Guyana Times - Sunday, March 24, 2024.pdf

Fmr US President Bill Clinton arrives in Guyana today for historic United Caribbean Forum –

Dominican Republic praises Guyana’s investment climate

Guyana’s reputation as an investment destination is set to get a major boost when former United States President Bill Clinton arrives in Guyana, ahead of his planned participation in an upcoming investment forum.

Guyana will be hosting the United Caribbean Forum on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where there will be a panel discussion on local investment opportunities. The keynote speaker will be none other than the former President, who served two terms in the White House from 1993 to 2001.

During an interview with the media on Saturday, Dominican Republic Ambassador Ernesto Torres Pereyra explained what Clinton’s visit meant for Guyana. He noted that this visit puts Guyana firmly in the international spotlight.

“Actually, we’re very excited with the recent developments and the possibility, through the Chamber of Commerce, of bringing in former President William Jefferson Clinton, to Guyana. That shows that truly Guyana is in the focus of the international community for good reasons. So, we’re extremely excited,” he said.

The Ambassador explained that Clinton’s visit to Guyana was conceived by the former US President himself, who will arrive in Georgetown today. He noted that Clinton’s interest in visiting Guyana, coupled with plans from major players in the Dominican Republic’s Private Sector to visit Guyana, resulted in this initiative.

“I think the most important drivers of the whole process of development of this country, besides the Government which has had an incredible role, is the Private Sector. So, in the case of President Clinton, he has very close relationships with key players in the Private Sector of the Dominican Republic.

“And he expressed his desire to understand more about the process that has been taking place in Guyana… they decided to come together so they can also present that notion of the united Caribbean,” the Ambassador further explained.

Ambassador Pereyra also had high praise for the way the Government

has gone about laying the foundation for Guyana to attract international investment. In particular, he acknowledged the work done by President Dr Irfaan Ali in this regard.

“President Ali has been preparing this country to embrace this economic transition while setting the foundation to face the imminent challenges that come with this process. And a forum like this one will enhance that vision.

“We’re using the experience from successful businessmen and also from very successful and prominent statesmen, combined, to showcase alternatives for this country; that is such an important process,” Ambassador Pereyra said.

Guyana has seen a flurry of high-profile visits. Only on Thursday, President Ali received a courtesy visit from the

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the US, William J Burns, at State House.

Burns was accompanied by the US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot.

Other senior officials on the Guyana side who were present included Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips; Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall; Home Affairs Minister Robeson

Benn; Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Omar Khan; Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken; and Head of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh.

Further, former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Guyana on Friday. The former PM met with President

Ali, and they held talks on the progress of collaborative works in the areas of health care, digitalisation, and food security.

Former PM Blair had visited Guyana last year to take part in the launch of the Sophia Point Rainforest Research Centre. While in Guyana, he had spoken positively of the way Guyana has been managing its oil success, contributing to the country becoming one of the world’s most exciting destinations.

The former PM had held a discussion with President Ali in the University of Guyana George Walcott Lecture Theatre, during which he had expressed optimism that Guyana would learn from the various examples of countries that have developed their oil and gas industries.

Former US President Bill Clinton

Dominican Republic Ambassador Ernesto Torres Pereyra

Editor: Tusika Martin

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The New Economy

The writer Mordecai Kurtz points out some dangers in following the US developmental model as we embark on our oil-fuelled transition. “In the US, the turn of the 20th century was a period of extraordinary technological and economic progress, delivering most of the major twentiethcentury innovations. Between 1895 and 1904, however, more than 2,000 firms were merged into 157 large conglomerates, leaving virtually every sector of the US economy dominated by a powerful monopolist.

“Those who created these trusts believed they were doing God’s work of strengthening the economy by saving it from “ruinous” competition. Supported by the ideas of the eugenicist Francis Galton and Herbert Spencer’s theory of social Darwinism, business leaders saw themselves as superior, intelligent men who had prevailed in the process of natural selection.

“This selection process also applied to their firms, through which they were building a new society in which a few strong men would lead. It followed that small and weak firms must be eliminated or swallowed up within strong monopolies. The latter were seen as superior to all the unfit firms that were going bankrupt in frequent depressions. The big monopolies were also considered progressive organizations. As John D. Rockefeller put it, monopolization was unstoppable because it was “the law of God.”

“These ideas were rejected by progressive reformers and those pursuing antitrust enforcement under President Theodore Roosevelt after 1901, and under President Franklin Roosevelt in the New Deal era. Americans in these periods chose democracy and rejected the power-worshipping oligarchy, resulting in a long era of economic growth with shared prosperity.

But that story ended in 1981, when renewed laissez-faire economic policy led to the contemporary techno-winner-takesall economy. In this Second Gilded Age, the worship of power and wealth has returned with a vengeance. Capitalism’s strong incentives for innovation and growth remain, but the survival of democracy hinges on whether the system’s most destructive effects can be contained.

In a techno-winner-takes-all economy, the market power conferred by innovation leads to one or a few firms monopolizing each industry. One firm might offer costly products of high quality, while a second may offer low-cost products of adequate quality. All these products are trademarked, and all monopoly profits are considered “innocent” by law, because they result from “spontaneous” innovations and are not subject to antitrust enforcement.

In this environment, small firms on the margin are vulnerable to either hostile acts or acquisition by larger firms. Dominant firms find it easy to snatch up competing innovative technologies because small firms are reluctant to risk losing an economic war against powerful incumbents.

When a firm increases its price and earns monopoly profits, that leads to inefficient use of its economic resources, ultimately resulting in significantly lower output and lower demand for labour and capital inputs. As an approximation, a monopoly firm’s output and inputs might be reduced by as much as half. When market power is widespread, this results in lower investment, lower wages, and a lower rate of wage growth. The aggregate outcome is lower levels of income, consumption, and capital stock.

Moreover, when prices are too high, too few consumers would benefit from innovations – as one often sees with costly drugs. There is substantial evidence that market power leads to extensive abuses of power more broadly. These might include the erection of high entry barriers to would-be competitors, suppression of competing innovations, efforts to compel the acquisition of competitors, and so forth. The result is a gross national product that grows more slowly than is technologically feasible.

The existence of monopoly profits changes business accounting. Under competitive conditions, the income created by a firm is divided into a labour share and a capital share. But with permanent market power, a firm’s income is divided into three shares: labour, capital, and monopoly profits.

This distinction between capital income and monopoly profits is central to techno-winner-takes-all capitalism. Net income paid to capital consists of interest payments at the prevailing market rates, whereas monopoly profits extracted by pricing higher than incremental costs are paid to the source of market power: mostly privately owned technology and other intellectual property rights.”

Crew of Granger-era rejects

Dear Editor,

Having asked the question of how Mae Thomas’s selection for secondary questioning became an issue for the UNCHR, and further speculated that it looked like the work of local ‘cookup’ artists, I was not overly surprised to learn that the issue was raised in the submission to the UNCHR by the OGGN, a New York City-registered 501(c) (3) non-profit (The Oil and Gas Governance Network) entity.

What shocked, however, was the OGGN submission in its entirety: sixty-four pages, long on speculation and innuendo while simultaneously short on specifics, truth and facts. It would be remiss of me to let this ‘submission’ go, lest the lies grow roots and become pseudo-facts.

The falsehoods begin on the introduction page.

Political

‘The OGGN has no political affiliation. We work for the benefit of ALL people of Guyana. OGGN’s mission is to advocate for rule of law, environmental protection, and financial norms with respect to oil exploration and production and good governance in Guyana.’ (sic)

This all sounds good, but is patently false. The OGGN was formed by retired overseas Guyanese professionals who viewed themselves as an indispensable resource to the Granger administration following the discovery of oil in 2015. They began with individual approaches, and could be seen daily trekking to OP with hopeful faces, leather satchels and voluminous folders of documents in the morning, and trudging back dejectedly in the afternoons following polite rejection by President Granger. They came to be anointed ‘Oil& Gas Governance Consultants, and left as a Network of Granger rejects.

Dr. Vincent Adams took the political route, joined the AFC in an executive capacity, and found his way to head the EPA

in October of 2018. Dr. Adams is now seemingly with a foot firmly in both organizations despite the opposing ideals.

It is interesting to note that many members of the OGGN also share memberships in other politically active anti-PPP organizations. Janet Bulkan is an old-fashioned armchair environmentalist with a penchant for emotional arguments; Alfred Bhulai is plodding mathematics to the table, and some such as Andre Brandil, a medical research professor, is a member of the diaspora “who follows politics at home closely”. They remain unknowns in Guyana.

I believe that examining each of the claims made by OGGN would be instructive, but space can only permit a broad overview, and I begin with the glaring omissions.

APNU+AFC

OGGN makes no mention of the illegal unilateral appointment of James Patterson as Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); the failure of David Granger to acknowledge the government fell on a motion of confidence on the 18th December 2018; the refusal/ failure of GECOM to declare itself ready to conduct Regional & General Elections within 90 days, as is their well-funded mandate; the abuse of the judicial system to frustrate the holding of elections by the incumbent APNU+AFC; the attempt to steal the 2020 elections, which was described as “a conscious and deliberate –even brazen - effort to violate the provisions of section 84(1) of the Representation of the Peoples Act by senior officials of the Guyana Elections Commission; the subsequent refusal to demit office by David Granger and his cohorts, which caused Guyana to sit in squalid limbo amidst the global Covid19 pandemic.

The OGGN saw no evil worth reportage during Guyana’s greatest democratic challenge since the passing of Forbes Burnham in 1985. With

this perspective, we can now examine the OGGN submissions in detail.

Incompetent

OGGN complains to the UNCHR that “Many of the Laws of Guyana are not word-searchable: not saved as PDFs, but posted as images. Two examples are the Forests Act 2009, signed into law on 12 October 2010 but which was only made available as a word-searchable PDF in 2016 on the Ministry of Legal Affairs’ website. The second is the Natural Resource Fund Act 2021 [only available so far as the version of the Bill in the Official Gazette, and not word-searchable] This deliberate action to hinder easy access to national legislation should be discontinued.”

The examples in the complaint are self-defeating. As OGGN points out, the Forestry Act is now ‘word-searchable’ and EVERY pdf (even ones saved as images) can easily be converted into word-searchable documents via Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, or a plethora of free online services such as pdf2go.com. Is the Government of Guyana to blame for OGGN’s membership unfamiliarity with modern technological advances? These are the folks who were to be rewarded handsomely to advise on Oil& Gas Governance nationally, but lack knowledge of pdf usage; experts who would need teenagers to guide them through the ‘interwebs’, LMAOF much?

Disconnected OGGN claims “Access to Justice is limited by poverty. No poor person suffering from Government injustice can afford the requisite lawyers and court costs. The Legal Aid Services is very much underfunded, but it allows the Government to claim there is State-supported Legal Aid.” This claim is made with no supporting examples, and suffers from the distance OGGN members live from Guyana. Any resident would be able to point anyone, poor or

rich, who thinks they are ‘suffering from Government injustice’, to a plethora of competent opposition-leaning lawyers (PNC or APNU) who would gleefully take it on at no cost to the citizen despite the merits. Anything with the potential to embarrass or cause loss of face to an incumbent is embraced and funded by the political opposition. This is the reality in Guyana that the ‘Diaspora’ may fail to appreciate in any measure.

Legal Aid serves those who cannot afford lawyers with distinction. It incorporates the nation’s top attorneys in a pro-bono capacity, its clients are mainly women seeking child support, divorce, and protection from abuse, its work deserves high praise and separation from those seeking relief from ‘Government injustice’. OGGN members would be well served by the occasional visit to the homeland and a reconnection with our realities.

Anachronistic On the issue of Freedom of Expression, the OGGN relies entirely on an EU report, which it quotes verbatim and then endorses blindly. Those who reside in Guyana know that the days when our freedom of expression was curtailed are long behind us. If anything, the pendulum has swung too far the other way, as evidenced by articles and missives during the recent Venezuelan aggression that was borderline (forgive the pun) treasonous.

The EU report states, “Guyana, considering its limited population, benefits from a considerable number of media outlets. The media environment includes some twenty TV channels, thirty radio stations, four daily newspapers, and about ten popular online news media. All of them disseminate news content also via Facebook”.

Given how influential social media is within Guyana, I would ask: Who needs access to state media anymore?

President Dr Irfaan Ali received a courtesy visit from former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Tony Blair, at State House on Friday; and discussions were held on the progress of collaborative works in the areas of health care, digitisation, and food security

Phagwah – past, present & post

Dear Editor,

In the colonial days in Guyana, it was customary for Hindus on the sugar estates to build a huge bonfire with debris accumulated from the cane field. On the day of Vasant Panchami, a bamboo and castor oil tree were planted in the ground in an open area.

From the “planting of Holika,” singing of chowtal and Holi songs became a regular feature in the mandirs and religious gatherings. Weekly radio programmes would feature live performances of chowtal groups from various districts. There were no TV stations during that period, and Guyana had only 2 radio stations: Radio Demerara, with Rafiq Khan, Rajkumarie Singh and Ishri Singh; and BGBS, with Sir Ron Saunders.

It was not until after the late 60s that schools were allowed to have a Hindu Youth Society established to cater for the Hindu boys and girls. The

Hindu youth societies then began to organize cultural shows and concerts to celebrate Holi, Diwali and other festivals.

Throughout the different counties, fairs, charity shows and concerts were held. During the last week before Holi, travelling on the trains and boats used to be fun. School children took immense pleasure in playing with each other with powder, abrack and water.

Burning of Holika

Before Phagwah, a lot of preparation took place, especially by the mother of each family. She ensured that everyone would have new white clothes to wear. During the 50s to the 70s, more extravagant outfits were scarce because of limited resources, and people were satisfied with more modest fashions. Powder, (the Yardley’s brand was the sweetest, followed by My Fair Lady), abrack, perfume and abeer were bought and stocked up,

along with all the ingredients for the different foods. Special attention was paid towards cleansing the house and the yard itself, and children were involved. New curtains were bought, fences were whitewashed or painted. In the very old days, when yards were not concreted, the “bottom house” had to be “daubed” with cow dung and freshly dug mud.

On the night of Holika Dahan, Ramayana goals, chowtal groups, men and boys used to gather at the Mandir in each village from six o’clock in the afternoon until 11:30pm, to engage in the singing of chowtal before proceeding to the site of the bonfire. Hot bara with chutney and coffee were served.

These days, the burning of Holika takes place before 9pm. After a pooja ceremony, the fire is lit and the chowtal groups would continue singing. Meanwhile, boys would walk with dry coconuts, casava and

plantains to roast, hooked on wire strings. Most times, there was a trench in close proximity, and you bet, men and boys would be thrown in, including the pandit. The singing, chanting and dancing to the beat of the dholak would continue until the fire is completely out, then everyone would go home.

Females are not allowed to witness this event because of the nature and significance of the occasion. Overseas, this event usually takes place in the yards of mandirs.

Phagwah Day Early on Phagwah morning, the craziness begins. Neighbours wake each other to douse them with buckets and syringes (pichakaree) of water; girls hide in the bedrooms; boys jump through the windows; hoses are connected to pipes to soak anyone passing in the streets; the women folk are busy preparing the delicacies and the delicious meals for

Crew of Granger-era...

If your message is coherent, meaningful, or even hilariously nonsensical, there is a large, receptive, accessible audience on Guyana’s non-state media platforms. State media is an anachronism…much like the members of the OGGN.

Anti-oil/anti-development

The absurdity of an organization titled ‘Oil & Gas Governance Network’ with membership having no links to oil, gas, or governance, coupled with a strong ‘stop oil’ sentiment, is lost on the fossilised membership of OGGN. Since the change in administration in 2020, every word uttered by this group is dedicated to halting the burgeoning oil industry in Guyana. In my opinion, it is a purpose born out of Granger’s rejection, and in a larger sense, the rejection of these ‘experts’ by the Guyanese population as a whole. A bitterness pervades.

The OGGN submission speaks extensively on the need for ‘unlimited liability’ oil spill

coverage, which any sensible person knows is unnecessary, and would add an enormous amount to the cost of oil production, so much to make the entire enterprise economically unviable to Guyana. OGGN share a schizophrenia that affects many of their ‘stop oil’ brethren. Contradictions abound in their philosophy and actions. Save all the oil money; share the oil money equitably. Oil production is a boon; oil production is potentially too dangerous to the environment to continue. Fossil fuel use is an abomination; keep my lights on, my car on the road, and my flights on time.

This group and its members fight constant battles that seek to drive the cost of oil production upwards in the name of wanting more money for Guyana. It is uncomprehensive behaviour by bitter old people who cannot bear their irrelevance.

Since accepting Dr. Vincent Adams into their fold, the OGGN has become an ardent campaigner for his return to

the EPA, and is conversely a constant critic of the EPA. OGGN has (in their minds) tried and decided matters before the courts, and now provides pronouncements without waiting on the judiciary. This arrogation of responsibility is seemingly unlimited. Alfred Bhulai, in the UNCHR submission, stated that he “attended the same virtual course” with senior technical personnel at the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, titled “Advancing Open Government in the Caribbean, Strategies and Tools to Increase Transparency and Citizen Participation in Public Policy”, and Bhulai noted, “The Government attendees were not always present, and when they were, they did not like to admit any shortcomings” …which begs the question of if Bhulai was the course Facilitator or a student given to snitching or telling tall tales about classmates. It would be interesting to hear what his fellow student think of this ‘un-

christian’ behaviour.

FROM PAGE 4

Conclusion The entire OGGN submission to the UNCHR is an attempt to gain relevance, to place unfounded innuendoes and allegations on the public record, and thereafter give them life as ‘facts’. OGGN has become a political lobby for the APNU/AFC, as is marked by its absence of comment on the undemocratic events of 2018-2020. It will be interesting to see if they can retain their US 501 (c) (3) status after this blatant attempt at political lobbying, an activity specifically prohibited under that designation.

The OGGN membership is a motley crew of Granger-era rejects who are willing members of any organization that would allow them an anti-PPP platform. They are a real breadnut collective; or, as the locals know it, ‘Katahars’.

Sincerely,

Robin Singh

the day; namely bara, polourie, potato ball, bhaiganee, channa, dhall, rice, dhall puri, gulgula, gujiya, all the different vegetables, kheer and Mohanbog.

In the olden days, women used to cook on an outside fireside and would have to often change clothes because of the constant drenching. Meanwhile, the males would visit the site of the Holika Dahan to collect the ashes from the bonfire and play with each other, making it difficult to recognize each other. The chowtal groups used to walk around the village singing and dancing as villagers threw buckets of water on them. Fun and frolic continued until midday. Then the men and boys would head home to shower and change in their white outfits, and most of the family members would head to the Mandir for a religious service.

Devotees would enjoy themselves with the merriment, this time with the powder, abeer, abrack and perfume. At the end of the service, as devotees return to their respective homes, the chowtal groups would walk in the streets and visit each member’s home, where they would be entertained. Neighbours, families and friends would visit each other and exchange goodies.

In Guyana, T&T and Suriname, it’s a public holiday, and so this united spiritual and cultural intimacy prevails in a more dominating and domineering level, affording people to congregate and communicate in a more relaxed atmosphere. These days, celebrations are housed in parks and grounds to accommodate a large public gathering, where fun and entertainment can be in galore with a programme jam-packed with artistes, performers, singing,

dancing and tassa music. In the US, Canada and the UK, Hindus have to take a day off from work if they want to participate in these activities, or wait until they reach home in the evening to gather with friends and families to mark the occasion. It is unfortunate that, for some, it’s just another day, and the sagacity and gaiety of this colourful festival is lost or diminished because of the cold, loneliness, constraint, or just being out of touch with the cultural community.

Day after Phagwah –inviting families and friends

In Guyana, Phagwah celebration can continue for a week or two, because families and friends wanting to celebrate together based on the convenience of time and the reciprocation of visits. Usually, on the day after Holi, neighbours, friends and families are invited to extend the celebration, eating, imbibing, singing, and dancing.

Going forward

Going forward, what does the future hold? Will there be this continuity of exhilarating cheerfulness and anxiety to look forward to this holiday? Will the children at home and in the diaspora apply this spirited approach and application to observe and absorb this excitement? Will this religious and cultural heredity be transgressed with its significant permeation? Hopefully, from constant teaching, preaching, and practising of Hinduism, our rich customs and traditions would influence and attract this embracement. Wishing you and your family a Shubh Holi!

Yours respectfully,

Jai Lall

FELINE VIRAL RESPIRATORY DISEASE COMPLEX (FVRDC), aka ‘‘FELINE INFLUENZA’’

GENERAL COMMENTS

Ailments associated with the respiratory tract are pretty common, and understandably so. The upper respiratory passages contain a lot of bacteria and other infectious agents. With every breath of air arrives a new horde of germs. Many of these germs will reside in the nasal passages and in the other organs leading to the lungs. It is not surprising, therefore, that the linings of these organs can, in the first instance, submit to the invasion of germs. The mucus membranes can be compromised in their integrity, thus paving the way

in these mucosal linings (of the throat, windpipe, lungs and nasal passages) even while the animal is re-

for serious viral attack.

Of course, the bacteria and viruses (and even fungi) can continue living

covering (reconvalescing) from the FVRDC disease.

In fact, sometimes the animals would have a relapse, if certain stress conditions

emerge. We will deal specifically with the complex of viral diseases which result in respiratory distress (and even death). These viral diseases are highly contagious, and make cats fall very ill. In one household, every cat can be contaminated from the one sick cat that first contracted the disease.

It is in- teresting to note that young and

adult (and even elderly) cats can succumb to the causative agents of this respiratory disease complex. However, our own empirical observation and experience underline the fact that young cats contract ‘Feline Influenza’ (colloquially known as “Cat Flu”) much more often than adult and old cats. Please

note that although I am calling this problem Feline Influenza, it really has nothing to do with the true influenza viruses. The main culprits associated with ‘FI’ are:

(1)the Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus (FRV), which belongs to the HERPES virus group (but which has nothing to do with the HERPES infection) in humans, and

(2) the Feline Calici Virus (FCV).

The names of these viruses may be as meaningless to you as they are unimportant to me. For, as you will see, the symptomology and treatment are very similar. (The publi-

cation of these valueless tongue-twisting disease terminologies is therefore only done to impress you with my erudition).

Generally speaking, the FVRDC would incorporate ailments which have the following common symptoms: sneezing, increased lachrymation (tears), increased salivation and high fevers.

As the first paragraph would suggest, the natural transmission of the infectious viruses is via aerosol droplets, especially when infected animals sneeze.

The FRV and the FCV in fact affect only cats, and will not make humans ill.

Next week, we’ll deal with the specifics of “Feline Influenza”.

HAPPY EASTER!!

Only int’l mechanisms can solve Venezuela’s border controversy with Guyana – DR Ambassador

…calls for peace to reign and urges dialogue

Amid tensions between Guyana and Venezuela in recent months and the recent adoption of a law by the Venezuelan National Assembly seeking to declare the Essequibo region of Guyana part of the Spanish-speaking nation, the Dominican Republic called for the region to remain a zone of peace and urged that dialogue guide the way forward.

During a sit-down with the media, Dominican Republic Ambassador Ernesto Torres Pereyra was asked about the DR’s stance on the Venezuela border controversy. He noted that his country was against any actions that would jeopardise the peace in the region, and he reminded of the importance of relying on international mechanisms to resolve disputes, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“Any action that can be a factor to alter the peace in the region is a matter of great concern. We were very empathetic in expressing our point of view about this issue. And we believe that the international mechanisms are the only viable way of solving such a situation,” Pereyra said.

“We – in any way, shape and form – believe that inde-

pendent individual acts that can compromise the status quo and the atmosphere of stability and peace in the region should be (avoided). We should promote dialogue and also the utilisation of international mechanisms to solve any kind of dispute as the only way to settle any kind of controversy. This is what we believe.”

On Friday, the Guyana Government expressed grave concern over the adoption of the law by the Venezuelan National Assembly on Essequibo – more than twothirds of Guyana’s territory.

“Guyana remains committed to peace on its borders and in the region. It will not allow its sovereignty and territorial territory to be usurped. Guyana will exert all of its efforts under international law to ensure that its sovereignty and territorial integrity remain intact,” the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry in Georgetown said in a statement on Friday.

According to the Ministry, this move by Venezuela is a flagrant violation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is in breach of the fundamental principles of international law enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

“It is also an egregious vi-

olation of the order on provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice on December 1, 2023, and it is a violation of the Argyle Declaration of December 14, 2023, agreed to by the leaders of Caricom and Brazil, the representative of the United Nations Secretary General and by the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela,” the statement detailed.

On this note, “Guyana calls on the international community to uphold the rule of law by rejecting Venezuela’s illegal expansionism and by insisting that Venezuela revert to the International Court of Justice, which has before it the case for a full and final resolution of the controversy over the land border between the two countries.”

Before this missive from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Guyana’s Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn on Friday morning also called out Venezuela over its blatant violation of the Argyle Declaration – a pact which sought to maintain the region as a zone of peace. It was signed by President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, last year.

calated when the Maduro Government held a referendum on December 3, 2023, purporting to annex Guyana’s Essequibo region.

Following the referendum, Venezuelan President Maduro announced a series of actions, including issuing identification cards to Guyanese living in Essequibo and issuing licences for mining and other activities in Guyana’s Essequibo.

“We deplore [and] we are unhappy that the Government of Venezuela and its National Assembly just yesterday agreed that they will make Essequibo formally – no longer a zone in Reclamación (Zone in Reclamation) but Venezuelan territory. This is highly regrettable and it violates the principles of the good-faith discussions which were undertaken at Argyle and more laterally in Brazil,” Benn stated.

In 2018, Guyana moved to the World Court, seeking a final and binding ruling on the October 3, 1899 Arbitral Award that settled the border between the two coun-

tries. However, since then, there have been heightened tensions between the South American neighbours, with both countries beefing up their military presence at the border.

Venezuela had challenged Guyana’s move to settle the matter, but the ICJ ruled in December 2020 that it has jurisdiction to entertain the application for a final settlement. Having rejected both of Venezuela’s preliminary objections, the ICJ has set April 8, 2024, as the time limit for the filing of a CounterMemorial by Venezuela.

Tensions between Guyana and Venezuela es-

Given Venezuela’s threatening posture, a Caribbean Community (Caricom)/ the Community Of Latin American & Caribbean States (CELAC)/Brazilbrokered historic meeting was held on December 14, 2023, between Presidents Ali and Maduro at the Argyle International Airport, St Vincent and the Grenadines, geared towards maintaining peace in the region.

The two South American leaders signed the Argyle Declaration, agreeing that Guyana and Venezuela, directly or indirectly, would not threaten or use force against one another in any circumstance, including those consequential to any existing controversies between the two States, and controversies between the two States would be resolved by international law, including the Geneva Agreement, among other points. (G3)

Dominican Republic Ambassador Ernesto Torres Pereyra

Into the heat…

…goes the Spook

Seems that a spook’s work is never done; especially a chief spook of the US, that’s frantically trying to hang on as the sole surviving superpower, with a new aspirant trying just as frantically to pull it down from its pedestal!! As your Eyewitness discussed (briefly) yesterday, the CIA head honcho Bill Burns popped in for a couple of hours to have a discussion with Pres Ali and his heads and advisors on National Security. The question, of course, is what could they have discussed?? Oh, to be a fly on THAT wall!!

First, we gotta note that the CIA Director’s only the last of almost a dozen US leaders from the highest levels of the US military apparatus who touched down here – from the Secretary of State to the Commander of SouthCom; the head of SouthCom’s Air Force to various and sundry crack units who train forces of US allies across the globe. So we can safely conclude that Billy Burns wasn’t here about our tourism potential!! Especially when he was on his way to meet with Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian leaders in Doha, Qatar to discuss efforts to free those hostages still held by Hamas. In the grand scheme of American interests, that has to have loomed VERY large – and to interrupt Burns’s trip even by a half-a-day had to’ve been a big deal!!

So, what big deal was going down last Thursday?? Well, Venezuelan lawmakers unanimously approved a law – which was drawn up after Mad Maduro’s December referendum supported declaring Venezuela the rightful owner of Essequibo. We know that Mad Maduro had declared his intention, but with him promising in the December Argyle Declaration that he wouldn’t push the envelope on the border controversy no further – some thought all was well and good on the western front!! So, was Billy Burns assuring Pres Ali that the US wouldn’t stand for Mad Maduro ACTUALLY annexing Essequibo? Not necessarily for us - since the said madman had also announced that American oil giant Exxon would have to cease bringing up those eleven-billion–and- counting of extra-light crude!!

But some might want to know how come a spook –whom we learnt yesterday normally works undercover – is so involved in a public spat?? Well, the answer is partially found in that the fella’s busy making peace in the Mid East!! Point is, Billy Burns ain’t no ordinary spook who was blowing up bridges behind Taliban lines or whatever. This fella’s one smart cookie – with an Oxford Doctorate in international Politics – who was an Under Secretary of Political Affairs; a Deputy Secretary of State; an Ambassador to Russia, Jordan, etc.

He’s a fella who can make things happen!! Here or in Palestine!!

…comes Yoris

With Mad Maduro struggling to keep his head literally!! – not a day passes when he’s not pulling one stunt or another politically!! And his opponents gotta keep up!! He’d arranged for his most popular Opposition Leader – Maria Machado - be banned from the upcoming elections!! Not as bad as killing her, but just as effective, no?? Well, we’ll see. Machado had held off for the longest while from naming a replacement - but she just threw in the towel.

She nominated an eighty-year- old historian - Corina Yoris – since nomination day is tomorrow, and if there were no opposition candidate, Mad Maduro would’ve just walked into Miraflores Palace!! Now your Eyewitness is pretty disappointed, since he doesn’t see Yoris running the kind of campaign that would counter the tricks Mad Maduro would be pulling.

We Guyanese have become quite familiar - after the efforts of the PNC over the last half-century!! Stuffing ballot boxes; army seizure of ballot boxes; and military intimidation of voters will be just the beginning!!

…of oil revenues

The PNC leaders have been quite circumspect on anything to do with the Exxon oil contract. After all, it was their Trotman who signed away the store!! Now Norton finally concedes he understands “ring-fencing”!!

Fmr PSC Chairman tipped for GuySuCo’s top post

– as incumbent CEO to take up diplomatic post in Europe

Former Private Sector Commission (PSC)

Chairman Paul

Cheong is tipped to take over as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

Cheong is currently a member of the GuySuCo Board of Directors.

A source close to this development told <<<Guyana Times>>> that President Dr Irfaan Ali has been having discussions with Cheong and those talks are “progressing”.

If fruitful, Cheong will be taking over the helm of GuySuCo from current CEO Sasenarine Singh, who will be heading to Europe for a diplomatic posting. Singh is tipped to be Guyana’s Ambassador to the European Union (EU), a post which has been vacant for several years now.

Efforts to contact the incumbent CEO for a comment were futile. However, in a cryptic post on his personal Facebook page on

Saturday afternoon, Singh said: “Life gives you an opportunity to continue what you have been doing or be more than what you were.”

utive years. He was first elected to the post in April 2021 and re-elected in 2022.

been making heavy investments into the revival of the Corporation including

In addition to the current Board, Cheong, an accountant and business executive, has also sat on previous GuySuCo Boards as well as Boards of other State agencies. At present, he also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) and Chairman of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). Cheong served as PSC Chairman for two consec-

De Willem youth dies after being run over by security vehicle

Twenty-year-old

Warren Junior

Thomas of Area ‘G’

De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara met his demise on Friday evening after he was run over by a motorcar along the Zeeburg Public Road, West Coast Demerara.

Police have said that Thomas was lying on the southern parapet of the Zeeburg Public Road when motorcar PZZ 4005, owned by Sheriff Security Services and at the time being driven by a 29-year-old man, drove onto the southern drive lane and stopped in front of a Chinese supermarket, where the driver collected an item from a Sheriff Security officer.

The driver then allegedly drove over the body of Thomas, who was

still on the parapet; but he stopped, exited the vehicle, and spoke to another driver whose vehicle was stationary in front of the supermarket, before re-entering the motorcar and driving off in an easterly direction.

Thomas was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was attended to by a doctor, but died while receiving medical attention.

CCTV footage was viewed, and checks were made for the driver and vehicle involved in the incident. Police subsequently arrested the driver after he returned to the accident scene on Saturday morning. He remains in custody, assisting with the investigations.

Meanwhile, Singh, a financial analyst, was appointed as CEO of GuySuCo in September 2020. He took over the helm of the cashstrapped and heavily-indebted sugar corporation at a critical time of transition to viability.

After a massive downsizing by the previous A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) regime, the current People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has

through mechanisation of its operations.

Singh has overseen the reopening of the Rose Hall Estate in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and the rehiring of more than 2000 sugar workers who were sacked by the coalition Administration while another 5000 former sugar workers received severance payments.

However, Singh’s tenure has not been without troubles. Back in June 2022, the Guyana Agricultural and

General Workers Union (GAWU), which is the largest representative body for sugar workers, had called for his removal after GuySuCo recorded one of its lowest production figures.

In June of that year, President Ali had called executives and managers of the Sugar Corporation to State House, where he had met with them and expressed the need for sweeping changes at GuySuCo to improve efficiency and accelerate their timelines for mechanisation of the estates.

Then in August 2022, renewed calls for Singh’s removal were sounded

by Shadow Agriculture Minister and AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan, after then GuySuCo Vice Chairman Tony Vieira had resigned from the Board of Directors, saying that he was not happy with the direction in which the Sugar Corporation was going. His resignation followed a heated confrontation with Singh at the previous meeting over their disagreements on the purchase of tractors for GuySuCo.

In a leaked audio recording from the meeting, Singh and Vieira were heard having a heated exchange during which inappropriate name-calling was used by the CEO.

Paul Cheong

GuySuCo CEO Sasenarine Singh

GPF, CANU set fire to over $2.1B worth of seized ganja

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) on Saturday set fire to a whopping 2765.60 kilograms of marijuana with a street value of approximately $2,181,240,000.

This comprises 2253.60kg seized by the GPF and 512kg confiscated by CANU from January 2023 to date. The operation was conducted at the former Housing Ministry tarmac on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.

According to information received, most of the seizures were concentrated in Police Regional Divisions #5 (Mahaica-Berbice) and #6 (East BerbiceCorentyne), with smaller seizures recorded in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Numerous individuals have been charged and brought before the courts in connection with these seizures.

The proceedings were attended by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn; the Officer-In-Charge of Police Narcotics, Troy Whittaker and CANU Director James Singh.

Benn, during his ad-

dress to the media, emphasised efforts to bolster law enforcement s capacity in combating drug trafficking.

"We acknowledge that there is still a way to go to get to the point where we can fully deal with issues arising from marijuana possession," he said.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn along with Officer-inCharge of the Police Narcotics Branch, Troy Whittaker; CANU Director James Singh and others on Saturday

Expressing concern about the widespread use of marijuana in various communities, Minister Benn highlighted the negative impact on societal norms, remarking, "Smoking a spliff in public exemplifies defiance, ignoring proper relationships within the communities, respect for the rule of law, or good development for those communities."

He reiterated the Government's stance on narcotics possession, stressing that even small quantities are illegal and will be met with penalties. Additionally, he underscored the pressing issue of youth involvement in drug use, citing it as a continuing area of concern for authorities.

"The very act of smoking a spliff in public exemplifies defiance and ignoring prop-

er relationships within the communities, respect for the rule of law, and good development within the communities," he reiterated, highlighting the broader societal ramifications of drug abuse.

In 2023, CANU seized approximately 1363.28 kilos of narcotics, with cannabis sativa (ganja) accounting for 94 per cent of the total seizures. Statistics provided by the agency revealed that in the course of 73 separate operations, 1287 kilos of cannabis were recovered. From 18 operations con-

ducted, 75.17 kilos of cocaine had been seized. Ecstasy and hashish were also seized in four operations, accounting for 0.12kg and 0.10kg respectively.

A breakdown of the cannabis seized found that a staggering 796.4 kilograms were removed from Region Six. This was followed by 309.7 kilos from Region Four, 51 kilos from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), and 41 kilos from Region Five . Other areas accounted for the remainder of the seizures in smaller proportions.

The large quantity of ganja before it was set alight

The marijuana on fire

Maduro’s end game

FOil & gas contractors critical to local content success in Guyana – LCS Head

…as contractor KOTUG commits to increasing local content contributions

Wollowing the “Barbados Agreement”, signed last October by the Venezuelan Opposition and Government representatives to facilitate “free and fair elections”, and the US easing sanctions on oil, gas and gold, I noted that “Maduro has raised the ante on their border controversy (with us) to counter the political challenge he faces next year after the economic and social implosions.” I then developed the thesis that Maduro was caught in a dilemma between trying to satisfy American pressures for elections that he knew would most likely remove him from office and the improvement in the economic sphere that their carrot of removing sanctions on oil, gas and gold could bring.

Towards us, Maduro was following the very well-known “diversionary theory of war”: generating a foreign policy crisis to divert the public’s attention away from social and economic implosions, and simultaneously bolstering his political fortunes through a “rally around the flag” effect. The Venezuelan people had been socialised since the mid-20th century to accept they were robbed of Essequibo by Britain, and he expected their emotional support. But unlike the 1960s, when the controversy was first raised by the Betancourt government, the US now not only wanted Maduro out, but had strong interests in Guyana because of the massive Exxon oil find.

Maduro decided to “gamble for resurrection”: seeing defeat staring him in the face of elections, he was willing to take highrisk actions that would be considered “irrational” in normal circumstances because the high costs of defeat “objectively” outweighed the low probability of victory. He decided to raise the ante on our border controversy and simultaneously take on the Americans by gaming the Barbados Agreement. In early December, he truculently dismissed the ICJ’s jurisdiction over the border controversy - where we had placed it through the Geneva Agreement - and raised the ante further by defying the ruling of the ICJ with a referendum purporting to give him “authority” to annex our Essequibo. In mid-December, he met with Pres Ali, and they issued the Argyle Declaration that “reiterated their commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean remaining a Zone of Peace”. But we reiterated that Maduro was simply lulling us into a sense of false security, and his over-the-top reaction to the visit of the British patrol boat Trent proved us right.

In January, the Venezuelan Supreme Court allied with Maduro and ruled that Machado was ineligible to run in the elections because of “anti-national activities”. The US then revoked its waiver of the sanctions tied to the Barbados Agreement. However, this applied only to transactions involving Venezuelan gold mining, and not to the critical oil sector, where Chevron continued operating and shipping oil to the US. The US said that waiver would continue until April 18 as per the original terms, and Venezuela’s actions towards democratic elections would be monitored. Maduro read this disparate treatment by the US as waffling to satisfy their oil interests. Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez snorted derisively, “The Barbados Agreement is part of the policy of blackmail and extortion against Venezuela. The truth is that we are prepared to live without licenses from the United States and to continue defeating the criminal blockade.”

Not surprisingly, the Maduro government continued violating the Barbados Agreement, and threatened our sovereignty. They issued arrest warrants for eleven allies of Opposition Leader Machado, and four were arrested immediately. Up to then, the US had not asked her to step aside for a replacement candidate to meet the March 25 nomination date. Machado had insisted she would not do so, since her ban was contrived and she was not afforded her due process. The US publicly supported her stance. However, on Friday, she suddenly reversed her stance and announced that she had nominated historian Corina Yoris Villasana as her successor. This would be interpreted by Maduro as another sign that the US is more concerned about their oil supplies in the face of imposed sanctions on Russia. We will have to see what they do on April 18 on oil sanctions. Then, dismissing our military capabilities, came the bombshell of Maduro enacting legislation to annex Essequibo.

We have proposed that to counter the war being waged by Venezuela in the grey zone – economic, diplomatic, threats etc. - we establish a military base in Essequibo to which the US forces would have access. The US would have to step up to the plate: there is the demonstrator effect on other possible allies in this new Cold War.

hile oil and gas companies exploring and producing oil offshore Guyana play a dominant role when it comes to local content opportunities, the Director of the Local Content Secretariat (LCS), Dr Martin Pertab recently reinforced the importance of Tier 1 contractors in Guyana’s local content sector.

Pertab made these comments during a visit by him and his team to the state-ofthe-art Offshore Terminal tug SD Power at the Guyana Shore Base in Georgetown. The tug is owned by KOTUG Guyana, a Tier 1 contractor providing services to the oil and gas sector offshore Guyana.

According to Dr Pertab, the visit is a step towards strengthening collaborations with Tier 1 contractors such as KOTUG and understanding the unique challenges and opportunities present in the industry.

“Embracing our guiding philosophy, the Local Content Secretariat views Tier 1 contractors as essential partners in the development of local content. We are committed to working closely with contractors like KOTUG, to forge a path of mutual success,” Dr Pertab was quoted as saying in a statement.

It was explained that KOTUG currently has 27 Guyanese supporting its operations, with plans to increase this number and to continue leveraging local goods and services. This, according to the company in its statement, will further solidify its investment in Guyana’s growth.

According to KOTUG’s Corporate Operations Director, Willem Van

Woercom, the company remains committed to fostering local talent and resources. In fact, the executive spoke of the great value that increasing local content brings to the company.

“We are honoured to host the LCS team and showcase our efforts in integrating local content into our operations. KOTUG is committed to providing exceptional maritime services and building and nurturing the capabilities of our Guyanese team members.

“Our plan to steadily increase the number of local professionals in our operations is a testament to

this commitment. We see great value in collaborating with the LCS and other local stakeholders to drive forward mutual goals of development and prosperity,” Van Woercom said.

Meanwhile, it was explained that the visit facilitated interactions between the LCS delegation and key Guyanese team members onboard, including Operations Manager Hemchand Deosaran, Port Engineer Stanley Ramsammy, and Chief Mate Reynard Ramsaroop of the SD Power

“These engagements highlighted the valuable contributions of local professionals

to KOTUG’s operations and their pivotal role in the industry’s success in Guyana,” KOTUG explained in its statement on the visit.

KOTUG is a maritime family-owned company, offering towage and maritime-related services on a global scale. Among the services KOTGU provides are designing, building, chartering and operating vessels to train people and providing innovative consultancy services.

“The company’s expertise is divided across five pillars: towage, training & consultancy, intelligence, subsea and maritime excellence. KOTUG is active in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, North and South America and the Caribbean, and continues to expand its operations worldwide,” the company said.

In December 2021, the National Assembly passed the Local Content Act, which outlines 40 different services that oil and gas companies and their subcontractors must procure from Guyanese and Guyanese-owned companies.

These include 90 per cent of office space rental and accommodation services; 90 per cent of janitorial services, laundry and catering services; 95 per cent of pest control services; 100 per cent of local insurance services; 75 per cent of local supply of food; and 90 per cent of local accounting services.

The Local Content Act mandates penalties such as fines ranging from $5 million to $50 million for oil and gas companies and their sub-contractors who fail to meet the minimum targets of the legislation, as well as those who are in breach of the Act.

Police Officers pretending to be SOCU officers slapped with conspiracy charges

Two Police ranks attached to the Brickdam Police Station have been charged by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for demanding money by menace with intent to steal and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Police Sergeant Imman Wilson and Detective Police Constable Akeimo Simon appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts, where the charges were read to them.

They pleaded not guilty and were granted $75,000 bail each.

Based on reports received, a civil engineer attached to the Public Works Ministry reported to the Head of SOCU, Assistant Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh, that one of his ranks demanded money from him for an ongoing investigation.

As such, the SOCU Head upon reviewing CCTV footage substantiated the allegation, but based on the information gathered, the ranks involved were not officers from SOCU.

This prompted an investigation.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the two persons posing as officers from SOCU, whom the engineer was referring to, were Wilson and Simon.

Further investigations revealed that on March 9, 2024, Simon and Wilson in a marked Police car went to the engineer s residence at Industry, East Coast Demerara and enquired about his whereabouts.

Simon and Wilson subsequently contacted the engineer and indicated that they

were officers from SOCU and that an investigation was being conducted against him concerning money laundering.

At the time, Simon was carrying what appeared to be a Police crime file bearing the official Police Crest and the word SOCU written on the front of the file cover. Simon told the engineer that he was needed at SOCU for further investigation.

Investigations revealed that Simon joined the engineer s vehicle, with the understanding that they were heading to SOCU s headquarters on Camp Street, Georgetown but during the journey, Simon placed a small gun on his lap and began negotiations.

The engineer maintained that he did not do anything wrong and wanted to go to SOCU.

However, Simon directed him to drive to Carifesta Avenue and demanded $1 million from him. Fearful for his life, the victim handed over $100,000 which he had on his person at the time.

Simon exited the vehicle and rejoined the Police vehicle, which was following them.

Soon after, Simon and Wilson disembarked the Police vehicle and instructed the driver to do patrols while they were left behind.

Further investigations were carried out and both Policemen were charged. The Head of SOCU has advised Police Officers not to impersonate members of SOCU to cause discredit to the agency and warned that if they are caught, they will be dealt with, with the full force of the law.

Ravi Dev

The state-of-the-art Offshore Terminal tug SD Power

Local Content Secretariat Director, Dr Martin Pertab speaking to officers from KOTUG

Triple-award-winning young writer uses “cherished hobby” for emotional therapy

B y M ichael J ordan

“Inever expected time to crawl so slowly, nor to feel the things I felt. With half-closed eyes, I clung to the cold, rusted railing of the lighthouse and peered out into the void…” (The Lighthouse at the Bottom of The Sea)

Welcome to the surreal world of Samir Mohamed, a 19-year-old with a keen interest in physics, but with a talent for poetry and fiction.

Just a few weeks ago, Samir won The Guyana Prize For Literature (Youth Category) award for his short story, ‘The Lighthouse At The Bottom Of The Sea.’

Last year, Samir also swept the Guyana Prize For Literature (2022) awards

(Youth category, male) with his poem “Blood and Oil”, and short story, “So Does It Stare Back.”

That’s a rather astounding accomplishment for someone who’s pursuing an associate degree in physics, and who describes writing as “a hobby.”

“I’m ecstatic that my writing could incite such reverence and respect within the expertise of the judging panel,” Samir told Guyana Times . “My ‘talent’, of which I was not even confident, being praised to such a degree is honestly astounding. Nevertheless, I’m excited about the prospects and future possibilities. It feels incredible to receive such recognition and admiration.

“Writing as a hobby does not diminish its value to me. It is a cherished hobby, and my ambition as a writer is parallel to my ambitions as a scientist and artist,” Samir explained.

He said he spent “hours every day” perfecting his award-winning submission. “I prefer taking my time writing, preferring to master every detail and intricacy. I am a slow, methodical writer.

In between my studies and classes, I am able to squeeze in some time to write. It is therapeutic to me, so it is natural for me to start and continue writing where I left off.”

While he has shared his literary attempts with only a few individuals, Samir said, his father and his girlfriend have always been supportive. His poems and stories are dark and unsettling in tone, and Samir reveals that they reflect mental turmoil with which he’s had to grapple on occasion. Writing, he says, is an attempt to analyze and cope with these emotions.

“My poems reflect my psyche, and are a way for me to learn about both myself and life through my characters. ‘The Lighthouse at the Bottom of the Sea’ is a story of isolation, grief and redemption. It takes the reader through the eyes of the protagonist, grappling with intense loneliness and loss from being stranded on an island with the goal of manning a lighthouse.

“The story was an experiment in self-reflection much like my previous winning piece. It came about when I was taking a very long trip back home when I saw a lighthouse in the distance. To be honest, at the time I was so tired that it might have been a hallucination. It was a stressful and painful period in my life,” Samir disclosed.

“The lighthouse was similar to how I was, in a sort of static, purgatory-like state: just the silence, the howling winds in my ear and the cold night skies. I reached inside of myself and channelled that longing; that aching feeling for something more,” he said.

“The story is the brainchild of darkness, light, and the human condition. Often times we find ourselves searching outside for our salvation and peace, when we should really be looking inside. Much like the vast ocean in the dead of night, hope is our lighthouse amongst the emptiness.

“Undoubtedly, (writing) that story helped to strengthen me as well as helped me understand myself and the things I was feeling. Writing has been paramount in helping me to understand both my situation and myself. It has helped to navigate my struggles by making them more tangible,” Samir explained. His greatest literary inspiration is the late poet and novelist Sylvia Plath, who is credited for pioneering the exploration of once-taboo subjects such as sexuality, suicide and trauma.

While he seeks to attract the attention of international publishers, some of his poems are available online at Samir Mohammed - Hello Poetry.”

He’s also been interacting with other local and international writers through forums.

At present, he’s engrossed in his “passion project” — a novel called “Dark Matters” —which explores artificial intelligence, humanity, philosophy, and astronomy.

“It has been a slow road, but I’m eager to polish it to its full potential. This is intended to be my first published piece,” Samir disclosed.

His advice to others with literary ambitions is to “never stop writing. Be free and open to express yourself on paper, on a Word document or in a private WhatsApp chat whenever you feel the impulse. Make a regular schedule or take up a project such as a short story or a long poem and get advice from mentors, friends, family, or teachers. Go with your gut, and read works by well-renowned writers and artists. Don’t be afraid to get creative.”

Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr handing over the award to Samir Mohamed for ‘The Lighthouse at the Bottom of the Sea’

President Ali, others to be honoured at American Foundation for UWI gala in NY

President Dr Irfaan

Ali, who is also Chairman of Caricom, is among the honourees at the 27th annual American Foundation for The University of the West Indies (AFUWI) fundraising gala, which is billed for Thursday, April 18 in New York City.

This year’s gala, presented under the theme “The Legacy Continues”, will build upon the history of providing hundreds of scholarships over the past decade. These scholarships have opened doors for Caribbean students from underprivileged backgrounds, allowing them to achieve their dreams of pursuing higher education.

“The AFUWI Annual Gala Awards has been a

significant funding source for the scholarship programme, giving us the finances urgently needed to assist with tuition expenses for many young, talented and ambitious Caribbean nationals who would not be able to fulfil their aspirations of a college education because of their dire financial circumstances,” Executive Director of the American Foundation for The University of the West Indies, (AFUWI), AnnMarie Grant, has said.

“We are so thankful to all our donors, who by contributing to this endeavour help to create their own impactful legacy.”

This Year’s Distinguished Honorees are: His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the Ninth President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces, and current Chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Mr Don Christian, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, with a 35-year career in technology, aerospace, defence, and more. He is also a trustee at Howard University and the McDonogh School, and is the founder of the Jamaica Howard University Affinity Network, (J-1 or JHUAN), which has raised over $250,000 for Jamaican students.

Mr. Anthony Mark

Desnoes Hart, the Executive Chairman of Caribbean Producers Jamaica Ltd. and a key figure in its establishment. He previously

served as CEO, and is also a founding shareholder of the company, which is currently listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE).

Attorney Darren Skinner, co-General Counsel of the Washington, D.C. office of Arnold & Porter, a law firm that provides sophisticated regulatory litigation and transactional representation to nearly half of the Fortune 100 and many other clients.

Ms. Michele ChowTai, the Managing Director of Business Development at Fairview Capital Partners, where she spearheads strategic planning and client strategies to enhance the firm’s private equity and venture capital endeavours. Ms. Chow-Tai is also actively involved in several boards, including the National Association of Securities Professionals – New York Chapter, and the Greater New Haven Chambers of Commerce.

Rev. Patrick Perrin, who is from Jamaica to New York, has dedicated most of his life to guiding his congregation and youth. Rev Perrin recently retired as a United Methodist Elder, after serving St. John’s United Methodist Church of Elmont in Valley Stream, New York, ending 32 years of service to the United Methodist Church.

L-R Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali; Mr. Don Christian, a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; Attorney Darren Skinner, Co-General Counsel of the law firm of the Washington, D.C. office of Arnold & Porter

L-R: Mr. Anthony Mark Desnoes Hart, Executive Chairman of the Caribbean Producers Jamaica Ltd; Ms. Michele Chow-Tai, the Managing Director of Business Development at Fairview Capital Partners; and Rev. Patrick Perrin, recently retired as a United Methodist Elder (AFUWI image)

GYSBI celebrates 250 days LTI-free, delivers 1M cm3 sand to Gas-to-Energy Project

The Guyana Shore Base Inc (GYSBI) on Friday announced that it has achieved a milestone of being 250 days free of lost-time injuries (LTIs) and has also been able to deliver one million cubic metres of sand to the Gas-to-Energy Project at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

LTI refers to an injury sustained by an employee on the job which results in the loss of productive work time. Lost-time injuries encompass both temporary injuries, which keep the employee away from work for a day, and permanent disabilities and conditions that prevent the employee from ever returning to the job, or performing their regular work tasks.

at the site is nothing short of remarkable.

It started when we won the Early Works project with Exxon. It was a small project at the time, and it was in the middle of the jungle. We won the Heavy-Haul Road project, and then migrated to the LINDSAYCA CH4 project, which we are at now, he detailed.

I am blown away by what we have been able to achieve in the middle of nowhere. To achieve this record in safety in this harsh territory is quite a feat. Importantly, this (achievement of being) 250 days LTIs-free is only for the LINDSAYCA project; this does not include those works that we did for ExxonMobil earlier on, he explained.

GYSBI has been contracted by LINDSAYCA

CH4 to execute earth, soil remediation, and surcharge work at the site where the Government of Guyana is constructing an integrated Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) extraction plant and establishing a 300MW power generation facility. LINDSAYCA CH4 has been contracted to do the construction work by the Government of Guyana, and physical works commenced on August 31, 2023 with the last stage of the contract expected to be completed by the end of this month.

Before this engagement with LINDSAYCA CH4, GYSBI had been contracted by ExxonMobil Guyana to execute the early works and heavy-haul road at the site. This included the construction of five bridges, an access road, a heavy-haul road, and the initial site preparation for the Integrated Plant site.

In brief remarks at a simple ceremony held to mark the achievement, Executive Director of GYSBI, Robin Muneshwer, said the work the company has been doing

On the logistics side, Muneshwer indicated that due to the distance and location of the project, moving materials such as sand proved to be a challenge. However, the company was able to work around these challenges and has now transported and placed over one million cubic feet of sand at the site.

Having detailed the work that has been done so far, Muneshwer noted that it is even more important that the workers and all Guyanese alike see the bigger picture and realize the value of the project, which aims to provide reliable and cheaper electricity to citizens.

The significance of this project cannot be overstated in national terms, because power has been one of the issues that (have) been plaguing Guyana for many decades. It has plagued businesses -- we do not have cheap sources of power for manufacturing etc -- so this project is the absolute gamechanger for Guyana. When we start generating power, transmitting and distribut-

ing it, that is when this country is really going to move ahead in a significant way, he explained.

Everyone should feel proud to be involved in such a project. This is what you will be passing on to your kids and grandkids, and you can tell them that you played a part in this project, he added.

Construction Manager of the G-t-E Project, Almir Dapo, detailed a similar prediction as he reminisced on the challenges that were encountered in accessing the site and commencing the preparatory works.

I am happy that we are here to celebrate something huge in numbers. We started here in 2022 with Exxon, and I remember it was a

very small team building the roads, etc. For us back then, we were coming to an empty area filled with forest, there were no roads or bridges. Today we have built bridges and roads, and now self-discharging barges are coming here every day to deliver sand. [This achievement] took a lot of trucks, movements, day shifts and night shifts, he said.

And Project Manager at the site, Evgenii Angarskii, said that more than 200 pieces of equipment operate at the site, and the equipment is complemented by 250 staff members who are directly employed with GYSBI. He added that with the inclusion of third-party contractors and service providers, the site sees more than 400 persons every day.

The GYSBI Team

Work ongoing on the Gas-to-Energy Project at Wales

ERC to launch rigorous campaign to tackle racism among youths

– over 8000 students from coastal schools were targeted in 2023

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), having underscored the importance of instilling in the younger generation the values of

tolerance, respect and appreciation for diverse ethnicities, has announced, through its Chairman Shaikh Moeen-ul-Hack, that it would this year be spearheading an intense

campaign to tackle racism through schools located throughout Guyana.

“Over the past year, we have reached over 8000 students from coastal schools in the first phase,

and this year the model will be extended to all other regions of Guyana. These school visits have provided a crucial opportunity to engage with the next generation of leaders and change-makers, equipping them with the values, knowledge, and skills needed to create a more harmonious and cohesive society,” the ERC Chairman has explained.

He added that the ERC would be building on last year’s success in fostering dialogue among the diverse ethnic communities across Guyana; and highlighted the commission’s unwavering commitment to promoting harmony among Guyanese in a way that enhances equality between persons of dif -

(Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and Ten (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

The ERC has solicited the concerns of each demographic, and has gained feedback and insights into areas in which it could work towards addressing them. Contributions from the various engagements were considered in drafting the Strategic Plan, which is being finalised.

Public Awareness

The ERC has also been deeply committed

ferent ethnic groups.

“Through strategic initiatives, including constituency meetings, stakeholder engagements and targeted outreach programmes, the Commission has created the mechanism for Guyanese from all walks of life to come together, share their experiences, and find common ground,” the Chairman has said.

Constituency Meetings and Regional Outreaches

Over the past two months, the ERC has convened ten stakeholder engagements with representatives of the various constituency groupings: namely African, Indian, Indigenous, Islamic, Hindu, Christian, Women, Youth, Private Sector, and Labour; and visited and engaged respective regional officials and residents of communities in Regions One (BarimaWaini), Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Nine

to promoting cultural exchange and understanding throughout Guyana, having actively participated in various cultural forums, exhibitions, and events to highlight the invaluable contributions of each ethnic group in Guyana.

Among the engagements are the United Nations’ Permanent Forum for People of African Descent, the National Toshaos’ Conference 2023, and the inaugural Ramadan Village.

According to Shaikh Moeen-ul-Hack, these events have provided invaluable opportunities to celebrate and honour the diverse traditions, customs and histories that make up the vibrant mosaic of Guyanese culture by participating in these cultural exhibitions and events that reach over 6000 Guyanese, and by spreading awareness of the work of the Commission, and educating the public on principles of respect, harmony, tolerance, and unity across all ethnicities.

Chairman of the ERC, Shaikh Moeen-ul-Hack

The Commissioners of the ERC

$1.1B MoU inked to pave way for sustainable growth in forestry sector

The World Wildlife Fund-Guianas and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support initiatives, training and procurement of equipment to bolster Guyana’s forestry sector.

This agreement was officially inked during a ceremony held on Thursday to recognise International Day of Forests 2024 at the Forestry Training Centre at Yarrowkabra, along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

Notably, this MoU would also garner financial support that would be channelled into the Yarrowkabra Forestry Training Centre, considering this centre’s pivotal role in shaping the forestry sector’s future.

The $1.1 billion initiative, which falls un-

der the European Unionfunded Sustainable Forest Livelihoods for Communities of Guyana project, aims to maintain healthy forests and natural resources by strengthening sustainable local community development.

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

has lauded the Guyana Forestry Commission’s steadfast efforts in advancing the forestry sector, while expressing gratitude to the EU for its unwavering support. He highlighted the transformative potential inherent within the training centre, envisioning it as a hub for sectoral innovation and progress.

“I’m thankful to the EU and the commitment made to upgrade this facility, because there is so much more that we can do here,” the minister said.

Further, Bharrat underscored that coupling Government’s investments with strategic partnerships is a mechanism that would continue to position the forestry sector to reach greater heights, as the country’s traditional sectors are alive and thriving.

“The criticism is that everybody is gravitating to the oil and gas sector. That is not true. Approximately 6,000 Guyanese are employed in the oil and gas sector today. Even when we start producing 1.2 billion barrels of oil by 2027, the oil and gas sector will never employ the amount

of people that are employed by the Guyana Forestry Commission, because it is designed that way. That is why, as a Government, we need to ensure that we continue to incentivise the traditional sectors and continue to grow the traditional sectors,” Bharrat explained. European Union Ambassador to Guyana, Rene van Nes, has said the MoU signals more concrete action to build out a forestry sector that supports both sustainability and economic growth. He emphasized that the forests form a critical component of Guyana’s ecosystem, and said he is pleased that its preservation is a top priority of the Guyana Government.

“Under this programme, we will now start supporting forested communities in making business plans with training in reducing impact

logging…and all other aspects relevant to running viable businesses. This includes procuring forest management tools such as GPS devices…in addition to providing financial support to the Yarrowkabra Training Centre,” he explained.

Also present at the ceremony were British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller; United Nations Resident Coordinator Yesim Oruc, other members of the diplomatic corps; officials and staff of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Guyana Forestry Commission, and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.

This year, International Day of the Forests has been observed under the theme “Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a better World”.

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

European Union Ambassador to Guyana, Rene van Nes

Woman dies almost a month after Brickdam accident

lmost one month af-

Ater Temeca Kerr of Massy’s Distribution Limited had been seriously injured in a horrific accident along Brickdam in Georgetown, she succumbed to her injuries on Saturday.

The 30-year-old Kerr had reportedly been driving a car when she collided with a sand truck in the wee hours of February 25. At the time of that accident, Natoya Amanda Campbell and two others had been in the car, and Campbell had sustained severe head injuries. She remains hospitalised.

It was reported that that accident occurred when a speeding sand truck collided with the vehicle that Kerr was driving as she manoeuvred her vehicle from Brickdam onto Camp Street. The impact of that accident had left both Kerr and Campbell with grievous head injuries and other seri-

ous wounds across their bodies. The other occupants of Kerr’s vehicle had sustained minor injuries.

The occupants of Kerr’s vehicle had been taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where the se-

riously injured Kerr and Campbell had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Sometime after

that accident, Campbell had started to exhibit signs of progress. She had regained consciousness, and although

still in serious condition, had eventually been transferred out of the ICU.

However, Kerr's condition had necessitated that she be transferred to the National Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, where she had remained in critical condition, showing minimal signs of improvement despite the best efforts of medical staff. Tragically, her battle for survival came to an end on Saturday at about 3:00h without her regaining consciousness.

Guyana Times had been informed that the driver of the truck was arrested, but had subsequently been released on bail. As the circumstances of this tragic accident continue to be investigated, Kerr’s family members and friends have taken to social media to express their distress at her passing.

Dead: Temeca Kerr

Injured: Natoya Amanda Campbell

Fatal BV fire was deliberately set – GFS

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has confirmed that the fire that claimed the life of the elderly Moses Elias, also known as “Bro Mo”, former headmaster of Bladen Hall Multilateral School, had been maliciously set.

The Fire Service confirmed that it had received the report of a fire at West Half, Plot OBAZ, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara at about 4:00h on Friday, and said it had responded promptly.

“Water Carrier #16 and Water Tender #105, carrying 1703 liters of water,

along with their crews, were immediately dispatched to the scene. Personnel, including Leading Fireman Legal, Leading Fireman Petrie, and five others, encountered a wooden- and-concrete two-storey building engulfed in flames, and immediately commenced firefighting operations”, the report stated.

As a result of that blaze, 84-year-old Moses Elias, owner of the house, perished in the fire.

“Despite the valiant efforts of the firefighting crews, the building and its contents were destroyed. The cause of the fire is sus-

Dead: Former Headteacher Moses Elias

pected to be malicious, with the perpetrator(s) currently unknown”, the Fire Service has further stated.

The house that was destroyed by fire

Teen fatally shot by security officer at workplace

Jared Jaganand, a 19-year-old resident of Mon Repos, ECD who worked as a handyman at the Shaf Auto Sales at Lusignan West, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was on Thursday shot dead by a security officer at the said establishment.

Police have said that the 20-year-old suspect is attached to the Cerberus Security Service, and was at the time armed with a 12-gauge shotgun.

Based on reports received, on Thursday, the owner of the auto sales entity and his wife returned to the store after transacting business and found the suspect, who was on duty, and Jaganand seated in a chair a short distance away from the Security Officer’s desk.

The couple proceeded to the entity’s office, but, a few minutes later, heard a

Dead: Jared Jaganand

loud explosion in the store. The businessman immediately went to check on the origin of the sound, and observed Jaganand lying motionless on the ground with blood about the lower section of his body.

Jaganand was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to Woodlands Hospital, where he was attended to by a doctor, but he later succumbed to his injuries. The mat -

ter was reported to the police, who, upon inspecting Jaganand’s body, found a gunshot wound on the upper left leg.

Several persons were questioned, and the CCTV footage was reviewed. The suspect was arrested and is presently in custody. The shotgun was lodged, along with 5 live cartridges and one spent shell.

Police investigations are continuing.

Fishermen arrested for desecrating tomb, beheading corpse at Rosignol Cemetery

Police have arrested two men in connection with the desecration of the tomb of 52-year-old Muneshwar Jawahir, which occurred between March 17 and 19 at the Murphy Dam Cemetery in Rosignol, West Coast Berbice.

In custody are Khalil Madramootoo, also known as ‘Prito’, and Lindon Davis, also known as 'Mama G', both of McKenzie Street in Murphy Dam, Rosignol Village. Initially, Madramootoo was arrested and, upon interrogation, admitted to participating in desecrating the tomb and corpse

of Jawahir. Madramootoo claimed that Davis is the one who had broke into the tomb, and together they removed about $28,000 from the casket. Davis has, however, denied any involvement in the incident. They remain in custody as police continue to investigate the incident.

Jawahir had been laid to rest at the Murphy Dam Cemetery on February 9, 2024.

Dead: Muneshwar Jawahir

The vandalised tomb

Lindon Davis, also known as 'Mama G'

Khalil Madramootoo, also known as ‘Prito’

Russell trumps Klaasen as KKR hold on for win

Heinrich Klaasen of Sunrisers Hyderabad very nearly stole victory away from Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Saturday, but the 22-year-old Harshit Rana successfully defended 12 off the final over to take KKR over the line in a last-ball thriller.

With momentum on their side, Sunrisers had a dream start to the 20th over when Klaasen pulled Harshit for six over square leg. But the seamer followed it up with two singles, two wickets and one dot in the next five balls to seal the deal.

Earlier, it was Sunil Narine's 1 for 19 in four overs on a batting-friendly surfacethe spell included zero boundaries - which kept Sunrisers quiet through the middle overs. His economy of 4.75 was a complete outlier on a surface where bowlers, whether experienced or not, went for a lot. That had given KKR the upper hand with three overs to go, with Sunrisers needing 60 in 18 balls. But Klaasen's 29ball 63, laced with eight sixes, dragged Sunrisers back into the contest.

KKR also had Andre Russell, Phil Salt and Ramandeep Singh to thank for their first innings’ score of 208. From 51 for 4, the hosts rebuilt courtesy of Salt's 40ball 54 on KKR debut and a 17-ball 35 from Ramandeep. Russell put the finishing touches to the KKR innings by smacking seven sixes in his 25-ball unbeaten 64.

Klaasen's near-heist

The last 18 months have belonged to Klaasen, who has turned into a rampaging spin-hitter to go with his strong range of shots against pace. He came in at No. 5, with Sunrisers needing 102 in 8.2 overs. Even though he started slowly, he found his range against Varun Chakravarthy, racing from six in seven balls to 18 off 12 with the help of two sixes in the 14th over.

When Chakravarthy returned for the 18th and the target looked improbable, Klaasen again opened his

shoulders by pummelling two more sixes. Then when Mitchell Starc, the most expensive player in IPL history, returned to close out the game in the 19th over, Klaasen clubbed him for three sixes in a 26-run over.

With 47 runs scored in the 18th and 19th overs, Sunrisers had turned the game around. The 12-ball assault had sent ESPNcricinfo's forecaster swinging from being 99.27% in favour of KKR to putting Sunrisers at 81.95% favourites before the final over. However, Klaasen's dismissal at the hands of Harshit, one ball after smacking his eighth six, deflated Sunrisers and allowed KKR to close the game out.

Russell mauls

Bhuvneshwar and Co

With just six overs to go in the first innings, KKR were 123 for 6 and still needed a glorious finish if they were to reach 200. After scoring two runs in his first five balls, Russell ruined Mayank Markande's bowling figures by muscling three sixes in the 16th over - two down the ground and one over midwicket - to race to 20 off 11.

When Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned for his backend spell, Russell made full use of a favourable match-up to maul the experienced pacer, hitting six and four in the 17th, with Rinku Singh adding another boundary in an 18-run over.

The 18th, bowled by T Natarajan, also went for 15, and when Bhuvneshwar returned for the 19th, Russell clobbered him for four, six, six and four - using his power and the small boundaries to muscle 26 runs. In the process, he also hit his 200th six for KKR in franchise cricket, and reached his fifty in 20 balls.

That helped KKR touch 200 in 19 overs, even as Rinku fell for a 13-ball 25 to become Natarajan's third scalp of the night. Russell finished unbeaten on 64 at a strike rate of 256, as Sunrisers conceded 85 runs in the last five overs to end up chasing an improb-

SCOREBOARD

able 209.

Narine stifles Sunrisers after powerplay

Twin 32s at a rapid pace from openers Mayank Agarwal and Abhishek Sharma gave Sunrisers the kind of start they needed to chase down 209, a target that would've required the fourth-highest chase in IPL history. But they fell in the respective sixth and eighth overs to short balls from

Harshit and Russell respectively. It was around that time, just after the powerplay had ended, that Shreyas Iyer went to Narine.

Narine bowled consistently on a good length, and found turn in both directions to keep Rahul Tripathi and Markram quiet. He conceded only two runs in his opening over, and very nearly had Tripathi dismissed in his second, when the batter mistimed a slog sweep. A dropped chance from

Chakravarthy gave Tripathi a second life.

Tripathi received a third life when Narine had him pinned in front of the stumps in the 11th over. But the umpire turned the appeal down and KKR did not review it.

When Narine finally dismissed Tripathi in the 17th over, caught at deep square leg off the penultimate ball of his spell, he let out a roar, a rare display of emotion, as he had earned just rewards for his impressive spell. Narine finished with eight dots bowled and zero boundaries conceded.

Salt finds support in Ramandeep

The KKR innings had begun disastrously when Narine - promoted to open again - fell cheaply to a runout. Then Natarajan picked off Venkatesh Iyer (7) and Shreyas (0) in the same over, to leave KKR on 32 for 3.

That forced Salt to rein in his shot-making, his having initially started his innings with a hat-trick of sixes off Marco Jansen.

The KKR batters, Salt included, struggled when

Bhuvneshwar bowled in the fourth-stump channel in the powerplay, and by the eighth over, they were 51 for 4 when Nitish Rana reverse swept Markande to backward point. But in No. 6 Ramandeep, Salt found a partner who could counterattack. Ramandeep was not intimidated by the short-ball barrage attempted by Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins or Marco Jansen. He pulled both bowlers for sixes in the ninth and 11th overs respectively and then began the 12th with an inside-out six off Shahbaz Ahmed. He was eventually caught at cover by a diving Markande off Cummins for a 17-ball 35 but by then he had ensured the KKR innings did not stagnate in the middle overs.

Salt finally reached his third IPL fifty in the 14th over off Markande's bowling and looked disappointed when he fell for 54 in the same over. However, a KKR recovery from 51 for 4 to 119 for 6 in the space of 6.2 overs had given Rinku and Russell enough of a platform to capitalise on. And capitalise they did. (ESPNCricinfo)

Andre Russell smashed seven sixes in his 25-ball innings

Sam Curran’s 47-ball 63 gives Punjab Kings win at new home

Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone spoiled Rishabh Pant’s comeback as Punjab Kings started their IPL 2024 campaign with a four-wicket win at their new home ground in Mullanpur.

After being sent in, Delhi Capitals were 137 for 7 in the 18th over when they decided to bring in Abishek Porel as the Impact Player. Porel smashed 32 off just ten balls to lift them to 174 for 9.

But that also meant Capitals were going to be a bowler light during the chase. Ishant Sharma’s injury - he hurt his ankle after bowling just two oversset them back further.

Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow started the Kings’ chase positively but both fell in the fourth over. Kuldeep Yadav then dismissed Prabhsimran Singh and Jitesh Sharma to keep Capitals in the game.

But Curran and Livingstone took over after that and added 67 off 42 balls for the fifth wicket. Curran was out in the 19th over, for 63 off 47, but Livingstone stayed till the end and finished the game with a muscular six with four balls to spare.

Warner, Marsh give Capitals a breezy start With Prithvi Shaw left out, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh opened the innings for Capitals and gave them a fast start. Marsh got going by hitting two fours off the first two balls he faced, from Curran. Warner joined in by carting Arshdeep Singh for a six and a four in the next over.

Marsh then hit a six each off Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep. He fell for 20 off 12 when he drove Arshdeep to cover-point where Rahul Chahar took a

sharp, overhead catch.

Warner kept batting aggressively and even flick-scooped Rabada for a six as Capitals finished the powerplay on 54 for 1. In the seventh over, Shai Hope, on IPL debut, danced down the track and lofted Chahar for a straight six.

It was all Capitals at that stage, till Harshal Patel came to Kings’ rescue, having Warner caught behind with a slower bouncer.

Pant’s first outing after the accident Warner’s wicket brought

Pant to the crease, and the Mullanpur crowd welcomed him with a standing ovation. Playing his first competitive game in 15 months, Pant looked a bit rusty. He was given a life on 4 when Harshal lost the ball in the sun at deep midwicket and ended up gifting a four.

As if to rub it in, Pant then drove Harshal for his second boundary. Two balls later, though, Harshal bowled a slower bouncer; Pant failed to spot it and ended up popping it to backward point. His first outing with bat on comeback ended on 18 off 13 balls.

The Porel gamble pays off Harpreet Brar and Chahar dented Capitals further. Brar had Ricky Bhui caught down the leg side, and Tristan Stubbs holed out to long-off while trying an inside-out shot against Chahar.

When Axar Patel was run out coming back for a second, Capitals were reduced to 137 for 7 with 2.5 overs to go. But, coming in as the Impact Player, Porel slashed hard at a short and wide delivery from Harshal and picked up a boundary to deep third.

Harpreet Brar 3-0-14-1

Rahul Chahar 4-0-33-1

Harshal Patel 4-0-47-2

Punjab Kings (T: 175 runs from 20 ovs)

Shikhar Dhawan (c)

b Sharma 22

Jonny Bairstow run out (Sharma) 9

Prabhsimran Singh c Warner

b Kuldeep Yadav 26

Sam Curran

b Ahmed 63

Jitesh Sharma † st †Pant

b Kuldeep Yadav 9

Liam Livingstone not out 38 Shashank Singh c †Pant

b Ahmed 0

out 32

Kuldeep Yadav run out (Shashank Singh/Patel) 1

Extras (lb 6, w 4) 10

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 8.70) 174/9

Harpreet Brar not out 2

Extras (lb 2, w 6) 8

TOTAL 19.2 Ov (RR: 9.15)

Did not bat: Khaleel

Ahmed, Ishant Sharma

Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Mitchell Marsh, 3.2 ov), 2-74 (David Warner, 7.6 ov), 3-94 (Shai Hope, 10.4 ov), 4-111 (Rishabh Pant, 12.4 ov), 5-111 (Ricky Bhui, 13.2 ov), 6-128 (Tristan Stubbs, 15.4 ov), 7-138 (Axar Patel, 17.1 ov), 8-147 (Sumit Kumar, 18.3 ov), 9-174 (Kuldeep Yadav, 19.6 ov) • BOWLING O-M-R-W

Sam Curran 1-0-10-0

Arshdeep Singh 4-0-28-2

Kagiso Rabada 4-0-36-1

After 19 overs, Capitals were 149 for 8. With Harshal bowling the last over, Kings would have expected to restrict Capitals to under 160. But that’s when Porel decided to have a say in matters, and smashed three fours and two sixes in a 25-run final over.

That lifted Capitals to 174 for 9. At the start of the 20th over, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster had Capitals’ chances of winning at 38.9%. Porel singlehandedly lifted that number to 56.7%.

Dhawan, Bairtsow start with a flurry of fours

Just like the Capitals openers, Dhawan and Bairstow also started with positive intent. In the first three overs, they hit a combined six fours and looted 34 runs.

However, both fell in the fourth over. Dhawan was bowled as he charged down the ground to Ishant, and Bairstow was run-out at the non-striker’s end when a Prabhsimran drive brushed a diving Ishant’s fingers and crashed into the stumps.

But, in the sixth over, Prabhsimran tucked one towards midwicket, from where Ishant charged and fielded the ball. But as he was about to throw, he twisted his right ankle and had to be carried off the field.

Kuldeep keeps Capitals in the game

In the tenth over, Prabhsimran tried to go big against Kuldeep and holed out to long-on for a 17-ball 26, which included five fours.

In the spinner’s next over, Jitesh attempted a reverse sweep, but not only did he miss the ball, he also lost his balance and ended up out of his crease. Pant was alert behind the stumps and broke the wickets.

Kuldeep finished with figures of 2 for 21. He could have easily picked up a third, but Tristan Stubbs, running to his right from long-on, put down Curran, who was on 33 at that point.

Curran, Livingstone take over Kings needed 63 from the last six overs when Curran and Livingstone clubbed Marsh for 18 to calm the nerves.

Capitals still had hope when 28 were required from three

Khaleel Ahmed 4-0-43-2 Ishant Sharma 2-0-16-1

Marsh 4-0-52-0 Axar Patel 4-0-25-0 Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-20-2 Sumit Kumar 1.2-0-19-0

overs. But with Ishant off the field, Pant had no option but to bowl Marsh again. He conceded another 18 to finish with 52 from his four wicketless overs.

In the 19th over, Khaleel dismissed Curran and Shashank Singh off successive deliveries but it was too late by then. Warner dropping Brar on the last ball of the Khaleel over didn’t help either.

With just six required from the final over, Sumit Kumar, who was making his IPL debut, had little chance against a set Livingstone. He started with two wides, and after a dot, Livingstone launched him over deep midwicket to seal the win.

(ESPNCricinfo)

Sam Curran didn’t always score quickly but hung in there

5 Guyanese youths competing in Drone Soccer World Cup

In an exciting development for drone sports and technology education in Guyana, a group of five talented youths has been selected to represent the country at the prestigious Academic Drone Soccer World Cup & Career Fair, set to take place from April 22-25, 2024, in San Diego, California.

This announcement comes from the Guyana Drone Soccer program, which began its journey in January 2024, enrolling 45 youths in its pioneering class. Another class of 45 youths will begin having sessions in April, 2024.

The five chosen to carry the Guyanese flag on the international stage are Zion Rambarran, Eashan Harjohn, Jad Narine,

John Smith, and Mariam Browne. These individuals have demonstrated exceptional skills and dedication in the realm of drone soccer, a sport that is quickly gaining popularity across the globe as the newest e-sport sensation.

Their selection is a testament to their outstanding abilities and the high-quality training provided by the Guyana Drone Soccer program.

Alisha Koulen, Operations Manager, CoFounder Caleb Christian and Guyana Drone Soccer President Leon Christian will accompany the team, providing guidance and support as they prepare to showcase their talents against top student drone teams from around the

world.

The competition emphasizes drone piloting, aviation maintenance, communication, and strategic play, with drones designed for mid-air collisions, adding an exciting twist to the traditional drone racing format.

Leon Christian, President of Guyana Drone Soccer, expressed his enthusiasm for the program’s rapid expansion and its potential to foster interest in aeronautical fields among Guyanese youth.

“Drone soccer not only strengthens drone piloting, engineering, and strategy skills but also opens up new horizons for students across Guyana to explore their interest in the aeronautical field. We are on

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’… Unstoppable halts Back Circle as action continues

in the group stage were underway. The tournament continues today at the same venue with the final round of group stages.

Complete Results

Guinness Goal-(GG)-2 Goals

Game-1

Lodge All-Stars-3 vs Albouystown Warriors-2

Carl Higgins-6th

Antonio MacArthur-11th

fending champions Gold is Money, Lodge All-Stars, and Sophia recorded contrasting wins.

Lodge All-Stars defeated the Albouystown Warriors 3-2. Carl Higgins, Antonio MacArthur, and Chai Williams scored in the sixth, 11th and 15th minutes respectively. For the loser, Timothy Thomas recorded a ‘Guinness Goal’ (GG) (a goal scored in the final three minutes of normal time counts as two) in the 18th minute.

Similarly, Sophia B edged the Young Gunners 1-0. Osric Barrow found the back of the net in the seventh minute.

Gold is Money sent a stern warning to the field, dismissing Laing Avenue 2-0.

Shemar Koulen and Jamal Pedro netted in the seventh and 14th minutes respectively.

Up to press time, matches

Chai Williams-15th

Albouystown Warriors scorer

Timothy Thomas-GG-18th

Game-2

North Ruimveldt-0 vs Make it Happen-0

Game-3

North East-3 vs Rising Stars-3

Rising Stars

Daniel Ross-6th and 13th

Jamaal Williams-3rd

North East scorers

Lennox Cort-4th and 16th

Akil Plass-8th

Game-4

Stabroek Ballers-0 vs Tucville-0

track to extend our program to five regions and launch a national competition before the year’s end,” stated Christian.

The event in San Diego will serve as a convergence point for international students, aviation companies, and educational institu-

tions, all focused on the burgeoning industry of drone technology.

Participants will have the unique opportunity to engage with industry leaders, partake in tours of the San Diego Air & Space Museum, and attend a formal reception featuring notable speakers. This international exposure not only highlights the talent and potential within Guyana’s youth but also aligns with the event’s mission to set a new trajectory for the drone community that promotes international cooperation and inclusion.

Windies Women kickstart 2024 with away series to Pakistan

CGame-5

Albouystown-0 vs Middle Road-0

Game-6

Young Gunners-0 vs Sophia B-1

Osric Barrow-7th

Game-7

Gold is Money-2 vs Laing Avenue-0

Shemar Koulen-7th

Jamal Pedro-14th

Game-8

Back Circle-0 vs Unstoppable-1

Anthony Allen-5th

Day-6 - March 24th

19:00hrs: Rising Stars vs Make it Happen

19:30hrs: Unstoppable vs Middle Road

20:00hrs: Tucville vs Laing Avenue

20:30hrs: Lodge AllStars vs Sophia B

21:00hrs: North East vs North Ruimveldt

21:30hrs: Gold is Money vs Stabroek Ballers

22:00hrs: Young Gunners vs Albouystown Warriors

22:30hrs: Back Circle vs Albouystown

ricket West Indies (CWI) today confirmed that the West Indies Women’s team will play three (3) One-Day Internationals (ODI) and five (5) T20 Internationals (T20I) against Pakistan Women at the National Bank Stadium (NBS) in Karachi from 18 April to 3 May 2024.

The ODIs are scheduled for 18, 21, and 23 April and hold significance as they contribute to the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship (2022-25). These matches are crucial for the West Indies Women as they push for direct qualification for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup that is due to take place in India in 2025.

West Indies Women are currently positioned at No. 9 with 8 points (top six qualify automatically).

The West Indies Women’s team last toured Pakistan in November 2021 resulting in victories in all three ODIs.

Following the ODI Series, a gripping fivematch T20I series will unfold from 26 April to 3 May. This T20I series will not only offer thrilling cricket action for fans but will provide important competitive cricket for both teams to fine-tune their skills and strategies ahead of the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which is due to take place after the Women’s CPL in

Bangladesh in September.

CWI’s Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe said: “The importance of this tour in our quest for automatic qualifications to 2025 Cricket World Cup cannot be understated. Our team would be well prepared with players just emerging from the regional tournaments and then heading into camp before the start of the series. We also look forward to the return of our captain from a successful WPL campaign.”

The West Indies Women will assemble in Dubai from 6 April for a one-week training camp as part of their preparations for the upcoming Pakistan tour.

Schedule of West Indies Women Tour to Pakistan

All matches to be played at National Bank Stadium (NBS), Karachi

Camp, Dubai

14 April - West Indies Women arrive in Karachi

18 April - 1st ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

21 April - 2nd ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

23 April - 3rd ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 April - 1st T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

28 April - 2nd T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

30 April - 3rd T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

2 May - 4th T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

6-14 April – Pre-Tour Preparation Training

3 May - 5th T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi West

Members of Guyana’s team for the event in San Diego, California

A scene from the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ tournament on Friday evening

Gajnabi, Munisar, Millington steer Guyana to victory over Barbados

Ahalf-century from Shabika Gajnabi and three wickets each from Ashmini Munisar and Plaffianna Millington returned the Guyanese Women’s Senior team to winning ways on Saturday afternoon, with a commanding 42-run victory over Barbados’ Women.

Guyana’s Women, having faltered in their last Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s T20 Blaze game against the Leeward Islands, went out at Warner Park, St. Kitts and Nevis on Saturday with a point to prove. After Barbados won the toss and sent the Guyanese in to bat, Gajnabi led the

charge by hitting 52 runs in 53 balls, inclusive of 5

boundaries.

However, the batting was dismal thereafter, with the next best score of 15 from 26 balls coming from Kaysia Schultz. Captain Shemain Campbelle earlier added 12 from 14 deliveries to get the Guyanese Women to 108-6 in their rain-interrupted 20 overs.

Aaliyah Alleyne, Erin Deane and Allison Gordon each took 2 wickets for the Barbadian Women. On the flip side, Guyana’s reputable bowling line-up was able to stifle their opponents, despite the small target.

Kycia Knight hit a 30ball 17 runs, while NaiJanni Cumberbatch added 14 to the score from 16 balls. The other Knight, Kyshona, contributed 12 in 18 deliveries.

Munisar took 3-8 in 4

Aside from a few small score here and there, none of the Barbadian batters really got going, and were bundled out for 66 runs in 19.5 overs.

overs, including back-toback wickets in one over, while Millington claimed 3-6 in 3.5 overs. Schultz (2) and Niya Latchman were responsible for the remaining wickets.

Guyana will take on the Windward Islands Women next on Monday, March 25, at the same venue.

win as Milo U18 tournament gets going

Another 6 weeks of riveting schools’ football action lies ahead, as the Milo Under-18 Schools’ Football Tournament kicked off with much pomp and splendor on Saturday morning at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, Carifesta Avenue with their custom ary march past exercise.

The tournament will see 25 secondary schools from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 vying for a grand prize of $300,000.

During a brief open ing ceremo ny, Petra CoDirector Troy Mendonca sharing encouraging sentiments with the youth players.

The Petra CoDirector added, “I must also ask of you to show respect for each other, to show respect for the officials.”

In a word from the title sponsors, Massy Marketing Officer Hadassah Lewis reiterated the company’s commitment to the tournament.

Lewis shared, “Massy Distribution and Nestle are elatto be on board once again, to partner with the Petra Organization and the Ministry of Education in hosting the

“And as we embark on this tenth tournament, I want to give a quick ad vice to you guys. Some will soar, some will not soar, some of you will lose, some may win, some may draw. But at the end of the day, we must enjoy the opportunity presented for us to mingle among our colleagues, meet new work and to compete fairly and being able to display your skills that you’ve honed the years,” Mendonca

that our Golden Jaguars are enjoying at this moment,” Joseph divulged.

While Bush Lot Secondary won the march past accolade, they were not as fortunate in the game, and went down to Abram Zuil Secondary 2-1 in the first game of the tournament.

Over at Queen’s College Ground, goals from Reizer Reid, Dishon Stephens, Ezekiel Baldeo and Billy Smith handed Bartica Secondary a 5-1 victory over L’Aventure Secondary.

ents in the tournament.

tenth Milo Secondary Schools Under-18 Football tournament. This is an opportunity that youths look forward to, and we’re happy to bring that to them again this year.”

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Bryan Joseph revealed that the Federation’s eyes will be looking out for the best tal -

“We look forward to a fabulous tournament. Our scouts are going to be here, we’re gonna have eyes, I see a couple of players here already who have been involved in our national programme, and we look forward to finding the very best talents within our schools to ensure that we can replicate the success

Yarrowkabra lat er defeated New Central High 5-3.

The tournament will continue to morrow at the same venues.

cart off $200,000, $150,000 and $75,000 respectively for the same purpose.

The tournament is tentatively set to conclude on April 29.

While the grand prize is set at $300,000, which would be used for a school project of their choice. The second, third, and fourth place finishers will

Shabika Gajnabi slammed a half-century

A look at the action between Bush Lot (yellow bibs) and Abram Zuil Secondary

Massy Marketing Officer Hadassah Lewis