Guyana Times - Sunday, March 12, 2023

Saraswati Vidya Niketan hosts ceremony to celebrate top achievement

– Top CAPE 2022 Student also honoured

Page

From being a school teacher to owning her own business – Shevonne Bryne shares her success story

Linden taxi driver killed after losing control of speeding car

BOSAI worker missing after slipping off cliff in bauxite mine

P2 P19

MoE closer to digitising education with launch of Animal Friends learning app Cove and John family jumps from verandah to escape inferno

Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir and Lenox Shuman; Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs and members of both sides of the House (Attorney General, Anil Nandlall; Human Services Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud; Public Service Minister Sonia Parag, and Opposition MP Dawn Hastings) are presently in Manama, Bahrain, where they are attending the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly

Greenwich Park smash-up claims 5th life

The horrific smash-up along Greenwich Park, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) on Monday involving a minibus and a truck has claimed yet another life.

Seventy-one-year-old Tella Parhoo died on Friday at about

15:30h while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Parhoo’s body was subsequently taken to the hospital’s mortuary.

The deadly accident has

already taken the lives of 50-year-old Vernon Prowell, the minibus driver of Bent Street, Wortmanville; passengers, Margaret Kennedy, 72, of Tuschen; Olga Reddy, 57, of Parika; and Elvis Charles, 40, of Ruby, East Bank Essequibo.

It was reported that the accident occurred at about 09:30h. The truck at the time was being driven by Ewart Stewart and a minibus by Vernon Prowell.

Reports are that motor lorry GZZ 2285, was proceeding east along the northern side of Greenwich Park Public Road at a fast rate of speed, behind motor car BWW 836, when the driver alleged that the driver of the motor car made a sudden stop to allow a pedestrian to cross the road.

The truck driver further alleged that when this sudden stop was made, he applied brakes and swerved right to avoid a collision with the car, but in the process, he collided with a minibus that was proceeding from the opposite direction.

As a result of the collision, several passengers in the minibus were seriously injured. In addition to the five passengers

who died, six other passengers have been admitted patients and are suffering from life-threatening injuries.

They are 21-year-old

Shemar Alleyne of Tuschen, EBE; 46-year-old Samuel Ramda of Tuschen, EBE; Selmont Brisport, 64, of Tuschen, EBE; Samuel Ramdas of Ruby Backdam, EBE; and Junior Jack, 25, of Tuschen, EBE.

The impact of the crash also caused a Guyana Power and Light pole to break and fall into a house in the area. However, no one was injured in the home. Following the accident, the 38-year-old truck driver, Ewart Stewart of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving. He was remanded to prison.

Margaret Kennedy, Olga Reddy, Vernon Prowell, and 40-yearold Elvis Charles who died on the day of the accident

Dead: Tella Parhoo

Pres Ali calls for widespread condemnation of Opposition’s “hateful, racist, divisive” remarks

–Indo-PNCR members distance selves from utterances

Recent comments made by specific members of the Opposition during a meeting at Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD), have been condemned by President Dr Irfaan Ali, who has called for a collective condemnation by stakeholders.

During a public meeting on Thursday evening at Buxton, Working People’s Alliance (WPA) member Tacuma Ogunseye made a reference to the use of guns in the hands of the Disciplined Services. President Ali, who is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, described the comments as inflammatory in an address to the nation on Saturday.

As such, he called for a collective condemnation against those who continue to spew such “dangerous” words.

“Are these leaders? Are these the type of people we want to lead our country? Are these the type of people we want even to be associated with leadership in any political system, in any political party?”

“To the private sector, ask yourself very simple questions; can these people who shared that stage have the interests of Guyana at heart? To the religious community, in the consciousness of religion and in our own conscience as religious leaders, do you accept this? To some of the civil society who would ignore this because it

does not suit their agenda too, where are your voices now? ...Where are the voices? [In] any society, this will never be tolerated; [in] any democratic society.”

President Ali, nevertheless, declared that these actions would not stop his Government from unifying and uplifting Guyanese on this path of development.

“Your President will stand up every single day for what is right. Will stand up every single day in support of democracy. In support of unity. In support of development. Because all the guns he’s talking about, let him turn them to me,” President Ali said.

“Because no gun or bullet will stop us on this path of unifying our people. On this path of developing our country. On this path of uplifting the lives of our people. This is clear hate, terrorism, and racism, that come off of that stage. All of Guyana should be upset.

Imagine the Joint Services had to issue a statement!”

In a statement on Friday, Joint Services Chairman and Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Godfrey Bess referenced an article published by the online news agency, Demerara Waves, in which Ogunseye was quoted telling residents at the Buxton meeting, where the issue of Local Government Elections was discussed, that “…the AfroGuyanese-dominated Police and soldiers… would stand with Afro-Guyanese in resisting the mainly Indo-Guyanese supported PPP/C.”

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

In response, Brigadier Bess reminded in his statement that “…irrespective of its ethnic composition, the Joint Services of Guyana is an apolitical institution and will continue to uphold the novel position of service to the people of Guyana.”

Further, it was noted that the Joint Services – which comprises of the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Fire Service along with the GDF –is guided by the Constitution which mandates it to stand firm in the protection of the law and in the execution of

its duties, in keeping with its constitutional responsibilities, and not by any partisan values and interests.

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

Indo-Guyanese

Meanwhile, People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) parliamentarians Ganesh Mahipaul and Natasha Singh-Lewis, Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine and Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram, released a statement of their own following the meeting.

TURN TO PAGE 5

President Dr Irfaan Ali WPA member Tacuma Ogunseye

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The role of an Opposition in democracies

Adecade ago, the former Harvard professor and Canadian politician offered some profound insights at Oxford University, gleaned from his two tenures, on the practice of politics in a democracy, especially from the perspective of an opposition leader, which he was.

“Opposition for opposition’s sake is the modus operandi of most parties out of power, but it is precisely the political “game playing” that active and attentive voters so despise, wishing politicians would support or oppose measures on merit alone. Realistically, legislators rarely decide measures on merit alone, and opposition politicians generally oppose government measures whatever their merits.

The opposition’s duty indeed is to oppose and, through criticism and amendment, to make legislation serve the public interest. Government measures are put to the test of adversarial justification in committee and in the chamber itself. The opposition is called “loyal,” to remind the public that, for all the venom of parliamentary debate, the opposition is integral to the proper functioning of a democratic system. Indeed, it is in opposition that you are supposed to learn how to govern. In a functioning democracy, all parties in opposition properly deserve to be treated as a government in waiting, though the government in office and the media rarely do. In a free society, one would expect government and opposition to compete on equal terms. In reality, the media accord the government a platform the opposition can only envy.

One of the defining features of a proper democracy is that it must “normalize” and “naturalize” disagreement, for it is through structured disagreement that democracy arrives at its rough-and-ready version of the public interest. Adversarial justification is democracy’s chosen method for establishing the public good. If so, opponents are supposed to accept each other’s basic loyalty and legitimacy.

Democracy is, or ought to be, a politics of adversaries, never a politics of enemies. An adversary today is a potential ally tomorrow. An enemy can never become an ally. An enemy is to be destroyed. The politics of compromise is impossible unless the opposition enjoys the status of a loyal and legitimate adversary. Democracy, being a system of structured antagonism, must find ways to contain the emotions that antagonism inevitably arouses. The representative function demands restraint in the face of the temptation to think of politics in the metaphors of war, as a battle in which no holds are barred.

When adversaries grapple for power, it is only too easy to treat each other as enemies. A democratic politician has to keep asking himself whether, in his attack on an opponent, he has crossed the line that separates legitimate public criticism from mendacious advantage-seeking. In the heat of the moment, the line can be hard to discern, let alone respect. Winning at all costs becomes a self-sufficient justification. Where democracy has gone under, as in Weimar Germany, the politics of adversaries was replaced by a politics of enemies, and politics soon spilled out of the legislature into the streets, where violence soon settled all questions.

Democracy has proved its resilience, but at a cost. Public disenchantment with excessive partisanship is nearly universal in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For a considerable portion of the active democratic public, “politics” itself has acquired a bad name. The word has degenerated into a term of abuse for any form of spiteful, dogmatic, rhetorical game-playing whose essential purpose is to obscure rather than reveal the essential public issues at hand.

Nevertheless, democracy itself does offer a remedy for excessive partisanship. Electorates relish combat, and they like fighters, but they frequently punish those who hit below the belt, and by sanctioning bad behaviour at the polls, voters help ensure that democratic combat remains a contest between adversaries, not enemies.

Indeed, we should add this to our original list of essential conditions of democratic health. Democratic representation works when institutions control corruption, when the debate is sufficiently truthful to allow democracy to address society’s real problems, when a culture of public service survives, and finally when democratic opponents treat each other as adversaries, not as enemies.”

the strengthening of

Dear Editor,

It is extremely heartening to see the genuine efforts of the community leaders across various Local Authority Areas (LAAs) to present the best list of representative teams to contest the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs).

In this regard, it is noteworthy that the PPP/C has advanced, and is utilising, a set of strengthened, inclusive-driven criteria designed to involve the broadest possible cross-section of persons. The wide-ranging spectrum encourages and draws from among the residents within the various constituencies to be on the respective constituency candidate lists.

With this new approach, there have been, and are likely to have, further wider consultations at the various levels of communities. It is not surprising, but most interesting, that the response confirms a clear signal of desire and need for empowerment by some young persons who are now nominated as candidates. Of course, this category of younger residents now makes up approximately 40 percent of our voting population.

As a parallel for purpose of balance, consideration of persons who bring responsible experience, other and qualitative selections is taking place, so that the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) will be more inclusive and dynamic in their approach to func-

tion, and effectively respond to the needs of communities at the grassroots levels.

In most cases, considering the hybrid framework of our Electoral System, the constituency candidates have been selected from among the most seasoned and reputable persons in the community. On the other hand, Proportional Representatives Candidates are drawn from persons who, on most occasions, are relatively new to the function of the NDCs. The preparation for these LGEs is very significant as the best team to realise the requisite response to the tremendous development at the national level, and will likely catalyse and propel development at the local level.

Many ongoing strong developmental national projects are emerging from the approved appropriations commitments in the National Budget. With these projects impacting some LAAs now and in the medium term, a ‘laid-back’ or slothful response from community residents will only serve to delay advantages and benefits in the fast-changing global framework. Consequently, transformative plans at the community and village levels must be put in place to hasten the capacities of residents in advancing collective greater synergies that are complementary to the national initiatives.

Evidencing the foregoing is the tremendous development on the East Bank of

Demerara, which will certainly demand more mature and professional leadership in the local communities. The Eccles/ Rambsurg Neighbourhood Democratic Council now has enhanced responsibilities for ensuring functional preparedness and responses to the hundreds of thousands of commuters: from residents, businesses, and new investments that have begun to transit its carriageways from the connecting interior Regions 9, 8 & 7, and the Town of Linden, West Demerara, Upper East Bank, and East Coast Demerara.

The magnitude of complimentary attitudinal transformation required at this level to fast-track the required urbanisation changes in the short and medium terms cannot be understated. We must also be fully cognisant of the fact that the main thoroughfare to and from the airport and the interior also passes through the Eccles community. Coupled is the massive development on the “Waterfront”, along with the activities at the Industrial Site, which call for more high-profile efficiency in administration.

These new dynamics, which are likely to be delivered, given available access to the required funding by the PPPC Government, necessitate and demand that our communities must have set goals around the ‘right’ to vote, the right to administer, and the right to see

and shape our community plans. This transformational development that is unfolding in front of our eyes informs us of the need for our people to get more inclusive, and are drivers for fully-energised participation in all aspects of development.

The rights of our residents in this respect are better addressed and advanced at the Local Government level through the LGEs to determine members of a council that will administrate these matters in the various LAA communities. Those who are supported to administrate based on a functional democratic framework as enshrined in the Guyana Constitution MUST focus on the development at the community levels, and in providing improved service to our people.

Consequently, the various manifesto agendas should commit to improving platforms for facilitative delivery of services for health, education, sport, recreation, youths, and pensioners, reducing crime/violence, improving drainage & irrigation, ROADS/STREETS, health centres, along with garbage collection and other services to maintain cleanliness and beautification of where and how we live.

Editor, the LGE, in its reality, must advance those who will strengthen and deliver our democratic rights in Guyana.

Sincerely,

Neil Kumar

The “Shea Rock” is a mountain peak in South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). It is about 676ft (206m) in height. Based on data, it ranks as the 41st highest mountain in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, and the 138th highest mountain in Guyana. The nearest peaks are Wiwitau Mountain, Kalishadaker Mountain, Tamboro Mountain, Kuddewaitau Mountain, Darukoban Mountain, and Makawatta Mountain (Darrin Smith photo)

LGE must realise

our local democracy in Guyana!

The right-wing, racial populism of the WPA

Dear Editor,

The WPA are an enigmatic political force in Guyana, and only serious analytical and historical effort will help unravel their excursions into race-based political mobilisation, and their recurring calls for violent actions against the state. I submit some arguments for your consideration below.

Before we proceed with the actions of the WPA, we need to establish a few key concepts from political theory and political sociology. First, we must distinguish between progressive and regressive ethnic nationalism. Progressive ethnic nationalism has its roots in the long historical struggles of the peoples of the Third World, who fought against white racial supremacy. This fight was simultaneously a fight for national liberation and political independence. The objective was the national sovereignty for black and brown peoples worldwide.

Regressive nationalism occurs when political actors try to build support by falsely claiming to be victims of ethnic and racial exclusion and oppression. In the US, for instance, right-wing elements falsely claim that white folks are the real victims, and that they have been left behind because liberals give black people and immigrants privileges poor white folks do not enjoy.

Further, readers must note the fundamental difference between aggregation and mobilisation. Aggregation is the method of democratic politics through free and fair elections. Aggregation of interest is done through polit-

ical parties that compete for votes.

Mobilisation is when people are “amassed”, as when the military mobilises an army to fight war.

We also need to understand populism. Most definitions of populism are based on a charismatic leader who claims to be the saviour of an oppressed people, and who promises - through a rhetoric of grievance - to mobilise individuals, while telling them that they are the “real” people. Populist movements can be from the left or the right.

In recent times, rightwing populism has been based on notions of protecting ethno-racial identities. Theda Skocpol, the renowned historical sociologist at Harvard University, for instance, found that the most prominent issue in the founding of the right-wing Tea Party was the rise and election of Barak Obama. Most of their members, as did most Americans at that time, also saw Obama as a Muslim. The Tea Party movement was a conduit to Trumpian populism.

Now, I am arguing here that the WPA began as a progressive ethno-Marxist (as distinct from Western Marxist) movement based on a critique of global racial capitalism. When Rodney entered the politics of Guyana, he brought that critical perspective with him. He did, however, also believe in armed struggle, not only in Guyana, but elsewhere.

The WPA was not (and is not now) an electoral party; meaning, its modus operandi was not to win elections.

After Rodney was assassinated, the WPA contin-

ued its politicking, but it became increasingly regressive.

During the days of the PCD, for instance, the WPA was adamant that Cheddi Jagan should not be the presidential candidate because he, according to WPA ethno-analysis, would not have been acceptable to Afro-Guyanese.

Yet, WPA intellectuals such as Dr. David Hinds found it fit to insist that the same Desmond Hoyte, who had been a top participant in rigged elections, must be the presidential candidate. Paul Tennassee of the DLM rejected the idea of Hoyte as head of the ticket because, as he rightfully claimed, Hoyte was an “electoral bandit”.

The position of the WPA in the PCD regarding the 1992 elections was a portent of things to come. Bit by bit, the WPA moved away from a critical, progressive, anti-racist politics to one of ethno-racial mobilisation, one where the only acceptable outcome is when there is an African president. It does not matter if an election is rigged or “frigged”, the most important objective of WPA politics is a “Black” president.

Rodney was able to pull in large multi-racial crowds, but it is rather ironic that the same WPA that never fails to make this point always constructs the WPA as a black movement. Figures like Rupert Roopnaraine, Moses Bhagwan, or Wazir Mohammed are simply ignored in the ethno-racial performances of WPA intellectuals.

Put differently, in the very moments when the WPA claims to be non-racial, they practise ethno-bullyism

Pres Ali calls for widespread...

The four PNCR members, who are of IndoGuyanese descent, took issue with another part of the meeting in which a speaker denigrated the origins of Indo-Guyanese and distanced themselves from the remarks made.

“We must take a firm hand with our lands. When we came here from Africa, who knows Africa knows the land mass that we were accustomed to. So, these other people who come here, who suddenly getting land, many of them came from the slums of India.”

“And if you look at the amount of persons in India, (over one) billion for that little land mass, you would understand what is going on in India. They lived in pipes, they lived in all the deplorable places,” a speaker who was identified as ‘Sister Rhonda’ said.

In their statement, the four PNCR officials condemned these comments made on stage and expressed disappointment that these comments were not challenged by any subsequent speakers. These subsequent speakers included Opposition Leader Aubrey

Norton.

“During the meeting, one of the speakers made statements that we found to be derogatory, distasteful, and hurtful to the East Indian community of Guyana. We want to make it clear that we condemn and distance ourselves from any attack on any race in Guyana, including our African brothers and sisters.”

against their own comrades! This is a predictable outcome of regressive ethno-nationalism.

The so called non-electoral approach by the WPA worked when they had a man of the calibre and in the person of Rodney - a person steeped in the history of this country, and someone who had a global view of things. Absent Rodney, the WPA has no credibility to even call a public meeting. This has left them with two options. The first option is to kill history by joining the same PNC that, according to WPA pronouncements, harmed numerous of its members.

The WPA loves APNU despite the PNCR being at the leading edge of the 2020 rigging attempt. This is a direct consequence of regres-

sive ethno-nationalism.

Despite its permanent state of leader-lessness, the WPA has become a champion of racial populism. This means that its discourses are invariably couched in the language of “black suffering.” All persons of African descent, whether in high state offices or Private Sector leadership, are considered house slaves because they have become successful and do not share in the populist bitterness of the handful of political recalcitrants who refuse to heed the dynamic of change going on in this country.

A race traitor for the WPA is defined as any person of African ancestry in Guyana who is successful, excepting for those that are part of the movement of WPAtype African racial populism,

Guyana-style. The WPA’s historic underbelly of opposition through violent rhetoric is still intact, and forms an integral part of the WPA vision. The current reinvention of Burnham by some WPA activists is indicative of a new “grounding” in regressive ethno-nationalism and racial populism. In this way, the WPA has moved from a progressive, Marxist, working-class movement to a right-wing, ethno-nationalist movement based on racial populism. As Attorney General Nandlall has warned, the violent threats associated with this new direction could be deemed criminal, or even treasonous.

Sincerely, Dr

Randolph Persaud

FROM PAGE 3

“It is disappointing that none of the other speakers at the meeting sought to address or clarify that speaker’s statements. We call on all political leaders and representatives to speak out against all forms of bigotry and discrimination and to work towards a more inclusive and tolerant society,” the PNCR parliamentarians said in their statement.

PNCR members (from top, left) MPs Ganesh Mahipaul and Natasha Singh-Lewis, Reg 4 Chairman Daniel Seeram and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine

Last week, within the general context of abnormal behaviour, we commenced the discussion on compulsive aggressive biting, and why some dogs tend to be more easily viciously aroused and prone to bite humans, other species, and even other dogs. The problem exists here in Guyana and elsewhere in the Caribbean, and is gaining prominence and becoming the subject of much discussion among veterinarians and caregivers.

Before we proffer some recommendations on prevention and reduction of vicious attacks by dogs, it is important that we make a

CANINE AGGRESSIVE BITING

distinction between dogs belonging to households in fenced yards and those that are roaming the streetshaving been strayed/abandoned or as offspring of the strayed/abandoned. Within the latter group, a pack mentality evolves, within which a constant aggression emerges based primarily on an instinctive need to be literally the “Top Dog” (the Alpha male) of the pack -- especially, but not only, during the mating season. These dogs will be aggressive towards each other, but also against the dogs (eg those being taken for a walk on a leash) which the pack considers to be a threat to

the hierarchical structure of its wild and savage environment. I hasten to add that, from my experience, it is not uncommon for similar human behaviour to surface in lawless, ghetto-like sub-cultures, where survival of the fittest becomes, and is, a social imperative. Further, one must recognise that, even in a group of dogs in a household of rules, the phenomenon of vicious fighting and biting is apparent. Interestingly, and in passing, I have observed female dogs taking up the mantle of matriarchal leadership of the household pack, especially if she has been spayed, or if she had

produced bulls which are now sharing her space.

PREVENTION OF AGGRESSIVE BITING Socialisation and Training

Enhancing socialisation and introducing tested and proven training methodologies are possibly the most important factors in making a pet well-adjusted, and less likely to demonstrate abnormal aggressive behaviour. Integration and positive interaction with humans (as well as with other pets), together with basic obedience training, supported by TLC, would counteract and correct negative traits (even those that

may be genetically anchored) early in the animal’s life. The companion animal should then develop a balanced and tolerant personality, allowing the caregiver to later control any combative and vexatious temperament which might develop spontaneously and reactively to a perceived threat or intuition.

Isolation and Tethering

The Guyanese (and elsewhere in the Caribbean) custom of isolating (kenneling)/tether- ing one’s dog for unduly lengthy periods would lead to abnormal social behaviour in one’s companion pet. In Guyana, it is unlawful to so do. Yet, when members of humane societies act against this barbaric practice, more often than not, they are the ones persecuted, and not supported. This is unfortunate, and is quite an indictment on our society. Once reports are made, the law enforcers should intervene.

Tying a PitBull (or any breed) to a stake with a short leash for hours on end is torture to the animal, and creates great irritability. The same logic goes for keeping a dog incarcerated in a kennel for most of the day.

Can you imagine the vexatious mood that keeps building up within the dog? Should the kennel or the constraining leash/ pole not be secure enough, allowing the imprisoned dog gratifying freedom.

It is not a singular occurrence for the inherently strong and muscular animal to exercise its newfound freedom and, when possible, further jump over the fence, break open the fragile gate and proceed

to “attack” a passerby. The latter, in turn, usually reacts in all possible ways, which further provokes the dog to injure the scared victim. This scenario took place on the Ogle Airstrip Road against a hapless plumber. His face was permanently disfigured. He was offered compensation by the dog’s owner. His lawyer advised him to sue for more than what was offered, but in the end, the plumber got next to nothing.

A similar situation occurred in Trinidad, where a blind man with his tapping stick was mauled to death by a PitBull who broke through his owner’s fragile fence and destroyed the perambulating pensioner. Laws have already been written relative to the rearing of PitBulls, but we must understand that any dog incapacitated for many hours could morph into a biter. We shall continue this discussion next week.

Banks now required to report foreign currency sales to GRA

– in Central Bank circular aimed at monitoring foreign exchange

The Bank of Guyana has taken a decisive step in the direction of addressing the reports of foreign exchange shortage, whereby they have sent out a circular to all bank cambios to report their foreign sales to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

According to a circular sent out under the pen of the Bank of Guyana Governor Dr Gobind Ganga, bank cambios are now being requested to submit their invoices to the Commissioner General of the GRA.

“Bank of Guyana is taking a number of measures to address the current foreign exchange situation. One area of concern is the importation of goods which requires a valid import invoice as set out in Bank of Guyana Circular No. 05/2017.”

“The bank is now requesting all bank cambios to submit invoices against which

with and had discussions with the Bank of Guyana Governor with regard to the challenges faced by some local companies in accessing foreign exchange.

Stakeholders, a PSC release stated, have agreed that despite there being a shortage of foreign exchange at some banks, there is no overall shortage of foreign exchange in Guyana given that the aggregate supply of foreign exchange is meeting the aggregate demand and therefore the market remains in equilibrium.

Bank to ensure that the Government meets its macro-economic objectives.

The PSC, the Bankers’ Association, and the Bank of Guyana had all agreed to address the issues raised and promised to collaborate and work together for the benefit of all concerned, the release stated.

Previously, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had weighed in on the issue and said that the Guyana Government is going to consider the implementation of a daily reporting system to monitor the flow of foreign currency.

he pointed out, there are low periods and it is during this time that more foreign currency will have to be supplied to the market.

Only recently, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, had stated that companies or individuals cannot force anyone to pay for transactions

done in Guyana in foreign currency unless special permission is granted by the Finance Ministry for them to trade using solely foreign currency.

foreign currency is sold, to the Commissioner General, Guyana Revenue Authority for the attention of the Head of the Customs Department,” the bank governor further said in the circular.

Only last week, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) in association with the Guyana Association of Bankers Incorporated met

According to the PSC, the Governor of the bank confirmed that while there is an intra-bank market that enables banks to share, the Central Bank must rely on moral persuasion in an effort to achieve a more efficient distribution of foreign currency availability. He also emphasised the fact that it is the responsibility of the Central

“We’ve been exploring something. I was thinking about this and we have to discuss it with the Finance Minister, that maybe we need a daily balance reported to the Central Bank of currencies purchased and sold, the daily balance at all the institutions, and then the list of demands. And you will see in most cases, that they are clear [of any shortages], but it’s just that [the US dollars] exist in different institutions,” the Vice President had explained during a press conference.

According to the Vice President, the foreign currency market in Guyana always has seasonal variations such as around the Christmas holidays when visitors come in and there is more foreign currency circulating. Likewise,

The Bank of Guyana

Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga

Where’s…

…the SoPs?

It’s been two-and-a-half years now, and your Eyewitness can understand (not “accept” - just “understand”) the PNC’s refusal to show their SOPs. It’s like you’re playing cards and you’ve been cheating the whole time - then finally declare you’ve won the game - even as your opponent screams, “Thief! Thief!” You’re not gonna be showing your hand to expose your swindle, would you? Thought not! You’ll take that to your grave!!

But with the GECOM Secretariat’s rigging trio of Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo before the courts, how’s the prosecution gonna prove they “cocked” the Reg 4 SOPs? Jeez! The longsuffering Guyanese electorate need justice. It’s no use asking the PPP for their copies, since the Rigging Trio - backed strenuously and thunderously by the PNC - would object to them as “tainted”, since the PPP got skin in the game.

You ask, dear readers, about the SOP copies that were nailed on the doors of the polling stations - after the voting and counting - like Luther’s Theses on that church at Wittenberg? Too late…they’re all gone by now, and blowin’ in the wind. So, what’s left? Well, the law demands that a copy of all the SOPs be sent to GECOM - the official arbiter of our elections. So why not ask them? Aren’t they explicitly and constitutionally mandated to do the right thing for the sake of the state and nation? Aren’t they funded to the tune of billions annually to take care of this business? Well, the Police and DPP finally did, and they’ve been embargoed – but eventually available.

In the meantime, the Opposition invented a whole new gig!! They’re claiming that the recount uncovered enough rigging of votes from absentee citizens on the voters’ list – plus the dead voting etc, that “proves” it’s the PPP that did the dirty! Now everybody and their demented uncle know this is just the PNC tryin’ a thing!! The fact of the matter is, the recount took place WEEKS after the recount. So how the heck Mingo know on March 3rd the election was “rigged” so he had to “fix” the PPP’s supposed fiddlings?? With his drama to be rushed to the GPHC! Remember Sanford and son?? “Elizabeth!! Elizabeth!! It’s the big one!! I’m gonna be joining you, Elizabeth!!”

The ball’s in the judiciary’s court. They’re an equal part of the Government, like the Executive and Legislature. They’ve shown that they understand their responsibility to maintain a stable state. The Opposition are screaming “We Wuz robbed!” to rile up their base. So, the joint might be exploding soon.

Well, they gotta step up to the crease and deal with those election petitions brought by the PNC and their minions!! And bring out the SOPs!!

…Granger??

With all the back and forth of the Opposition, your Eyewitness wants to know “Where’s Granger”?? He knows the Sanctimonious Gangster – as he was aptly described by one ex-Caribbean PM – has gone from hero to zero in some people’s eyes. But hey!! The man was only trying to walk in the boots of his idol Burnham, and discovered they were actually lead-filled!! Burnham’s rigging coulda been pulled off because the Big Kahuna from up North saw Jagan and the PPP as anathema!!

This time around, Jagan was loooong gone!!! And it was Granger’s appointment of military types that posed a threat to the Big Kahuna’s effort to clean up its image. Can’t have no Banana Republic’s General holding them ransom over its oil!! So, is this why Granger’s lying low up at Pearl?? There are all kinds of questions being asked of his successor. Even if he doesn’t want to throw his hat into the ring – he’s getting on in years, ain’t he?? – he could be mentoring all those young’uns he sent to Parliament!

…the historical memory

The guardians of Burnham’s legacy have their bucktas in a knot because Barbados PM Mia Mottley didn’t mention his role in fighting apartheid in South Africa.

It’s for the same reasons he wasn’t awarded SA’s “Oliver Tambo Award”!!

Guyana Govt committed to improving lives of all its citizens – Hess

– praises Guyana for being blueprint to manage fast-growing economy

Describing Guyana as having the blueprint for how to effectively manage the fastest growing economy in the world, Hess Corporation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Hess has lauded the Government of Guyana for its commitment to ensuring the lives of all its citizens improve.

He made these comments only recently, singling out President Dr Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and acknowledging their role in spearheading the country’s sustainable development while delivering comments at an energy conference. He pointed out the importance of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

“Responsible development of this country’s oil and gas resources is fundamental to Guyana’s future and meeting the world’s growing energy needs. Through Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy, President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo have provided a roadmap for managing one of the fastest

growing economies of the world, in an environmentally responsible manner.”

“As Guyana’s oil production continues to increase, the Government of Guyana is committed to ensuring that the country’s growing wealth is invested in sustainable development and enhanced quality of life for all its citizens,” Hess further said.

One example of this that Hess cited is the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s demonstrated commit-

ment to reinvesting the proceeds of the carbon credit sales it makes from Hess Corporation, into the Guyanese people.

“The Government of Guyana plans to invest the proceeds from the carbon credit purchase agreement, in sustainable development to improve the lives of the people of Guyana… Guyana is blessed with many resources. But the most important is its human resources. So, providing every citizen with access to affordable and high-quality

healthcare is critical to the country’s vision.”

President Ali has been an outstanding spokesperson on this subject and the important role oil plays in bringing shared economic prosperity to the people of Guyana and in providing the much-needed oil that is essential for global energy security and economic growth around the world,” Hess further said.

Hess also acknowledged the important role that Guyana is going to play to ensure an orderly energy transition on the world stage. He pointed out that with oil and gas continuing to be fundamental to ensuring an affordable and secure energy transition, Guyana has a unique opportunity to be a role model for oil-producing countries and also developing countries around the world.

As Hess Corp continues to push oil development, the company has reiterated its commitment to ensuring sustainability remains a top priority. In fact, this is reflected in the December

2022 forest preservation agreement between the Guyana Government and Hess Corporation.

The company agreed to purchase high-quality, verified REDD+ carbon credits for a minimum of US$750 million between 2022 and 2032 from the Government – a move aimed at not only preventing deforestation but also supporting sustainable development in Guyana.

With 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres), the Stabroek Block, where Hess is a partner, is considered one of the largest oil provinces discovered in the world over the past 20 years. Since 2015, more than 30 discoveries have been made in the block – nine of which were found last year.

It is anticipated that there are billions of barrels of exploration potential remaining in the oil-rich block, where production activities have been ongoing since December 2019.

Currently, the Liza phase 1 and phase 2 developments in the Stabroek Block are

operating at a combined gross production capacity of more than 360,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) using the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, respectively.

The third development in the Stabroek Block –Payara – is on track to come online by the end of 2023 with a gross production capacity of approximately 220,000 bopd; while Yellowtail – the fourth development – is slated for 2025 with a production capacity of some 250,000 bopd. Both these development projects have been approved by the Guyana Government.

Uaru is the fifth development and is expected to come online at the end of 2026 with a gross production capacity of approximately 250,000 bopd with first oil anticipated at the end of 2026. The development plan for Uaru was submitted for Government approval in November 2022 and final approval is expected by the end of the first quarter of this year.

Hess Corp CEO, John Hess

The fire this time - again

Fire that gutted abandoned general store was maliciously set – GFS

Officials of the Guyana Fire Service have confirmed that the fire that gutted the Robinsons General Store, Lombard and Drysdale Streets, Georgetown on Friday was an act of arson.

Following the incident, the Fire Service launched an investigation into the cause of the fire and has come to the conclusion that it was maliciously set.

The store has been non-operational for some time now, following the death of its owner in 2020. The owner of the business was shot and subsequently died from an altercation outside of the establishment.

Ravi Dev

Last Wednesday, I was a panelist on a social media platform, along with WPA’s David Hinds and Deon Abrams (and two others), to discuss “Strategies for fostering Social Cohesion in the era of Oil and Gas”. I pointed out that in a most divisive political realm, we had been “fortuitously” delivered into a situation where we are a nation of minorities. And that a party committed to democratic norms could rationally appeal to voters outside of its base to secure political office. It happened in 2011, 2015, and 2020.

I explained, however, that I had viewed the WPA’s recent public meetings at Mocha, Golden Grove, and Den Amstel, and that the narrative adopted by Hinds, Ogunseye and Deon et al was “destructive in our present circumstances.”

I explained: “Narratives can make certain actions more plausible, and therefore more probable than others. They also can serve as exacerbators or inhibitors of conflict. The more that exclusivity and mutual incompatibility are expressed, the harder it is for opponents to alter their relationship; conversely, the more that narratives are, or become, inclusive, the more likely it is that the parties can deal successfully with differences.” And the WPA narrative was most exclusive and mutually incompatible.

I pointed out that Hinds’s description of the PPP as “enemies”, rather than “opponents”, was not helpful. And that in exhorting the army and Police to stand down as “kith and kin”, they are promoting “anarchy” in Guyana. I said I knew there would be a meeting at Buxton the following evening, and wondered whether it would be the same cherry-picked narrative expressed in “vitriolic language”, that stirs up deeply hostile emotions in African Guyanese by highlighting state actions against African Guyanese but silencing identical actions against Indian Guyanese.

I noted that, as a political party seeking votes, the WPA’s one-sided narrative would create a self-fulfilling prophecy that could destroy the Opposition’s chances of securing crossover votes, necessary to win elections.

Hinds responded: “For me, it’s not about elections: elections will solve nothing in Guyana – that is merely exchange”. I responded: “For David to dismiss democracy as a central value that we should hold on to is reminiscent of Forbes Burnham and what he did to this country when he played fast and loose with the notion of democracy. I never thought that someone from the WPA would dismiss democracy. If not democracy, then what?”

At Buxton last Thursday, we found out: it was the “solution” of an armed force coup against the PPP Government. Tacuma Ogunseye offered a background that matched Hinds’s and concluded bluntly: “We cannot wait on the elections cycle to resolve this matter”. He continued, “…for the WPA in this present campaign, we have some clear objectives. 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.

“…sometimes people tell me that the struggle to remove the PPP will be hard and long, but I don’t necessary agree with them…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 and 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 has to be strategic. The struggle doesn’t necessarily have to be long”.

Tacuma left no doubt about the nature of the “struggle”: “During the (Buxton-based) crisis of 2002-2005…the WPA met the foreign diplomats…A White diplomat…said, “I don’t understand a people saying they are oppressed and they have all the guns in their hands. They are the majority in the army, the majority in the Police, and they still say they are oppressed?”

About Minister Ronald Gajraj: “The man big suh (opening his arms wide); you can’t miss!”

Hinds agreed with Tacuma in noting: “When the time comes, our brothers in uniform know what they have to do, because they come from us…They stand here tonight to protect us…they stand here tonight as our kith and kin.”

In response, the Chairman of the Joint Services, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, said the Joint Services “is an apolitical institution”. We shall see.

The Fire Service stated that it received a report of a fire on Friday at Lot 13 Lombard Street, Georgetown.

“Water tenders along with two water carriers from the Central and West Ruimveldt Fire Stations were dispatched to the location, with the first appliance arriving on scene

at 10:59h,” the GFS added.

The Fire Service further stated that their firefighting efforts were greatly impeded due to electricity still being connected in the building, which posed a threat to firefighters.

Several calls were made to Guyana Power and Light

(GPL) to have the power disconnected, but this took some time. As a result of the fire, the building and its contents were completely destroyed.

Also affected was a oneflat wooden building also located at Lot 13 Lombard Street and situated on the northern side of the build-

ing of origin. Due to radiated heat, the entire southern wall was severely damaged. Additionally, a metal container owned by John Fernandes Ltd was affected after flying embers from the building of origin came into contact with some wood and ignited.

The abandoned Robinsons General Store that was destroyed by fire

From being a school teacher to owning her own business

– Shevonne Bryne shares her

success story

From being a school teacher to...

Shevonne Bryne

The ambitious Shevonne Bryne (right) overlooking land clearing at her family’s property at Anna Regina, where she plans to establish a farm

India Worldwide Guyana Pageant

The Miss India Worldwide Guyana Pageant committee over the past few days unveiled the names of 11 beauties who will be competing for a chance to represent Guyana in the international pageant in India

slated for later in the year. Soon after, the delegates in the Teen and Mrs. categories were released. Similarly, the winner will travel to India in June with the intention of walking away with the coveted crown.

While the date for the local pageant is yet to be announced, the delegates are in preparation mode.

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Meet the contestants in the Mrs Category

India Worldwide Guyana Pageant

Meet the delegates in the Teen Category

Young female entrepreneurs take advantage of annual pop-up shop

Scores of women-owned businesses are currently on display at the annual pop-up shop organized by Guyanese entrepreneur and fashion designer Sonia Noel.

The initiative is being held at the Tower Hotel Suites on Main Street, Georgetown from March 9 to 18, and will give the entrepreneurs much-needed exposure to reach and connect with new customers, while at the same time showcasing their unique products.

Apart from the actual exhibition, this year’s event will also feature a number of panel discussions, wellness talks, a fashion show, and a tea party.

Speaking with Guyana Times, some of these women shared how beneficial it has been to be part of the Sonia Noel Foundation. Owner of Magnificent Fragrances

Scented Candles & Creative Crafts, Debbie Argyle, shared that her business was birthed through her passion for candle-making.

“I have a passion for candle-making and craft…I ventured [into] this candle-making because I see it’s a proper business now.

Before… people never used to gravitate [to] candles, but it is a part of life spiritually, mentally, and physically. When you clean your home and light a candle… it gives you an enticed environment,” Argyle shared.

The owner of Simply Stunning Collection, Cristol Wray, related that her business sells hair accessories, which stemmed from her own love for pretty hair and her studies in clothing and textile during her secondary school life.

“I always had a thing for pretty hair stuff, so I would have

started off with just the scrunchies, and after mastering the art of making the scrunchies, I decided why not launch off with some other products, and it (her business) just kept growing from there. Given the fact that my business is online-based, I do look forward to events like this, because it gives me the opportunity to connect with my customers face to face, and it also puts me in a good place to meet with sponsors, and even new customers and clients,” she explained.

Local artist Alyce Cameron, who was represented by her younger sister Joset Cameron, also had her work displayed in the pop-up shop. According to Joset, her talented sister has been doing art for a number of years.

US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch with Sonia Noel and Ms Cameron, who displays her painting

Young female entrepreneurs take...

“She can work with any kind of medium, including acrylic paint, pencil drawings… charcoal, she does leather work as well,” Joset shared.

She added that her sister, who graduated from the University of Guyana last year, had completed a series of drawings that she wishes to use to inspire young people to find pride and their identity through African spirituality.

“Each painting represents an orisha, and so her goal is to inspire young people to find pride and their identity through African spirituality,” Joset said on her sister’s behalf.

Fashion Icon Sonia Noel stated that, due to travel commitments, she was unable to have an expo this year. However, due to the many requests from business owners, she decided to do the pop-up shop. She added that many businesses that were a part of her organization when she started have seen tremendous growth, and have ventured off into doing their own expos and

events. “A lot of those businesses have gone on to employ people. Had just one product, and now have close to 30 products in different supermarkets; so, we would have seen tremendous growth from those exhibitors. And a lot of them came in shy…even introducing themselves was a problem. So now, when I look at those women having interviews and interacting with people, it’s like when you have a child and you look at them and say, ‘Oh my God! My child has grown!’ And I’m so proud of them, that is the way I feel,” Noel expressed.

Debbie Argyle and some of her products

Members of the public during a wine tasting exercise

Founder of Simply Stunning Collection, Cristol Wray

Saraswati Vidya Niketan hosts ceremony to celebrate top Caribbean achievement

– Top CAPE 2022 student also honoured

The Saraswati Vidya Niketan, in collaboration with the Education Ministry, on Friday celebrated being named the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations’ (CAPE) School of 2022. This was done at the education facility at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

At the same ceremony, the CAPE Top performer for the Caribbean in 2022, Atishta Seenarine, was honoured.

In brief remarks, subject Minister Priya Manickchand congratulated the school on its achievement, while noting that since its establishment, it has been producing excel-

lent results.

She, however, highlighted that ensuring every child - regardless of their social, religious or economic background - is provided with educational opportunities remains a priority for her ministry.

The top student, in her remarks, expressed gratitude to those who supported her during her examinations, and encouraged the students at the institution to continue their studies after they complete their Caribbean Secondary Examinations Certificate (CSEC).

During her remarks, Deputy Principal of Saraswati Vidya Niketan, Nirmala Singh, noted

that the Saraswati Vidya Niketan started offering CAPE in 2013, and an extensive CAPE programme is offered.

Further, she thanked the teachers for their dedi-

Students of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan

cation to ensuring the students are provided with the support needed, not only for their academic success, but also to produce well-rounded individuals.

regional awards ceremony, where both Seenarine and the school were awarded for their achievements.

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Saraswati Vidya Niketan hosts...

The event was also attended by Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary), Tiffany Harvey; Deputy Chief Education Officer (Development), Volika Jaikishun; Assistant Chief Education Officer

(Primary), Rabindra Singh; Superintendent of Examinations, Sauda Kadir; Regional Education Officer Region Three, Akbar Chindu and other senior officers within the Education Ministry.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand and CAPE’s Top Student Atishta Seenarine lighting the Ceremonial Lamp

Atishta Seenarine

New landowners in Reg 5 identify house lots

Another batch of Berbicians allocated lands at Experiment, Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), were guided on an identification exercise earlier the week by the Surveys Unit of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

The batch included lowincome earners, who were able to affix their name on

as soon as possible.

Experiment has close to 500 house lots. Construction of culverts, access roads, and drainage networks are all a part of the area’s first phase of infrastructure works.

The identification process is done in phases. Other allottees can expect to be called for a similar exercise in the following

their lands as a symbol of ownership and can now move ahead with construction. The majority were accompanied by family members and close friends, as they stated that the activity represented a major milestone.

For Tracy Jarvis, it signals the end of her days as a tenant. She stated that she is currently renting a home, which has been strenuous. As such, being able to now move forward with construction lifts a major burden off her shoulders.

“Getting this plot of land means a lot to me because I don’t have to think about rent anymore,” she said.

Father of two, Marlon Semple was also pleased to be a part of the process. He said the land is a “great start” for his family and he plans to construct his home

weeks.

Meanwhile, in a move to ensure that beneficiaries of the national housing programme can access their lands before yearend, engineers attached to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) fanned out across the country on Friday with contractors to identify each contractor’s respective lot(s) for infrastructure development works.

The two-day exercise, which is spearheaded by the Projects Department, concluded on Saturday.

It covered a total of 126 contracts for works in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, and 10, where billions of dollars are being invested into these areas to provide Guyanese with viable communities in which to thrive with their families.

Allottees involved in the identification process

A team in Moblissa along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway on Friday

FORESTS AND HEALTH

On March 22, Guyana will join the rest of the world in observing the International Day of Forests, under the theme “Forests and Health”. The intention of this international observance is to raise awareness on the importance of all types of forests, and to promote solutions for issues related to the management of forests.

The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Forests provide, directly or indirectly, important health benefits for all people – not only those whose lives are closely intertwined with forest ecosystems, but also people far from forests, including urban populations – from the provision of food, medicinal plants, and clean water, to protection from the elements (high winds and waves), and naturally cooling urban spaces. Numerous studies have shown that contact with nature has a positive influence on our mental and physical wellbeing; spending time around trees helps to boost our immune system, lowers blood pressure, and promotes relaxation.

Forests filter water and air

By filtering pollutants from air and water, forests help reduce the threats of pollution-related infectious diseases and noncommunicable diseases, including diarrhoeal diseases, cancers, and respiratory diseases. Research demonstrates that upstream tree cover is associated with a lower prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases (linked to water pollution) in children downstream. A 30% increase in upstream tree cover is linked to a 4% reduction in the probability of diarrhoeal diseases — similar to the effects of an improved sanitation facility.

Forests provide us medicines

Many of the medicines we rely on today come from forests. 25% of medicinal drugs used in developed countries are plantbased, while in developing countries, it can be as much as 80%. Forests also provide essential health products, such as hygiene and sanitary items like toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, and ethanol for sanitizers.

The masks and protective clothing that frontline medical workers depend on are created from forest products like wood pulp and soluble cellulose fibre.

Forests shield us against future pandemics

Currently, 60% of all infectious diseases and 75% of all emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic. These diseases originate from the transfer of pathogens from animals to humans, and they usually occur when natural landscapes, such are forests, are being cleared.

Forests are also good for our mental health

There is scientific evidence that shows that exposure to forests can actually reduce human stress levels, lower blood pressure, boost our immune system, help us recover from attentional fatigue, and generally improve overall mood. Spending time in green spaces has also been thought to mitigate the effects of attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder.

Forests Facts – Guyana

- Guyana’s rainforests cover approximately 85% of the country’s land mass. Approximately 20% of the world’s remaining tropical forests are found in countries like Guyana, which have high forest cover and very low deforestation rates. In fact, this high forest cover ranks Guyana among the top 10 countries globally.

- Forests in Guyana can be classified as rainforests (36%), montane forests (35%), swamp and marsh (15%), dry evergreen (7%), seasonal forest (6%), and mangrove forest (1%).

- The biodiversity of Guyana’s rainforests is rich, and our forests are home to a large number of endemic species (plants and animals that are found only in Guyana) and ‘giants of the Amazon’ such as the giant river otter and the jaguar. The forests are also home to our Indigenous People.

- Guyana’s plan to preserve its forests, both mangroves and rainforests, can be found in the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030. This document sets out Guyana’s plan to forge a low-carbon economy which ultimately seeks to lessen the impacts of climate change, given the country’s vast forest cover and extremely low deforestation rate.

Sources

https://www.un.org/en/desa/four-things-you-need-knowabout-forests-and-health

https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/six-things-to-knowabout-forests-and-your-health

https://efi.int/forestquestions/q8

https://www.nationalforests.org/blog/five-ways-forestsbenefit-human-health

https://www.nicfi.no/partner-countries/guyana/

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.

Reg 2 landowners receive cement, steel subsidies to kickstart home construction

…over 1000 lots distributed in the region

The rollout of the Steel and Cement Housing Subsidy has commenced for successful applications in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), as persons finally received their vouchers to kickstart the construction of their new homes.

The first 50 persons were given their vouchers at a ceremony held at State House, Anna Regina.

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal and Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Sherwyn Greaves led the exercise. Minister Croal, in his remarks, spoke to the economic spinoffs this initiative will have on the region. He noted that through the voucher distribution, approximately $15 million will be injected into the local economy.

“So, by the time we finish in March, it is expected we will have close to 500 beneficiaries across the coastal region that will benefit from this programme,” he said.

Minister Croal spoke about the housing developments in the region and highlighted the steps taken to address the backlog. Mention was also made of other interventions that were made in the region to make homeownership easier.

Already, the Ministry has developed two new housing areas at Buxton and St Joseph in Charity and has allocated approximately 500 house lots. Additionally, 500 lots have been allocated in Onderneeming, bringing the total to 1000 house lots distributed since August

2020.

“We are talking about $690 million investment for infrastructure, which means opening up the road, creating new access because you know, that area, how it was, the difficulty in the Charity area in terms of flooding,” the Minister stated.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves, acknowledged the banking sector’s efforts to reduce interest rates and make loans more accessible. He also noted that the Government recognises the challenge of the initial investment, which can be as high as 5-10 per cent of the total loan cost, and has designed a programme to assist people to start the construction of their homes.

Over the coming weeks other successful applicants will be called as the distribution process continues. The vouchers can be redeemed on the Essequibo Coast at Builders Hardware Anna Regina, Puran Manman, Annandale and Jainarine Singh, Airy Hall.

This initiative comes from a commitment made by President Irfaan Ali at the International Building Expo 2022. For homes $6 million and lower, Government will support homeownership to give every builder steel and one sling of cement. Secondly, for every other category over $6 million until $25 million, two slings of cement will be provided. Two tenets must be in place before the subsidy is releasedownership and an approved building plan. Persons occupying private lands can also apply.

CH&PA CEO Sherwyn Greaves presenting the voucher to a recipient

SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Linden taxi driver killed after losing control of speeding car

Days after a horrific accident that claimed the lives of five persons along the Greenwich Public Road, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), another accident, this time along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, has resulted in the death of another citizen.

Darren Henry, a 41-year-old taxi driver of Lot 1024 Phase 1B Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden, died after he allegedly lost control of the car he was driving and crashed into a baranka in the vicinity of Long Creek Public Road, Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

At the time of the accident, 36-year-old Sheneka Campayne was the other occupant but she reportedly sustained minor injuries.

Police stated that the accident occurred at about 22:50h and involved motor car PTT 6945 owned and driven by Henry.

According to reports, Henry was processing south along the eastern side of the said road at a fast rate of speed when he lost control of the said vehicle and ended up on the western side of the road and collided with the barranca.

Shortly after, the vehicle toppled several times, thus causing Henry to be flung out of the vehicle and land on the road where he received injuries to his head and about his body.

Campayne, on the other hand, was pulled from the wreckage in a conscious condition without any injuries. However, Henry was

picked up in a semi-conscious condition, placed into a Force vehicle, and taken to the Linden Hospital Complex.

“…the driver was subsequently taken out of the vehicle and placed into the Ambulance and was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was seen and examined by doctors on duty…”, the report stated.

Henry succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical treatment. His body was escorted to the Linden Hospital mortuary for storage, awaiting a post mortem examination.

Following the accident, the scene was visited by law enforcement officers who took measurements. Investigations are ongoing.

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

Dead: Darren Henry

MoE closer to digitising education with launch of Animal Friends learning app

The Ministry of Education has taken another step towards digitising education with the launch of the Animal Friends learning app.

Held at the Tuschen Nursery School, the launch was a collaborative effort between the Education Ministry’s National Literacy Department and the Nursery Department. The Animal Friends learning app, which is available on the Google Play Store has been in development over the past two years.

Upon downloading, the app can be used offline without any internet connectivity.

Assistant Chief Education Officer (Literacy), Samantha Williams stated that it is an adaptation of the Timehri Reader Series, the Animal Friends Reader and Workbooks. These resources provide a sight-word-based programme to develop children’s sight-word recognition skills and expand their vocabulary so that they can begin to achieve early reading success.

The programme is interactive and provides teachers with opportunities to support self-directed learning opportunities for their children. Additionally, there are some evaluation activities to check how learners are progressing.

Williams noted that this initiative was birthed when

the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning in 2020 and each sector was responsible for designing a response strategy to ensure learning continuity during an uncertain period in the world’s history.

The app was developed by Khaimwattie Seenarine, a teacher. She shared that the idea was birthed after she utilised an electronic tablet to deliver lessons to her pupils one day. She said that the pupils were responsive to that lesson.

Delivering the feature address, Education Minister Priya Manickchand stated that nursery education is critical in a child’s academic development. She noted that the Ministry is assiduously working to raise the literacy levels among pupils.

The Minister highlighted that several resources have

Linden man charged for driving under the influence – driver’s licence permanently suspended,

again

ALinden man, who is no stranger to the law, after having his licence suspended in 2019, found himself being charged again for driving under the influence. His current licence, which was obtained under false pretence, was also permanently suspended.

Donald Bradford - a 55-year-old resident of Central Amelia's Ward in Lindenwas involved in a damaging accident on Burnham Drive Public Road on February 28. He was allegedly driving motor car PRR 3963 while under the influence of alcohol and was charged with the offence this week. He subsequently had his driver’s licence permanently suspended.

Bradford, whose breath alcohol level read 112 and 101 micrograms at the time of the accident, appeared before Magistrate Wonda Fortune. He pleaded guilty and was fined $100,000 - or six months’ imprisonment. His driver’s licence was also permanently suspended.

Bradford is no stranger to the law when it comes to drinking and driving. In fact, his licence was permanently suspended in 2019. However, Bradford on February 22, 2023, managed to falsely ob-

been invested in ensuring pupils are provided with the best opportunities possible.

Minister Manickchand said that in the age of technology, it is imperative to find ways to engage children meaningfully. As such, the app provides a platform for pupils to learn through play.

In addition, Assistant Chief Education Officer

(Nursery), Devendra Persaud said the app was developed to transform the Animal Friends Reader and Workbook into a more effective and interactive approach through an e-learning platform. He noted that it was handed over in July 2022 and is currently being used in nursery classrooms in Regions One, Seven and Nine.

In addition to launching the learning app, two nursery schools received tablets as part of the Ministry’s Each Learner a Tablet Initiative. These are the Noitgedacht and Clairemont Nursery Schools. Both are riverine schools.

The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry, has strived to implement distance and alternative learning for children even though these learners may face issues of limited internet connectivity; limited ICT competencies of teachers; and the inability to provide learning tools/instruments to meet the

demands of all learners, especially the most disadvantaged groups.

To this end, electronic tablets were procured and preloaded. The tablets have been preloaded with over 40 programmes to support learners’ development. The distribution process has been to over 130 nursery schools in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine

and the riverine communities of Regions Two, Three and 10.

Deputy Chief Education Officer (Amerindian and Hinterland Education Development), Marti DeSouza said the app will be a great asset to teachers and parents as it will provide another outlet for pupils to be actively engaged and learn through play.

Charged: Donald Bradford

tain a new driver’s licence from the Guyana Revenue Authority after he reported that he had misplaced his licence.

Bradford was also charged on April 10, 2017, for the first time for driving under the influence, and he was fined $7500.

In February 2019, Bradford was charged with the same offence for the second time, and he was fined $7500 and his licence was suspended for three months.

However, in April 2019, Bradford was once again charged with driving under the influence and operating a motor vehicle while his licence was suspended. He was fined $7500; his licence was suspended permanently and he was sentenced to three months in prison.

Mon Repos Primary School gets new library

Anew library was on Saturday commissioned at the Mon Repos Primary School on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) with the aim of enhancing the reading ability among children. This library was made possible through the efforts of “Spread the Words”, a group led by Laura Ryan.

At the simple yet important ceremony, Education Minister Priya Manickchand said that

the establishment of the library fits directly into the agenda of the Ministry of Education. She noted that the Ministry has set a goal that every child must be a reader by Grade Four.

According to the Minister, currently, at the exit examinations, there is evidence to show that many children cannot read. She said that the Ministry is in the quest to ensure that every child across the country can exit primary

school fully literate. She added that the new library will not only serve the children attending the Mon Repos Primary School but also those within the community who attend other schools.

Further, she noted that the Government of Guyana is working to ensure children are educated so that they can benefit from the development that is happening in the country and actively participate in that

development.

She thanked the founder of Spread the Words, Laura Ryan, for her contribution and efforts while noting that it is important that people engage in projects and activities that will have a lasting impact on the lives of those around them. This is the third school in which Ryan and her team have established a library. The other two schools are Belle

West Primary School and Plaisance Primary School. Minister Manickchand said that similar projects can be done in other communities which will support the Government’s thrust to make every child a reader.

However, Laura Ryan during her remarks stated that her team of volunteers had a vision of creating a beautiful space, “where children could gather; a colourful, fun and inviting area where fairies and unicorns, heroes and villains would grab their imaginations”.

She thanked the teachers and parents of the school for allowing her

establish similar facilities. She said that reading builds the minds and skills of every individual.

King suggested that the use of the library should be integrated into the school’s programme and not be used only when there is “free time”. She encouraged the teachers to ensure their learners utilise the library and to reach out to parents so that they can make sure their children are reading.

Regional Education Officer for Region Four, Stembiso Grant said that libraries are a storehouse of knowledge and are important to the development of education.

team the opportunity to work on the project and bring it to completion for the students. She encouraged the learners to make full use of the library, care the books, and return them on time.

Quoting Dr Seuss, she said “The more you read, the more you’ll know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Meanwhile, Chief Librarian at the National Library, Emily King encouraged the team to continue their work and go into more communities to

She said the region is working to achieve the goal of the Ministry to ensure each child is a reader by Grade Four. She said that though there has been improvement in the area of literacy, there is still work to be done. She too urged the teachers to have their learners use the library and borrow books.

Also present at the opening were Deputy Chief Education Officer (Development), Volika Jaikishun and Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary), Rabindra Singh.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand and founder of “Spread the Words”, Laura Ryan, going through some of the books available in the library

A child being assisted to cut the ceremonial ribbon

Cove and John family jumps from verandah to escape inferno

ACove and John, East Coast of Demerara (ECD) family was on Friday evening forced to jump off the verandah of their home which was engulfed in flames.

As such, they received minor injuries to their bodies. Based on reports received, the family members were in the house when they realised that the outer portion of their home was on fire.

As a result, they tried to exit the building through the doors, but the doors were sealed. The, owner of the house related that upon realising this, he and his family decided to jump from their veranda to save their lives.

This caused them to sustain injuries. The man also claimed that he suffered major losses as a result of the fire, including $5 million in cash he was saving at his home.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

worker missing after slipping off cliff in bauxite mine

Only a few days ago, a fire of unknown origin completely destroyed the upper flat of a two-storey wooden-and-concrete building at Lot 16 Enmore Hope, East Coast Demerara.

The fire reportedly started at about 14:11h, and the Fire Department was immediately contacted.

The GFS stated that the building was owned by 50-year-old Khemaragie Kellawan, and was occupied by her, her husband, and her young son.

As a result of the fire, the building and its contents were destroyed. However, firefighters were able to prevent damage to a nearby building that was threatened by the blaze.

The purported cause of the fire is an electrical fan left plugged in, which overheated and ignited, and the flames spread to nearby combustible materials. Nevertheless, the fire was extinguished.

Plaisance man remanded on gun, ammo charge

A29-year-old security officer of Britton Street Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, who was arrested with a Taurus semi-automatic .32 pistol and a magazine containing 12 matching rounds, was on Friday charged and remanded to prison.

Meckiel Sancho appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court where he was slapped with several charges including unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition without being the holder of a firearm and ammunition licence, and unlawful wounding.

He was not required to plead to gun-related charges but pleaded not guilty to wounding Rawle Franklin.

It was reported that Sancho was arrested on Thursday morning while

riding his bicycle in the community.

Police Headquarters reported that officers were conducting an exercise between 05:30h and 07:00h when he was stopped and searched during which the gun and ammunition were found tucked in the waist of his pants.

Sancho will make his next court appearance on April 25.

Abulldozer operator attached to BOSAI

Minerals in Linden is feared dead after the heavy-duty equipment he was operating reportedly fell off a cliff in the bauxite mine which later caved in.

The missing man was identified as 59-year-old Neptrid Hercules also known as “Tear Up” of Block 22 Wismar, Linden. Following the incident, a rescue and recovery team was dispatched to the scene to locate the man and the equipment.

Up until press time on Saturday, the man was not found.

A few months ago, two miners met their demise after the mining pit in which they were working collapsed at Kumung Kumung Backdam, Puruni River, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

Troy Scott, 44, of Linden, and 32-year-old Seon Martin of Lethem,

Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) were employed by a businessman of Rahaman’s Park, Greater Georgetown, at the time of their demise.

Preliminary investigations had revealed that Martin was the GM for the operation and at the time of the incident, he was operating the jetting hose while Scott was operating the marrock hose in the mining pit which was about 25 feet in depth.

However, during the mining operation, the land reportedly caved in thus trapping them beneath. Based on reports, the other workers who were also in the mining pit at the time escaped unhurt.

The two men were pulled from under the debris but by that time, they were already dead. Their bodies were taken to the Bartica Hospital the following day.

The Cove and John home on fire

Charged: Meckiel Sancho

BOSAI

Missing: Neptrid Hercules

AG demands payment of court costs in dismissed parliamentarians’ suspension case

The eight Opposition

Members of Parliament (MPs), who were suspended over the December 2021 uproar in the National Assembly, have failed to settle the costs awarded by the court after their case to overturn their suspension was dismissed.

Consequently, Attorney General and the Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, SC, has written their lawyer, demanding the payment of overdue costs.

Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan, Natasha SinghLewis, Annette Ferguson, Vinceroy Jordan, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, and Maureen Philadelphia were, in July of last year, officially suspended for breaching the National Assembly’s Standing Orders by participating in the infamous grabbing of the Speaker’s Mace — the most significant symbol in the

National Assembly – and for disrupting the sitting of the National Assembly on December 29, 2021, during their protest against readings of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Bill.

They were subsequently suspended for several sittings after the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges, following investigations, recom-

mended their suspension for violating Standing Orders and established customs and practices regarding acceptable behaviour of parliamentarians.

In legal proceedings filed against AG Nandlall, House Speaker Manzoor Nadir, and Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs (the respondents), the MPs

were seeking, among other things, to overturn their suspension.

However, in a January 16 decision, the High Court dismissed their case and the trial Judge, Justice Damone Younge, ordered the defen-

dants to pay costs to the tune of $350,000 to each of the three defendants on or before February 6, 2023.

It has now been more than a month since that payment was supposed to be paid, as per the court order, but this is yet to be done.

“To date, there has been no payment of the… costs in breach of the… Order to Court,” AG Nandlall wrote in a letter to Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, who had represented the eight MPs in this matter.

The Attorney General further indicated, “In the circumstance, I hereby demand payment of costs in the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($350,000) awarded in the matter at the caption, be paid within seven (7) days from the date hereof [March 10, 2023]. You are also hereby informed that failure to comply would result in enforcement of the aforesaid Order of Court without further notice.”

In their court proceeding, the eight Opposition parliamentarians were seeking a declaration that the report of the Committee of Privileges is unconstitutional, null, void, and of no legal effect; and that their suspension is a breach of the principles of natural justice, because their rights, as guaranteed under Article 144 (8) of the Constitution, have been infringed.

They argued that they are “unaware of any act of ours on the day in question falling in the category of gross disorderly conduct, contempt, and breaches of privileges, and that to the best of our recollection, on the day in question, our posture was no different from all other Members of Parliament who were present…”

Among other things, they also submitted that their suspension is part of an unconstitutional scheme and/or device by the Government to utilise its majority in the National Assembly to silence and reduce the numbers of sitting parliamentary Opposition Members of Parliament.

However, Justice Damone Younge, in her ruling, sided with the respondents’ arguments that the internal affairs and procedures of the National Assembly, including the discipline of its members,

are not justiciable by any court. She, therefore, held that the High Court had no jurisdiction to hear the MPs’ case.

“The manner of the application of Standing Orders and the functions and deliberations of the Privileges Committee are purely matters of internal procedure over which the National Assembly

has total control. The framers of our Constitution, in their infinite wisdom, reserved the remit of the National Assembly’s procedures to the National Assembly itself as set out in Article 165 (1) of the Constitution,” the Judge noted.

Having regard to her findings, she found that the MPs’ case is not exceptional and does not warrant the exercise of the court’s constitutional jurisdiction. “As such, this court refrains from inquiring into the internal proceedings of the National Assembly and from exercising its jurisdiction to hear the MPs’ case on its merits.”

“The court is ever mindful of trespassing into the realm of the legislature and usurping or appearing to usurp the authority of this arm of the State to regulate its own procedures as specifically provided for in the Constitution, whilst still maintaining its role as the guardian of the Constitution,” said Justice Younge.

The eight MPs have already served their respective suspensions during which they were not paid any salaries and allowances, and had also lost out on entitled benefits enjoyed by Members of the House.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

Attorney Roysdale Forde, SC

CCAC hosts fitness walk to raise awareness of consumer rights

Men and women, both young and old from across the country turned out early Saturday morning to participate in a fitness walk to commemorate World Consumer Rights Day 2023.

World Consumer Rights Day, which is being held on March 15 under the theme “Empowering Consumers Through Clean Energy Transitions,” aims to educate the public on consumer needs and rights, and draw attention to market malpractices.

The walk, hosted by the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce’s Department of

pated in the walk, told reporters that its aim was to garner a large turnout in order to raise awareness and involvement in the transition to clean energy.

“We know that globally, and in the UN, a lot of countries have signed on to

to clean energy.

“We are already a leading dimension in the world of clean energy, and Guyana is already net neutral in terms of carbon emissions. So, we are doing great work in this country, and we want to bring that awareness to it,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Agency, Dr Mahender Sharma told participants gathered at the walk’s endpoint that Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy

(LCDS) 2030 plays an integral role in the shift towards cleaner energy.

He outlined the plans for the gas-to-energy project and the emissions it would reduce, and explained that while natural gas is still a fossil fuel, it is much cleaner, as it doesn’t contain sulphur and car-

bon like most fossil fuels do.

“So, by simply switching out from heavy fuel to natural gas, we are already achieving clean energy, but it doesn’t stop there. We are also advancing initiatives to develop hydropower on a massive scale to allow us to have greater levels of ener-

gy security so that we can utilise renewable energy in our mix. And it still doesn’t stop there,” he said.

A number of organisations also turned out in large groups to participate in the event. These included the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Digicel Guyana, and others.

Consumer Affairs (DCA), saw participants assembling at the Bank of Guyana on Main Street, then moving along Main Street into High Street, onto Young Street, then along Carifesta Avenue to end at the Kitty Pump Station roundabout. Director of Business at the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, John Edghill, who partici-

cut their carbon emissions and transition into clean energy sources by 2050. So, this day, we have commissioned a walk to be able to bring out numbers. And today, we have had a really good turnout,” he said.

He made reference to the Government’s gas-to-energy and Amaila Falls projects, noting that projects of that nature are important in the transition

Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Agency, Dr Mahender Sharma

Director of Business at the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, John Edghill

Some of the participants of the walk

Amb Rodrigues-Birkett honoured by Foreign Consuls Society in NYC

Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, was the only Caribbean woman to be honoured by the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York.

On the occasion of last week’s observance of International Women’s Day, the Society of Foreign Consuls held its Annual Award Ceremony on Friday at the Consulate General of India in New York City.

Ambassador RodriguesBirkett was among 15 women from countries around the world working in foreign offices, who were awarded with a Certificate of Recognition by the Society for their outstanding achievements and contribution to community empowerment in the United States.

In addition to Guyana, the other honourees hailed from Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, El Salvador, Guyana, India, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Peru, Serbia, and Türkiye.

Guyana’s honouree, Ambassador RodriguesBirkett was born in Moruka and she has accumulated

over 20 years of experience in the public sector, working with some of the most vulnerable communities in Guyana, and in the international arena.

In April 2001, RodriguesBirkett, a former primary school teacher, became the youngest Minister in the Guyanese Cabinet, having been appointed by then President Bharrat Jagdeo as the Minister of Amerindian Affairs. After creating history as the first female and the youngest person to hold that office, Rodrigues-Birkett then served as Foreign Affairs Minister following her appointment to the post in April 2008.

At the time, her elevation

to that office made her the highest-ranking Guyanese of Indigenous descent in the governmental hierarchy. In 2009, Foreign Trade and International Cooperation were added to her portfolio.

Following the change of Government in Guyana after the 2015 elections, Rodrigues-Birkett took up jobs overseas, working with the United Nations

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). She was FAO’s Special Coordinator of Parliamentary Alliances, from 2015 to 2017. She then served as Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva since 2017 before her appointment as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN in October 2020.

Since its founding in 1925, the Society of Foreign Consuls

in New York has represented the world’s largest diplomatic community. This unique organisation, whose members are gathered from the 113 NYC-based Consulates General, is steered by the Executive Committee made up of elected members representing all countries via regional groupings. The Society strives to promote good relations between the NYC Consular Corps and our hosts, New York and the United States of America.

The Society of Foreign Consuls in New York expressed its gratitude to the Consul General of India for hosting Friday’s event as well as the Consul General of Kazakhstan for organising the event and the Consulate General of Australia for editing the programme which

included information about each of the 15 honourees.

All countries presented specialities of their gastronomy as well as wines and other drinks for the delight of all the participants.

At the ceremony, President Marita Landaveri, Consul General of Peru accompanied by each Consul General presented the honourees with a diploma of recognition for their accomplishments, a flower bouquet and a gift.

Commissioner for International Affairs of the City of New York, Edward Mermelstein gave a welcoming speech and presented Mayor Eric Adams’ best wishes to all the women who received the awards and all those participating in the event.

Guyana’s Representative to the UN, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett is among 15 women honoured by the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York

Panama gives Canada's First Quantum go-ahead to operate port terminal

Panama's Maritime Authority has lifted a suspension on First Quantum Minerals' operations at the port of Punta Rincon, which the Canadian company uses to export copper concentrate from its key Cobre Panama mine, company sources said late on Friday.

Two spokespersons for Minera Panama, First Quantum's Panama unit, told Reuters the suspension dated Jan 26 had been ended, which was confirmed by a source at the Maritime

Authority.

The company, which spent weeks at loggerheads with Panama over Cobre Panama, had said that once the suspension ended, it would be able to resume activity at the port quickly.

The Panamanian Government and First Quantum said on Wednesday they had agreed on the final text for a new contract on the operations of Cobre Panama, which accounts for about 3.5% of the country's gross domestic

product. Because it could not work at Punta Rincon, First Quantum halted ore processing operations on Feb 23 after reaching the maximum storage level of copper concentrate - about 10,000 tonnes - at the mine in Panama's Donoso district.

About 60% of the copper concentrate exported through Punta Rincon is destined for factories in China. The rest is exported to other markets including Spain and Germany. (Reuters)

Brazil’s Amazon deforestation again hits record high for February

bon-absorbing trees in the Amazon offer a critical buffer in the global fight against climate change.

Deforestation in Brazil’s portion of the Amazon rainforest hit a new record high in February, new data has shown, as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s Administration works to end years of widespread devastation.

Satellite monitoring detected 322sq km (124sq miles) of forest cover destroyed in the Brazilian Amazon last month, an increase of 62 per cent from the previous record in February 2022, according to data from the national space agency released on Friday.

In the Cerrado, a biodiverse tropical savanna to the south of the Amazon, satellites identified 558sq km (215sq miles) of destruction.

That is up 99 per cent from February 2022 and nearly double the previous record of 283sq km (109sq

Brazil

miles) from February 2020, the data showed.

The spike in destruction has underscored the difficulties that Brazil’s new President – known as Lula –faces in addressing the rampant deforestation that flourished under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

The far-right former army captain, who lost a close election run-off to Lula in October of last year, cut environmental enforcement in the Amazon, which environmental and Indigenous groups have blamed for an increase in illegal mining and violence.

Bolsonaro’s four years in office saw average annual deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon surge by 75 per cent compared with the previous decade.

The issue has been of international concern, as the hundreds of billions of car-

J/ca: Man killed after attacking members of a family with machete

AWestmoreland man was killed after he reportedly attacked several members of a family with a machete on Friday.

The incident occurred on Rory Street at Morgan's Bridge in the parish.

Police have identified the dead man as 59-year-old Devon Wright, a resident of the rural district.

Reports are that around 5:10 pm, Wright and the family members had a dispute. Police said during the dispute, Wright attacked members of the family with a machete.

The family members threw stones towards Wright, the Police said, and one reportedly hit him on the head.

Police said further that the now-deceased fell to the ground and was assisted to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The machete was retrieved from the scene by the Police.

The Police have not divulged the reason for the dispute and have not indicated whether any of the family members were taken into custody. (Jamaica Observer)

Lula has taken early action to address the environmental destruction, including rebuilding Brazil’s environmental protection agencies, relaunching a defunct national action plan to protect the rainforest and convincing international donors to revive the so-called “Amazon Fund”, which includes more than US$580m for anti-deforestation operations. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

View of a burned area of the Amazon rainforest in Apui, southern Amazonas State,

Russian shelling kills Kherson residents, Zelenskiy denounces 'terrorist attacks'

Russian shelling killed three civilians in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, denouncing what he called "brutal terrorist attacks" by pro-Moscow units.

Ukraine recaptured Kherson in November after nearly eight months of occupation by Russian forces who seized it soon after the start of the large-scale invasion. The area is now under almost constant bombardment from Russian forces on the opposite side of the Dnipro River.

One more person died in the eastern Donetsk region, regional officials said.

Zelenskiy said the three people killed in Kherson had gone to a store to buy groceries.

"I would like to support all our cities and communities that are subjected to

brutal terrorist attacks," he said in a regular evening video address.

"The evil state uses a variety of weapons ... to destroy life and leave nothing human behind. Ruins, debris, shell holes in the ground are a self-portrait of Russia."

Kherson regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said three people, including an elderly woman, were also wounded during the artillery

Rains and high winds hit Mozambique as Cyclone Freddy nears

Intense rains and winds started to lash parts of Mozambique as Tropical Cyclone Freddy bore down on the country for the second time in as many weeks, authorities have said.

Freddy slowed its advance towards the southern African nation and was 60 kilometres (40 miles) off the coast on Saturday morning, according to the Mozambique National Meteorology Institute (INAM).

shelling of the city.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, Donetsk regional governor, said one person was killed and at least three civilians were injured in the city of Kostyantynivka following several rounds of Russian shelling during the day.

Donetsk region has seen some of the heaviest fighting since Russia sent troops into Ukraine on Feb 24 last year.

(Reuters)

“The system reduced its speed from seven to four kph, thus delaying its entry,” INAM said in an update. “Heavy rains and very strong winds” were affecting the central provinces of Zambezia, Manica and Sofala, it added.

The cyclone, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Southern hemisphere, previously made landfall on February 6.

While satellite data shows it seems to have stalled offshore, residents have taken precautionary measures.

“The town is a no-go zone; no shops or businesses open. Everything is closed. We’re locked up,” resident Vania Massingue said by telephone from her house in the port town, which is located in the country’s Zambezia central province.

After swirling for 34 days straight, the weather system is likely to have broken the record for the longest-lasting tropical cyclone.

According to the World Meteorological Organisation, the previous record was held

by a 31-day hurricane in 1994.

State channel TVM reported that the power utility had switched off the electricity completely as a precaution, and that all flights were suspended.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The cyclone is slow-moving, which meteorological experts have said meant it would pick up more moisture off the sea, bringing heavy rainfall. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Police investigators inspect a shell crater left by a Russian military strike in a supermarket car park, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kherson, Ukraine March 11, 2023

A man walks as Cyclone Freddy makes landfall over Vilankulos, Mozambique, February 24, 2023 [Reuters]

SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2023

WI Tour to SA 2023: Test 2 of 2…

Rabada, Coetzee, Harmer wrap up 2-0 series win for South Africa

SouthAfrica completed their home summer and World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a massive win over West Indies that saw them move to third on the points table. Whether they remain there will depend on the outcome of the Sri Lanka-New Zealand series. For now, it’s four spots higher than where they finished in their first WTC.

Asked to chase a record target of 391 at Wanderers, West Indies were blown away by the lunch break. They were 34 for 6 inside 19 overs, and were eventually dismissed for 106.

Kagiso Rabada, who recovered from a third-day back spasm to lead the attack, made the early inroads before South Africa’s two specialist spinners, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, took advantage of the turn on offer to share five wickets between them.

Gerald Coetzee mopped up the lower order with three wickets post-lunch.

Rabada bowled an extended new-ball spell of seven overs, and did the early damage. He removed West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite for the fourth time in four innings in the series - this time lbw with a ball that straightened and beat the outside edgeand strangled Raymon Reifer down the leg side.

Wiaan Mulder was not available to share the new ball, as he did in the first innings, because he was sent for a scan on his right index finger, after being hit while batting on the third day. The scan revealed no fracture, and Mulder was cleared to play, but did not bowl.

Instead, Simon Harmer opened the bowling from the Golf Course End, and found significant turn from his first ball. Harmer looked threatening throughout, and eventually found Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s outside edge, which deflected off Heinrich Klaasen’s gloves to give Dean Elgar the catch at second slip.

Harmer thought he had another off the next ball, when Roston Chase was given out caught behind, but Chase re-

viewed immediately, and replays showed the ball had missed the inside edge and flicked the top of his front pad on its way through.

At the other end, Maharaj took over from Rabada, and bowled Chase with his fifth ball.

Jermaine Blackwood pulled out a full-blooded swipe against a shorter delivery from Harmer, and sent it straight to Temba Bavuma at midwicket; and West Indies’ troubles deepened when, on the stroke of lunch, Maharaj asked for a review after he beat Kyle Mayers’s forward defence and hit him on the pad. It proved to be successful, but when taking off to celebrate, Maharaj went down with what looked like an Achilles’ injury. He was stretchered off the field at the interval.

With two bowlers unavailable, South Africa’s attack had to work a little harder in the afternoon session.

Joshua Da Silva and Jason Holder put on 48 runs for the seventh wicket against a hostile spell of fast bowling from Coetzee. He was consistently in the mid-140kph, and used the short ball liberally. One of them hit Holder in the box and he required some on-field treatment before continuing.

In Coetzee’s next over, he dished up a wide delivery, Holder went for the drive and played on. Da Silva was bowled four overs later, and it was only a matter of time before the result was secured.

Kemar Roach sliced Coetzee to Keegan Petersen at point, and Alzarri Joseph was stumped as West Indies were dismissed 10 minutes after the afternoon drinks break.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa 2nd Innings

Aiden Markram c †Da Silva b Roach 18

Dean Elgar c Chase b Mayers 5

Tony de Zorzi b Mayers 1

Temba Bavuma (c) c

Roach b Holder 172

Ryan Rickelton c †Da Silva b Reifer 10

Heinrich Klaasen †c †Da Silva b Joseph 14

Wiaan Mulder c Chanderpaul b Joseph 42

Simon Harmer lbw b Holder 19

Keshav Maharaj c Motie b Mayers 10

Gerald Coetzee not out 9

Kagiso Rabada c & b Holder 16

Extras (nb 4, w 1) 5

TOTAL 100.4 Ov (RR: 3.18) 321

Fall of wickets: 1-6

(Dean Elgar, 3.4 ov), 2-8

(Tony de Zorzi, 7.1 ov), 3-32

(Aiden Markram, 16.6 ov), 4-69

(Ryan Rickelton, 29.4 ov), 5-103

(Heinrich Klaasen, 42.3 ov), 6-206

(Wiaan Mulder, 68.6 ov), 7-277

(Simon Harmer, 90.2 ov), 8-293

(Temba Bavuma, 94.3 ov), 9-297

(Keshav Maharaj, 97.2 ov), 10-321

(Kagiso Rabada, 100.4 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Kemar Roach 14-2-54-1

Alzarri Joseph 14-1-49-2

Jason Holder 19.4-2-48-3

Kyle Mayers 17-5-46-3

Raymon Reifer 11-0-36-1

Gudakesh Motie 10-1-40-0

Roston Chase 14-1-45-0

Jermaine Blackwood 1-0-3-0

Earlier, South Africa’s last three wickets fell for 34 runs in 36 minutes and 46 balls. Bavuma added only a single to his overnight score of 171 before he holed out to deep square leg in the second over of the morning. Bavuma departed to applause from a small but growing Saturday crowd.

Maharaj went in similar fashion, but not before starting the day with a cracking cover drive off Mayers. Rabada then made the most of his licence to thrill. He middled just about every ball he faced, and sent a Mayers legcutter and Holder short, slower ball over midwicket and long-on for sixes in successive overs. Holder cranked up the pace three balls later, cramped Rabada for room, and he top-edged a pull to give Holder his third wicket.

Despite West Indies’ efficiency in the field on the fourth morning, they still faced a huge ask. The highest successful chase at the ground is 310, reached by Australia in 2011, while the most runs ever scored in a fourth innings at the venue is 450, which South Africa put in a draw against India in 2013. In the end, West Indies did not even come close. (ESPN Cricinfo)

West Indies 2nd Innings (T: 391 runs)

Kraigg Brathwaite (c) lbw b Rabada 18

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

c Elgar b Harmer 2

Raymon Reifer c †Klaasen b Rabada 0

Jermaine Blackwood c Bavuma b Harmer 4

Roston Chase b Maharaj 0

Kyle Mayers lbw b Maharaj 7

Joshua Da Silva † b Coetzee 34

Jason Holder b Coetzee 19

Kemar Roach c sub

(KD Petersen) b Coetzee 2

Alzarri Joseph st †Klaasen b Harmer 18

Gudakesh Motie not out 01

Extras (b 1, nb 1) 2

TOTAL 35.1 Ov (RR: 3.01) 106

Fall of wickets: 1-21

(Kraigg Brathwaite, 10.4 ov), 2-21

(Raymon Reifer, 10.6 ov), 3-25

(Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 13.3 ov), 4-26

(Roston Chase, 14.5 ov), 5-26

(Jermaine Blackwood, 15.2 ov), 6-34

(Kyle Mayers, 18.5 ov), 7-82

(Jason Holder, 26.5 ov), 8-87

(Joshua Da Silva, 30.5 ov), 9-106

(Kemar Roach, 34.5 ov), 10-106

(Alzarri Joseph, 35.1 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Holder watching on after being dismissed

Blue Water U15 Girls League… East Ruimveldt are latest winners

Chase Academy went down 4-0 to East Ruimveldt Secondary School in a dramatic match on Friday afternoon in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Blue Water U15 Girls’ Development League. East Ruimveldt Secondary School dominated the match with a strong defense at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground. The winning team’s striker Dellanna Small said she was happy with the final score because her team trained hard over a short period to prepare for the league. She scored three goals, while her teammate Fayon Harry scored the 4th, cementing their school’s victory.

“The game was very good. We put in a lot of work, and I’m glad that we came out on top,” Small shared.

Her Coach Colin Tasher added that the fixture was his team’s first competitive game after a break and limited practice sessions due to inclement weather, but he is happy with the victory.

“They didn’t play to their potential, but they will get better as the time goes along. I’m very excited,” he said.

The second match, between Charlestown Secondary School and Lodge Secondary School, ended in a 0-0 draw. Captain of Charlestown Secondary School, Chinwendu Rover, said even though her team did not win, she enjoyed the

game.

“It was a fun time,” she shared.

The League was launched in Georgetown in May 2022, and in Linden in February 2023. The aim of the league is to increase the number of young girls playing football, identify new talent, raise the profile of female football, and provide coaches with more hours to work with young female footballers.

The league is being

played as a national school competition across all school districts, and is supported by the Ministry of Education.

President Wayne Forde and the GFF Council are committed to investing in women’s football by introducing more competitions at both the junior and senior levels. The Blue Water U15 Girls Development League is a key pillar in the national talent scouting programme.

East Ruimveldt Secondary and Chase Academy in action

Charlestown Secondary and Lodge Secondary played to a stalemate

GCB’s Snr Inter-County 4-day…

Yearwood eying century as Demerara dominate Select XI

- Ali Mohamed slams 94

On a day blessed with brilliant sunshine, national under-19 wicketkeeper-batsman

Shamar Yearwood turned on the heat for Demerara in producing 94 not out on day one of the second round of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) Senior Inter-County

The left-handed Yearwood was supported by all-rounder Ronaldo Ali Mohamed, who blazed 94 to take Demerara to 360-8 in 90 overs.

Demerara were asked to bat first, but openers Sachin Singh and Navidra Persaud failed to go big. Persaud

Cameron.

Singh and Raymond Perez then joined forces, and the duo looked to consolidate.

Singh made only 17, and Perez made 35 while batting at number three. Demerara reached 66-3 at lunch with Christopher Barnwell on eight and Akshaya Persaud yet to score.

Axed national batsman Persaud started well, striking four sixes and one four in his 61-ball 40. He was eyeing a big score, but failed to convert his start, and was caught by Alvin Mohabir off the bowling of Kelvin Umroa, who delivered a full toss.

Stand-in captain Barnwell made 10 to give the Select XI some hope of closing out the innings early.

to play his aggressive way and was brilliantly caught at long-on by Jeremiah Scott for 94 from 62 balls. He was dismissed on the stroke of tea, after he had struck nine sixes and six fours, and added 77 runs together with Yearwood.

he attacked when necessary. He lost partners in Richie Looknauth (10) and Ashmead Nedd (25), but Steven Sankar, unbeaten on 11, ensured Demerara had no further hiccups on day one.

four-day tournament, played at GCC, Bourda.

was caught at the wicket off the bowling of Demetri

Ali Mohamed and Yearwood, however, had other plans, as the duo joined forces at 1695, after 43.1 overs, and dominated the bowling.

Ali Mohamed continued

A total of 180 runs was scored in the second session, as Demerara reached 246-6 in 53.2 overs at tea. Yearwood was more selective in his approach, and

Yearwood batted for 162 minutes and faced 153 balls in his unbeaten 94, which was decorated with five fours and four sixes. The Select XI bowlers had a difficult day

with the ball, as four bowlers claimed two wickets each. Cameron had 2-49 from 15 overs, while Shane Wong had 2-67 from 13 overs. Rampersaud and Umroa had two wickets as well. The second day will continue at Bourda with Yearwood resuming the day on 94 and Sankar on 11, as Demerara aims to score in excess of 400 runs.

(Brandon Corlette)

Ronaldo Ali Mohamed slammed 94

Shamar Yearwood was unbeaten on 94 at stumps on day one

Milo U18 Schools Football tournament 2023…

steps up to the challenge for Dora Secondary

By Jemima Holmes

Dora Secondary played their first Milo Under 18 Schools’ Football tournament game last Sunday, and while their results were not as favourable, the team had a gem on display.

From a distance, Kedon Nazir appeared to be just short in stature, but with the zoom of a camera in Guyana Times Sports’ case, or when one ventured closer to the parameters of the football pitch, the uniqueness of his abilities come to light.

The 17-year-old fourth-form

student of Dora Secondary, located on the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway, is living with a disability that has hindered the growth of his feet. However, this obviously talented goalkeeper has not allowed it to limit him.

Sharing his story with Guyana Times Sport, Nazir revealed that he started school one year late, owing to his disability. But like most other boys in his village, he took a liking to the sport of football, which he goes to watch and sometimes play on the sand pitch in Swan village, also on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.

Finally, Nazir got his opportunity to play on a continuous basis with the Milo Under 18 tournament approaching, and tried out for his school team.

“It had three keepers: me, Jerry and Joel, and they had to test all three keepers and see who is the best. So, I got picked to be the best, because they see how I played,” the youngster told this publication.

Nazir spoke about his love for the sport, “Because I just like the game, and the game could keep your body healthy. That’s why I like it.”

Facing up to the challenge of

Chase’s Academy, Nazir only conceded three goals before being substituted, but his numerous saves were a treat to watch. By the second half, every save Nazir pulled off was met with cheers.

The youngster is not afraid to leap and dive to get the job done, and it was all done bare-handed, since the teenager does not own a pair of gloves.

“The goal is big, but I accustomed to jumping,” he shared. While it was his first outing, Nazir was pretty self-assured in his abilities. He explained, “I been confident. I mostly do this every day.”

The youngster, who hails from a single-parent family, shared that his team has been supportive, and he is never faced with bullying owing to disability.

“I fit in to the team easy,” he told this publication.

“Them is support me with a lot, because I know everybody good. Nobody don’t trouble me or anything,” the budding goalkeeper added.

Nazir is set to feature again for Dora Secondary in the second round of the Milo tournament. The second round is set to begin next Saturday.

Jumbo Jet pledges support to revamp Bush Lot Turf Club

ty from Gymkhana. The track, however, was partially maintained by the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee specifically for horses to train for the bigger races. A similar contribution was made in 2022 toward the refurbishment and upgrading of the Rising Sun Turf Club for hosting of The Guyana Cup.

Lot United Turf Club and the surrounding community. This Turf Club has been inactive for the past 20 years, with minimal activi -

With Nasrudeen ‘Junior’ Mohamed at the helm of this mega-project, the dream is to build an all-weather track that could withstand constant rain through a specially designed mix of aggregate and a new drainage system never before

used in Guyana. The said track would eliminate the cancellation

of races and provide a facility for year-round training. When interviewed at his

Wire Dam office, Mohamed indicated, “Over the years I have spent millions of dollars to keep the sport active. We created a brand with Guyana Cup that has seen growth from a couple hundred to thousands. The Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Committee will continue our work uplifting the sport, and as we embark on this new project, we hope the corporate community can help with contributions to further push horse racing.”

According to Mohamed, his dream is to bring The Guyana Cup home to Bush Lot Turf Club, but to accomplish

increased traffic for vendors and employment of workers to refurbish the Club. The project has already commenced and will take approximately one month to complete.”

The project has already commenced for the upgrading of the turf club

Kedon Nazir (orange bib) readying himself for the incoming ball

Kedon Nazir (orange bib) pulling off a save