis Programme, Dr Jeetendra Mohanlall

…296 cases, lowered incidence rate recorded in 2022 …new treatment regimens to be introduced

FAO, WWF hand over fishing industry manuals, safety equipment to Agri Ministry

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) distributed several training and production manuals and safety equipment to the Agriculture Ministry on Friday to support the development of the country’s aquaculture industry.

The WWF-produced Guyana Marine Industry Management Plan (20222027) addresses several critical aspects within the fishing industry including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, climate change and gender and inclusion within the fisheries sector, offering a number of objectives and actions that can be taken to ensure good management and sustainability.

“This management plan captures a number of areas that are important for the sector and its sustainability,” WWF Country Manager Aiesha Williams said.

“I say sustainability not only in terms of fish stocks but also in terms of income

for fisherfolks and families and of contributing to the economy of Guyana...This is the motivation of our participation and supporting the development of this plan,” William said, adding that Guyana’s fisheries department played a vital role in putting together the plan.

The FAO-led Seabob Management Plan (20222027) and the Agriculture Ministry’s new Brackish Water Shrimp Production Manual comes after a recently released FAO study on the seabob value chain revealed that that there is an untapped demand for seabob in Guyana, with consumers sometimes unable to find products on the market, largely owing to declining catch.

“Today (Friday) we have been vindicated because there’s been a steep increase in catches, especially in the seabob industry,” Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said, highlighting the increase in monthly brackish water shrimp production from

10,000 kilograms to 90,000 kilograms and impending plans to begin prawn production.

The new manuals will complement the work that the Ministry has been doing over the last year to improve the fisheries sector.

“We’re hoping that

[the Seabob Management Plan] will help to accelerate the implementation that is being seen on the ground particularly with the East Berbice-Corentyne Aquaculture Corp who are very instrumental in the work that’s being done here …and to extend it be-

yond just these areas,” said Gillian Smith, FAO representative.

Smith added that the organisation is working on efforts to increase productivity, feed formulations and water quality to better assist fisherfolk, with a particular focus on supporting

the safety of small fishers at sea.

“For the fishing sector, the future is bright,” Mustapha said, adding that the Agriculture Ministry also plans to increase cage culture this year to about 50-75 cages around the country and improve the facilities of some 75 landing sites.

With production continuing to increase, the focus is now on helping fisherfolk to market their products, he said.

FAO and WWF also distributed safety equipment to several fishers at the handover.

With some 53 years of experience in the fishing industry, Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) resident Sooknanan Takchand expressed his happiness at the progress being made to better support fishers in the country.

“I hope that we can work together so that we can better the fishing industry for all fishermen,” Takchand said.

Country Representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Dr Gillian Smith, displaying a copy of the manual

“We will have solar projects throughout Guyana” – PM on Guyana’s 1st solar photovoltaic farm

The newly commissioned $625 million 1.5 megawatts (MW) Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Farm in Daag Point, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) will provide clean, renewable energy to over 3000 residents of Bartica and its surrounding communities.

The project is evidence of the Government’s dedication to the low-carbon future envisioned in the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, which accelerates the use of natural gas as a transitional fuel between heavy fuel

oil and solar, hydropower, wind, and biomass, Prime Minister, retired Brigadier Mark Phillips relayed at the commissioning ceremony on Friday.

“What is important for [the Government] is the development of all the people of Guyana and at a strategic level, we have a strategic directive, where we want to lead on food security, we want to lead on energy security, and we want to lead on matters pertaining to the environment,” the prime minister said.

Designed to accommodate increased levels of solar PV penetration as Bartica’s load grows, the 1.5 MW solar PV farm will generate and supply a total of 1,988 MWh to the grid, at maximum capacity. This will result in an estimated annual reduction of 4,500 drums of diesel consumption and 1.5-million-kilogram reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

This is expected to save Guyana, Power and Light Inc. (GPL) some $210 million annually. The success of this solar farm is encouraging the increase of solar and hydro projects throughout the country, with the Prime Minister revealing plans to establish micro-solar projects at Waramadong, Jawalla and Paruima by the end of May, 2023.

“More and more, we will have solar projects throughout Guyana, more and more we will have hydro projects.”

“We will also, as part of the energy mix, utilise solar energy, wind energy, biomass and hydro power. So, you have an energy mix there and more of the nongas energy mix will be utilised to power the hinterland,” Phillips said.

This solar farm project forms a component of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded Energy

Matrix Diversification and Strengthening of the Department of Energy programme that partially focuses on providing sustainable, cleaner energy solutions in the Hinterland.

The programme also calls for the installation of PV mini-grid systems in Lethem and Mahdia as well as the implementation of their respective storage capacities to manage intermittence of these sources.

IDB’s Country Representative Lorena Solorzano Salazar was also present at the Friday commissioning ceremony alongside Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Agency, Dr Mahender Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of GPL Renford Homer; Mayor of Bartica Gifford Marshall and Land Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council Kenneth Williams.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips at the commissioning of Guyana’s 1st solar photovoltaic farm in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)

Dr. Tariq Jagnarine Family meDicine/ enDocrinology/DiabeTes

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and intestines; it causes diarrhoea, and can also cause vomiting and other symptoms, in some cases. This infection frequently occurs in babies and children. While the infection is usually mild, it can cause dehydration or a loss of necessary fluids and minerals from the body, which may require medical attention.

CAUSES

Gastroenteritis may be the result of a bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic organism. A child may encounter these germs through people with an infection, or through contaminated food or water.

HEALTH

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The primary symptom of gastroenteritis is diarrhoea. In addition to frequent, loose and watery stool, a child may experience:

* Abdominal pain

* Vomiting

* Fever

In some cases, a child may experience other symptoms such as nausea, body aches, and a headache.

Symptoms in infants

Infants with gastroenteritis will have symptoms that are similar to those of older children, including loose, watery stools. While the infant is sick, parents or caregivers should ensure that the infant stays hydrated by:

* Feeding the infant regularly with breast milk or formula

* Supplementing with Pedialyte, coconut water, and clean water

* Providing smaller quantities for feedings

Duration

Gastroenteritis typically lasts between 1–3 days. A parent or caregiver should contact the child’s doctor if the symptoms persist for longer than this.

<Bacterial vs viral gastroenteritis>

Bacterial and viral gas-

troenteritis are very similar conditions with similar symptoms, including:

* Diarrhoea

* Nausea

* Vomiting

* Fever

The main difference is what causes them. In most cases, neither condition would require medical treatment from a doctor. Instead, a child would typically recover at home, with a few days of rest and plenty of fluids.

HOME REMEDIES FOR GASTROENTERITIS

A child typically requires no medical treatment for this infection, provided that enough fluids are consumed. One of the most important steps to home treatment is to make sure that the child keeps drinking fluids that contain electrolytes. Some drinks that may help include:

* Broths

* Fruit juices

* Coconut water

* Sports drinksGatorade, Powerade, Body Armor, Vitamin Water

* Clean water

Sugary juices and sports drinks may worsen diarrhoea, so choose options that are low in sugar.

A child may lose their appetite while they are sick. When it returns, they can re-

sume their usual diet. This would not affect their recovery.

WHEN TO CONTACT A DOCTOR

A parent or guardian may not need to take their child to the doctor when that child is suffering from gastroenteritis. If the child can get enough fluids, shows no sign of dehydration, and the illness clears within a few days, the child would likely make a full recovery at home.

Parents should take their child to a doctor if the symptoms last longer than a few days, or the child experiences any of the following symptoms:

* Dark, tarry stools

* Blood in the stools

* Excessive thirst

* No longer urinating, or producing only a small amount of urine.

* Dizziness

* Rapid or irregular heartbeat

* Quickened breathing

* Sunken eyes

* Lack of alertness

MEDICAL TREATMENT

In most cases, a child would recover from gastroenteritis within a few days without medical treatment. It is important for a parent or guardian to make sure the child stays hydrated and re-

places lost electrolytes while they are sick. A doctor can determine if any treatment is necessary, and provide recommendations to help with rehydration. Do not give antidiarrhoeal medications to children.

In most cases, a doctor can diagnose gastroenteritis based on the child’s symptoms.

The doctor would also perform a physical examination. The exam would typically include:

* Taking their blood pressure

* Checking the abdomen for pain or tenderness

* Listening to the abdomen

* Looking for signs of dehydration or fever.

In some cases, a doctor may examine the child’s rectum to look for signs of blood in their stool. The rectal exam involves the doctor inserting a gloved finger into the rectum. They may also collect, or have a parent or caregiver collect, a stool sample for examination.

DANGERS

Any time a child experiences diarrhoea, vomiting, or a combination of both symptoms, they risk dehydration. In addition to potential death, dehydration can

cause complications, such as organ damage, coma, and shock.

A child may also develop other long-term conditions following the infection, such as postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome or a microbiome imbalance. These can cause digestive symptoms that persist after the infection is gone.

PREVENTION

People can take several steps to help prevent gastroenteritis. Parents and caregivers can make sure to regularly disinfect surfaces that come in contact with stool or vomit.

In addition, children and adults should take actions that include:

* Avoiding contact with someone who has gastroenteritis.

* Washing hands after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or coming in contact with bodily fluids

* Washing hands after touching raw food

Parents and caregivers should also arrange for infants under 8 months old to receive the rotavirus vaccine. This vaccine can reduce the risk of a child developing gastroenteritis due to rotavirus. People can discuss this vaccine with their paediatrician.

Attempt to incite racial hostility

Tacuma Ogunseye remains silent when questioned by Police

Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Executive, Tacuma Ogunseye was questioned by a rank from the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday afternoon.

This is according to his lawyer, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, in an update that was posted to his Facebook page.

According to Hughes, the politician was “interviewed late this afternoon by a Sgt of police at CID HQ Vlissengen Road [Georgetown]. He was informed that he was a suspect for the Offence of attempting to incite racial hostility.”

Attorney Hughes further related that at the commencement of the interview, Ogunseye informed the interviewer that he was a member of the Executive of the WPA, which he explained has been in politics for over 40 years and had always adhered to the parameters for public meetings.

“He informed the interviewer that he would have nothing to say during the course of the interview. The officer then played the recording of 9th March, 2023 [public meeting at Buxton, East Coast Demerara]. He remained silent throughout the questioning by the Officer,” the lawyer indicated.

Hughes went on to say that at the conclusion of the interview, inquiries were made as to whether it was necessary to detain Ogunseye during the remaining course of the investigation to which the officer responded that he would have to seek instructions from higher up.

Nevertheless, the 71-year-old politician was taken to the Brickdam Police Station around 18:30h on Saturday, where he remained in custody up to press time.

Wanted bulletin

Ogunseye turned himself in to Police custody on Friday morning in response to a wanted bulletin that was issued for him the previous day by the Guyana Police Force.

According to the bulletin, he was wanted for several serious offences, including attempting to excite racial hostility or illwill.

Accompanied by his lawyers, Hughes and Darren Wade, Ogunseye walked into the new CID Head Office on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown. He had the support of a few party members who turned up in solidarity.

About half an hour later, he was escorted to the Police Force’s A Division Headquarters, located at the Brickdam Police

ing have faced widespread condemnation from a wide cross-section of civil society and Government, including some Opposition members, such as Geeta Chandan-Edmond, Ganesh Mahipaul, Daniel Seeram, and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine; as well as Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and other members of the PPP/C.

Although Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton had questioned Ogunseye’s choice of words, he had also defended the politician’s right to free speech.

Station.

Speaking with reporters, Hughes disclosed that he advised his client to invoke his constitutional right to remain silent, and noted that offences contrary to the Racial Hostility Act are bailable.

Prior to turning himself in, Ogunseye had told reporters that his party is defending the dignity of Guyana and the legacy of Walter Rodney, and regardless of what is thrown at them, they will fight back.

“Plead guilty with explanation”

On March 9, Ogunseye made several damning remarks on the Buxton Public Road, East Coast Demerara, while he was addressing a public meeting held by his party. Among other racial and divisive remarks, he made at the meeting, the WPA member declared that “the first objective is to get the African team in a state of battle readiness… the AfroGuyanese Police and soldiers… would stand with Afro-Guyanese in resisting mainly Indo-Guyanese supporting the PPP/C.”

Ogunseye told the gathering among other things “…people tell me that to remove the PPP will be hard and long but I don’t necessarily believe because at the end of the day no government could survive if they don’t have the support of the military and those who carry weapons for the state. The reality is, the army, the police, are majority African Guyanese. Once we organise our people and once we begin to fight we will ensure that our brothers and sisters in uniform will do the right thing and when they do the right thing this matter is over in days and not weeks. It have to be strategic.”

On Wednesday, Ogunseye had proclaimed that should he be charged with exciting racial hostility, he would “plead guilty with explanation”. Although the wanted bulletin stated that he was wanted for several serious offences, it did not detail the nature of those offences. The statements made at the political party meet-

During a virtual press conference earlier this week, Ogunseye, with the support of the WPA members, said there is “nothing to apologise for or retreat from”, while noting that he is ready to defend any charges brought against him by the Police.

“We are prepared to use civil disobedience as an effective political weapon… When we look at the line-up of charges they have been uttering, treason seems to be the most severe of the threats,” Ogunseye said.

“WPA will publicly resolve that once they come with treason charges, we will not treat it as a legal matter. We will see it as

a political matter, and I would go to court and plead guilty with explanation. That is our attitude to the charges,” he said.

“We’re at the street corner, and our understanding of the Guyana street corner politics is: when you go to the street corner, you got to roll up your sleeves. Our language was appropriate for the street corner,” Ogunseye further said. He

is adamant that his words were appropriate in the context of “street corner” politics.

Meanwhile, at a recent press conference, Jagdeo called on the Police Force to take action once it determines the law was breached. While he pointed out that the Police often get intimidated in cases that involve political players, he maintained that the Police

have to act impartially.

“If they [politicians] breached the law, then the Police have to act swiftly on these matters that can cause a rift among our people. We have to fight racism with every bit of tool that we have in this country. That’s the only way this country can have a sustainable future,” he declared. (G8)

Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes

WPA Executive Tacuma Ogunseye being escorted to the Brickdam Police Station on Friday after turning himself in to custody of the Police

Presidential Outreach Street lighting, new roads pushed for by Region 3 residents – PS

Permanent Secretary of the Public Works Ministry, Vladim Persaud has zeroed in on some of the infrastructural needs raised by residents of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), most of which circled around street lighting and additional roads.

Speaking with the media on Friday, the PS explained that in many instances, persons were told that the works were already budgeted for some of the areas highlighted – a good sign for the Ministry. Calls ranged from street lights, bridges, additional roads, drains among other public infrastructure necessities.

“The fact that you have persons identifying areas that doesn’t have street lighting etc, that is bringing it to a forum. While it fits into part of a planning process, it is one which we will put into the context of priority and act immedi -

ately,” Persaud reasoned. This was the second presidential outreach held where the Public Works Ministry was on the ground to listen to concerns. From

the last one in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), the Ministry was able to act in a short time to have certain issues fixed.

“Not only coming out

of this outreach but also the President’s first outreach in Region Six, we have many of those roads and we have been able to take action in a very short

time. The framework that we have is similar and I think it is great because not only are we able to [hear individual] cases but it showcases what the Government is doing un -

der President Ali’s programme for the region.”

In 2023, the Government of Guyana allocated $136.1 billion in the National Budget to upgrade or create new road and bridge networks across the country. This was a notable hike from the $67.9 billion spent in 2022 to improve infrastructure and connectivity in the country.

A breakdown shows allocations for projects such as widening of the Corentyne Highway from Palmyra to Crabwood Creek; the East Bank Road linkage from Ogle to Eccles; upgrading the East Bank road from Prospect to Timehri; a new four-lane highway from Schoonord to Crane; the Ituni to Tacama road; and rehabilitating the LindenSoesdyke Highway among others.

For other linkages, works will progress for the Kurupukari Crossing Bridge and Wismar Bridge. (G12)

“Judge us on our work, not...

Meanwhile, GECOM has already been in preparation mode over the past few months as it gears up for the long overdue elections. Also in February, the Commission announced that it has reopened the process to provide a further opportunity for political parties, groups, or individuals wanting to contest the upcoming LGE to submit their applications for approval of their symbols.

However, it was explained that those political parties, voluntary groups, and individuals who have already applied for approval of their symbols, and who would have already received notification that their symbols were approved are not required to reapply.

GECOM has previously indicated that its approved work plan entails, among

FROM PAGE 2

other things, that the Elections Secretariat would immediately move to roll out a robust civic and voter education programme, appoint Electoral Registrars and Assistant Electoral Registrars, and extract the Preliminary List of Voters (PLV).

Prior to the date for LGE being set, GECOM had decided to adopt a report from the CEO confirming changes to constituency boundaries, moving the Commission closer to holding elections – although not without a fight from the Oppositionnominated Commissioners.

It was decided last year that 14 areas in which boundaries were modified by the former APNU/AFC Government would be reverted in the lead-up to the LGE when they are held, to allow for better representation. (G3)

Residents shared their concerns regarding infrastructure with the Ministry during the two-day outreach

Some of the Young Professional homes in Linden

Region 5 has country’s lowest school dropout rate

...as Welfare Department faces challenge of upsurge in school violence

Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) currently has the country’s lowest dropout rate at the primary level, which is 0.1 per cent.

However, the region’s welfare department is facing the challenges of an upsurge of violence in schools.

Only recently a teacher of Fort Wellington Secondary was attacked by a group of students assisted by an adult after he had sent a student to the Head Teacher’s office for disrespectful behaviour.

According to Senior School Welfare Officer (SSWO) of Region Five, Gloria Davidson-James, the department has been working hard to realise change.

She noted that welfare workers are responsible for many of the positive changes in the lives of some school children.

“Sometimes you have children that come to you who are suicidal; persons not caring about them and put them aside, and when you can change them after working with them socially – sometimes you overstep your boundaries and work with them academically too and have them top a school, you feel proud of what you are doing.”

Speaking of one success story, Davidson-James related the story of a child who attended a secondary school in the region.

“Everyone thought he was the worst child because he displayed certain behaviour; like substance abuse and behaviours that were unbecoming with peers and persons put him away.”

She pointed out that the welfare department was called in and the child was told to visit the office situated at Fort Wellington.

“When he came to our office, we worked with him,” Davidson-James continued.

“Not only did we work with him socially, but we worked with him emotionally and academically because we had officers calling him to study at nights and ensured that he studied, even video chatting with him.”

She explained that when the CSEC results were released the school was baffled and some teachers said it was not a child from their school; he topped the school.

According to DavidsonJames, this was the experience of a student prior to the COVID-19 pandemic; emphasising that the methods used by the welfare officers to help that student to study were being used by them even before the pandemic.

“We have many more including teenage mothers who are success stories. Last year we had one who was living with her parents and she became pregnant and wanted to drop out of school but we counselled

We have Moraikobai (an Amerindian village located in Mahaica-Berbice) we are dealing with them and reaching out to them but sometimes some traits and culture from Lethem are displayed so we need to understand those cultures. So exchange visits will help,” she explained.

her and encouraged her. We even had a teacher who took her into her home...”

That student who became a teen mother was successful at her CSEC.

“Had she dropped out, she would not have gotten those seven subjects. She is hoping to become a teacher...”

Challenges

With the recent upsurge of violence in schools, Davidson-James agreed that it is very challenging but noted that they have prepared themselves for the challenges well in advance.

“What we do in Region Five is that we work on different ideas, focusing on different behavioural patterns that children would have. That is why the numbers that we are having with children in school is so low and attendance is high.”

The region currently has the country’s lowest dropout rate of 0.1 percent.

Overall, in Guyana, the school dropout rate is about 2.0 per cent while the Caribbean has an average school dropout rate of 20. This is according to an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report. That report was done in 2015.

“We look at our children’s needs, though you have the challenge you have to look at the needs. We do a lot of film festivals,” Davison said, while noting that while they have not commenced as yet for the year, the motivational videos being shown consistently along with the guidance and counselling officers in schools, help students to improve their behaviour.

“We do a lot of writing when they come for counselling. They write how they feel... That is working for us but sometimes the new behaviour challenges us and so you have to do new research.”

More exchange programmes

The senior welfare officer is suggesting that more exchange programmes be held for welfare officers so they can be exposed to different cultures in the country as well as likely behaviour patterns.

“For example, we are living on the coast and their behaviour is totally different from persons in Lethem.

Noting that persons migrate to different parts of the country, Davison said it is important for them as officers to be rounded individuals to best serve the school population.

However, she pointed out that the department in Region Five is well equipped with the needed skills as all of the officers have acquired their Master’s degree.

Improvement

There is always room for improvement, the officer told this publication.

“Sometimes the resources are not readily available. I must commend the region, which has been doing its best to provide for the needs. The real challenges are the new things that they would come up with,” Davidson-James said, referring to students.

“But as soon as they come up with them, we do research and ensure that we put systems in place so that we can eliminate

them,” she added.

Some people run from welfare but for us when they come, they never want to leave.”

She said apart from counselling and dealing with matters in schools which include attendance, they provide care packages, guidance and have career fairs to educate children. “For those who have behavioural issues, we see changes in them even working with them to help them to get a job. We do a whole lot of things just to motivate people,” she explained.

Honoured Welfare Officers

Meanwhile on Friday, Regional Education Officer

of Region Five (ag) Keane Adams honoured welfare officers attached to the education department to show the pivotal role they play, especially at this point in time.

The event was part of activities in observance of social work month.

World Social Work Day was on March 21, 2023. This year’s theme was “Respecting diversity through joint social action”.

Meanwhile, during the month of April, the welfare department will be conducting community tours to get the concerns of persons that have school-aged children with the aim of developing a programme to help

parents and their children.

The month will also see the department carrying out operation care campaign.

This campaign is where welfare officers go in search of children that are absent from school or do not attend school. When found, they are engaged along with parents or guardians to find out the reasons for the child’s absenteeism. Ways are also sought to get the child reintegrated into the school system.

According to DavidsonJames, in some cases, other help that is needed such as school clothing or referral for public assistance. (Andrew Carmichael)

Senior School Welfare Officer Region Five, Gloria Davidson-James

Welfare Officers, from left to right: Roxane LaRose, Salonga Puran, Shikeia Frantzen, Ebony Richmond and Gloria Davison-James

Buxton Farmers’ Group gets farming tools from Agri Ministry

…encouraged to have youth involvement in agriculture

Representatives from the BuxtonFriendship Farmers’ Group received a number of inputs and farming implements from

the Agriculture Ministry to further encourage youth involvement in the agriculture sector.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha while

offering brief remarks at the handing over said that he has been working with the group since he became Minister to develop agriculture in the villages. He also said that a number of drainage and irrigation works were done and are still ongoing to ensure infrastructure is in place to minimise flooding and provide sufficient irrigation.

Chairman of the group, Leroy Hamer said that the tools will be used to assist young farmers as the group is now working to promote intercropping. While expressing his

gratitude to the Minister for the items, he said that this was not the first time that the group benefited from assistance from the Ministry and that he looks forward to working with the Ministry to promote agriculture among youths in the village.

Mustapha, a release from the Ministry also committed to assisting with providing the group with planting materials to develop their coconut cultivation.

The items included a mechanical tiller, forks, rakes, garden hoes, shovels, cutlasses, and files.

The Lusignan Diabetes Comprehensive Centre, located on the East Coast of Demerara, has been officially commissioned and opened to diabetic patients in surrounding communities.

It will provide a holistic approach to the care of diabetic patients and stymie the development of irreversible complications. Foot care management, eye care screening, laboratory testing, heart care management, endocrinology, kidney care, radiology services, dietary and mental counselling and physiotherapy and rehabilitated services will be offered, as part of the Ministry’s effort to decrease the number of fatalities linked to non-communicable diseases.

The centre will also support laboratory testing for all health facilities along the East Coast corridor and at the same time, become a training hub for medical personnel in diabetes management.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, during his feature address, said that this initiative is geared towards reducing the instances of fatalities, caused by non-communicable diseases

such as diabetes.

“We want to demonstrate over another year or so… We’ll do an evaluation to see if this has been effective, if this is reducing the complications of diabetes… if this is delaying in some cases. We want to assess all of that and if we see what we envisage that this is working, then this model will be replicated in other parts of our country,” Dr Anthony is quoted by DPI as saying.

He added that other programmes will be rolled out which will target other types of non-communicable diseases.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Presidential Commission of the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Dr Leslie Ramsammy commended the initiative. “We believe that from this centre, actions will be taken to improve the services that we provide for diabetes care around the country,” he asserted.

PAHO Representative Luis Codina expressed, “PAHO is confident that the services provided at the centre will ensure better management and patients affected by diabetes and its complications.”

Buxton-Friendship Farmers’ Group receiving tools from Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

Centre for diabetic care officially commissioned on ECD

Health challenges and emerging trends

Tourism leads region’s recovery despite challenges

Caribbean tourism continues to lead the region’s economic recovery but faces formidable challenges, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has said.

World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7th, to commemorate the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) and to raise awareness about various health issues around the world. Over the years, the focus of World Health Day has shifted to addressing different health challenges and emerging trends.

In recent years, the world has witnessed a growing interest in preventive health, which involves taking measures to prevent diseases from occurring. This trend has been driven by the increasing burden of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. These diseases are often caused by lifestyle factors, such as unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption. As a result, World Health Day has increasingly focused on promoting healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and avoiding harmful substances like tobacco and alcohol.

Governments, non-governmental organizations, and public health agencies have been working together to create policies and programmes that encourage people to adopt healthy behaviours.

Presenting the findings from its annual tourism industry performance and outlook survey on Wednesday, CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig reported that the pace of the regions’ tourism recovery continues to be threatened by rising operating costs, labour shortages, increasing airfares, global competition, economic uncertainty, and pressures from some governments to increase taxes among other challenges.

“Despite the challenges, the industry remains bullish about the future of tourism in the Caribbean,” she said, while also underscoring the importance of public-private sector collaboration to address challenges like stimulating greater intra-regional travel.

The Caribbean, which industry statistics have dubbed one of the fastest recovering tourism regions in 2022,

Challenges

reached 85 per cent and 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels across most of its countries. Last year the region welcomed over 28 million visitors with stakeholders already projecting overall arrivals to increase by 10-15 per cent this year.

“While we’ve turned the pandemic corner, we’re not out of the woods yet. Many businesses are still climbing out of massive debts and facing global competitive pressures on price increases. Now is not the time to increase taxes as we are hearing from

several countries, addressing our looming labour shortages, climate change and strengthening linkages between tourism and other areas of our economies are more critically important,” Madden-Greig added.

From the survey conducted last month with just under 100 businesses, 77 per cent from the accommodations sector and the other 23 per cent from tourism-related sectors such as attractions, tour operators and restaurants, the respondents identified the top issues affect-

ing their businesses. Some of which they said included airlift cost and availability, taxes and duties, labour shortages, crime and safety and poor infrastructure. These, even as the industry face other challenges concerning environmental degradation such as climate change, sargassum overgrowth and improper waste management.

“Another key concern of tourism stakeholders is insufficient destination marketing,” Madden-Greig noted.

She said that as concerns remain about the lack of having a more strategic regional marketing approach, the CHTA working in partnership with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will seek to examine the issue more closely as they try to develop meaningful solutions.

Despite the challenges highlighted, the CHTA head, however, asserted that her organisation remains “committed to supporting its members and working with governments and other stakeholders to address the issues facing the industry”.

(Jamaica Observer)

T&T minister’s nephew arrested with armour-piercing bullets

The nephew of a government minister spent Friday night in a cell at a police station, after being held with armour-piercing bullets.

Another important trend in World Health Day is the increasing emphasis on mental health. Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and stress are becoming more common around the world, and they have a significant impact on individuals, families, and communities. World Health Day has been instrumental in raising awareness about mental health issues, and reducing the stigma associated with them.

The Environmental Protection Agency is dedicated to ensuring that its workforce has access to the best resources for preventing and managing such issues. This commitment is reflected in several initiatives, including the establishment of a Health and Safety Committee, the appointment of a new Human Resource Director, and the creation of an Emergency Response Team with well-defined Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Further, the Agency has taken direct action to address mental health concerns by promoting the development of recreational spaces and clubs to engage in activities such as yoga, Scrabble, dominoes, cricket, and football, among others. In addition, the Agency frequently organizes blood drive events to encourage staff to become blood donors, which is a healthy practice with significant benefits.

Further, in fulfilling its mandate of protecting human health and the health of the natural environment, the EPA continues to monitor operations to ensure good air and water quality, and investigate complaints of incidents which pose danger to human health.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The 31-year-old man was arrested by police officers on Friday (March 31, 2023), after 60 rounds of 5.56 calibre ammunition were found in his possession.

The ammunition is used in high-powered assault rifles, including AK-47s.

The suspect was the front-seat passenger in a black Ford Ranger that was stopped by the police along the southbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway near Indian Trail overpass shortly before 2 pm, after they observed that he was not wearing a seat belt.

While the officers were speaking to the driver, the suspect opened the door and began to run.

The officers ran after him and held him about 30 feet away. In his pocket, the officers allegedly found the 60 rounds of ammunition.

The 34-year-old driver, who is from Point Fortin, also was arrested.

Police subsequently searched the suspects’ homes at Cap-de-Ville in Point in Fortin, and Claxton Bay. At the latter’s address, officers allegedly found one AK-47 magazine, a silencer and a quantity of 9-millimetre ammunition.

Up to this morning, both men were still in custody.

The minister’s nephew reportedly is currently at the Marabella Police Station.

Investigations are continuing. (T&T Guardian)

concerning environmental degradation such as climate change, sargassum overgrowth and improper waste management continue to affect the region’s tourism despite its strong recovery, CHTA’s annual tourism industry performance and outlook survey has found

Almost a third of Brazilians disapprove of Lula, poll shows

Almost a third of Brazilians disapprove of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, putting the leftist leader at about the same level of unpopularity as his right-wing predecessor Jair Bolsonaro during the first three months of his presidency, a poll cited by the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo showed on Saturday.

Lula, who took office in January after narrowly defeating Bolsonaro in an election last October, has the approval of 38% of Brazilians, with 29% disapproving of his performance, according to a Datafolha survey.

Bolsonaro, who served as President from 2019 to the end of 2022, never formally conceded defeat to Lula. On Jan 8, barely a

Brazil's President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, attending a ceremony at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil March 21, 2023

week after Lula began his third term as President, Bolsonaro supporters stormed Government buildings in the federal capital Brasilia to protest the election result. After about three months in self-imposed ex-

IMF lowers bar on expectations for Argentina's FX reserves

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board approved changes to Argentina's reserves accumulation target set in their US$44 billion programme, as the agriculture powerhouse faces a severe drought seen pummelling both exports and economic growth.

Easing the reserves accumulation target was part of the fourth review under the country's US$44 billion programme, with Argentina looking to soften expectations on its economic performance.

was "met with some margin," according to the fund.

But weighing on further forex accumulation, Argentina's Central Bank sold in March the largest monthly amount of dollars since October 2019 as it struggles to prop up the local peso currency.

The Argentine peso, on a crawling peg to the dollar, is down 15% this year versus the US currency

On Friday, JPMorgan had further downgraded its view on Argentina's economic growth this year with

its estimate for a 2.3% GDP contraction, citing the even harsher effects of a recent, less-intense drought.

Argentina is the world’s top exporter of soy oil and meal and the No 3 for corn, exports of which are the main source of its foreign currency income.

A Government official said on Thursday the country would roll out a preferential exchange rate for farmers to encourage exports of key cash crop soy and other products starting next month. (Except from Reuters)

ile in the United States, Bolsonaro returned to Brazil this week.

Datafolha interviewed 2028 people on Wednesday and Thursday in 126 cities. The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus two percentage points. (Reuters)

The IMF Board "approved modifications to the reserve accumulation targets to partially accommodate the impact of the severe drought," the fund said in a statement, without detailing the new targets.

The change in the targeted reserves lowers the bar for the South American economy to pass future IMF reviews. The current review, based on targets through December,

Experts decry ‘black holes’ in probe of missing Mexican students

Anew report has iden-

tified failures in an investigation into the 2014 disappearance of 43 students in Mexico, one of the most high-profile mass kidnappings in recent history.

The Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI), a panel of experts appointed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, released its findings on Friday, concluding that Mexican authorities failed to follow through with arrests related to the case.

It also determined that key pieces of information had been withheld, particularly about military involvement in the kidnapping.

“There are black holes where the information disappears,” said Carlos Beristain, one of the mem-

bers of the GIEI panel.

It is the latest damning report on an ongoing, scandal-ridden probe into the events of September 26, 2014, when 43 students from Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College were forcibly disappeared.

The students had commandeered a set of buses

in the city of Iguala, as part of an annual protest tradition to drive to Mexico City to mark the 1968 Tlatelolco student protest massacre.

But they were intercepted by Police — and what happened next remains murky. Mexican authorities have speculated that the students were turned over to

Venezuela investigates possible corruption at state metals conglomerate

Venezuela's Attorney General said on Friday he was investigating alleged acts of corruption in state-owned metals conglomerate Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana (CVG).

"The Public Ministry ratifies its commitment to the relentless fight against corruption," Attorney General Tarek William Saab wrote on Twitter.

Three prosecutors have been appointed to the case, Saab said.

Five officials of the steel and aluminium corporation, including its president, Pedro Maldonado, have been detained by anti-corruption agents, according to the Government-linked newspa-

Belize imposes stricter immigration requirements for Jamaicans and Haitians

The Belize Government has announced new measures regarding the entry requirements into the Caribbean Community (Caricom) country for nationals from Haiti and Jamaica.

tionals to provide evidence of fully paid non-refundable hotel reservations prior to boarding flights to Belize.

local cartels associated with the Police and military, and subsequently murdered.

Some charred bone fragments have been recovered, matched through DNA to three of the missing students. The rest of the bodies, however, have never been found.

In Friday’s news conference, GIEI member Angela Buitrago called for arrests to continue in the case. Some of the outstanding arrest orders were more than six months old, according to the GIEI’s report.

“We have insisted on the need for verifying and carrying out these arrest orders,” Buitrago said, indicating that several public officials were among the suspects still at large. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

The John Briceno Government said following a “thorough discussion” on the increasing number of visitors who are using Belize as a transit country to reach the United States, Cabinet has determined that Belize will invoke Article 226 (a) of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which governs the 15-member regional integration movement of which both Jamaica and Haiti belong.

According to the Government statement, invoking Article 226 (a) of the treaty would “allow for the Minister of Immigration to immediately impose a visa requirement for Haitians wishing to visit Belize and to require Jamaican na-

“In addition, a ministerial task force was set up to address the rampant smuggling occurring in this regard. The ministerial subcommittee will be chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration and will include the Minister of Home Affairs & New Growth Industries and the Minister of Tourism & Diaspora Relations,” the statement said.

Both Haiti and Jamaica are signatories to the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) that facilitates the right to establishment businesses, to provide regional services, the free movement of capital and the coordination of economic policies.

It also allows for immigration arrangements for the free movement of people within the grouping. (Jamaica Observer)

Over 500 St Lucian MSMEs to benefit from new funding

per Ultimas Noticias. Prosecutors were already investigating corruption allegations at state oil company PDVSA and a Government entity that oversees cryptocurrency transactions, which were led by Tareck El Aissami, one of the Government's most powerful men who resigned as Oil Minister two weeks ago.

He is set to be replaced by the head of PDVSA, Pedro Tellechea. Saab said two officials from the production department of the Orinoco belt, Jackeline Perico and Jose Lima, have also been arrested on corruption charges at PDVSA.

Some 21 people includ-

ing officials, businessmen and a deputy have already been arrested and charged for investigations related to the losses suffered by the oil company when tankers left the country with shipments that had not been fully paid for, authorities said.

Venezuela's ruling party-controlled National Assembly later voted to approve a first reading of a law to confiscate the assets from the corrupt. The law requires a second reading before it is passed.

"This stolen money is the people's money that must be administered by the state," Diosdado Cabello, the ruling party's second-in-command said during a special session of Parliament. (Reuters)

Approximately 500 St Lucian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are now eligible to access capital to grow and jump-start their business ventures post-COVID-19 from a new MSME Loan Grant Facility.

The over EC$10 million in new funding was secured by the Government of St Lucia from the Caribbean Development Bank's (CDB) Special Development Fund 10th Cycle Loan Facility. Conceptualised by Prime Minister Philip J Pierre back in 2021, the MSME facility was officially launched this month.

"I said to my colleagues we have to do something for

small businesses and we articulated a clear policy position in our 2021-26 manifesto, to implement a series of measures to revitalise the business sector and to provide partial government guarantees to financial institutions for financing the working capital requirements of affected businesses during the recovery process," Pierre said.

"We must have wealth creators, we can't have people working for people only, we need to have innovators, we need entrepreneurs so we need small businesses to develop," he added

As per the conditions of the facility, up to 70 per cent of the funding for ap-

proved applicants will take the form of grant with the next 30 per cent offered as loan at an interest rate of 3 per cent with minimum collateral requirements. Qualified entrepreneurs and new business owners can access up to EC$10,000 while eligible businesses less than two years old can apply for up to EC$20,000 with those over two years eligible to receive up to EC$25,000. Priority areas include manufacturing (eg agro-processing), agriculture, agro-tourism and services (beauty and wellness, creative industries, ICT and professional services). (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Protesters in Mexico City march in remembrance of the 43 missing college students, December 2022 [Raquel Cunha/Reuters]

Around the World OIL NEWS

Zelenskiy says Russian UN Security Council presidency is absurd

OPEC oil production dropped in March

Crude oil production from OPEC declined by 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) in March compared to February, as operators suspended some production in Kurdistan due to a halt in exports from the Mediterranean and as Angola carried out some field maintenance, the monthly Reuters survey showed on Friday.

All 13 OPEC members produced 28.90 million bpd in March, according to the survey tracking the supply to the market from tanker tracking providers and sources at consultancies, OPEC, and oil firms.

The 10 OPEC producers part of the OPEC+ pact saw their compliance with the quotas jumping to 173% of pledged cuts in March, up from 169% in February.

The biggest drivers of lower OPEC output were two of the OPEC+ participants, Angola and Iraq.

Angola, which is severely lagging in its production quota anyway, saw output further slip in March due to field maintenance on the Dalia crude stream.

Iraq, for its part, halted on March 25 exports from the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan via a pipeline through Turkey and the Turkish port of Ceyhan. Several foreign oil firms operating in Kurdistan have announced in recent days they were shutting in production as storage has hit capacity while exports are still halted.

Kurdistan’s crude oil exports – around 400,000 bpd shipped through an Iraqi-Turkey pipeline to Ceyhan and then on tankers to the international markets – were halted late last week by the Federal Government of Iraq after the International Chamber of Commerce ruled in favour of Iraq against Turkey in a dispute over crude flows from Kurdistan. Iraq had argued that Turkey shouldn’t allow Kurdish oil exports via the IraqTurkey pipeline and Ceyhan without approval from the federal government of Iraq.

Meanwhile, OPEC+ is set to stick to the agreement from October 2022 to cut production by 2 million bpd until 2023, when delegates meet on Monday to discuss the state of the oil market, various sources have suggested. (Oilprice.com)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday said it was absurd Russia had assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council, adding this showed the institution's "total bankruptcy".

On Saturday Russia took over the presidency of the UN's top security body, which rotates every month. The last time Moscow held the post was in February 2022, when its troops launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"Unfortunately, we ... have some obviously absurd and destructive news," Zelenskiy said in an evening video address, adding that Russian shelling had killed a five-month-old boy on Friday.

"And at the same time

Russia is chairing the UN Security Council. It's hard to imagine anything that proves more the total bankruptcy of such institutions," he said.

The Kremlin said on Friday it planned to "exercise all its rights" in the

role. The United States on Thursday urged Russia to "conduct itself professionally" when it assumes the role, saying there was no means to block Moscow from the post.

Zelenskiy said it was time for a general overhaul of global institutions, including the Security Council.

"Reform is obviously necessary to prevent a terrorist state - and any other state that wants to be a terrorist - from destroying the peace," he said.

Earlier, Zelenskiy advisor Andriy Yermak also hit out at Iran, which Kyiv and its allies accuse of supplying Russia with arms.

Tehran denies it is giving weapons to Russia.

"It is very telling that on the holiday of one terror state – Iran – another terror state – Russia – begins to preside over the UN Security Council," Yermak wrote on Twitter, referring to Iran's Islamic Republic Day holiday. (Excerpt from Reuters)

2 Iranian women arrested for not covering hair after man attacks them with yoghurt

Two women have been arrested in Iran after being attacked with yoghurt, seemingly for not covering their hair in public.

In the video, which went viral, two female customers are approached by the man, who begins talking to them.

He then takes what appears to be a tub of yoghurt from a shelf and angrily throws it over their heads.

Iran's Judiciary said the two women have been detained for showing their hair, which is illegal in Iran.

The man has also been arrested for disturbing the public order, it added.

The arrests follow months of protests in the country demanding an end to the compulsory wearing of the hijab (headscarf).

The footage shows the

women in the shop, waiting to be served by a member of staff. A man who looks to be passing by then walks in to confront them.

After he speaks, he repeatedly attacks them with yoghurt. The attacker is then pushed out of the shop by the shopkeeper.

Arrest warrants were issued and the three were subsequently arrested, the Judiciary's Mizan news agency reported.

It added that "necessary notices" have been issued to the owner of the shop to ensure compliance with the law.

Not wearing the hijab in public is illegal for women in Iran, however in big cities, many walk around without it despite the rules.

Anger and frustration

Death toll nears 20 as storm takes aim at eastern US

Aviolent storm packing high winds and heavy rains ripped through Southern and Midwestern sections of the United States as it headed east on Saturday, leaving 18 dead and scores injured, according to officials and media reports.

At least five people were killed in Arkansas, according to officials, as first responders sifted through debris for more possible victims after tornadoes sliced through the state on Friday.

Officials also reported one death in Illinois and three in Indiana, while local media on Saturday said there were seven deaths in McNairy County, Tennessee, at the Mississippi border. Fox News reported one

death each in Alabama and Mississippi.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Saturday afternoon in parts of central New York state and central and eastern Pennsylvania, with wind gusts of up to 65 miles (105 km) per hour.

Rain and winds were also expected in eastern Ohio and parts of West Virginia, according to the weather service.

Severe, high winds with gusts up to 60 mph (100 kph) were also forecast for Washington, DC, through Saturday.

The twisters sheared roofs and walls from many buildings in Arkansas, flipped over vehicles and downed trees and power

lines in Little Rock and large areas east and northeast of the state capital, officials said.

The blast of extreme spring weather swept much

of the United States on Friday, menacing the nation's midsection from Texas to the Great Lakes with thunderstorms and tornados. (Excerpt from Reuters)

with the law have driven dissent in Iranian society.

Protests spread across the Islamic Republic in September following the death of Mahsa Amini, a

22-year-old woman detained by morality Police in Tehran for allegedly wearing her hijab "improperly". (Excerpt from BBC News)

8 bodies found in St Lawrence River near US-Canada border

Authorities say they have recovered the bodies of eight migrants, including two children, who died trying to cross illegally from Canada into the US.

A Police helicopter spotted two more bodies in the St Lawrence River on Friday. Two families from Romania and India are among the dead.

Officials at the time were searching for a missing boater in the area, Casey Oakes, 30. He is still missing.

It is unclear if there is any link between Oakes and the families.

Police said the first body was found around 17:00 local time (21:00 GMT) in a marsh in Tsi Snaihne in Akwesasne, a Mohawk territory right between the USCanada border.

The other bodies were discovered nearby. Their identities have not yet been released by Police.

The dead were six adults and two children.

One child was under the age of three and had a Canadian passport. The other infant was also a Canadian citizen, a local Police Chief told reporters at a Friday news conference.

The bodies are believed to be from two families, one of Romanian descent and one of Indian descent, LeeAnn O'Brien, deputy chief of Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, told reporters.

"All are believed to have been attempting illegal entry into the US from Canada," O'Brien said. She added that weather conditions were rough in the area on Wednesday night.

The bodies were found in the Quebec area of Akwesasne, a Mohawk community whose territory includes parts of Ontario, Quebec and New York State. It is located about 120km west of Montreal.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visiting positions of Ukrainian Border Guards near the border with Russia, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy region, Ukraine March 28, 2023

US border agents have noted an uptick of people crossing back from Canada

Jodee Minks holding memorabilia cries while looking at the destroyed school she owns the day after a tornado hit Sullivan, Indiana, US April 1, 2023

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

GEMINI (MAY 28June 20)

CANCER

(June 21July 22)

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Rethink your strategy and revisit experiences that can help you make better decisions. Focus on home, family and taking care of your obligations before someone complains.

Make plans with someone who shares your concerns. Getting involved in something that can change someone’s life will be rewarding. Don’t share your feelings until you are sure it’s warranted.

Preparation will save you money. Put your heart and soul into something that will bring in more cash. Home improvements can be affordable if you do the work yourself.

Your decisions will impact others, and you’ll get better results if you work alone. Look up the latest trends and use what you discover to make life easier. Don’t make empty promises.

Make a list of what’s important to you. Big ideas will excite you, but put a budget in place before you agree to something you may not need to do. Think about adjustments you could make.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

An emotional outlook can serve you well when dealing with a loved one. Express your concerns, honor your promises and vow to work with those you care about most. Speak from the heart.

Initiate changes at home that will make your life easier. Freeing up time will give you a chance to help a cause you believe in or a friend in need. Your input can make a difference.

Make your move. Romance is in the stars; how you react to an overture will determine what happens next. A lifestyle change will encourage significant opportunities.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22Jan. 19)

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES

(Feb. 20Mar. 20)

Say no to anyone trying to take advantage of you. Stick close to home and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Think outside the box, and you’ll come up with stellar solutions.

Distance yourself from anyone asking too many questions. Look inward and consider what you’d like to change. Adopting a new look or adjusting your living arrangements will pay off.

Observe, consider your options and be prepared to do things differently. The changes you make will increase your cash flow and give you hope for a better future.

You’ll accomplish much if you do your spring cleaning or tidy up loose ends. Focus on your money, living space and relationships. A proposal or change to your domestic arrangements looks promising.

Peanuts

Calvin and Hobbes

Pickles

Makeda Harding leads Guyana women’s hockey team to Junior Pan Am Championships

TheGuyana Under-21

women’s hockey team is scheduled to compete in the 2023 Junior Pan American Championships, scheduled for 10–18 April in Bridgetown, Barbados. This will be the first-ever junior women’s team to represent the country in any competition.

Seven junior women’s teams will be participating in this competition, which is a qualifier for the 2023 Junior World Cup, to be held in Santiago, Chile in December.

While there is no official ranking for junior teams, Guyana’s women’s team is ranked #72 in the world.

In these Championships, the Guyanese girls come up against Chile (#14), Canada (#15) and Barbados (#41). The other pool in the competition features Argentina (#2), USA (#16) and Uruguay (#25).

While the Guyanese squad features a few experienced players in Captain Makeda Harding, Sarah Klautky, Clayza Bobb, Kirsten Gomes, Abosaide Cadogan and Madison Fernandes, the rest of the squad is new to international competition, and most would be seeing a hockey artificial grass field for the first time

in their lives.

The players have been robbed of a full calendar of competition for the last few years, as the COVID pandemic had interrupted the usual hockey calendar of local events. And while the players have been committed to the preparation programme, the unfortunate weather early in the year had rendered most fields unusable and had forced the players indoors at the National Gymnasium for training.

According to coach Philip Fernandes, these conditions were far from optimal, and have placed a further strain on the country’s ability to produce successful teams.

Indian Premier League 2023…

Fernandes has expressed disappointment that, after more than 20 years of making request, the Federation is no closer to securing an artificial surface for hockey, which all other teams in the Pan American Federation have.

“While all other teams consistently train on fullsized artificial surfaces yearround, just because these players are born in Guyana, they have to make do with thick grass fields, which are often unavailable; a reduced-size Gymnasium; a small, basketball court-size, carpeted surface; or the onceper-week National Stadium training.” Fernandes has

said. “Our players deserve better than this! And I am hopeful that, some day, the commitment and passion of our players will be rewarded with suitable facilities that can enable greater success.”

When asked about the Providence artificial football field, Fernandes indicated that while the field would be ideal, the GFF had indicated a fear of their warranty being voided, and therefore they could not allow hockey to train there.

There are no easy matches in this competition, as Guyana is the lowest-ranked team in the competition, the only team making its international

debut, and the only team featuring players who have never played the game on an artificial surface.

Fernandes indicated that while expectations are modest, the team has to start somewhere, and if competition comes as close as Barbados and our players don’t participate, they will never gain the experience needed to be competitive in the future.

Guyana’s girls will face Canada in their very first match on Tuesday 11th April at 11:00am. They face hosts Barbados the following afternoon at 1:30pm, and complete their pool-round matches against Chile on Friday April 14th at 12:00 noon. The tournament will then go to crossovers with the other pool, with the finals being played on Tuesday 18th April at 3:30pm.

Arshdeep, Rajapaksa lead Punjab Kings to victory in rain-hit game

Formost of the contest, Kolkata Knight Riders were behind the run of play against Punjab Kings. Chasing 192, they were 80 for 5, with victory looking like a bleak possibility.

That’s when Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer stitched together a partnership that appeared to take them ahead in the match for the first time. Russell’s six and four off Sam Curran brought the equation down to 62 needed from 32, with the balance of power shifting. It also brought Knight Riders closer to the DLS target, with rain hovering around Mohali.

But Russell fell next ball to Curran, Venkatesh perished in the next over, and the DLS ballooned beyond reach. Despite Shardul Thakur and Sunil Narine scoring 15 off five balls between them, Kings held on to stay ahead, and when rain finally stopped play, the DLS table showed the hosts were seven ahead, just enough to pocket two points in their season opener.

Knight Riders were behind the DLS target because of their loss of wickets up top. Arshdeep Singh was the wrecker-in-chief with the new ball, helping to reduce Knight Riders to 29 for 3. He also dismissed Venkatesh later, to finish with 3 for 19 in three overs. Kings were excellent with the bat as well, especially Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who made a 32-ball 50. His

knock lifted Kings to 100 for 1 in ten overs; but they failed to get a boost at the death, finishing only on 191 for 5. At the time, it looked like a score that was just about par

up his end of the bargain for the Kings to post a big total. His replacement, Rishi, conceded 15 in the only over he bowled.

For Knight Riders, it was

one of their most inexperienced top-six units, and both Mandeep Singh and Anukul Roy struggled against Arshdeep’s accurate shortpitch bowling, which was aimed at their necks.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz sparkled with three fours and a six to race to 22 off 16, but when he fell as the third wicket, the rest of the chase was an uphill battle. Nitish Rana made 24 in 17, and Rinku Singh was out cheaply too, leaving old hands Venkatesh and Russell to do the repair job.

Eventually, it was Curran who brought the breakthrough with a short ball that had Russell pulling to midwicket. Narine and Shardul gave Knight Riders a brief glimmer of hope, but that was about it.

overs from Varun restricted their progress.

Raza, Curran and Shahrukh Khan put together small cameos to score 53 in 37 balls between them

at the death, and even if that left Kings a little disappointed, Arshdeep’s newball spell in the second innings ensured their victory. (ESPNCricfo)

SCOREBOARD

Punjab Kings (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R B

Prabhsimran Singhc†Rahmanullah

Gurbaz b Southee 23 12

Shikhar Dhawan (c) b Varun 40 29

Bhanuka Rajapaksa

c Singh b Yadav 50 32

Jitesh Sharma † c Yadav

b Southee 21 11

Sikandar Raza c Rana b Narine 16 13

Sam Curran not out 26 17

M Shahrukh Khan not out 11 7

Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 2) 4

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 9.55) 191/5

Did not bat: Harpreet Brar,

Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep

on a batting-friendly surface. In the end, it was enough.

Impact Player’s impact

Rajapaksa was replaced by Rishi Dhawan, the bowling allrounder, for the second innings, but the Sri Lankan had done the damage by then. He picked up from where opener Prabhsimran Singh left off in the afternoon, and was especially brutal against spin. He used his feet to attack both pacers and spinners, and overshadowed captain Shikhar Dhawan, who struggled to find much strike.

When Rajapaksa was out in the 11th over, he had held

Varun Chakravarthy who was swapped out after the first innings. Varun bowled smartly to finish with 1 for 26 in four overs, but it was a given that Venkatesh or N. Jagadeesan would replace him. When the Knight Riders were 17 for 2 in two overs, they opted for Venkatesh. He made 34 in 28 balls.

CRUMBLE

Knight Riders’ batting always gave the impression that they would either impress magnificently or crash and burn. More so, with their regular captain Shreyas Iyer also missing, they went with

A SOLID PERFORMANCE

Kings were inserted at the toss, and Prabhsimran’s 12-ball 23 was the perfect start for them. Even though Shikhar was starved for strike, it didn’t impact Kings’ scoring rate, because of Rajapaksa’s assault, especially on Narine. In all, Rajapaksa muscled five fours and two sixes to reach his half-century in 30 balls.

After his dismissal, Jitesh Sharma took over, smacking 21 in 11. Even when Varun bowled Shikhar for 40, to make it 143 for 3 in 14.3 overs, Kings aimed for 200plus. But a couple of quiet

Singh, Nathan Ellis

Fall of wickets: 1-23

(Prabhsimran Singh, 1.6 ov), 2-109

(Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 10.6 ov), 3-135

(Jitesh Sharma, 13.3 ov), 4-143

(Shikhar Dhawan, 14.3 ov), 5-168

(Sikandar Raza, 17.5 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Umesh Yadav 4-0-27-1

Tim Southee 4-0-54-2

Sunil Narine 4-0-40-1

Varun Chakravarthy 4-0-26-1

Shardul Thakur 4-0-43-0

Kolkata Knight Riders

(T: 154 runs from 16 ovs)

BATTING R B

Mandeep Singh c Curran

b Arshdeep Singh 2 4

Rahmanullah Gurbaz † b Ellis 22 16

Anukul Roy c Sikandar Raza b Arshdeep Singh 4 5

Venkatesh Iyer c Chahar

b Arshdeep Singh 34 28

Nitish Rana (c) c Chahar

b Sikandar Raza 24 17

Rinku Singh c Sikandar Raza b Chahar 4 4

Andre Russell c Sikandar Raza b Curran 35 19

Shardul Thakur not out 8 3

Sunil Narine not out 7 2

Extras (b 1, lb 2, nb 2, w 1) 6

TOTAL 16 Ov (RR: 9.12) 146/7

Did not bat: Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav

Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Mandeep Singh, 1.1 ov), 2-17 (Anukul Roy, 1.6 ov), 3-29 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 4.2 ov), 4-75 (Nitish Rana, 9.2 ov), 5-80 (Rinku Singh, 10.1 ov), 6-130 (Andre Russell, 14.5 ov), 7-138 (Venkatesh Iyer, 15.3 ov) BOWLING O-M-R-W

The list of players selected for the National U21 Hockey Team

A look at the U21 Hockey Team

Arshdeep Singh was the star with the ball for Punjab Kings Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored a quick half-century after opening the innings

Caribbean Senior Table Tennis Championships 2023…

LEWIS’S CAUSE UNDERSTANDABLE -GTTA President Godfrey Munroe

Instead of occupying his usual place on the sidelines to egg his players on, National Table Tennis

Coach Idi Lewis was often spotted in the stands of the National Gymnasium, taking in the proceedings from afar, during the recently concluded Caribbean Senior Table Tennis Championships.

Lewis’s actions were considered a silent protest, according to Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) President Godfrey Munroe, in the interest of better treatment for coaches.

When probed about the issue, Munroe, who had to step in and do the coaching himself, spoke on the validity of Lewis’s actions and the effect they may have had on the players competing.

“Centrally, this issue that we’ve got, Idi has been calling a long time for support; because, you know, he’s a coach and he needs to be paid, and I think we got to look at paying coaches full time in

Guyana’s context. He’s taken a stand that, you know, he can’t continue to just volunteer or receive a stipend, and that is understandable,” Munroe told this publication.

With an eye on resolu-

Jamaica Cycling Classic 2023: second stage…

tion, the GTTA boss added, “I might have some different views about the timing now, but realistically, I think it’s something that we have to look at across the board -

for all our coaches who are performing and working with our athletes. In addition to how we provide support for our athletes, (these issues) also are critical.”

Agreeing that Guyana might have been able to get better results if Lewis was by the players’ side, Shemar Britton, who has been under Lewis’s wings for a number of years, said the following.

“…without a doubt! I mean, for me personally, I’ve been working with Idi since I started playing table tennis seriously, which is over 10 years now. We did have Godfrey Munroe, who stepped in in place of Idi, and, you know, Godfrey was able to do a good job with the team and lead the team. But obviously, if you’re missing your coach, your performances will suffer a little bit.”

It is unclear whether Lewis and the GTTA have been able to come to a consensus as yet.

John cops second third-place finish as Hennis wins again

Another brilliant and disciplined day of riding by We Stand United cycle club’s Briton John has seen him taking the final podium spot in the second stage of the threeday Jamaican Cycling Classic Montego Bay race yesterday.

Having to bridge a gap of over two minutes, John again established his presence among more seasoned campaigners and teams which have the added backing of their clubmates.

John is holding his own, and is keeping the Golden Arrowhead aloft as he enters the third and final

stage today of the race. His clubmate Horace Burrowes is also competing in the race. He is on a total of 24 points, having collected another 12 for yesterday’s achievement.

Riding for Team AVR, Anguilla’s Hasani Hennis entered yesterday’s second stage as the man to beat, and win he did again. His teammate, Barbadian Edwin Sutherland, led the race for quite some time, before being overhauled by Briton John and subsequently five other riders, including last year’s inaugural champion Andy Scarano of 706P,

Hennis is leading over-

Archery Guyana in committed relationship with GPF

all with 46 points. John has 24; while Sutherland, who took the King of the

Mountain prize yesterday, and his clubmate Akil Campbell, are both on 17.

International flair for...

Staged twice on a monthly basis, the U16 Championships is inherently linked to the Caribbean School Boys and Juniors Competition, as it serves as the association’s primary preparatory mechanism.

Approximately 16 editions were conducted in the previous year by the 2022 Sports Association of the Year winner. That record is slated to be shattered in the current calendar year, as another episode of the competition is pencilled to be staged on April 29th at the same facility, and will feature inter-

FROM PAGE 47►

Today’s final stage will be interesting, as Hennis is seeking to take the overall title but would be challenged by the young Guyanese.

John’s trip to Jamaica is sponsored in part by Alabama Trading, Bentley’s Bike Shop, Beacon Café, and Professional Key Shop.

Newly-elected President of Archery Guyana, Mrs Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon, and her delegation of Directors paid a courtesy call on Commissioner Clifton Hicken at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown on Friday 17th March, 2023. During this visit, Archery Guyana’s Head Coach, Director Nicholas Hing, and its Treasurer, Director Robert Singh, highlighted

the tremendous advances Archery Guyana has made in Guyana to date. The governing body of archery in Guyana and the sole entity affiliated to World Archery, the international governing body for the Olympic sport of archery, is Archery Guyana.

The Archery Guyana Board discussed with Commissioner Hicken development plans for the sport and proposed programmes thereof; and it has been agreed that those

would be pursued with the Police Sports Programme and Gymkhana in August.

Commissioner Hicken has given a commitment to continue working with Archery Guyana as they focus particularly on safety, which is paramount to all.

Archery Guyana President, Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, also declared that she is looking forward to continued collaboration and partnership with the Guyana Police Force.

national participation.

Resumption of the monthly programme also orients with the GBA’s ongoing weekly training regimen for U16 and Senior pugilists at the Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Gym in Albouystown.

The abovementioned stratagem, which is administered by the technical expertise of National Coach Lennox Daniels, Technical Director Poole, and Cuban Coach Francisco Roldan, serves as a high-performance system to better equip boxers for international engagements.

FROM PAGE 47►

GINMIN, GENEQUIP et al ...

On the note of making the Milo a more professional tournament, Mendonca shared plans for the future with this in mind, while highlighting that branded kits is a step in the right direction.

Mendonca divulged, “Every year, you recognize there’s something that we want to add. This year, we invited teams from other regions, but we’re hoping that we reach the stage where each region can compete among themselves, and then we take the winner from each region to compete in

this tournament.

“So, it is a work in progress, and it’s a step in the right direction, and we’ll be very, very happy to see those teams run out there with their spanking new uniforms,” the Petra CoDirector shared.

With the third round of group play concluding this weekend, the tournament would be downsized from 32 to 16, as the Round of 16 begins next Saturday. The Milo tournament is supported by Nestle Milo, GINMIN, GENEQUIP and MVP Sports.

GTTA President Godfrey Munroe had to step in to coach the players over the past two weeks

GTTA President Godfrey Munroe

who

pipped John on the line for the second place.

Briton John and Horace Burrowes (left) at the starting line

From left: Archery Guyana’s Secretary General, Nicholas Hing; Archery Guyana’s President, Mrs Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon; Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, and Archery Guyana’s Treasurer, Robert Singh

West Indies 4-Day Championship 2023…

Guyana Harpy Eagles craft greatest comeback win

By Brandon Corlette

Leon Johnson and his spirited team of Guyana Harpy Eagles have pulled off a miracle win to clinch the West Indies 4-Day Championship. Playing in the final round of the competition at Providence, Guyana took the last nine Hurricanes’ wickets for 44 runs to stun the Leeward Islands with a 17-run win.

Kevin Sinclair, continuing to grow from strength to strength, has claimed career-best figures of 6-33 in 16.5 overs to bowl out the Leeward Islands Hurricanes for 125-5 in 45.5 overs.

The Hurricanes resumed the final day on 811, requiring another 63 runs to win. Johnson and his men came out with energy in the morning session, and Sinclair opened the floodgates with the wicket of Keacy Carty. Carty, from St Maarten, made 21 and added a 50-run partnership for the second wicket with Kieran Powell.

Devon Thomas fell to Sinclair two balls after Carty for a duck; and

Jahmar Hamilton, former Test player and captain of the Hurricanes, also fell for a duck, this time to Permaul.

The Berbician Permaul got one to turn and bounce, and it hit the top of off-stump.

The Green Stand with the families and friends of cricketers erupted, as did the drummers who were present. Wickets fell like dominoes from both ends.

Antony Adams also got into the act, and the final nail in the Hurricanes’ coffin came when Kieran Powell fell at 115-6 in 40.1 overs.

Powell top-scored with 61 from 105, but he fell to Permaul.

The electric atmosphere at Providence grew stronger as the President of the Guyana Cricket Board, Bissoondyal Singh, was also present to witness the Championship win.

Sinclair ended with 6-33 from 16.5 top overs. His career-best figures had three maidens, and he had the final wicket of the morning.

That was the moment which saw the Guyanese players jumping for joy, and Johnson was in tears

of joy as he had a dream sendoff, winning his sixth Championship in eight sea-

Milo Schools’ Football tournament…

sons. Permaul had 3-44 in 15 overs as Guyana complet-

GINMIN, GENEQUIP et al hand over Milo kits

ed a memorable win. The

GCB also honoured Johnson for his efforts as a national

player, while Cricket West Indies also thanked Johnson for his services.

International flair for GBA U16 Championship today

The teams qualifying for next week’s Round of 16 in the Milo Under-18 Schools’ Football tournament are sure to look dapper, as they will now don branded kits (uniforms).

This move has been made possible by Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc (GINMIN), General Equipment Guyana (GENEQUIP), Yellow Steel Inc, Farm Supplies Ltd and Westzyde Marine Inc.

With the Round of 16 stage approaching in a week’s time, the official presentation of uniforms to the organizers, and by extension the teams, was done on Saturday afternoon, during the third round of group play, at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, Carifesta Avenue.

There, Petra Co-Director Troy Mendonca expressed his gratitude to the sponsors, while highlighting the steady progression the tournament has seen in this re-

gard.

“First of all, in our ambition, vision, we want to see these things put in place. Thankfully to GENEQUIP and GINMIN that came on board specifically to contribute in that area, providing kits to 16 teams,” Mendonca shared with media opera-

tives on Saturday afternoon.

He went on to add, “I think it’s a massive boost because, come next year and the other years, we know for sure these schools will be outfitted in proper uniforms. We want to see progression. As a matter of fact, we moved from teams playing

in their PE clothes with Milo bibs, then we see them graduate to buying kits from other franchise teams. So now… we were able to negotiate the sponsors to come on board to provide kits for the tournament,” Mendonca shared.

The Trinidad and Tobago two-member contingent of Prince Charles and Shania Nunez will add international substance to the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA’s) U16 Championship, which is pencilled to commence this evening at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

The competition is sponsored by Sthimkhal Inc., and, according to GBA head Steve Ninvalle, is the first of many engagements his association will be having with the company.

Charles, who is under the tutelage of Jason Aqui, was initially slated to battle rising star Jeremiah Duncan, the best boxer at the previous iteration of the Caribbean School Boys and Juniors Championships that was hosted on local soil.

However, Charles will now battle replacement Tiquan Sampson from the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF).

Meanwhile, Nunez will enter the squared circle against Taffina Barker.

Ninvalle said, “Our youth

developmental programme resumes with this historic initiative, which highlights our continued emphasis on creating a transitionary pathway amongst the respective age groups. International exposure is vital, and the U16 age group remains the most pivotal step in the transition between junior and senior ranks. This programme, which is firmly grounded in youth development, was primarily created to advance the sport and concretise on the building blocks from the infancy stage. This initiative of creating avenues for international exposure for our emerging talents will be an ensuing facet of tournament.”

Meanwhile, Terrence Poole, Technical Director of the GBA, said, “Being the first junior tournament of the year, we expect people to come out and give their support to the boxers. The exposure for the boxers in the international fights will serve them well in the future, and we aim to continue to add international flavour to each of the U16 events.”

The Players don their brightly coloured kits which were sponsored by GINMIN, GENEQUIP, Yellow Steel Inc, Farm Supplies Ltd and Westzyde Marine Inc.

Volunteer bibs were also presented to the Petra Organization for their volunteerism programme during the Milo tournament

Prince Charles Shania Nunez

Steven Jacobs making a presentation to his former teammate Leon Johnson

GCB President Bissoondyal Singh making a presentation to winning captain Leon Johnson

Kevin Sinclair claimed six wickets in a big win