Guyana Times - Sunday, March 5, 2023

SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Santa Rosa seeking help to tackle solid waste as tourism looms

The Indigenous community of Santa Rosa, situated in the Moruca sub-region in Region One (BarimaWaini), is seeking help to tackle solid waste. This is as the community aims at exploring its tourism potential.

Santa Rosa is one of the eleven titled villages in Moruca. It is the most populated village with a population of between 10,000 to 12,000 persons.

The main economic activity at Santa Rosa is small-scale commerce backed up by small-scale farming and fishing.

The community has experienced accelerated development over the past few years. According to Santa Rosa Village Council Secretary Morris Torres, this started with

the construction of the Kumaka Bridge.

Apart from that, a small portion of the road network was recently upgraded.

“Then recently there was the construction of a 500-metre road network – the Government concreted the road. This eased a lot of burdens because the road was very dusty previously. One of the things that I mentioned to Minister Nigel Dharamlall during one of his visits is that COVID come and COVID go but

people will still be wearing masks because of the dust on the road when the cars pass,” Torres said.

However, the management of solid waste is a problem affecting the community.

According to Torres, who is also one of the senior councillors for Santa Rosa Islands, which is one

of the satellites in Santa Rosa, littering is one of the issues affecting the community. Torres said the Council is currently engaging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to get approval for a waste disposal site.

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Garbage being improperly disposed at Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa Village Council Secretary, Morris Torres

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, Mar 5 – 04:00h – 05:30h and

Monday, Mar 6 – 04:15h – 05:45h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, Mar 5 – 14:30h – 16:00h and

Monday, Mar 6 – 15:50h – 17:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers and light rain showers during the day. Expect light rain showers and partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 15:50h reaching a maximum height of 2.44 metres.

Low Tide: 09:26h and 21:47h reaching minimum heights of 0.89 metre and 0.74 metre.

PNC-controlled City Council grants 99-year lease to Congress Place for

prime Agricola property …lessee to pay mere $20,000 annually for 1st five years

Documents have come to light showing that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) controlled Georgetown Mayor and City Council in 2021 granted almost 4000 square feet of land to the PNCR through a representative of the party.

The lease, which was signed and took effect on January 28, 2021, was signed between acting Town Clerk Julian Orgista and PNCR Chairperson (Agricola) Elizabeth Williams-Niles as the lessee, for 3877 square feet of land at Plantation Rome (East Bank of Demerara).

According to the terms and conditions of the lease, PNCR would hold the lease for 99 years from January 2021 until December 31, 2119, with an option to renew it for another 99 years upon giving notice to City Council. They would pay an annual sum of $20,000 to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), for the first five years.

LOTTERY NUMBERS

“If the lessee fails to pay on the specified date aforementioned the lessee will be subject to a late fee of 5 per cent of the annual fee, due and payable for a period of one calendar month from the due date. Such annual rental, however, is subject to the right of the lessor to review same every 10 years,” it states.

The lease, which was seen by this publication, goes on to stipulate that the land must be used for commercial purposes only. Additionally, the lessee is not allowed to sublet the land and must seek permission to change the use of the land or to commence construction. Any improvements made to the land will be deducted from any purchase agreement between M&CC and the lessee for the land.

"All property may be sold at a current market related price and shall be determined by a majority vote by the council and subject for final approval by the Minister of Communities,” the lease states.

Interestingly enough, the word ‘may’ is used instead of shall, when referring to if the market price will be used when selling the land. And while the lease includes provisions for any improvements to become the property of M&CC if the lease is terminated due to breaches, all buildings on or improvements to the land would become the property of PNCR should the time on the lease naturally elapse.

“On the expiry of this lease by effluxion of time or upon the surrender or cancellation thereof, all buildings or erections and all

improvements on the land hereby leased shall belong absolutely to the lessor,” the lease states.

The M&CC is run by the PNCR, through Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine and a PNCR majority-controlled city council. It has been run by the PNCR since before 2018, when the combined APNU/AFC won 23 seats in Georgetown during the last LGE, compared to the seven won by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

The PNCR, which dominated the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition when they were in power, has a track record for presiding over the distribution of lands to persons closely aligned with the party.

In fact, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had admitted last year that the Government is still in the process of coming to grips with all the land that the former APNU/AFC

Government sold to friends and family, while in office. He had made it clear, however, that even as the Government takes stock of the land sold out, it will continue to make an effort to recover these lands.

“You recall the land policy. Up to now we can’t figure (out) how much land they sold, to whom, we’re trying to recover this. After the elections, (they) put out a gazette signed order to transfer (land) to over 100 persons, plots of land in Linden, to cronies,” Jagdeo said.

According to Jagdeo, a lot of the land was distributed to friends and family of the former APNU/AFC Government, not to ordinary people who were struggling to get a piece of land. He challenged persons to check who benefitted from most of the land distribution, noting that in many cases they were politically connected.

“Now, those people are going to get 1000 houses being built, because the President promised that in Linden. And they just got another 400 lots at Amelia’s Ward. But you check. In five years, (a lot of the) persons who got plots of land were all political connected.”

Days after they came to power in August 2020, the new PPP/C Government had announced that all of the land deals conducted by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) since the December 2018 passage of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) would be reviewed.

In a statement at the time, Attorney General Anil Nandlall had said that “A review of all leases, licences and permissions to occupy public lands, granted since the 21st day of December 2018, will be conducted.

Meanwhile, efforts for a comment by this publication on the granting of the lease, proved futile.

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council

Views

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Foreign currency liquidity

Over the last few months, there have been persistent reports emanating from the Private Sector, especially from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) through its President, that several businesses have been unable to secure US funds in the private banking system to facilitate their foreign transactions. This has been interpreted as a “shortage” of US dollars locally, prompting fears that this might prove to be a brake on our developmental efforts, which are heavily skewed at this time on infrastructural projects with large infusions of foreign-sourced materials and expertise.

The Governor of the Bank of Guyana (BoG) responded adamantly that there is no such shortage, and that whatever inability to facilitate forex payments exists might be due to particular banks hoarding US dollars, while others might be short. In fact, the GCCI president implicitly agreed, since he named specific banks that had US currency, while the bank he dealt with was bereft. The BoG Governor reiterated that we have a free market system, in which transactions are cleared by the market and not through governmental interventions. It must be admitted that the capital markets in Guyana are quite underdeveloped, and present hitches in forex liquidity should spur ongoing initiatives to expand such markets now that our economy is on such a steep growth trajectory starting from its anaemic base.

VP Jagdeo, who has a vast experience in the area from his stints as Finance Minister and as President, agreed. “You have not one market, not an aggregate market, but every Cambio in this country operates like a mini market within the aggregate market. So, it truncates the supply and demand for currency. So, one bank…they would have an abundance of supply, but maybe some other bank may not have the same amount of [foreign] currency at that same time. But if you had an interbank market and they share, or people don’t keep money only for their customers, like some of the banks do, then people would be able to go to another bank and get the currency. So, we have to now work at promoting greater exchanges.”

The BoG’s statutory mandate is to focus on the macroeconomic fundamentals when it comes to finance in “fostering domestic price stability through the promotion of stable credit and exchange conditions, as well as sound financial intermediation conducive to the growth of the economy of Guyana.” As such, it keeps its eyes on the big picture, and cannot afford to intervene in what are blips caused by inefficient clearing. The exchange rate for Guyana and US dollars, which has been very steady for years, is proof positive that the BoG’s policies have worked. While business leaders have to identify challenges, they must be responsible, so that they do not trigger what were dubbed “animal spirits” by Lord Keynes to create “runs” on the banking system. As was suggested by both the BoG Governor and the VP, the banks and their organization are members of the Private Sector organisations, and they ought to have been engaged before going to the press.

The VP explained when it would be appropriate for the BoG to intervene: “If we believe that there is a sustained shortage, we have the means to supply the market…but we don’t want to supply the market so that the rate appreciates so a few people can get cheaper foreign currency. We can’t do that. It will go against the macroeconomic objective [of the country.” In fact, taken to its extreme, what the VP alluded to is the classic case of the Dutch Disease against which we have been continuously warned. That is, when excessive US dollars are injected into the system, they strengthen our dollar and make our traditional exports more expensive for the export market.

At this point in our developmental trajectory, with its available forex, the BoG must first take care of our fixed needs for critical imports such as oil, machinery, and the inputs for our infrastructural drive etc.

Why Ukraine is wary of the Russian opposition

By Anton ShekhovtSov

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year reignited a longstanding debate about the place the Russian opposition occupies in the context of Russian aggression in the post-Soviet space. Russian opposition activists and some observers have contended that Russian expansionism can stop only through regime change and democratisation, ostensibly led by the Russian opposition.

Ukrainians, and many of their supporters from post-Soviet countries that have experienced Russian imperialism firsthand, tend to disagree. They do not see the Russian opposition – and more specifically its most prominent leader today, Alexey Navalny – as future guarantors of peace.

To explain why, I would first like to relay an exchange I had with members of Navalny’s movement, or “Navalnists”, as they are called in Russia, back in 2015.

It happened at a closed event at a British think tank in which a Ukrainian colleague of mine spoke about the transformation of cultural values in Ukraine, after the 2014 revolution and the beginning of the Russian aggression. Among the attendees were two Russians who were touring Britain as representatives of Navalny’s movement. After the talk was done, my colleague and I had a chance to have a brief chat with them.

As one might expect, we questioned them about the remarks Navalny made on Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea in March 2014. In an interview with Echo of Moscow radio station in October 2014, Navalny admitted that the peninsula had been seized through “outrageous violations of all international norms”, and yet asserted that it would “remain part of Russia” and would “never become part of Ukraine in the foreseeable future”.

His statement was not simply an assessment of the developments around Crimea. When pressed on whether he would return Crimea to Ukraine were he to become Russia’s president, Navalny wrapped his “No” in an odd rhetorical question: “What? Is Crimea a sandwich, or something that you can take and give back?” It was clear that his political position on Crimea was that it should “remain part of Russia”.

It is important to point out that our conversation with the two Navalnists took place less than half a year after the

assassination of prominent Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov near the Kremlin. The murder of Nemtsov, who vocally opposed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and annexation of Crimea, allowed Navalny to emerge as the main Russian opposition leader still attempting to do politics in Russia.

The other major opponent of President Vladimir Putin’s regime, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, lived in exile in London, and was not directly involved in Russian politics. Hence, it was not unreasonable to imagine at that time that any regime change in Russia, if it were to happen, would be led by Navalny. That is why we wanted to know what Ukraine should expect from “the wonderful Russia of the future”, as Navalny likes to call post-Putin Russia.

The Navalnists responded that under a democratically elected government, Moscow would keep Crimea despite the fact that the annexation was illegal. That is because their policies would have to reflect the will of the Russian people, and the overwhelming majority of Russians wanted Crimea to be within Russian borders.

But there was more to it. We contended that the West would never recognise the annexation of Crimea, and that the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity would not only improve relations between Russia and the West, but would also help repair relations between Russia and Ukraine. The Navalnists’ response was that “the wonderful Russia of the future” would find ways to smooth relations with the West without rectifying the injustice done to Ukraine.

Ukraine, in other words, might be an immediate victim of Putin’s regime, and yet – even when he is gone – it would remain a victim of Russian colonialism, because the latter was popular not only among regime supporters, but also among “Russian democrats”.

As Volodymyr Vynnychenko, one of the central figures of the Ukrainian National Liberation Movement in 1917-1919, insightfully noted a century ago, “Russian democracy ends where the Ukrainian question begins”.

As Navalny became the face of the Russian opposition to Putin – a face increasingly recognised as such not only in Russia, but also in the West –Ukrainians grew wary. At that time, the West backed democratisation and modernisation in Ukraine, and offered some support for the country’s struggle

against Russian aggression. “But what would become of that if Navalny were to come to power in Russia?” we asked ourselves.

As Navalny definitely enjoyed, at the very least, moral support from Western leaders, his rise to power in Russia could conceivably lead to a reset in Western-Russian relations, leaving Ukraine out in the cold. Many feared that Ukraine would no longer matter to Western leaders if they had someone nicer than Putin to talk to.

And there was already a precedent. In August 2008, Russia – then under the leadership of Dmitry Medvedev – invaded Georgia and occupied the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The West brokered a peace agreement which was not only highly unfavourable to Georgia, but was also not honoured by Russia.

And yet, half a year later, the Obama Administration offered Medvedev –who at that time appeared more progressive than Putin – a “reset” in an attempt to improve relations between the US and Russia. This move, which was generally welcomed by Western European Governments, essentially meant “wiping the slate clean”, and thus implied that Russia’s occupation of Georgian regions would not be contested.

Navalny, as Ukrainians and liberal Russians remember well, vehemently supported the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008, and even used derogatory and dehumanising terms to refer to the Georgian people. Several years later, he would apologise for the terms he used, but never for his support of the Russian war on Georgia.

Navalny was nominally against the Russian aggression in Ukraine, but his “anti-war” position was underpinned by economic, rather than moral, considerations: “Russia can ill afford waging the war”. That position expectedly did not entail any empathy towards the Ukrainian people – something that was also reflected in his use of ethnic slurs against them.

He saw the Russian people as victims of injustice under Putin’s regime, not the Ukrainians. In his view, no wrong had been committed against Ukraine that was worth righting.

(Excerpted from Al Jazeera) (Anton Shekhovtsov is Director of the Centre for Democratic Integrity (Austria) and Associated Researcher at the University of Vienna (Austria))

Public Service Minister Sonia Parag chatting with youths from Belladrum and neighbouring West Coast Berbice communities after handing over sports equipment on behalf of the Government (Public Service Ministry photo)

MP Ferguson is still wrong on the basic facts

Dear Editor, I write with reference to a letter to the editor by Eric Moseley (KN March 2, 2023) intended to defend the fantastic, if not outrageous, claims and propositions made by the Hon Member of Parliament Annette Ferguson (SN, 26/2/2023). I am happy to enjoin this debate, even though there is not much substance to respond to in Mr. Moseley’s missive.

First, Ms. Ferguson’s defender states that Burnham deserves praise because he took us to independence. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Burnham helped to delay Guyana’s independence for several years because he was busy helping to overthrow the sitting PPP democratically elected Government. Evidence for this claim could be found in a July 12, 1962 letter by Secretary of State Dean

Rusk to President Kennedy, which stated the following –“I recommend that you approve specifically the following: - “That it is an objective of U.S. policy to bring about the replacement of the government of Cheddi Jagan by one friendly to the West…” (FRUS, 1961-1962). We know who that friendly one was; L.F.S. Burnham, of course.

Moseley claims that Burnham helped to bring about good relations among different political and ethnic groups in Guyana. Wrong again. British and American intelligence internal documents clearly state that Mr. Burnham was a divisive figure driven by ethnic nationalism. Moreover, Burnham and his Cabinet Minister Hamilton Green (now a so-called elder) were feared throughout the country. When Burnham needed further assistance with his slow but

steady violence against the people, he brought in the dangerous American fugitive David Hill, aka Rabbi Washington.

The Rabbi was a gangster with full state support, including in the areas of state intelligence, weapons, transportation and targets. Ask the WPA, NAACIE, GUARD, etc. if you think these are lies. Ask the nurses who went on strike and were harangued by the Rabbi. Ask the families of Walter Rodney, Father Darke, Cletus Henriques and Vincent Teekah. And don’t forget the families of Maikhram Sawh and Sampersaud Taranauth and Sister Rowtie. Ask Indra Chandrapal, Clement Rohee and Gail Teixeira. The children of Ali Baksh can also testify. By all means, do not forget to ask Mr. Hamilton Green himself.

Moseley is right that

the oil crisis of the 1970s posed massive challenges to Guyana. That is a fact, and no one should doubt that. But He, like the Hon. MP Annette Ferguson, forgets that 1974 and 1975 were actually among the best years for Burnham. Here is the evidence – GDP grew by 7.7% in 1974 and by 8.4% in 1975! What is remarkable is that the economic performance occurred immediately after the most massively rigged elections that took place on July 16, 1973. This demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that no one was sabotaging the economy, a claim often made by PNC supporters.

MP Ferguson’s point on education was not missed by Moseley. PNC folks love to talk about how great education was during the Burnham years. I agree that great gains were made. I know from experience, and I did attend one of Mr.

Burnham’s proud accomplishments of Co-operative Socialism, namely, Leonora Primary School. I was in the first Common Entrance class of that school in 1970.

But Moseley, like Ferguson, either willfully forgets or simply does not care that Burnham politicized the teaching profession by placing Party Comrades as agents of the state constitutionally enabled by the doctrine of Paramountcy of the Party.

They also ignore the most well-established fact of higher education, namely, you had to be a party comrade to either get a job at UG or to be spared the dreaded National Service. I have never heard a single individual, other than a high PNC Comrade, praise National Service.

Finally, Editor, in her original piece, where Ms. Ferguson told us that Burnham was sent by God

to Guyana, she also intimated that we are still reaping the blessings of the Cde. Leader’s brilliant contribution. I respectfully challenge the Honourable Member of Parliament to square that with the attempt to openly rig the 2020 National and Regional Elections, or on a lesser charge, to reconcile Mr. Burnham’s legacy with stealing the Speaker’s Mace in Parliament. If I am not mistaken, Ms. Ferguson has intimate knowledge of those occurrences.

MP Ferguson and Eric Moseley’s basic case on behalf of LFS Burnham is that he was no ‘autocrat’. True, but he was an authoritarian. To find out the difference I recommend Nic Cheesman and Brian Klass, How to Rig an Election (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2019).

Sincerely

Dr Randolph Persaud

Illegally occupying State assets for lengthy time makes it right?

Dear Editor,

The PNC’s logic thus far is that you illegally occupy a spot of ground or property and automatically it makes you the owner of that property. This is the foolishness this party is peddling and

hope that it gains traction in a modern and civilised society.

The idea that one can illegally occupy state property for political purposes and be made a legitimate occupant has been an errone-

ously held view by the PNC Party for far too long, and it’s high time for this nonsense to stop.

So, if we are to follow that same logic, then it behooves us to accept the lie that, based on the number of

years the PNC have fraudulently occupied the national seat of Government makes them legally entitled to Government? Then it forces me, as an individual, to sheepishly make them the real owners of this country

Is this action a form of spite?

Dear Editor, It never ceases to amaze me how people fight to get a job then surrender themselves to laziness after getting it. Some get catapulted into positions that hold extreme responsibility and, for some mysterious reason, their lackadaisical attitude would cause excessive embarrassment and require intervention from those higher up.

For instance, there are many who would run behind their political party while it is campaigning, and as soon as the party wins, they would fight to get positions/ jobs that some are not even qualified for, and cannot execute their duties properly. As a result, this flaw would cause the higher authorities to intervene and rectify the situation.

Looking at how the President and Ministers have to visit areas and make decisions for works to start makes me wonder why some are given positions with responsibilities they cannot handle.

Every day, thousands of people, some tourists/ visitors, traverse the Parika stelling. On the left had side of the stelling, there’s a huge pileup of garbage, which is very embarrassing.

The NDC and agencies responsible are bound to see that sickening sight, and I

wonder why they have not cleaned that area and put a system in place to avoid future buildup? My guess is that they are not seeing anything wrong with that, and only the President or Minister have to visit there to make the necessary decision.

Editor, on February 4, I released a video of the escalation between residents and members of the Uitvlugt masjid over access to the burial ground. As a result, Minister Deodat Indar had to visit the area and instruct that gates be erected to allow the residents access to the ground. The NDC was tasked with doing that, and the materials were delivered. I am amazed at the size of the posts, and even joked that they were going to build a Harbour Bridge there, cause many other bridges and gates built by contractors do not have 8x8 posts; and for such a small project, it’s simply amazing.

Incredibly, the two gates were erected, and for some unknown reason, only one side of the fence was removed for access through one gate. The other gate is erected, but the fence remains (pictures provided). One month after, the situation remains the same. Is this action a form of spite?

Sincerely,

Sahadeo Bates

and give them the right to rule. We know that to be the most ludicrous point to hold on to, even in the best of times.

So, this is what we are faced with in Guyana: a party that believe they can flagrantly disregard the law and get away with it. This is unacceptable behaviour even in the best of times. How can a party justify their lawlessness so shame-

lessly? It shocks me to the core that an Opposition can so boldly defend a lawless act, the base reasoning power of the PNC knows no bounds.

So, here you have it: a party that is prepared to go the lengths to prostitute the law, thinking civilised society should accept it.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

20:00 Those People

21:00 Riverdale S4 E8

22:00 Arrow S4 E7

23:00 The Office S2 E10

23:30 Grace & Frankie S4 E6

Based on the logical premise that one can only discern abnormal physiological expressions, I’ve devoted the last few Pet Care columns to documenting what are the normal values for physiological conditions such as temperature, pulse, breathing rate, age of puberty and pregnancy duration.

However, aggressive and continuous exposi -

CANINE AGGRESSIVE BITING

dogs. I am of the opinion that certain types of dogs were actually bred for viciousness and violence, to entertain humans in the arena or in the pits (ergo Pit Bulls), much like cock fighting.

Dr. Waldron’s research produced the following facts about 20 years ago. I doubt whether much has changed.

mans and other animals –must be seen as abnormal behaviour associated most likely with a physiological disorder.

Dogs, during the association with human and other domesticated species, have, over the millennia, become not only part of the human family. I dare say that dogs consider themselves as part of the sociological pack. A dog would hardly ever turn viciously

it is very likely that it has been trained to do so.

What do I mean by trained?

Some dog owners may in fact want a guard dog, and would consequently employ bizarre techniques to “train” the dog to have a low threshold relative to feeling threatened and/or an unwillingness to accept perceived provocation. Sometimes the dog, based on past experiences, is easily scared. In these situations, the dog’s reaction is understandable, but nevertheless abnormal. Dogs by nature and nurture have become friendly, loyal, protective, and helpful to humans.

- Most dogs will bite if provoked, threatened or scared

- 2% of the American population is bitten every year. That is about 5 million persons. Of these, 25% require medical attention.

- Most victims were children under 12 years

son for Emergency Room visits in this age group.

- Most victims were the dogs’ owners or the owners’ relatives, neighbours, acquaintances, or passers-by on the pavements

ibly affect its temperament later on in life. It has been observed that some pups born in large litters (or in some commercial kennels being bred to be sold as fighters) may find

tions of biting – with the marked and obvious intention of causing harm to hu -

on its owner. If the dog exhibits anger, vexation and hostility towards a human,

My colleague and friend Dr. Nicholas Waldron, some years ago, researched the issue of uninhibited and perpetually aggressive dogs. I recall him telling me that Pit Bulls especially get a bad rap, and that owners/caregivers are the ones that should be trained, and less so the

of age. Dogs bite were the second most frequent rea -

and roadways.

- N.B. Most attacks took place on the owners’ premises.

WHY DO SOME DOGS UNCONTROLLABLY AND VICIOUSLY BITE?

Yes, some dogs seem to be perpetually angry and aggressive; and would literally bite the hands that feed them. Let’s examine the more basic reasons for this abnormal behavioural pattern.

GENETICS

A dog whose forebears were themselves continuously aggressive would have a greater tendency to show aggression. So, if a pup’s mother and/or father (regardless of breed) were vicious, violent, and easily stimulated towards exhibitions of aggression, the pup, and later as a young adult, and then mature adult, would have the potential to be aggressive as well.

EARLY PUP-HOOD EXPERIENCES

What may have happened early on in the pup’s life could discern -

themselves in competition for food, warmth etc., and tend to develop dominant, aggressive personalities; or, on the other hand, very defensive behavioural patterns – defence exhibiting itself as aggression.

IMMEDIATE SITUATION AND VICTIMS’ BEHAVIOUR

An animal that is cornered, injured, or otherwise feels threatened is more likely to react violently and bite its perceived aggressor. Similarly, a dog that feels challenged in its own territory, or one that perceives that its caregiver is under attack/threat, may also bite in defence.

A victim that decides to run, or strike out at the pursuing dog, or is screaming or is showing nervousness and agitation is very likely to be bitten. Dogs are more likely to attack if they are in a pack, especially if the caregiver is not present to rein them in.

Next week, we shall discuss how such abnormal behaviours of dogs, exhibited as aggression and savagery, can be curtailed and even eliminated.

Artificial island Shore base partners looking to expand by adding commercial shipping access

…in talks with oil & gas companies, commercial shippers

Vreed-en-Hoop Shore base Incorporated (VESHI) – the consortium of local companies currently developing an artificial island in the Demerara River – is looking to expand the island as they bring on new clients.

VESHI Director Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer explained to this publication in an exclusive interview that they are looking to add a commercial shipping section to the island, as well as a fuel storage and bunkering section. This is even as they are in talks with potential clients that include oil and gas (O&G) downstream companies.

“We’re trying to expand the area to have a commercial shipping section as well as a fuel storage and bunkering section. We’re discussing with potential commercial shippers… as well as downstream O&G companies. Downstream companies would store fuels like diesel and marine fuel,” Boyer explained.

Last week, President Dr Irfaan Ali had toured the artificial island. During the tour, Boyer had explained that they have received interest from other potential clients who are interested in commercial shipping, among other things. He also spoke about the number of people who will be employed on the island.

“From our side, we’re probably looking at about 25 to 50. That’s as shore base maintenance. As Exxon, they’re probably go-

ing to employ between 50 and 100, depending on the scale of the fabrication activities,” Boyer had said.

“As of December, you’re probably going to see a workforce of around 150 people. And that is only in the first phase. As they expand operations this will increase. And this is not also considering indirect workforce. The drivers, caterers.”

This new island is part of the reclaimed land that will be transformed into the estimated 44-acre mega-project to create the shore base facility for ExxonMobil and forms part of Port Vreed-enHoop.

Phase one of the project, which will be completed by this year end, is meant to be the special purpose vehicle to serve as a SURF (Subsea Umbilicals, Riser and Flowlines) Shorebase for ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited’s (EEPGL) projects.

To date, the deepening, widening and dredging of the access channel as well

as the removal of wreckage were completed. A total of 30km at a 9m depth was dredged, starting from the shore base at Vreed-enHoop.

Previously, the channel had a 5m depth at the lowest tide compared to 9m now. Further, the width of the channel was dredged to a whopping 100m, which will now accommodate two vessels – one coming out and one going in.

This phase has been hailed a success by the project managers and the upgraded channel has been handed over to the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD). Nevertheless, the project managers have warned that the site remains an active construction zone and landing on the island is prohibited. As such, the public is urged to remain clear of the construction zone and to adhere to the previously issued notices.

According to the project directors, the support and encouragement given by the Government of Guyana have been reassuring and augur well for additional investment and the future of Guyana. The project is expected to become operational in 2023, with the second phase set to commence in 2024.

TURN TO PAGE 8

VESHI Director, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer

Shore base partners looking to...

In April 2022, ExxonMobil Guyana and VEHSI signed a 20-year agreement for shore base services to be provided at the port of Vreed-en-Hoop facility to support the US oil giant’s operations offshore Guyana. The sod was subsequently turned in June on the US$300 million facility.

VEHSI is a joint venture between a fully-owned Guyanese consortium –NRG Holdings Incorporated, and Jan De Nul Group, the Belgium-based company undertaking the project that specialises in offshore, marine, civil, environment, and project development.

The consortium includes Hadi’s World Inc, owned by businessmen Nazar “Shell” Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed; Nicholas Boyer and Eddie Boyer of National Hardware Guyana Limited; and Andron Alphonso of ZRN Investments Inc. NRG holds a majority stake of 85 per cent in VEHSI, while

the remaining 15 per cent is owned by Jan De Nul – the company that will construct the facility.

The multimillion-dollar port, when completed, will feature an offshore ter-

Looking ahead…

…at elections

minal; fabrication, umbilical and spooling yards; a dry dock facility; a wharf and berths, and administrative buildings, among other facilities spanning 65 hectares. (G3)

Your Eyewitness would be a real cad and a bounder if he didn’t feel some sympathy for the PNC. He hates kicking people when they’re down. And make no bones about it…the PNC are DOWN, budday!! But when it rains it pours, doesn’t it?? Here it is, Local Government Elections (LGE) are staring them in the face in two months or so – after they narrowly escaped the original March 13 date – and up comes VP Jagdeo, who brings up General Elections in 2025!! The man said it’s gonna be scheduled for November or December!! So there goes Xmas 2025 for the PNC!!

Point of the matter is: the PNC are so riven with schisms and factions they’ve become their own worst enemy!! Remember that movie “Kill Bill”?? With the PNC right now, it’s “Get Aubrey”!! One guy in London – who might’ve given the PNC a bob or two back in the day – even says he had a dream in which the ghost of Burnham instructed him to finish off the fella presently occupying his seat!! You don’t even need chicken entrails to interpret THAT dream!! This fella’s so confident others in the party feel the same way, he can come out in public as the messenger!!

But the thing is – Aubrey ain’t the problem!! The real problem is when the PNC held their internal elections and they selected the man they obviously thought that, with a lift of an eyebrow over that permanent scowl, and – voila!! – he would make the PPP disappear!! Sadly, that’s been an endemic problem in the PNC from the beginning. They don’t appreciate enough that politics in a democracy needs the same amount of planning that it took to conduct the Dunkirk landing – and the hot, sweaty bodies to hit the beach running!! Burnham had the same illusion, and he just took the quick and dirty route to effectively do away with elections by rigging them!!

The fundamental problem is the PNC base don’t want to accept that they need voters outside of their ethnic base to get to that 50%+ 1 it takes to win democratic elections. Rather than point out that Granger was a fool who nuked the one way they could do that – coalescing with a party that could garner enough Indian votes –apologise and begin anew, they’ve forced Aubrey into a hold me-loose me posture. To hold his base, he has to scowl; to attract outside votes, he tries to smile!! And looks clueless.

In the meantime, the PPP know their base is secure as they give the PNC’s constituency the full court press - better than LeBron!! Incumbency - with oil revenues flowing into the kitty - allows them to suck cane and blow whistle at the same time!!

…at Guyana 2025

So, what makes the PPP so confident?? Well…let’s count the ways!! By then, even if the bridge across the Demerara River ain’t complete, it’ll be so advanced that those 60,000 voters from Reg 3 will be so pleased they’ll place those Xs next to that cup!! And let’s not forget that Oil and Gas Power Plant and manufacturing plants at Wales. Jobs, baby, jobs!! Over in Berbice, there will be that Stadium, hotel and 21st century landscape to catapult the Ancient County into the future!! Rose Hall Estate will certainly be grinding by then!!

Meanwhile, hopping over to the Cinderella County, billions and billions are being spent to develop the agricultural base that has been their mainstay. And so, truth be told, the PPP don’t even really need the PNC’s base to switch. They already have the Amerindian vote so sewed up with all the funding for developing their hinterland communities that they look like the Cheshire Cat!! Any vote from the PNC’s base is just gravy!!

…at fringe parties

The cover’s been blown on the small parties – they’re really paper organizations. But that’s not gonna stop a few – like the AFC and the WPA - from contesting in ‘25. Their role is to badger the PPP and PNC respectively!!

An example of the expansion concept which VESHI presented during the recently concluded energy conference

3 years after 2020 elections

Safeguards will have to be improved on Election Day – AG

In addition to the myriad of amendments that have been made to legislation governing the conduct of elections in Guyana, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, has said that safeguards on Election Day will also have to be improved.

The Attorney General made these comments during a programme to mark the three-year anniversary of the controversies that started to derail the March 2, 2020 elections. As the elections Commission of Inquiry (CoI) has revealed, Ashmins building was ground zero for attempts to rig the elections.

Last year, the Government made changes to the Representation of the People Act (RoPA) at the level of the National Assembly. Nandlall noted that notwithstanding this, systems will have to be improved on Election Day.

“We will have to try as far as possible to improve the safeguards on election

day itself. And that is also a work in progress. We have to ensure that there are as many international observers as possible. Because you know we have a problem in Guyana,” Nandlall explained.

“We have people who have an evinced and settled propensity to steal elections. And they are very much around. So, you have to have a heavy international presence. So, these are some of the safeguards that we are working on, to ensure that elections in the future are done democratically, transparently and free and fair.”

The AG acknowledged, however, that even with the best systems and institutions, the integrity of those manning the systems remains critical. He noted that as the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections showed, persons who officiated previous elections without issues can suddenly go rogue.

“You can have the best legal systems. You can have

the best systems, the best machinery, the best institutional framework. But if you have miscreants and dishonest people manning the systems, then you will have similar results.”

“So, we also have to look at the quality and calibre of persons who are retained to administer the elections and work in the electoral system. So that’s another wave of initiatives we will have to launch,” Nandlall further

said.

Ashmins building had served as the base for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to tabulate the results of Region Four from the General and Regional Elections. Various persons testified during the Elections Commission of Inquiry (CoI), however, that on March 5, 2020, the tabulation was continuously interrupted as attempts were made to derail the process.

Testimony has previously been made during the 2020 Elections CoI that various GECOM officials were insistent on clearing Ashmins building of observers and other stakeholders, particularly GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj, during the tabulation process on March 5.

There had even been testimony that heavily armed and rogue Tactical Services Unit (TSU) ranks, who did not answer to Region Four Commander at the time Edgar Thomas, had made an appearance in the building on March 5.

March 5 was also the day that former Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo attempted to make unverified declaration of results for Region Four. In fact, Mingo had faced private criminal charges for this.

Mingo’s declaration, which was subsequently set aside by Chief Justice (acting) Roxane George, was signed by him and then Minister of Health Volda

Lawrence – the lone representative to sign from the political parties that contested the elections. The other parties had objected to the declaration after the verification process was not fully complied to by the Returning Officer.

Lawrence was among a number of key figures who had declined to testify during the CoI, despite the testimony that had been given previously. The others included former GECOM Data Clerk Enrique Livan, former GECOM Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield and Mingo.

The same position was adopted by several other GECOM employees who were called to testify before the CoI last December due to pending investigations and criminal charges against them. They cited Article 144 (7) of the Constitution of Guyana, which states: “No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial.” (G3)

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

…says riggers are still around, society must be vigilant

Remaining oil blocks, Exxon’s relinquished areas to be

Having decided not to pursue setting up a national oil company in Guyana, Government is turning to its bilateral partners to develop the remaining oil blocks offshore that were not included in the current auction along with the areas that will be relinquished next year by ExxonMobil in the Stabroek Block.

This was indicated by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during a press conference on Friday.

“…We were exploring whether we would utilise all the areas offshore through a national oil company or we will go to auction. We decided at this stage that we’re not going to establish a national oil company and we went out to auction for 14 areas,” the Vice President stated.

He went on to point out, however, that there are several areas remaining offshore that were not put up to be auctioned off in the current exercise.

“Those areas will be available for bilateral engagements. We then have, sometime next year, the relinquishment of 20 per cent of the Stabroek Block and those areas would be available also for bilateral [engagements] and possibly, if the bilateral agreements don’t yield the results that we hope they would

yield, they would also be available for auction,” Jagdeo noted.

According to the Vice President, Government is yet to decide whether the entire 20 per cent relinquished Stabroek Block areas will be used for those bilateral deals.

“So, we’ve made no definitive decision on the 20 per cent being relinquished that those would be all available for bilateral engagements or auction, although, they are potentially available for discussions at the bilateral level. And that is what we spoke of in India and we’ve also indicated that to several other governments that are interested in participating at a bilateral level with us because we believe that some bilateral engagements could complement the more commercial type engagement with the private sector that we’re getting through the auction,” VP Jagdeo posited.

The Vice President, who recently returned from a trip to India, also revealed on Friday that Guyana will soon be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Asian nation to collaborate in the area of oil and gas. This is likely to be inked during the upcoming visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

for bilateral deals – VP

Among the potential areas for bilateral cooperation between the two countries under the agreement are the sale of crude oil to India as well as development of oil blocks offshore Guyana. However, Jagdeo was quick to outline on Friday that no agreement on any bilateral engagement has been signed, with any governments as yet.

In addition to India’s long-standing interest in Guyana’s petroleum sector, several other governments around the world have also indicated their intention to develop the local oil resources. The Governments of Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom (UK), Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are all interested in Guyana’s oil blocks.

The Guyana Government launched the current oil block auction in December 2022, putting 14 areas offshore up for grabs – 11 in the shallow area and three in the deepsea area.

Last month, Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat disclosed that more than 20 renowned oil and gas companies have indicated their interest in buying oil blocks and have already submitted bids. He had also indicated that given the overwhelming interest in the auction, Government is mull-

ing an extension of the April deadline for submissions of bids.

“A lot of companies have been making requests to us to have an extension, because they have to prepare their proposal to send to us so that we may consider, however, it stands at April for now,” Bharrat had explained.

The sizes of the 14 oil blocks on auction range from 1000 to 3000 square kilometres (sq. km.). As it is, the competitive bidding round will be open until April 14, 2023, after which evaluations and negotiations will follow. Government had set a timeline for awards for May 2023.

In preparation for that process, the Guyana Government is currently finalising the terms and conditions of a new Production Sharing Agreement [PSA].

“We have an international consultant from the US that is working on that and it should be finalised very shortly… We should have a few persons coming into the country from that team to work with our technical team to finalise the PSA,” Bharrat also indicated last month.

Under new conditions, Guyana stands to benefit from as high as US$20 million signature bonuses for the deep-water blocks and US$10 million for the shallow-water

blocks. Additionally, all future PSAs will also include the retention of the 50-50 profit-sharing after cost recovery; the increase of the royalty from a mere two per cent to a fixed rate of 10 per cent; the imposition of a 10 per cent corporate tax, and the lowering of the cost recovery ceiling to 65 per cent from 75 per cent.

Only recently, US oil giant ExxonMobil, which operates the oil-rich Stabroek Block with its co-venturers, had said that it was awaiting the final terms of the new PSA before it makes a decision on bidding for the oil blocks that are presently up for auction.

ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge told <<<Guyana Times>>> last month that his company’s interest in the auction is fuelled by its successful oil finds offshore Guyana.

“Well, we’re always interested in new acreage. And clearly where we’ve had some success, that, you know, brings a certain degree of interest and we should be knowledgeable of it… We’re taking a look at some of the data [from] the Government that they provide [on] what’s available. We’re awaiting the final terms for the new PSC (Production Sharing Contract). And when we have

all of that together, then we’ll be in a position to make a decision on whether or not we bid and what we bid for,” he explained during a media briefing in February.

Currently, the 2016 oil contract for the Stabroek Block signed between ExxonMobil and the previous APNU/AFC Government pegs cost recovery at 75 per cent. The remaining 25 per cent of revenues is spilt 50/50 between the Government and the co-venturers, while the country also gets a two per cent royalty from total revenues.

Meanwhile, in addition to ExxonMobil’s pending relinquishment next year, it was recently announced by Canada-based CGX Energy Inc that it is in the process of relinquishing 25 per cent of its interest in the Corentyne Block, which it operates offshore Guyana with its majority Canadian partner, Frontera Energy Corporation.

In June last year, the Canadian operators had relinquished two exploration blocks offshore Guyana – the Berbice and Demerara oil blocks – and that process was completed between February 3 and 27, 2023, through mutual termination agreements with the Government of Guyana. (G8)

available

…says no agreements signed so far

Continuity and change in Guyana

Last Thursday evening, I attended a pre-Phagwa event at a mandir. Such events are very common, but this one was special for several reasons. The mandir is dedicated to the worship in the Shakti tradition brought by Indian indentured labourers from the then Madras Presidency in South India.

Businessman busted with $2.1M worth of cocaine

Ranks from the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) arrested businessman Royston Peniston of Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, on Friday evening after he was busted with a quantity of cocaine at his residence.

Arrested: Royston Peniston

In that tradition, the Divine is worshipped in the female form; more specifically as Mariamman (“Amman” means mother) a village deity that was later syncretized with other divine female forms, like Kali and her incarnations. In Guyana, the tradition is called “Kali Mai” worship.

Dev

Since only 6% of the 239,000 Indian immigrants originated from Madras, it is remarkable that the tradition continued and even expanded; including from other races. In this mandir at Cornelia Ida, from the iconography alone, one could also see many other changes signalled in the practices as the community adapted to the new circumstances in Guyana. Unlike the older “Kali Mai” Mandirs, the Goddess, in her manifestations, along with her consorts, were not housed in separate structures, but in one building, as do the wider Sanaatani Hindus. The worship also incorporated many of the “Sanaatani practices” that themselves had incorporated western elements, such as discourses by the Pujari (priest). The celebration of Phagwa itself is an adaptation, since, if the spring festival were celebrated in South India, it would be dedicated to Kaamadeva, the god of love.

The centerpiece of the pre-Phagwa programme was the performance of a Chautal group from Suriname. Chautal is a folk musical genre associated with Phagwa. It originated from the Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Western Bihar part of North India called the “Bhojpuri” belt, from where most of the indentured servants originated. However, Chautal has almost disappeared in India, but, very intriguingly, has survived and indeed flourished in Guyana, Trinidad, Suriname and Fiji, and their diasporas in North America and Netherlands. But both in the instrumentation - from the single dholak (barrel drum) and Jhaals (cymbals) and Dhantal (steel rod and U-shaped clapper) - Fijians and Surinamese now use several dholaks and sometimes the large booming Tadja drum, while Guyanese are introducing Tassa Drums.

Continuity and change

What the event brought to my mind was the ever-increasing blurring and disintegration of boundaries between the descendants of North and South Indians as they navigated the field of institutions created successively; the plantations, the colonial and then the post-colonial states; to become “Indians”. Prior to them, individuals from diverse tribes of West and Central Africa had also had their differences obliterated to become “Africans” after the slave experience. While it is commonplace to “explain” the present relations between the Africans and Indians by the latter undercutting the wages of the former when they were brought in, we must remember that forty-two thousand African West Indians, fourteen thousand Chinese, and thirteen thousand West Africans were also brought in to also undercut those same wages. But today, the boundaries between the eighty thousand freed Guyanese Africans and the sixty-nine newly introduced non-Indians also were disintegrated.

What that means is that group identities are not fixed, nor are boundaries impermeable: the salience of the Indian and Portuguese Guyanese identities must be interrogated. Are there, for instance, different values between them and African Guyanese towards the accumulation of wealth which help maintain a boundary? What studies in various disciplines have shown is that the simple “explanation” of “cultural” differences creating divisions is inadequate. As one theorist since the 1960s had posited, it is not the “stuff” of the different cultures that is necessarily the key, but the boundaries. During the colonial period, under a “divide and rule” strategy, institutions such as Government, the plantations, the Civil Service, the Police, the judiciary etc, were actuated by a hegemonic white-bias culture that reified and kept the boundaries in place.

At Independence, one would have thought that new institutions would be created to encourage a civic “Guyanese” identity in the nation-state we inherited. It is my thesis that the totalitarian regime between 1964-1985 that was instituted to keep Burnham in power - the exclusivist single-party led by ‘the dictator’; the official ideology; the system of terroristic control; control of mass communication, state coercive institutions, the economy and social organizations – also further reified those boundaries.

We need new political, cultural, economic and social institutions to create “Guyaneseness” in Guyanese citizens. Biology does not have to be destiny.

CANU officers conducted the operation at the businessman’s property, where they intercepted the 44-year-old businessman with two hardcover suitcases in his possession. A subsequent search of the suitcases in the presence of the suspect revealed a quantity of whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.

Peniston was arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters where a further search of both suitcases led to the discovery of two parcels suspected to also be cocaine. The suspected narcotic tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately five pounds (2.178kg).

This is a street value of $2.1 million. Investigations are ongoing.

The businessman, also

known as “Fat Joe”, is said to be the owner of Blue Iguana, which is located at Fifth and Light Streets, Alberttown, Georgetown.

Only two days ago, a United States-based Guyanese was busted with over 13 pounds of cocaine in milk packets at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

According to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), officers intercepted 52-year-old Cranson Carlson Henry, who was destined to travel to the United States.

Reports are that Cranson, of Crane Housing

The cocaine that was found by CANU

Scheme, West Coast Demerara, and of Rockaway Avenue 11212 Brooklyn, New York, was questioned after seven Milex milk packets containing a whitish powdery substance were seen in his suitcase.

CANU, in a release on the bust, said Cranson admitted to having a number of narcotics in his luggage, and as such he was arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters.

The substance subsequently tested positive for cocaine and weighed approximately 13.4lbs. (6.070kg),

which has a street value of $13.3 million, CANU said.

According to CANU, further investigations led to the arrest of singer Mark Ferdinand, 44, of Samaria Dam, Pouderoyen, who had been arrested in 2015 in the United States of America for drug trafficking.

CANU noted that Berkeley Ferdinand, the brother of Mark Ferdinand, had been charged by CANU in 2016 for trafficking in narcotics, and had been sentenced to 3 years in prison. Investigations are ongoing. (G9)

Ravi

Belize to learn from Guyana’s experiences in creating laws to protect Indigenous population

communities here.

By Devina Samaroo

ABelizean delegation is looking to learn from Guyana’s experiences with its Amerindian Act as their own country is in the process of drafting legislation regarding the Indigenous peoples of the Central American nation.

The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) recently hosted the delegation from the Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA) and the Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA) from Belize’s Mayan community.

The team, jointly led

by TAA President Andres Kus and their spokesperson Cristina Coc, visited several Indigenous communities including Imbaimadai, Wakapao, Kambaru, and Omanaik where they met with leaders to better understand the issues faced by their villages as well as their achievements.

Belize legislation

Government officials from Belize, also a Caribbean Community (Caricom) Member State, had last year visited Guyana to learn about measures in place to support the development of Indigenous

Belize’s Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government Oscar Requena had engaged Guyana’s Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai as well as visited some hinterland communities to learn about the country’s Indigenous experiences.

Belize’s Prime Minister John Briceño had also visited Guyana where the two countries signed an agreement which among other things, allowed for cooperation on best practices for Indigenous peoples’ development.

The Government of Belize is in the process of implementing measures in keeping with a ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) that Mayan communities are constitutionally entitled to land rights they currently occupy.

The implications of this ruling are significant in that the Government of Belize can no longer issue land titles, concessions, licences or permits without the consultation of the villagers, since the land is recognised as belonging to the communities.

In this regard, Belize is looking to develop its own Indigenous protection legislation.

Guyana experiences

Amid news that the Belizean Government is looking to learn from Guyana with regards to Indigenous peoples’ rights, advocacy groups TAA and MLA decided to vis-

it the country on an information exchange programme to learn about the realities of Amerindian peoples here.

Coc, during an interview with this publication on Friday, explained that there are a lot of commonalities between Guyana and Belize.

“We have some of the same struggles of our Indigenous communities…,” she remarked, noting that globally, the challenges facing Indigenous communities are seemingly “never-ending.”

While the rights groups of Belize laud the move of their Government to create legislation recognising the rights of the country’s Indigenous population, Coc said there are some concerns.

“We are aware that the Government of Belize made a recent visit to the Government of Guyana to learn from their experience of the Amerindian Act. But their exchange fell short in my opinion because they never really consulted or met with Indigenous communities to inquire about the impacts or the limitations

or even the perception of the Amerindian Act, where it concerns the people whose rights its speaking to.”

Coc added that Guyana’s Amerindian Act, while laudable for its recognition of Indigenous rights, has several limitations and inconsistencies with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“It’s very concerning if in fact the Government of Belize is considering mirroring the Amerindian Act in the state that it is,” she explained.

Notwithstanding, she noted that there is still a lot Belize can learn from Guyana’s experiences, especially from the perspective of the Amerindians.

“We will lean on them to continue to help us to understand what are some of the red flags we should be looking out for as we engage with our Government to build a legislation that would encompass and that would honour the recognition and affirmed rights that we now have in southern Belize,” Coc expressed.

Representatives of the Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA) and the Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA) from Belize’s Mayan community during their visit to Guyana

Cristina Coc

President Dr Irfaan Ali greeting Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño during his visit to Guyana in 2022

“We need youths in agriculture” – CEO of lucrative agri-innovation programme

By Tassia Dickenson

With the country’s agricultural sector rapidly expanding, there is no better time for youths to get involved; and President Dr Irfaan Ali’s Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme is a great way to start.

This programme is fully financed by the Guyana

Government, but participants can earn big from the produce they harvest. Chief Executive Officer of the programme, Teesha Mangra-Singh, told this publication that persons who are already qualified or are currently pursuing an education in agriculture can apply to be part of the initiative.

Additionally, persons who are interested in participating but do not reach those criteria are still encouraged to

sign up.

“In our programme here, once you’re qualified in agriculture or you’re a current student, we accept you as you come. Once they (persons outside of the criteria) show interest and they have the time, then they could be on board; we welcome them,” the CEO shared.

According to her, the country needs more youths involved in agriculture. “We need youths in agriculture because they are the largest shareholder of our population, and we need food to get us closer to security. What the Government did was finance the project, so that the young people could benefit. And they did this in [an] innovative and climate-smart way…

“Our entire farm is climate-smart, and we use innovative practices because we understand that youths are more au fait with technology, and they are more prone to work with innovative practices rather than traditional farming, where you have to go out in the sun…,” Mangra-Singh remarked.

The home base for this programme is located in Mon Repos, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica). However, there are various locations across the country, including at Bartica, Orealla and Wakenaam, among other places.

According to Mangra-Singh, if persons who are out of Region Four wish to be part of the programme, they can simply write to the Office of the Minister of Agriculture, and he will tend to their interest.

“Normally, persons would write to the Minister, and then he would construct a shade house in their region, if they have the amount of persons and they are able to say that young people will be involved,” Mangra-Singh explained.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Some young persons who are part of the Agriculture & Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme

“We need youths...

Some of the high-value crops currently being cultivated under this programme are cauliflower, broccoli, beets, cilantro, parsley, celery, lettuce, bell peppers, sweet peppers, hot peppers, carrots, chili, and tomatoes. Participants are fully involved in the process, from mixing the soil to packaging and marketing the crops.

These crops are usually sold to restaurants and hotels.

“We’re involved in every aspect of the programme because we’re the shareholders of the programme… we’re involved in [the] mixing of the soil…irrigation… taking care of the plants and more… we bring the product straight up to marketing and we do our own… packaging and marketing,”

Mangra- Singh outlined.

Extended countrywide Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, during a telephone interview, said that the programme would be extended to various areas across the country throughout the year, noting that a sum of $200 million has been allocated in this year’s budget for this extension.

By the end of 2022, 120 shade houses were constructed to support the production. The PPP/C administration aims to engage a further 100 new young agri-entrepreneurs and increase the production of the crops by 50% this year.

In a previous article posted by the Department of Public Information (DPI), it stated that the ambitious goal will benefit young people by providing them with employment opportunities, and boost the country’s economy by increasing food security and exports of high-value crops.

The programme currently has some 100 participants. It was previously disclosed that the initiative earned more than $10M to date, since its launch in January 2022 by President Dr Irfaan Ali.

The monies earned are to be distributed as dividends to participants.

Interested persons who are between the ages of 1835 can apply to join this programme via email at aiep@ narei.gov.gy or contact the team on (592) 608 0527.

Repairing, maintaining electric vehicles on GEA’s training agenda

The Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) will soon be offering training in electric vehicle (EV) maintenance and repairs.

In an advertisement posted by the agency a few days ago, it stated that the GEA will implement its third practical and classroom-based training course to build local technical capabilities supporting the growing electric vehicle market.

The course will cover technological aspects of all major makes and models of hybrid and electric vehicles. Materials to be covered in the training work -

shops include at minimum the main technological components, and systems that comprise modern electric and hybrid vehi -

cles both from a theoretical and practical perspective.

Additionally, emphasis will be placed on best

practices for the maintenance and repair of electric vehicles to ensure safe and efficient operation.

Training is expected to commence on Monday, March 20, 2023, and end on Friday, March 24, 2023, from 09:00am to 16:30h each day.

Interested practicing Auto Electricians and Mechanical Technicians

are asked to submit an updated resume, character references, any relevant technical certificates, and one form of national identification.

The training will be provided to the participants free of cost.

Upon successful completion of the course and final assessments, participants will be issued an in -

ternationally-recognised electric vehicle maintenance and repair certificate.

All submissions should be addressed to The Chief Executive Officer, Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), 295 Quamina Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, and submitted via hard copy or email to gea@gea.gov.gy no later than 09:00h on Thursday, March 16, 2023.

Individuals are advised to submit their documents as soon as possible, given that spaces for this programme are limited and early submissions will be prioritised.

Rice millers agree to pay $4000 per bag of paddy for 2023 first crop

…sales commission removed

Following recent calls

by rice farmers for increased prices, millers across Guyana have agreed to pay at least $4000 per bag of paddy for the first crop of 2023.

This was finalised during a meeting on Saturday between the Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association (GREMA) and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB). The engagement was facilitated by President Dr Irfaan Ali at State House, where Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo were also present.

“All millers will purchase farmers’ paddy for the

first crop of 2023 at a minimum of $4000 per bag,” the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.

It was also indicated that “The Sales Commission paid by millers and exporters for rice, by-products of rice and paddy is reduced to zero for the first crop of 2023.”

According to the Ministry, the representatives of both GREMA and GRDB signed onto the agreement brokered during Saturday morning’s engagement.

Over the past few weeks, rice farmers have been pushing for increased prices for paddy due to the rising cost of inputs such as fertilisers and losses due to weather conditions. Some farmers

were paid $3500 for paddy at the last crop.

However, during an engagement with farmers in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) last month, Minister Zulfikar had promised to engage millers on increasing the paddy prices.

The Minister had stated at the meeting in Anna Regina that Government is aware several farmers suffered losses due to unfavourable weather patterns, and would be putting systems in place to ensure those farmers are given assistance to return to the land as soon as possible.

But the price of paddy for the current crop was a burning concern for many of the

Region Two farmers.

“The main issue today seems to be the price for paddy. Only about 22,000 acres were planted in Region Two for this crop. I will be meet-

ing with the Guyana Rice Millers’ Association… to see if farmers can get better prices for paddy, especially in Region Two. When that meeting is finished, I

will communicate with the farmers,” Mustapha had reassured explained.

President Dr Irfaan Ali along with other Cabinet officials facilitated Saturday’s engagement between the rice farmers and millers at State House

On-the-spot decisions by Top Cop bring solutions to issues plaguing Lethem

…integration of school dropouts discussed

Scores of residents of Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) attended a meeting at Lethem on Friday afternoon to meet with the Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, and to discuss issues affecting their community.

During this interaction, the residents highlighted some of the issues plaguing their community, most

of which were addressed instantaneously, with the Top Cop making on-thespot decisions and providing possible solutions based on the community’s specific needs.

The interactive session was held at the Tabatinga Sports Complex in Lethem and saw the Guyana Police Force coming in for high praise from the community. The meeting with the Commissioner and team

commenced with prayers from the three main religious groups.

Mayor of Lethem, John Macedo noted that the Top Cop’s visit was very timely and much appreciated. He further stated that the Commissioner’s visit would not be confined to the town but the region as a whole.

TURN TO PAGE 23

Residents of Lethem gathered at the Tabatinga Sports Complex

THE VALUE OF MEANINGFUL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Public participation involves you! This was the theme of last week’s article. Public participation is integral to the operations of the Environmental Protection Agency, and as we have learnt last week, this can take various approaches. This week, we want to focus on the value of stakeholder engagement, a critical approach to public participation.

What is stakeholder engagement?

This is the process by which companies communicate and get to know their stakeholders. By getting to know them, companies are able to better understand what their stakeholders want, when they want it, how engaged they are, and more so how the companies’ plans and actions will affect both long- and short-term goals of stakeholders.

In the environmental arena, stakeholder engagement is also an important ingredient for successful project delivery. However, it is often regarded as a fringe activity, or one that can be outsourced to business-as-usual functions. Project managers depend on people to respond to the outputs and benefits that they deliver. People will respond only if they are engaged. Stakeholder engagement includes ways to attract and involve individuals, groups, and organizations who may be affected by a project, or may affect the project. Engagements can take many different forms, which include print media, television and radio programmes, virtual platforms, physical engagement, focused group meetings, public scoping and disclosure meetings, one-on-one consultation etc.

How does stakeholder engagement differ from public participation?

Stakeholder engagement is the practice of influencing a variety of outcomes through consultation, communication, negotiation, compromise, and relationship building; thus, making an arrangement for stakeholders to be present and involved. On the other hand, public participation allows individuals, groups and organisations’ involvement as optional. In other words, stakeholder engagement is more thorough and intentional.

The importance of stakeholder engagement

The successful completion of a project usually depends on how the stakeholders view it. Their requirements, expectations, perceptions, personal agendas and concerns will influence the project, shape what success looks like, and impact the outcomes that are to be achieved.

Meaningful stakeholder engagement is an essential part of professional project management. It not only applies to projects, but even when you are starting a business, the feasibility study is important; connecting with your potential partners, suppliers and customers would help determine the success of failure of your business.

Stakeholder engagement provides for several benefits, including:

1. Clear communication and education;

2. Effective decision-making;

3. Building trust and capacity;

4. Economic and cost-efficient management;

5. Risk management; and

6. Accountability.

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

On-the-spot decisions...

The Mayor pointed to the fact that Lethem is growing and developing and, as such, issues would arise. Along that line, the Mayor further indicated that he is pleased with how the Guyana Police Force executes its duties.

In his remarks, Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock said it is important that the Guyana Police Force and the community maintain a good relationship which will help to build trust and foster cohesion.

“The military and the Police are the eyes and ears of the community,” the Chairman is quoted as saying by the GPF’s communications unit.

Council General for Guyana to Brazil, Rodger King, who also attended the meeting, stated that “Police are our friend and as such we must continue to work together”. King also lauded the Top Cop for working assiduously to change the dynamics of the general public interacting with the Police.

The Top Cop, while addressing the residents, said that partnerships are adding to the Guyana Police Force’s strategic plan to bridge the gap between the Police Force and citizens by strengthening strong Police-community ties.

To further highlight the strengthening of Policecommunity relations, the Top Cop referred to the official launching of the

GPF Community Relations Department in June 2022. That department is tasked with building and fostering a professional and collaborative partnership through positive engagement and public trust between the Police and the community; and promoting safe communities by reducing the fear of crime, especially in vulnerable communities and among vulnerable groups.

Integrating school dropouts into society was a topic Commissioner Hicken covered in great detail. He also urged community

members to foster an environment to help young people thrive.

Commissioner Hicken applauded the CPG groups in the region for their dedication and hard work.

When it comes to performance and accountability, the Guyana Police Force must maintain discipline while projecting diversity and gender equality.

In closing, the Top Cop echoed, “I want you to work with the Police, not against the Police.”

Also present at the meeting were Commander of Regional Division Number Nine, Senior Superintendent Raphael Rose; Deputy Commander M Ally; Region Nine Town Clerk, Keisha Vincent, representatives from the Guyana Defence Force and Guyana Fire Service, members of the RCCI and CPG, and other senior and junior Police officers.

Top Cop Clifton Hicken meeting with residents of Lethem at the Tabatinga Sports Complex

Region 10 PPP/C stalwart David Adams laid to rest

Scores of residents of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) gathered at the Praise Tabernacle A.O.G Church, Linden, last week to bid farewell to David Adams, who died on February 12 after a prolong period of illness.

Before falling ill, he was residing at Kwakwani, Upper Berbice district, subsequently to his appointment as the General Manager for the Kwakwani Utilities Incorporated on March 16, 2021.

At his funeral it was highlighted that, his humbled, hands-on approach with residents and being a compassionate boss to his employees and making his employees feel appreciated for their hard work, created a frenzy in the workplace and by extension, the community, who sadly mourns his sad demise.

“From the time Mr Adams came to Kwakwani, I just know this was somebody you can depend on, somebody that would carry you,” KUI’s Electrical Foreman, Leandro Grant said, while also adding that working under Adams felt relaxed, “he was always by our side, even if it’s late at nights” and for this, he saluted him for making him a better person in short stint.

One resident stated, “Kwakwani would have been a city,” recounting on Adams’s vast vision and plans he hoped to roll out in 2022. Few of such plans were, installing fire hydrants at key points in the community, expanding the water treatment plant in his bid to distribute 24 hour water supply, equipping youths with the requisite theoretical and practical knowledge of various apprenticeship programmes through the company with an aim of creating employment, was amongst few of his many dreams and aspirations for the small community.

Adams, up to the time of becoming ill, was a consistent letter writer in the Guyana Times newspaper.

He was described as a true fighter and a PPP/C civic party stalwart of Region 10 by Foreign Affairs and International

Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd, whom along with Culture Youth and Sport Minister, Charles Ramson Jr attended his funeral.

“David was a fighter, someone who is for the people, he would give everything he has, even when not in good health. He was a perfectionist, someone who paid attention to details; he was indeed a leader, someone who we will always remember and miss,” Todd said in his tribute to Adams.

The government pledge to render their unflinching support to the Adams family.

Also in attendance were Go Invest CEO, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, Regional Executive Officer, Dwight John, amongst other PPP/C civic party members.

Meanwhile, Head Teacher of the Watooka Day Nursery School, Samantha Farlec, in her tribute said she vowed not to go to any other male funeral following her father’s death, but Adams death impacted her life. She said his vision outlined and contributions to the school were enormous, while also adding that the schools first computer was donated by Adams; he also built a library with his own resources.

Adams also made an impact in the education sector of Kwakwani, in awarding top students of NGSA and CSEC examinations.

David Adams was born to the parents of Irvine and the late Theodore Adams on June 15,1959. He leaves to mourn his mother, wife, siblings and five children.

David Adams

HEALTH TIPS

GANGLION CYSTS

feel discomfort or pain, especially when walking or wearing shoes. If the cyst is near a nerve, it can sometimes cause:

• Loss of mobility

Numbness

Pain

• Tingling sensation

Some ganglion cysts can become bigger or smaller over time.

Dr. Tariq Jagnarine Family meDicine, enDocrinology/ DiabeTes

Aganglion cyst is a round, fluid-filled lump of tissue that usually appears along tendons or joints. Ganglion cysts range in size from as small as a pea to as large as a golf ball. They can also be soft or firm. Some cysts are visible underneath the skin, but others are so small that they can’t be seen.

These types of cysts are common, and are usually harmless. They aren’t cancerous. Most go away without treatment.

RISK FACTORS

Anyone can develop a ganglion cyst. They’re more likely to occur in people aged 15 to 40. They’re more common in women than in men, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

These types of cysts also tend to develop more frequently in people who repeatedly stress their wrists, such as gymnasts.

Other factors that may increase your risk of developing a ganglion cyst include:

Injury to the wrist or finger

Inflammation in a joint or tendon

Repetitive wrist or finger activities

Chronic conditions like arthritis

CAUSES

There’s no known cause for ganglion cysts. These types of cysts occur as a result of some type of trauma or irritation.

Ganglion cysts occur when fluid accumulates in a joint or around the tendons:

Hand

• Wrist Ankle

Foot

This accumulation may happen due to injury, trauma, or overuse. There’s also evidence that these cysts may be related to arthritis.

SYMPTOMS

It’s possible to have a ganglion cyst and not even know it. If symptoms do occur, the most common sign of a ganglion cyst is a visible lump or mass on the wrist, hand, ankle, or foot.

If the cyst is on the foot or ankle, people may

When visible, a ganglion cyst looks like a round or misshapen lump or bump just below the skin’s surface. It often appears on the wrist, finger, or ankle, or foot. Because it’s filled with liquid, it can sometimes appear to be translucent.

DIAGNOSIS

The lump is examined first, a medical history is taken, and symptoms are evaluated. Doctors may order imaging tests such as an X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI, especially if they can’t see the lump.

Transillumination, or the process of shining light through an area of the body to check for abnormalities, is also used to help differentiate between a solid tumour and one that’s filled with liquid, like a ganglion cyst.

The doctor may also take a sample of the fluid in the cyst for testing.

TREATMENT

Ganglion cysts often go away without treatment. If the cyst doesn’t cause pain or discomfort, treatment isn’t necessary. A doctor may advise doing the following:

• Avoid repetitive hand and wrist movements.

• Wear a wrist brace, because immobilisation might cause the cyst to shrink.

Wear shoes that don’t touch the cyst, if it’s on the foot or ankle.

If the ganglion cyst causes pain or limits one’s mobility, a doctor may aspirate it. During this procedure, they’ll drain fluid from the cyst with a syringe.

Surgical removal is an option if other treatments haven’t worked. However, the cyst may return even if a doctor has surgically removed it.

PREVENTION

There’s no known way to prevent a ganglion cyst. If persons are prone to developing these types of cysts, even with treatment, they can reoccur. If a ganglion cyst returns and becomes bothersome, talk with a doctor or medical professional about the next steps to treat it or remove it.

Ganglion cysts are noncancerous lumps that are, for the most part, harmless and won’t need treatment.

Belize to learn from Guyana’s experiences...

Expanding on this point, the spokesperson noted that the advocacy groups can now ensure that in the new legislation, there must be strong safeguards against the exploitation of resources from Indigenous communities and better measures for the autonomy of Indigenous peoples to make their own decisions and to be self-determining when it comes to the development of their land.

Moreover, she said learning from the Guyana experience, the Belizean organisations can lobby for their Government to ensure a better balancing act in the law to resolve third party interests with regards to Indigenous lands.

Coc pointed out that it is very common in Indigenous communities globally wherein resources earned from ancestral lands are not reinvested in said communities, resulting in Indigenous peoples struggling with access to basic services.

This, she indicated, is something Belize will have to legislatively, guard against.

Long-term partnership

Noting that the groups only visited a small percentage of the 240 Indigenous communi-

ties in Guyana, Coc expressed hope to return in the future to visit more villages and further learn from their individual experiences.

In fact, she expressed hope that this initial visit sets the foundation for a “long partnership” between the Indigenous groups of the two countries.

Moreover, she pointed out that the relationship does not have to be one-way stream, and rather, Guyana can also learn from the Belize experiences.

In fact, it is her hope that Belize can put forward a model legislation regarding Indigenous protection which Guyana can in turn learn from,

especially in light of its planned revision of the Amerindian Act.

The current governing Administration has announced its intention to revise and update the Amerindian Act of 2006, with some $10M being set aside last year to begin consultations.

Coc lauded the fact that the Guyana Government recognises the importance of revising the law to make it better.

Mayan history

The three Maya groups in Belize are the Yucatec, Mopan, and Q’eqchi’ Maya. The country now known as Belize was originally a key part of the an-

cient Mayan civilisation, which began expanding around 1000 BCE.

The physical ‘boundaries’ of the ancient Mayan empire spanned the countries of modern-day Guatemala, Belize, the western parts of Honduras and El Salvador and the five Mexican states of Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Campeche and Chiapas.

Ancient Mayan cities established far-reaching production and trade networks as well as temples and religious centres and developed writing, mathematics and astronomy, which allowed them to monitor other planets and predict eclipses.

Maya territory in Belize supported an estimated population of 1 to 2 million people. Belize

was the home of the earliest Maya settlements. The earliest known settled community in the Maya world is Cuello in the Orange Walk District of Belize.

Archaeologists have found evidence that trace Cuello to as far back as 2000 BC.

The Maya of southern Belize have experienced a harsh history of colonisation and continue to be deprived of their human rights, especially in relation to the lands and resources that they have traditionally used and occupied.

Coc explained that “when it concerns cultural heritage and the management of those heritage sites, Indigenous peoples in Belize struggle because where our cultural heritage sites are, are not within the direct con-

trol of the people themselves. There’s been a lot of struggles to make visible the living Mayan people and not just the stories of an ancient time. We’re also not a people who are from a culture that is static, our culture is constantly evolving, we are adapting to new realities…”

Among the most famous sites found in Belize are Caracol, Xunantunich, Altun Ha, La Milpa, and Lamanai. Each is unique unto itself, and each reveals another aspect of the Mayan civilisation.

Today, the Maya make up about 11 per cent of Belize’s population. Most Maya live in traditional villages but some also live near the now-ruined cities of the ancient Mayan Empire.

Caracol: The most remote and magnificent Maya ruins in Belize

3 new schools to be constructed in Region 1

With the aim of improving access to education in the hinterland, students in Region One (Barima-Waini) will soon be benefiting from three new schools.

This is part of the Ministry of Education’s effort to achieve universal education in the region. These schools will be constructed in Huradiah in the Moruca sub-district, Waramuri and Kwebanna.

Following a consultation with residents of Huradiah village, Moruca Sub region, a new primary school will be built in the community which will cater for 250 pupils. To receive an education, pupils in the village travel across the Moruca river to attended the Santa Rosa Primary School, which is currently overcrowded.

Some 10 acres of land were made available for the construction of the school.

Pupils from the villages of Huradiah, Cabrora, Acquero and Rincon will benefit from this new school.

Meanwhile, a new secondary school will be built at Waramuri. The modern sec-

ondary school will house 400 students. The school will be equipped with Physics, Chemistry and Biology laboratories along with Information Technology, Home Economics and Industrial Technology laboratories, staff room, auditorium and teachers’ quarters to house 10 teachers and will be solar-powered.

Students from Waramuri and Haimacabra are expect-

ed to benefit from the construction of this school.

Similarly, a new modern secondary school which will cater to 500 students will be constructed in Kwebanna. Like the school at Waramuri, this complex will be equipped with Physics, Chemistry and Biology laboratories along with Information Technology, Home Economics and Industrial Technology laboratories, staff room, auditorium and will be solar-powered.

In addition to catering for 500 students in the classrooms, a dormitory will be built to house 250 children. It also comes equipped with teachers’ quarters which will house 30 teachers.

The school will serve the villages of Kwebanna, Santa Cruz, Waikrebi, Chinese Landing, Kokerite, Kariako, Warapoka, Assakata, Unity Grant.

Moreover, the Kwebanna Primary School is also set to undergo an extension to comfortably accommodate the school’s increasing population – something which Education Minister Priya

Rice millers agree to pay...

FROM PAGE 17

Across-the-board price

The Agriculture Minister had previously indicated that setting an across-theboard price for paddy from millers, something which the farmers had requested, cannot be done especially given that transportation cost plays a significant role in the price for paddy in certain regions.

“For instance, in Region Two, the price to transport will be more than in Region Five so in order for millers to earn they take those factors into consideration. You know for a fact last year we were able to negotiate with millers from Region Two for better prices for farmers and now you are getting up to $4000 per bag,” he told farmers from across the country during a meeting in February.

Nevertheless, at the Anna Regina meeting two weeks ago, Minister Mustapha had expressed his disappointment in the behaviour of some farmers, who walked out of the meeting before engaging the Minister. He reminded of the many interventions by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government to assist rice farmers after assuming office in August 2020 including the $1 billion assistance for fertiliser.

“Since we got back into Government, we’ve been trying our best. Many farmers right here on the Essequibo Coast received direct cash payments and seed paddy when we had the flood in 2021. Last crop when the price was low, farmers said that they were not happy and we intervened, and many farmers received $4000 per bag for paddy last crop. I am very shocked at this behaviour because when farmers were told rice

was a private business, they never behaved in this manner. Now we are here to listen to you and work to find solutions to your issues a few are trying to disrupt the meeting. We have to be factual. I am here to listen to you to see how best we can resolve the issues,” the Minister said.

This move by the Government to bring relief to rice farmers comes on the heels of the industry recovering from poor performance under the previous APNU/ AFC Government.

In fact, despite promising in its 2015 elections manifesto to raise paddy prices to $9000 per bag, the coalition regime disregarded rice farmers, with former President David Granger declaring in October 2015 that the transaction between farmers and millers is a private one.

“There are problems within the rice industry, which are not to be blamed on the Government. It’s a private enterprise largely… take a look at the internal dynamics of the industry and you will discover that it is a miller-farmer problem not a Government-rice prob-

lem,” the then Head of State had said.

Nevertheless, Minister Mustapha told rice farmers at the Anna Regina engagement that the Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Administration continues to support the industry and rehabilitate critical infrastructure to improve access to transport their paddy from the fields.

“This year again, $25 million will be made available to rehabilitate dams in Region Two from the Ministry of Agriculture so that farmers can bring out their paddy. The Water Users Association has $10 million. The seed facility here; I’ve asked GRDB to refurbish it so that we can start producing seed paddy in time for the next crop. Some rice farmers gave me a list with a number of issues so that we can sit down as a team and go through them point by point. For instance, things like zero-rated on certain machinery and parts; there are still a number of spare parts that attract VAT because they are also used outside of the sector. We have to work with the GRA to deal with that,” Mustapha noted. (G8)

Manickchand said is a positive sign since it means more children are attending school.

“[It] has more children than it can accommodate and I’m very glad about that,” Manickchand stated.

According to the

Education Minister, the new secondary school at Kwebanna will help the Ministry to close the “primary tops” at Assakata, Warapoka, Santa Cruz, St Bedes, Chinese landing, Kokerite and Kariako. Similarly, she noted that

the new secondary school at Waramuri will close the primary tops in that area. “Watch out for these kids… They will compete academically and otherwise with what used to be known as our best schools,” she stressed. (G8)

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and others watching as millers sign the agreement to pay rice farmers $4,000 per bag of paddy

Education Minister Priya Manickchand addressing students and parents at Waramuri in Region 1

Minister Manickchand engaging residents of Kwebanna, Region 1

Santa Rosa seeking help to tackle solid waste...

“Through the grapevine, we have got the green light already. There is the SGF or LGP French grant and we are applying for that between $1M and $10M. We are working on the concept note for that so that we can have the grant approved and we can develop the waste disposal site,” he said.

The community is also seeking a second grant to

purchase a garbage truck. Currently, they are working on the sustainability plan for the second grant and addressing the issue of awareness.

“Santa Rosa is moving in the direction of tourism and to attract tourists you can’t have the place being littered; it would not be a tourist attraction. The first step is the keep the environment clean and then we move to tourism.”

Currently, solid waste management is done with the aid of tractors.

The community has eight tractors and trailers operated by Community Support Officers (CSO), who would collect solid waste in the community.

“They receive a stipend of $30,000. So, they only

work in the morning hours or in the afternoon hours. So, if we need them to come out after those four hours, the Village Council or area council would have to find money to pay them,” Torres explained.

The tractors are mostly engaged in commercial work, which earns revenue for the village.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that more roads to be developed.

The lack of adequate recreational facilities also needs to be addressed.

“One of the things that have been affecting us is the tremendous alcohol and drug abuse. We have a few people walking around who seem to be suffering from

mental illness and they are a menace to society.”

Torres said he took full advantage of the opportunity he had and raised those concerns with Government Ministers.

He is confident that those issues will be addressed since the aim of their interaction was to see what assistance Government can provide for the community

There are five grounds in the community but they all need upgrades.

Torres noted that players from as far as the Pomeroon go to Santa Rosa to play cricket.

“We have several playgrounds and those grounds need to be upgraded. The youths are really fascinated by sports. Sports really bring people together in Moruca. With all of the challenges and differences with politics and religion it does cause some challenges but sports unite the people in Santa Rosa village,” Torres pointed out. (G4)

One of the tractors being used to collect garbage in the village

SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Body of security guard who fell into Demerara River found

The lifeless body of the security guard who accidentally slipped into the Demerara River on Wednesday last while on duty, has been recovered.

Zephyr Stanislaus, a father of one, of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was found floating in the Demerara River, in the vicinity of the Pritipaul Wharf, Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD), just after 14:00h on Thursday.

According to reports, at the time he was found, he was clad in his uniform and was in a state of decomposition. Following

the discovery, the body was removed and taken to the Memorial Garden funeral parlour where a post-mortem examination will be conducted soon.

Stanislaus, who was attached to a private security firm, was feared dead after he slipped into the Demerara River while he was guarding a vessel and was stationed at Guyana Rubis Incorporated, located at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Reports are that around 04:00h on the day in question, Stanislaus, who was on guard inside the vessel, was seen climbing down the ladder to board a marine boat.

It was during that process that the security guard accidentally slipped and fell into the Demerara River. The man shortly after went underwater and did not surface.

Since the incident, a search party was launched to find the man, and after hours of searching, he was located the following day.

According to the dead man’s aunt, it was her nephew’s first night on the job, when the unfortunate incident occurred. (G9)

Essequibo Coast man fined for possession of ganja

An Essequibo Coast man, who was caught with a quantity of cannabis, was fined for the offence of possession of narcotics.

Jarod Granville, 22, of Lot 4 Henrietta Public Road, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), admitted to having 10.3 grams of cannabis in his possession contrary to Section 4 (1) (a) (i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act Chapter 10:10.

He was caught with the drugs on Thursday, at Anna Regina Old Market Road, Essequibo Coast.

On Friday, Granville virtually appeared at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Esther Sam where the charge was read to him and he pleaded guilty to the charge.

He was fined $10,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in him serving one month’s imprisonment.

Reports are that Police in the region acting on information received went to a shop at Anna Regina Old Market Street, on the Essequibo Coast, at about 10:50h. The business is owned by the 22-year-old

businessman. Reports are that upon arrival at the business premises, Police requested a search, to which the man agreed. During the search, a black plastic bag was found in his right hand. The bag was opened in his presence and a transparent plastic bag was inside with leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis. Granville was arrested and allegedly admitted ownership of the cannabis. A further search was conducted on his premises but nothing illegal was found. He was taken to the Anna Regina Police Station where the cannabis was weighed and amounted to 10.3 grams. (G9)

Dead: Zephyr Stanislaus

Fined: Jarod Granville

Police find ganja hidden in stall at Charity

Ranks in Regional Division Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) discovered a quantity of marijuana while they were on patrol in their district, a Police report stated.

It was reported that at about 22:00h on Friday, cops at the Charity Police Station along with Community Policing Group (CPG) members were on patrol in the vicinity of Charity Backstreet, Essequibo Coast, and while conducting searches on several stalls, a transparent plastic bag was found.

Upon opening the bag, Police said it contained several small zip-lock plastic bags. Those were opened, and a number of leaves, seeds, and stems were found suspected to be cannabis.

The ranks said they took possession of the bag and it was taken to Charity Police Station. The suspected narcotic was weighed and amounted to 16.7 grams.

This is the second ganja find in this district in just 24 hours. On Thursday, an

Essequibo Coast businessman was arrested after he was found with a quantity of marijuana in his possession.

Police in the region reported that ranks of the Regional Division acting on information received went to a shop at Anna Regina

Old Market Street, on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) at about 10:50h.

The law enforcement officers said the business is owned by a 22-year-old old businessman who resides at Henrietta, Essequibo Coast.

Reports are that upon arrival at the business premises, Police requested a search, to which the man agreed. During the search, a black plastic bag was found in his right hand. The bag was opened in his presence and a transparent plastic bag was inside with leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The man was arrested and allegedly admitted ownership of the cannabis. It was weighed and amounted to 10.3 grams. He was fined $10,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in him serving one month’s imprisonment. (G9)

The cannabis that was found by Police

UN report: Modern weapons being smuggled to Haiti from US International drug bust nets US$677 mln of cocaine bound for Australia

Increasingly sophisticated weapons are being trafficked into Haiti mainly from the United States and especially from Florida amid worsening lawlessness in the impoverished Caribbean nation, according to a UN report released Friday.

The report by the Vienna-based Office on Drugs and Crime said a network of criminal actors including members of the Haitian diaspora "often source firearms from across the US" and smuggle them into Haiti illegally by land from the neighbouring Dominican Republic, by air including to clandestine airstrips, but most frequently by sea.

"Popular handguns selling for $400-$500 at federally licensed firearms outlets or private gun shows in the US can be resold for as much as $10,000 in Haiti," the report said. "Higherpowered rifles such as AK47s, AR15s and Galils are typically in higher demand from gangs, commanding correspondingly higher prices."

The US Department of Homeland Security's investigations unit reported "a surge in firearms trafficking from Florida to Haiti between 2021 and 2022" and a spokesman described the recovery of increasingly sophisticated weapons destined for Haitian ports "including

.50 calibre sniper rifles, .308 rifles, and even beltfed machine guns," according to the report.

"Weapons are frequently procured through straw man purchases in US states with looser gun laws and fewer purchasing restrictions" and then transported to Florida where they are concealed inside consumer products, electronic equipment, garment linings, frozen food items and even the hull of freighters, it said. "On arrival in Haiti, including major hubs such as Port-de-Paix and Port-au-Prince, cargo is offloaded and passed on to end-users via a host of intermediaries." (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Ajoint US and Australian law enforcement operation busted an international drug ring after intercepting 2.4 tonnes of cocaine aboard a vessel off the coast of South America that had been bound for Australia.

The cocaine, linked to a Mexican drug cartel, had a street value of around A$1 billion (US$677 million), and was equivalent to half of Australia's estimated annual consumption, making the seizure one of the biggest that Australian Police have been involved in.

Twelve suspects have been arrested and charged in the case, Western

Australian state Police said in a statement on Saturday, releasing details for the first time of an operation that began last November when the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intercepted the vessel.

Western Australian Police substituted the cargo with identically packed fake cocaine and dropped it roughly 40 nautical miles west of state capital Perth on Dec 28.

Three suspected members of the "Australian arm of a drug syndicate" with 1.2 tonnes of fake cocaine were arrested on Dec 30, after allegedly making three trips out through rough seas to collect the

packages.

A further nine arrests were made through Jan 13, including a traffic stop on the Great Eastern Highway, roughly 600 kilometres (373 miles) east of state capital Perth, where officers found more than A$2 million in cash.

Hailing the success of "Operation Beech" Western Australia Police commissioner Col Blanch in a statement: "The operation sends a message to international drug traffickers – your deadly drugs are not welcome here."

A 39-year-old male US citizen was among the 12 charged, Police said. (Reuters)

Civilians flee Ukraine’s Bakhmut as battle rages for eastern city

Pressure is mounting on Ukrainian troops and civilians hunkering down in Bakhmut, as Kyiv’s forces try to help residents flee the beleaguered eastern city.

A woman was killed and two men were badly wounded by shelling while trying to cross a makeshift bridge out of Bakhmut on Saturday, according to Ukrainian troops who were assisting them.

A Ukrainian army representative who asked not to be named for operational reasons told The Associated Press news agency that it was now too dangerous for civilians to leave the city by vehicle, and that people had to flee on foot instead.

For months, Bakhmut

has been a key target of Moscow’s grinding eastern offensive, with Russian troops, including large forces from the private Wagner group, inching ever closer to Kyiv’s key eastern stronghold.

Journalists from the AP near Bakhmut on Saturday reported seeing a pontoon bridge set up by Ukrainian soldiers to help the city’s few remaining residents reach the nearby village of Khromove. Later, they saw at least five houses on fire as a result of attacks in Khromove.

Ukrainian units during the past 36 hours destroyed two key bridges just outside Bakhmut, including one linking it to the nearby town

Brazil approves GMO wheat as food supply fears help convince sceptics

of Chasiv Yar along the last remaining Ukrainian resupply route, according to UK military intelligence officials and other Western analysts.

The UK Defence Ministry said in the latest of its regular Twitter updates that the destruction of the bridges came as Russian fighters made further inroads into Bakhmut’s northern suburbs, ratcheting up the pressure on its Ukrainian defenders.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington, DC-based think tank, assessed late on Friday that Kyiv’s actions may point to a looming Ukrainian pullout from parts of the city. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Brazil has approved the cultivation and sale of drought-tolerant genetically modified wheat, a major boost for the once taboo crop as global food supply fears and regional dry weather burnishes the lure of GMO.

The approval, which biosecurity agency CTNbio posted, makes Brazil the second nation after Argentina to approve Bioceres’ HB4 wheat strain for cultivation. Other markets have approved it for consumption.

Brazil is one of the world’s largest consumer markets and food exporters. While the green-light does not mean Brazil will necessarily grow GMO wheat for production soon,

it reflects a major shift in attitudes as climate change and the war in Ukraine sharpen worries over a global food crisis.

GMO wheat has never been grown for commercial purposes due to consumer fears about allergens or toxicities in the staple crop used worldwide for bread, pasta and pastries. Biotech varieties of corn and soy, used for animal feed, biofuels and ingredients like cooking oil, are commonplace.

Bioceres said in a statement on Friday the approval meant “opening the Brazilian market to the technology,” adding it would help ease commercialisation of the strain in Argentina. The two countries dominate South

America’s wheat production.

Plant genetics company Tropical Melhoramento e Genetica, a partner in Brazil of Argentina’s Bioceres, made the approval request.

Abimapi, an association representing biscuit, pasta, bread and cake makers in Brazil, said the approval could potentially increase internal supplies, which could reduce industry costs.

The association was against adopting GMO wheat previously, but changed its stance after a survey it commissioned showed more than 70% of Brazilians would not mind consuming products containing it. (Excerpt from Reuters)

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An incident will give you a different perspective regarding a personal matter. Talk with someone who can provide answers. An unexpected change will be a blessing in disguise.

Work on improving your home, boosting personal relationships and making a difference in your community. Don’t let fast-talkers sway your opinion or get you to waste your time.

Live in the moment and enjoy; be grateful for what you have. Recognize your potential and the potential of others, and put your skills to work for you. Doors will open if you take the initiative.

Don’t share personal information or get involved in gossip. Alter how and what you learn, and focus more on what’s trending and less on projects that have little to offer.

Embrace what’s important to you and solidify your plans with someone special. A romantic gesture will be welcome and will lead to new possibilities that can save you money and make life easier.

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Women’s International Premier League 2023… Harmanpreet lights up WPL Day for Mumbai in 143-run win

Slices and scythes, check. Courtesy of her hitting and Amelia Kerr’s able support, Mumbai were able to score 46 between overs 14 and 16, which gave them a launchpad.

All of Mumbai rose to applaud Harmanpreet when she finally fell, slicing one to short third off Rana in the 17th over, bringing the

Despite all the glitzy build-up, what the inaugural Women’s Premier League needed to truly blast-off was an “I’m her” performance. And it came from Harmanpreet Kaur.

In many ways, the Mumbai Indians captain’s 30-ball 65 could well be for the WPL what Brendon McCullum’s 158 was to the IPL. It was as if Harmanpreet wanted to vent the ire of that run-out that turned the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 semi-final in Australia’s favour.

Gujarat Giants had filled all four places of their overseas quota with Australians, and that was

but Harmanpreet didn’t care, she just attacked the ball, like she has been doing for a long, long time for India. A fortunate outside edge in an attempted drive got her going, before she timed a Sneh Rana ball through extra cover.

But that was merely the prelude. The 12th over showcased Harmanpreet at her Harmanbest. And obviously, it was filled with sweep shots - one through backward square leg and another through forward square leg. Georgia Wareham, the bowler, could do little to stop the runs. Even Gardner felt the full force - and range - of Harmanpreet’s sweep, one ball hit powerfully through

curtain down on an 89-run stand with Kerr off just 42 balls.

Kerr then stepped up to lead the attack on the Giants, as Mumbai added 41 off the next three overs to finish on 207 for 5. Their total of 207 for 5 was the joint-second highest across all major Women’s T20 leagues (WBBL,

Kia Super League, The Hundred, Women’s CPL, T20 Challenge, and now the WPL) behind Sydney Sixers’ 242 for 4 against Melbourne Stars in 2017-18.

Much like that starry night in 2008, the opposition on the receiving end of a truly astonishing T20 innings just couldn’t cope. It didn’t help that their cap-

tain and top-scorer at the T20 World Cup final, Beth Mooney, retired hurt after seemingly injuring her knee before the first over of the chase was even done. Giants were 8 for 3 by the end of the fourth over. Then 23 for 7 by the eighth over. And finally bowled out in the 16th to lose by 143 runs. (ESPNCricinfo)

reason enough.

Harmanpreet found herself in the middle in the ninth over, with Mumbai at 69 for 2. She saw a set batter in Nat Sciver-Brunt depart after a 54-run partnership with Hayley Matthews, who was also dismissed in the next over to leave Mumbai at 77 for 3.

After her player-of-theseries performance in the T20 World Cup, Ashleigh Gardner had yet again left a mark;

midwicket, the next paddled deftly past short fine.

By now Harmanpreet was in overdrive. She hit seven fours off successive balls to bring up a 22-ball half-century, the first in the WPL. The famous bat-swing was on show. The confidence perhaps never left.

Glimpses of her T20I hundred, that ODI knock, or more recently the unbeaten 143, were all on show.

Sweeps, check. Pulls, check.

Captains Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Alyssa Healy unveiling the trophy

Harmanpreet Kaur made the tournament’s first fifty

GFF-Blue Water U15 Girls’ League…

Tucville Secondary upstages Institute of Academic Excellence

Brothers Ishwar and Gajanand Singh donate cricket gear to Multi Royals

The girls from Tucville Secondary School played a comprehensive game to defeat their counterparts from the Institute of Academic Excellence 3–0 when play in the Guyana Football Federation-Blue Water U15 Girls’ Development League resumed on Friday afternoon at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground.

The Tucville girls controlled the match with more ball possession, and easily broke the Institute’s defense to register goals from Shania Waldron (2nd), Allegera Williams (35th) and Shania

Callender (39th). They celebrated their victory with classmates and parents at the end of the game.

Tucville’s stricker Allegra Williams shared that the match was “very exciting. I feel very excited that we won.”

The GFF-Blue Water Shipping U15 Girls Development League, launched in Georgetown in May 2022, is a 5-year partnership between the GFF and Blue Water Shipping. According to the GFF, the aim of the league is to increase the number of young girls playing football, identify new talent, raise the profile of fe-

male football, and provide coaches with more hours to work with young female footballers. The league is being played as a national school competition across all school districts, and is supported by the Ministry of Education.

The winning team’s coach, Latoya Carry, has said her team has been practising daily. “I’m elated the girls won,” Carry added.

GFF’s Technical Director (ag) Bryan Joseph has said he is satisfied with the rollout of the league in both Georgetown and Linden.

“I’m very satisfied with

the level of participation and commitment from schools. This league exposes girls to the fundamentals of football while (they are) having fun on the pitch. We came here today and saw a very exciting game,” Joseph added.

GFF President Wayne Forde and the Council are committed to elevating women’s football through the identification of new talent and creation of strategic developmental programmes, including the Blue Water U15 League.

Matches in Linden were postponed due to inclement weather.

Brothers Gajanand and Ishwar Singh, former students and cricketers of the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School, have donated cricket gear to the Multi Royals cricket team.

Gajanand, a former senior Guyana batsman, is a current player in the United States of America team, while Ishwar formerly played youth cricket at the national level. The Singh brothers originate from East Canje, Berbice.

In a statement issued by the Multi Royals cricket team, gratitude has been extended to the Singh brothers for this gesture.

“The Multi Royals Cricket Team received a quantity of cricket equipment and gear, compliments of former students Mr Ishwar Singh and his brother Mr Gajanand Singh.

“Both Mr Ishwar Singh, currently a Georgetownbased businessman, and Mr

Gajanand Singh, currently a middle order batter for the USA national cricket team, represented NAMS in cricket during their time as students of the school, and were an integral part of the historic Multi side that won the 2001 Castrol Under-15 schools cricket competition.

“Mr. Ishwar Singh indicated that both (he) and his brother are very pleased with the great strides the Multi cricket team has made over the years. Further, Mr Singh indicated his willingness to partner with the school in the future to introduce a mentorship program for the cricketers.

“The administration, staff, and students of NAMS extend heartfelt gratitude to Ishwar and Gajanand for their timely contribution. The gear will be very useful to our players as they continue to represent our school in cricket,” the Multi Royals statement has said.

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Ishwar Singh and the Multi Royals players standing with the donated gear

A look at Friday afternoon’s action in the Blue Water U15 Girls League

Anderson gets maiden call-up, Paul and Adams in Guyana Harpy Eagles team

Former West Indies

Under-19 batsman

Kevlon Anderson has earned a maiden call-up to the Guyana Harpy Eagles team for the third round of its West Indies 4-Day Championship clash against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, starting from March 15 in Trinidad.

West Indies all-rounder

Keemo Paul and Essequibo

spinner Antony Adams have also been returned to the 13man squad which was selected by the Ramnaresh Sarwan-led selection panel.

Those who are now out of this squad whereas they were in the squad that toured Antigua and Grenada are

Akshaya Persaud, Ashmead Nedd and the concussed

Chandrapaul Hemraj. During a press confer-

Milo U18 Schools Football tournament 2023…

East Ruimveldt draw first blood

ence held on Saturday afternoon at Providence, EBD, Leon Johnson, captain of the Guyana Harpy Eagles team that won the Championship five times, announced that he would step away from first-class cricket after the fifth and final round of the West Indies Championship.

“I have been in discussion with the selection panel and family members (and realise) that I have to come to a conclusion (on stepping away from first-class cricket). The direction the team is going, you can see them transitioning a bit. While I still lead the team well, my performances have not been consistent enough. Over the last two years, I have not been able to fully commit to cricket, so I think it is time that I step away from the game,” Johnson has said.

“I spoke to the chairman (of selectors) a few days ago about playing the last three rounds, and the last three rounds for Guyana at least. While there are other cricketing opportunities out there…in terms of playing for Guyana, that will be my last three games,” he revealed.

“I would like to thank

the selectors for offering me the opportunity to play the last three games - one in Trinidad and the other two in Guyana - and being able to finish at home on my terms. That is it for me,” Johnson has said.

Johnson, who described this decision as a difficult one, said he has been occupied with business away from cricket, and he is not able to fully commit to training.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles are leading the West

Indies Championship with 28.6 points, while defending champions Barbados Pride are in second with 23 points.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles squad reads: Kevlon Anderson, Matthew Nandu, Tevin Imlach, Leon Johnson (Captain), Kemol Savory, Anthony Bramble, Kevin Sinclair, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul (Vicecaptain), Shamar Joseph, Nial Smith, Ronsford Beaton, Antony Adams. (Brandon Corlette)

Under overcast skies and feeble sunshine

on Saturday morning, March 4, 2023, teams gathered at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown for what would be the beginning of weeks of competitive secondary school football.

This was the beginning of the 9th edition of the Milo Under-18 Schools’ Football tournament, and the opening activity, the Ceremonial March Past, has been won by the Vergenoegen Secondary team, who were clad in bright blues and were equipped with a banner sporting the Milo product.

Sponsors’ representatives from the Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc (GINMIN), MVP Sports and title sponsors Milo, along with Petra’s Co- Director Troy Mendonca, GFF’s Technical Director Bryan Joseph, and Advisor to the Minister of Education, Africo Selman, looked on.

In his time with the mic, Arjun Krishanand of Massy Distribution - new agents of the Nestle line - spoke of the company’s commitment to the tournament while highlighting how fitting the Milo product is for sport.

“Today, sports are essential for students’ overall growth and development. In keeping with our promise to be a global force for good, and honouring our corporate social responsibility, Massy Distribution and

Nestle (are pleased) to partner with the Petra Organization and the Ministry of Education in hosting the 9th annual Milo Secondary School U18 Football tournament,” Krishanand related.

He added, “Milo products offer essential vitamins and minerals, and…(have) long been known as an energy beverage strongly associated with sports and good health. We look for the exciting results that the tournament will unfold.”

GFF’s Joseph, who touched on Petra Organization’s steady contribution to development of the sport, said: “I must commend the Petra Organization. It appears as though I say this at every function that they have, because they play a critical role in the development of football across this country, not only at the under-18 age group, but at Pee-Wee, under- 14, and also they would’ve transitioned into female football also.

“We at the Guyana Football Federation are happy with the response that we’ve been having (from) the Ministry of Education in terms of how we could partner to ensure that every child who wants to play football have an opportunity, and these tournaments present that opportunity,” the GFF Technical Director added.

When the action began, East Ruimveldt Secondary bagged the first three points of the tournament with a 5-0 victory over Marian Academy.

Both teams started the high-intensity game well, but after Tramel Jack got the first one past the Marian goalkeeper in the 22nd, the East Ruimveldt side found their rhythm.

Kevon Gallaway found the second goal in the 40th, while Jack made it a 3-0 game in the 60th. Two more off the boots of Daniel Sutton in the 65th and 69th brought the tally to 5 by the end of regulation time.

Meanwhile, Bartica Secondary made good of their time in the capital city with a 9-0 victory over Bush Lot Secondary. One goal each from Reon Hall (2nd), Shawn Jones (9th), Jerson David (12th), Ezekiel Baldeo (20th), C. Timmerman (31st), Ashton Dutchin (56th), Redeil Adamson (59th), David Benny (60th) and Rodel Loncke (61st) accounted for Bartica’s large tally.

Action in the Milo tournament will continue today at the same venue with Annandale and Westminster Secondary clashing in the first game at 11am. Berbice Educational Institute and Charlestown Secondary will go at it in the second game, which commences at 12:45hrs. And Chase’s Academy and Dora Secondary will duke it out in the third game, which starts at 2pm.

The final game of the day will be contested between Ann’s Grove Secondary and Queen’s College. (Jemima Holmes)

Leon Johnson (Brandon Corlette photos)

Keemo Paul Kevlon Anderson

A look at the winning March Past team, Vergenoegen Secondary