Guyana Times - Thursday, January 4, 2024

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First to P7 benefit will be pre-existing loan students – Pres Ali Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 5601

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

Housing Ministry to focus on “out of hand” squatting on Linden-Soesdyke Highway …some 285 households to be – Min Croal relocated from EBD riverbank

PRICE $100 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

ECD new hotspot for residential lands, no new lands available P3 on EBD …over 63,000 active house lot applications pending

P13

Withholding workers’ NIS contributions is a criminal offence – Govt warns employers Page 2

Essequibo Coast man shot 9 times during robbery

P14

Farmer chopped to death during row P8

Labour Ministry to repossess unused co-op lands P16 President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister, (Retired) Brigadier Mark Phillips along with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh in discussion at State House on Wednesday. In a post on social media, they said “…we spent considerable time working on building out the model to support our immediate, medium and long-term development and designing a careful and considerate approach to meet the aspirations of our people. Our policies will ensure a resilient approach to managing our finances and growing wealth at every level in our society.”

Proposals for P9 gas monetisation strategy models to be explored

Photo surfaces of Staff fired over SVG PM displaying corruption, likely playing with Venezuelan to be charged – "Stop the gun" – woman recalls husband’s map with Guyana’s Housing Ministers …Guyana asks Gonsalves …persons urged to report corrupt last words Essequibo for explanation acts with “solid” evidence 1 dead, 11 homeless after fire guts 4 homes Page 15

Page 9

Pages 11,12&14

P10 …father shot dead; 2-month baby injured, teen wanted

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Withholding workers’ NIS contributions is a criminal offence – Govt warns employers I

n light of a recent case, wherein the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has appealed a court ruling ordering it to pay an employee his pension even though contributions were not remitted for him, the Government is reminding employers of the criminal offence they commit by not remitting their employees’ deductions.

In November, the High Court ruled that the NIS must pay 60-year-old Shariff Zainul his old age pension.

The former Toolsie Persaud employee had contended that he is eligible for pension after making over 750 contributions. However, the NIS had contended that a number of years’ worth of contributions had not been remitted on his behalf.

The NIS has since appealed that ruling, and on Tuesday, the Attorney General, Senior Counsel Anil Nandlall, had cause to debunk

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

claims that his chambers had filed an appeal. However, he explained why NIS needed to appeal the High Court ruling, noting that if the ruling is allowed to stand, the floodgates would be opened.

“If this decision is allowed to go unchallenged, then it would open a flood gate, where everyone will now sue

the NIS and not their employers; and NIS would have to pay, although NIS did not receive any remission of the payments actually made by the employees to the employers,” he explained.

“So that is the issue. It’s not about going after the gentleman’s entitlement to NIS; it is about every employee whose payments were deducted by the employers (but) not transmitted to the NIS will now have a claim against the NIS. It will bankrupt the NIS,” Nandlall said.

Warning

The Attorney General went on to sound a warning to employers, reminding them of the need to remit to the scheme all NIS contributions from their employees, lest they be charged with a criminal offence.

“We know, you know, that there are many employers who are actually deduct-

Shariff Zainul (centre) flanked by Attorneys-at-Law Christopher Ram (left) and Christopher Thompson

ing NIS payments from employees but are not remitting those payments to the NIS. And that is an offence! That is a criminal offence under the laws! The employers in this

case should have been made a party to the proceedings. They should have been joined as a party; but that did not happen,” the AG detailed.

In the case he filed against the NIS, Zainul, a former carpenter with Toolsie Persaud Limited (TPL), detailed that he had been employed in an insurable capacity constantly from 1969 to 2001, and that he had made more than 750 contributions to the NIS, making him eligible for the Scheme’s old age pension.

He said that, on attaining the age of 60, he made an application to NIS for the payment of his old age pension, but was informed by the agency that he did not qualify for the payment of pension because he did not have sufficient contributions. He said he was informed further that there was no record of any contributions for him for the period 1992 to 2000, and that he had amassed only 374 contributions, which entitled him to the payment of an old age grant.

Zainul said he had appealed to the Appeal Tribunal against the NIS decision not to pay him a pension, and had been advised by the NIS to obtain his record of employment from TPL. His attempts to do this proved futile, and he was then advised to obtain testimonies from two of his former work colleagues who had worked with him during the

unaccounted-for period of his employment.

To this end, he obtained a letter from the former Personnel Officer of TPL, Krishendatt Sahadeo, and statutory declarations from two former employees of the company attesting to the fact that he had been employed with TPL for the years in question. Moreover, pay slips from TPL evidencing NIS deductions for the years 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 were submitted.

He said he had submitted those documents to the Tribunal, but was informed orally that his appeal was still unsuccessful. No reasons for the Tribunal’s decision were provided to him, but he was told that his total contributions had been updated to 453.

In her ruling, Justice Damone Younge declared that the letter submitted by Zainul’s former Personnel Officer at TPL, Sahadeo, substantiating that he worked with the company from May 4, 1992 to December 31, 2000, is “good and sufficient proof of his employment there”.

Considering this, Justice Younge had ruled that Zainul was entitled to be credited with the 354 contributions for that period, which TPL failed to remit to the NIS as is required under the law.

She therefore found that he is qualified for NIS pension. (G3)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

BRIDGE The Demerara OPENINGS Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, January 4 – 23:00h-00:30h and Friday, January 5 – no retraction.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, January 4 – 10:15h-11:45h and Friday, January 5 – 11:20h-12:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers are expected in the morning followed by sunshine during the day. Clear to partly cloudy skies are expected at night.

Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to Easterly between 2.68 metres and 5.36 metres.

ECD new hotspot for residential lands, no new lands available on EBD …over 63,000 active house lot applications pending

A

s the Guyana Government pushes its aggressive housing development, there has been a clamour for land along the coastland and in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), this has resulted in a saturation of house lots on the East Bank of Demerara thus forcing current distribution of lands only on the East Coast corridor.

This was revealed by Housing Minister Collin Croal on Wednesday at the Ministry’s closing press conference for 2023.

Housing Minister Collin Croal

we are very confident… We have also to come on stream to support our funding, the access through the Saudi

Development Zone will drive the Region Three housing development. He added, too, there were de-

High Tide: 10:14h and 22:44h reaching maximum heights of 2.22 metres and 2.20 metres.

Low Tide: 16:14h reaching a minimum height of 1.00 metre.

Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues with a female allottee

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$78.35/barrel

+0.13

Rough Rice London Sugar

$311.67/ton $601.50/ton

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Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask Low/High Change

USD Per Ounce $2040.20 $2040.20 -1.00

$2041.20 $2041.20 -0.05

He noted that while there were lands available on the East Coast of Demerara for new developments, the aggressive housing drive by the ministry has seen some areas such as the East Bank corridor being left with no new areas.

“Our recent allocations within the last year or year and half for Region Four has been on the East Coast. That is because on the East Bank of Demerara, we have allocated or we have reached to the saturation point of our available lands on the East Bank of Demerara. So, all of the allocations you have been seeing ongoing are for East Coast of Demerara lands,” the Housing Minister noted.

Despite this, however, Croal is confident of acquiring more lands to push the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government’s manifesto promise of delivering 50,000 house lots in five years.

“In terms of finding land,

Arabia funding and that is going through its evaluation stage in terms of its technical side, and then we’ll be able to fast track even more infrastructure work to enhance new areas for persons to access,” the Housing Minister told reporters.

Back in June 2023, Guyana signed a historic US$150 million loan with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) to finance a number of transformational infrastructural projects in the country.

The first project signed, to the tune of US$100 million, involves infrastructural development and works for the housing sector, that is, developing the infrastructure to provide about 2500 housing units, across three different regions in Guyana.

The Housing Minister posited that efforts were underway to develop new housing areas across Guyana. In Region Three, the Wales

velopments for housing programmes in the hinterland regions, including Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

It was reported during Wednesday’s press conference that Government has acquired some 51 new areas for housing development since taking office in 2020.

Land allocation in 2023

In 2023, some 7128 house lots were allocated in Region Four and according to Minister Croal, the majority of these were distributed along the East Coast corridor.

Last year, in total, some 8578 residential plots were allocated across Guyana.

Some 1079 house lots were distributed in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 125 in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice)

and 192 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Apart from residential lands, the Housing Ministry also allocated 181 plots of land for commercial/industrial use as well as regularised 860, taking the total land distribution last year to 9612 lots.

This, according to Minister Croal, is 32 per cent of the total allocations by the PPP/C Government since taking office.

Over the past three years, some 30,468 plots of land were allocated. These include 28,368 residential lots through the “Dream Realised” initiative; 659 commercial and industrial lots as well as 1445 regularised lots.

Meanwhile, Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, disclosed that over the last three years, there has been a consistent 40 per cent allocation of house lots exclusively to women. This number peaked last year at 43 per cent.

Low, moderate, and middle-income earners accounted for 90 per cent of the total allocations.

“That is in keeping with the objective of the housing programme, that is to ensure that affordable housing is provided to all Guyanese,” Rodrigues stated.

Minister Croal further highlighted that youth were significant beneficiaries, with individuals aged 35 years and under receiving 15,119 house lots. This constitutes 53.3 per cent of all allottees since 2020.

The senior Housing Minister went on to note that there were 70,000 pending applications in the system when the current Administration took office in 2020. He noted that while this figure has been reduced over the past three years, the backlog continues to build with new applications.

In fact, under the PPP/C Government, there have been 13,000 new applications in the system.

Currently, as it stands, there are 80,000 plus applications in the system but only 63,032 are active. He explained that the Ministry does not remove the dormant applications from the system. (G8)

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

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Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Helping each other

E

very year Guyana joins with the rest of the world in January to observe International Day of Charity.

The day and its observations were chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the passing of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace”.

In any society that we dwell or live in, there will always be pockets of persons who are desirous of help in one form or the other. Poverty is not just limited to thirdworld or developing countries, it is a global phenomenon that exists in even the richest of countries. Experts have articulated that once there is a disparity in the distribution of wealth, poverty will always be prevalent.

In so much as the causality may be open to debate and interpretation, the actuality of the condition remains and the onus for the rectification of same should not lie solely on the governing institutions in place.

All of the world’s religions prescribe the need to render assistance in one way or another to those who are less fortunate. It was built into our cultural systems and that knowledge was passed down from generation to generation.

However, this traditional norm as we would describe it has somewhat been diluted with the passage of time and with the modernist take on cultural assimilation.

Invariably, the day-to-day existence and the proverbial rat-race to pursue wealth generation as a medium to transcend class stratification has meant that the majority of families have focused more on building themselves over expending resources to help persons outside of their social ambit.

Nevertheless, according to the UN, “notions of volunteerism and philanthropy provide real social bonding and contribute to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies. Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, supplement public services in health care, education, housing and child protection.

It assists the advancement of culture, science, sports, and the protection of cultural and natural heritage.

It also promotes the rights of the marginalised and underprivileged and spreads the message of humanity in conflict situations.”

There is no denying the benevolence of NGOs and other non-profit organisations that have contributed tremendously towards the social upliftment of those in need.

But their help is contextualised on a more macro scale.

Beyond the support of the State, there is supposed to be the support of thy neighbour, the support of the village, the support from those who have enough that sharing would not have any effect on their economic footprint.

How do we ensure or bring about a resurgence in providing service to those in need? Well, fundamentally it should start at the level of our education and upbringing.

Just as how we are taught togetherness and tolerance among all ethnicities in school; education catered towards inculcating formative values that enshrine the need for us to care for each other must also be incorporated in the curriculum from an early age.

We cannot account for the behavioural change in persons who are already entrenched with a particular perspective of thinking, but we can inculcate within the malleable minds of our young ones the need for them to extend their social and economic responsibilities beyond the confines of the family structure.

The bigger picture is that we are all interconnected.

Police ranks, along with Helena CPG Member/NDC Councillor Amerita Persaud, on Wednesday repainted a 'Stop sign' on Belmont main road in the vicinity of the Mahaica Market (GPF photos)

King Charles should follow Denmark’s example – and tell us when he’ll abdicate

By Simon Jenkins

T

he abdication of Queen Margrethe of Denmark in favour of her son Frederik is a sign of a sensible constitutional monarchy. The 82-year-old queen felt “time was running out and the ills were increasing”. It was best to hand over now. In this, Margrethe follows the abdication over the past decade or so of monarchs in the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain. It is now being pressed on the 77-year-old Carl Gustaf of Sweden.

Heredity is an indefensible basis for the holding of high office. It survives only in the direst of dictatorships and the most liberal of democracies. Of course, in democracies it is impotent, merely embodying in one person the ceremonial functions of a monarchical head of state. Its mystique survives simply by remaining popular.

At the time of Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee in 2022, there was quiet talk of her abdicating in favour of Charles. The nation faced a repeat of the long incapacity of the elderly Queen Victoria. Such talk was drowned out by sheer affection for the Queen. She adamantly performed her duties to the end – even appointing Liz Truss standing up – and resolved the issue by dying shortly afterwards.

To radicals, a geriatric European monarchy entombed in what amounts to palatial care homes might

be welcome. It reduces the risk of accidents and scandals, such as those that afflicted Spain under Juan Carlos, or meddling in democratic politics. But it renders the institution vulnerable to incapacity and unpopularity. As the US and French presidencies show, headship of state requires the ability to cohere and represent an entire people. Even without the burdens of government, it can be difficult to do this, as Queen Elizabeth found during the death of Diana.

Sweden’s Parliament has steadily stripped its King, Carl Gustaf, of all roles but the most vacuously ceremonial.

Abdication is the obvious answer. It signifies that a head of state is not a waxwork, but must be a hard-working master of ceremonies. Growing old should never be a bar to work, but age does not negotiate.

Britain’s King Charles, after a long apprenticeship, has proved an active and popular figure in his term of office. He has shown no sign of ageing, other than perhaps his limp Christmas message. He is certainly entitled to a substantial reign after waiting so long.

But not to death. Charles has a successor, William, well-trained and evidently suited for the job. The abdication of Beatrix of the Netherlands to WillemAlexander in 2013 was an ideal precedent. It prompted an outpouring of gratitude for her reign, a welcome for her son and a stronger mon-

archy as a result. The flamboyant conductor André Rieu had the Dutch joyously dancing in the streets in their thousands.

There was none of the lugubriousness inevitably attached to Britain’s succession through death.

Abdication also indicates a nation able to keep its institutions fit for purpose.

In slimming down the royal family, Charles has wisely indicated a desire to end such damaging princely sagas as those of Andrew and Harry. But he must surely go further in updating the office he should one day hand over to his son.

We need modern-day clarity, not least because the list of archaisms is endless.

The Anglican coronation was antediluvian in a now largely faithless country. It did not even mention the monarch’s serving in a democracy. The royal estate in London is hugely overblown.

Buckingham Palace gardens should be a public park.

Compared with other “bicycling monarchies”, Britain’s is on a scale out of reasonable proportion, a hostage to future misfortune and unpopularity. This is a conversation the next British government should be having with the king.

The present British political community seems equally unable to handle constitutional reform. One of its two Houses of Parliament still reserves 91 seats for members sitting by right of heredity, and 26 seats for bishops of what is now a mi-

nority church. There should at least be 26 mullahs, in order to be fair. We are no longer governed by monarchs.

That the aristocracy still enjoys these hereditary seats beggars belief. Britain is one of the few countries on Earth where legislative power, however modest, is still awarded by parentage or religion.

Equally indefensible is that all members of the upper house other than bishops should be considered fit for such power until they die. It seemed harmless when introduced in 1958 for much-needed “working peers”. Since then, the abuse of the peerage by successive prime ministers – well before the much-criticised appointments by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss – clearly demands drastic change. The current corruption of peerages, honours, public appointments and government contracts makes Britain a laughing stock when it chooses to accuse foreign regimes of similar corruption. Yet there is not the slightest sign of reform.

These may not be the most pressing issues confronting British Government today. It is easy to shrug and say, if we were creating a new constitution, we would not start from here. But we are not even starting. There is no whisper of reform in the air.

We are left saying merely, “Thank you, Denmark.”

(The Guardian) (Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist)

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Christopher Ram should examine the FMA Act 2003

Dear Editor, The Natural Resources Fund (NRF) is essentially an extra-budgetary fund which was established pursuant to Section 39 (1) of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act 2003 (hereinafter “the FMA Act). In accordance with the FMA Act, public moneys can be held in three (3) places separately, namely: (1) the Consolidated Fund, (2) Deposit Funds, and (3) Extra-Budgetary Funds.

In reference to Mr Christopher Ram’s letter in response to the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Anil Nandlall, SC, published in the Kaieteur News and Stabroek News editions of January 3, 2024, Mr. Ram argued that the Attorney General misunderstands the difference in the nature and functions of the Natural Resource Fund and the Consolidated Fund.

Unknowingly, it would appear that Mr. Lalbachan Christopher Ram exposed

his in-depth ignorance of the FMA Act, as demonstrated in his referenced epistle wherein he offered a highly unintelligible and ignominious response to the learned Attorney General.

In my essay on the very subject, which was published in the January 2, 2024 edition of the Guyana Chronicle in responding to Mr. Christopher Ram’s aspersion on this matter, I demonstrated how his contention is nothing but a storm in a teacup.

Notwithstanding, I am inclined to, in a more concise manner herein, point out to Mr. Ram and others that, firstly, the Petroleum Agreement (2016) has nothing to do with the banking arrangements and/or the deposit arrangements in relation to the “public moneys” earned from petroleum activities.

The FMA Act is the primary authority that governs the Consolidated Fund (CF). To this end, Part I (1) of the FMA Act states

that “the regulation of the preparation and execution of the annual budget; the receipt, control, and disbursement of public moneys; and such other matters connected with or incidental to the transparent and efficient management of the finances of Guyana”.

In Part IV of the FMA Act, Section 37 establishes the definition for the classification of public moneys.

Accordingly, Section 37 (1) states that: “All public moneys shall be classified as either”a) Received moneys; b) Moneys in the Consolidated Fund, including any moneys in the Contingencies Fund; c) Moneys in an Extra-Budgetary Fund; d) Drawn moneys; or e) Moneys in a Deposit Fund.

Section 37 (2) of the FMA Act establishes that “All public moneys shall be deemed to be received moneys from the time they become public moneys until

the time that they are credited to the Consolidated Fund, an Extra Budgetary Fund, or a Deposit Fund”.

Section 39 (1) establishes that “An Extra-Budgetary Fund may be created by an Act, which legislation shall set out – a) The officials who will undertake the financial management of the Extra Budgetary Fund, including the responsibilities and accountabilities of the officials charged with the managing of the Extra-Budgetary Fund; b) The Banking arrangements that pertain to the Extra-Budgetary Fund; c) The source or sources of public moneys to be credited to the ExtraBudgetary Fund; d) The accounting rules and auditing requirements applicable to the Extra-Budgetary Fund; and e) The financial reporting requirements applicable to the Extra Budgetary Fund, including the reporting of financial

performance both during and at the end of each fiscal year.

Section 37 (4) of the FMA Act establishes that “Subject to any other law, resources of an Extra Budgetary Fund may be administered either through its own accounts in selected banks pre-approved by the Minister or through the payment and banking services of the Consolidated Fund but shall be accounted for separate and apart from any other resources.”

The NRF Act (2021) Section 15 (1) establishes that “Petroleum revenues shall be directly paid into a bank account denominated in United States Dollars and held by the Bank as part of the Fund”. Section 15 (2) goes on to define what petroleum revenue shall include, such as from royalties, profit oil, petroleum income tax, additional profits, any signature bonus etc. Further, Sections 16, 17 and 18 pursuant to the NRF Act establish the with-

drawal rules of the Fund, whereby its states that all withdrawals from the Fund shall be deposited into the Consolidated Fund (Section 16 (2)).

As is evidently illustrated herein, the Natural Resources Fund, having been established viz-áviz the Natural Resources Fund Act (2021), is essentially an Extra Budgetary Fund. In this respect, Section 39 of the FMA Act provides for the creation of an Extra Budgetary Fund, which may be created by way of an Act. The Act, in this case, is the Natural Resources Fund Act 2021.

Therefore, the NRF is by no means overstated. More significantly, the Fund (NRF) is administered, managed, and governed in accordance with two substantive pieces of legislation―namely, the NRF Act and the FMA Act. Yours respectfully, Joel Bhagwandin

My prognosis on the agri sector was accurate Dear Editor, I have written exhaustively on the agriculture sector in Guyana: the willful destruction by the Coalition from 2015 to 2020, and the resurrection of that sector under the leadership of Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and the PPP/C Government.

I had accurately predicted that this sector would soar and progress to unprecedented heights, and it has come to pass.

I had given detailed accounts of the severe slashing of the sector’s budgetary allocation year after year from 2015, and the dire consequences which followed: which included the unconscionable and indefensible closing of four grinding estates, and the dismissal of more than 7,000 workers; continuous decrease in the production of all the subsectors (livestock, fisheries, rice, etc.); damaged roads and infrastructure; no capital investments; VAT on machinery and equipment; increased rates and taxes; increasing costs of inputs, and the list goes on. This is in addition to the many acts of corruption and the squandering and ‘mismanaging’

of billions of dollars. There was no vision to transform the sector, and the then Agriculture Minister was clueless.

Where was Mr Ramjattan then, the man who now has a clear vision for the sector? When all of these are summed up and analyzed, it would be seen that the main objective of the Coalition was to destroy the sector, which it perceived as being supportive of the PPP. In July 2022, I wrote in the press, “NO one can doubt there is an agriculture renaissance in Guyana, which is marked by the renewed understanding and recommitment to the fundamental role of agriculture in the nation’s development. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government and the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, must be applauded for this. There are several different approaches underway which guarantee the agriculture sector’s growth. This is so despite the many challenges faced by the sector, including damaging floods experienced since last year.”

And so it came to pass.

On December 31st 2023, I read an article, headlined “Agriculture Ministry records outstanding achievements for 2023”, which outlined a number of these great accomplishments: the increase in sugar production by 28% over the 2022 figure, which is expected to increase again in 2024, since more cane lands abandoned under the Coalition will be replanted; land conversion and mechanization, and boosting of revenue through more value-added measures. He pointed out also that rice production increased, resulting in earnings increasing by $3 billion over 2022. There is continuing capital investments, and investment on research and development.

Infrastructural developments were also highlighted, namely: the capital investments in drainage and irrigation in various regions of the country; the capital investment to boost production and productivity; and the redistribution of land leases which were revoked by the Coalition.

This was just a part of

what has taken place. There were many other measures; such as: removal of VAT; cash grant reliefs, and free distribution of agricultural inputs; investments in non-traditional crops and shade houses; increase in agro-processing; motivating youths to be involved in agriculture, among other measures.

In addition, there were increases in production and revenue for all the other subsectors, which include fishing (shrimp included), livestock (poultry and eggs), and other crops.

It must be submitted that the lack of capital investments, the dire neglect of the sector, the great floods, and the negative impact of COVID-19 have been devastating to the sector, and posed formidable challenges to this Government, which they managed to triumph over.

It has always been the case where the PPP/C Government has had to clean the mess and devastation dispensed by the PNC (Coalition) Government.

The PPP has always regarded agriculture as the bedrock of the economy, and

has always invested heavily in this regard. There is a renaissance in agriculture in Guyana, as the country is positioned to champion food security in the Caribbean and the rest of the world, as envisioned by the PPP/C Government.

In conclusion, the ag-

riculture sector, by 2025, through the astute and ingenious leadership of Minister Mustapha, will ensure that reduction of the food import bill by 25% by 2025 (25 by 2025) will be achieved.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

Foundation ◄

Page

WHOLE NUMBERS

A whole number is a number that does not include any fractions or decimals. To add or subtract whole numbers, follow the steps show below.

Exercises:

ALL SAINTS JUNIOR SCHOOL (Fort Wellington)

By Elly Niland

ADDING

School lessons lacked colour No ending, no beginning

To add a group of whole numbers, line them up by place value. Add each place value separately, starting on the right. If the numbers in a column add up to a 2-digit number, “carry” the first digit over to the next column on the left. Look at the following example.

Blue skirts, red shirts, bare feet Monday—drill day Twelve pence one shilling Two and six pence half a crown

Remember When you are adding, don’t worry about how many numbers you start with –

11 The small numbers in the top row represent numbers that are carried Example:

Twenty shillings one pound Twenty one shillings one guinea Morning assembly and prayer “God be in my head and in my under Standing and can I be taller please”?

Or how large they are.

Line up the numbers by place value. Then work on one place-value column at a time. Use “carrying” whenever, a column adds up to a number greater than 9.

345 60

+ 1465 1870

Her face, tight as a vine as I whisper.

Given a hundred lines to zip shut my lips.

And, “Stop fiddling or I’ll dash a lash on yuh.”

Discipline flowed like lava lake.

AWESOME ERUPTION

I

n this fun and easy experiment, we’re going to make an awesome eruption by creating a chemical reaction.

This cool science experiment is literally “cool” as it uses an endothermic chemical reaction to create the awesome eruption.

An endothermic chemical reaction absorbs heat from its environment and thus feels cold.

Materials: Vinegar Baking soda Water Red food colouring Empty water bottle

Liquid dish soap Measuring cups and spoons

Instructions: Head outside with your materials and find an area that is alright to get messy.

Fill the plastic water bottle a third of the way full with water and add several drops of red food colouring.

Pour in five teaspoons of baking soda. Swirl the bottle to mix the baking soda and water.

Add a couple drops of liquid dish soap.

Brace your bottle and be sure it is stable. You do not want it to fall over during the

eruption. For fun you can build a sand or dirt mountain around the bottle. Just be sure not to get any dirt or debris inside the bottle.

Pour a cup of vinegar into the bottle and stand back.

Observe and enjoy the huge eruption!

foam with it as it escapes the bottle creating the awesome eruption. Once the awesome eruption is complete, feel the bottom of the bottle. The bottle will feel cool as the endothermic chemical reaction has absorbed the heat from its immediate environment.

How it works: In this endothermic chemical reaction, the vinegar and baking soda react and release carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide quickly builds pressure inside the bottle. The carbon dioxide also causes the liquid dish soap to foam.

The carbon dioxide carries the

Make this a science project: Try different amounts of vinegar. Try different temperatures of water. Try different sized and shaped bottles. Try different amounts of baking soda. Try adding the vinegar to the bottle first and then adding the baking soda. (sciencefun.org)

A test.

A milk-white shame sheet ahead Fourteen pounds one stone Two thousand two hundred And forty pounds make a ton How many stone in a ton?

“I can’t remember.” Through The water in two eyes, “No mind for figures.”

At home I prayed with my eyes open, prayed To be bright, remember one answer right Prayed to be blessed, not to see morning light.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Free university education

First to benefit will be pre-existing loan students – Pres Ali T

he Government’s plan to provide Guyanese with free University of Guyana (UG) education by 2025 will be rolled out in phases – starting with students who have pre-existing loans.

In a broadcast interview with another section of the media, President Dr Irfaan Ali spoke about the Government’s plans for free tertiary education – a 2020 manifesto promise. He noted that existing loan students would have to be addressed first.

“We’ve said already we have to move to free university education… it’s going to be an approach that commences the implementation of free education.

As you know there are persons who are already on the register, paying loans.

So, I think that segment of the student population will have to be addressed first.

And then we phase ourselves in,” the President said.

In 2016, a forensic audit into the operations of the UG Student Loan Agency

The University of Guyana

had revealed that over a 21-year period, successive People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Governments made available to the agency over $9 billion for loans.

During the period 1994 to May 2015, the Government of Guyana approved $9,489,453,973 through the National

Budget or US$45.5 million (using the current rate of exchange of G$210 to US$1), the 77-page audit report, which was made public on Tuesday by the Finance Ministry, stated.

The report stated that during the period April 2011 to December 2014, $1.8 billion was received

through a process whereby the Agency’s head was informed by the Budget Department that funds had been approved to be released to the Agency.

Online academy

Meanwhile, the President also spoke about the Guyana Online

Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme, which has seen the Government partnering with educational institutions around the world to offer courses that will meet the challenges and demands of various sectors in Guyana, including oil and gas, engineering and construction, and information security. According to the President, the anticipated influx of higher qualified persons into the workforce will create conditions in the public and private sectors that have to be addressed.

“We’ve already given 20,000 scholarships under the GOAL programme.

Now that will have a major cost. And also, that will take more people into the university system,” the President said during the interview.

“More people coming out with degrees. More people entering (the workforce) at a higher level, which requires higher salaries. And that is both a public and private sector issue we will have to confront.”

The Government has already distributed over 20,000 online scholarships through GOAL. The 20,000 online scholarships programme is also the fulfilment of a pledge made to provide opportunities for educational development nationwide. Within the first year of the launch of GOAL, more than 8000 citizens applied for the free online programme.

While the Government had originally intended to make 20,000 of the online scholarships available, this target has since been revised owing to the overwhelming interest shown by citizens.

GOAL is set to offer 187 programmes that can be accessed from 15 reputable academic institutions across the world, including in India, Africa, the United Kingdom and Germany.

The programmes, which are being financed by the Government, range from certificate to PhD level. The sum of $1.3 billion was approved for GOAL in Budget 2022. (G3)

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Supermarket robbery

Father of 4 recently released from jail remanded Escape valve…

W

hen 33-year-old Anthony Fraser appeared on Wednesday before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, an armed robbery charge was read to him alleging that on December 28, 2023, at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, while in the company of another and while armed with a gun, he robbed Chen Yi Weng of $350,000.

A father of four and a mason by profession, Fraser pleaded not guilty to the allegation, and his defence attorney asked the court to release him on reasonable bail, noting that Fraser poses no flight risk and would comply with any terms imposed on his release.

The Police prosecutor informed the court, during his narration of the brief facts, that Fraser is well-known to the Police for his history of committing robberies, and

Robbery accused Anthony Fraser

had just been let out of jail after serving time for an armed robbery.

The prosecutor said that at around 19:10h on December 28, while being in the company of another male,

and while they were both armed with guns, Fraser stormed the People’s Choice Supermarket at Mandela Avenue, and held its staff and customers at gunpoint while demanding cash and valuables.

According to the prosecutor, when Weng refused to comply with the robbers' demands, Fraser went over to the counter, pulled out the cash register, and removed the sum of cash. And during the robbery, Fraser had discharged a round which hit a customer in her leg, said the prosecutor. In relation to this, the prosecutor noted, Fraser would be charged with an offence against the person, once the Police receive that injured person’s medical report from the hospital.

Both suspects had fled the scene of the heist on foot, leaving behind the stolen motorcycle they had used to get there. The prosecutor said Weng had positively identified Fraser as one of the robbers, and that the entire heist was caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV).

Fraser was refused bail, and has been remanded. The case will continue on January 24. (G8)

Farmer chopped to death during row

P

olice have launched an investigation into the murder of 35-year-old Tommy Roberts, a farmer of Wanakai Village in the North West District of Region One (Barima-Waini).

The incident occurred at about 19:10h on January 1.

Investigations have revealed that at about 19:00h on Monday, the farmer and the suspect were imbibing when a heated argument

erupted between them. The victim was in the process of walking away when the sus-

pect allegedly armed himself with a cutlass and dealt him several chops about his

body.

The victim attempted to run, but collapsed a short distance away.

The matter was reported to the Police, and ranks from Mabaruma Police Station responded. They coordinated with members of the Wanakai Community Policing Group (CPG), and after a relentless search, managed to apprehend the suspect, who had fled the scene and was hiding in some thick vegetation within the village.

The farmer was escorted to the Mabaruma District Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The suspect is in Police custody at Mabaruma Police Station to assist in further investigations. (G9)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

I

…for Mad Maduro?

n the brave new world of the new millennium, your Eyewitness has noticed that the economic weapon of imposing “sanctions” on nations not willing to do a country’s bidding is now a standard feature of war between the said countries. And sanctions mean war, baby!! So, does this mean our Government’s gonna soon be adopting this weapon against our arch-enemy Venezuela?? And the answer brings out the thing about sanctions, innit?? To impose sanctions, you gotta have the wherewithal to ENFORCE them – meaning, you gotta have the POWER to do so!! Which, sadly, even with our new oil wealth, we ain’t got much of!

On the other hand, the moment Russia attacked Ukraine, the US imposed sanctions on Russia’s exports – especially oil and gas – even though most of those were being shipped to its allies in Europe – and even to itself!! So, wasn’t this like kinda shooting oneself in the foot?? Well, as in all decision-making, the US would’ve weighed the costs (hardships to itself and friends) versus the benefits (denying Russia critical foreign sales for hard currency). So, with us approaching the 2nd anniversary of the Ukraine invasion next month, how did those particular cookies crumble?

As far as Russia’s revenues are concerned, it seems the sanctions didn’t produce the intended effect - which was to reduce Russia’s financing of its war effort in Ukraine.

In fact, with Russia shipping just about the same amount of oil as before the war, it has made itself less vulnerable to economic pressure - by finding ways to ship its oil production to India and China. And this exposes the other side of sanctions – you gotta be capable of punishing countries that violate the sanctions. And here, the US can’t punish those two BRICS members!! They’re just too impervious to pressure for a variety of reasons: India, for instance, is needed as an ally in the QUAD!!

But the sanctions have actually boomeranged to hurt the US and Europe!! And this is where we enter the picture!! Because the US needs the heavy oils it was getting from Russia for its Gulf refineries, Biden had to loosen the sanctions they’d imposed on Venezuela in an effort to substitute!! Hence the renewal of Chevron’s licence to work with PVDSA, and the same with some European majors. So, while the sanctions were intended to force Mad Maduro to commit hara-kiri and hold free and fair elections later this year, the US’ own action against Russia has forced them to take their knee off Mad Maduro’s neck!!

Similarly, by giving the go-ahead for Trinidad and BP to develop Venezuela’s Dragon Gas Field, more funds will be flowing into Mad Maduro’s coffers. And Rowley’s gonna be more prone to making gooey eyes at Mad Maduro!! …for jingoism And imagine, we used to complain that nobody in the world knew who we were – save being the place where Jim Jones tanked Kool Aid’s reputation!! But after Exxon struck those 11 billion barrels of sweet, light crude – suddenly we’re on everyone’s radar!! Only to discover being well-known ain’t necessarily such a good thing as we might’ve thought it was!!

For one, while Mad Maduro’s been infected by the same “we wuz robbed by perfidious Albion” like his predecessors, seems the oil made him lose whatever marbles he had left when Chavez croaked and he became President. How dare these natives of the effete British Empire – who’d been just slaves and indentured servants – now be in a position to leapfrog the heirs to the Spanish Empire that once spanned continents!!? One of our problems is that because we haven’t been mixing much with our South American neighbours, we don’t realize how low they think of us.

The refugees created by Burnham didn’t help. …for bandit Your Eyewitness has been suffering from the heatwave that just refuses to move off our shores. So, he wonders: is it the heat that drove that bandit to break into that NA store stark nekked!!

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

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

NEWS

9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Proposals for gas monetisation strategy models to be explored …public comments on gas strategy being included in initial draft

T

he Government plans to go out, in a week’s time, and seek proposals for a workable model of how Guyana can most effectively monetise its gas resources.

Last year, the Government had put out its draft Gas Monetisation Strategy for public feedback. On Tuesday, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that the Government is including the comments it received in the initial strategy.

“We’re looking, now that we’ve received all the comments in relation to the national gas strategy - we’ve received all the comments we’re integrating all the comments with the initial document,” he said.

Moreover, the President announced that the Government would soon be putting out Requests for Proposals (RFP) on how best to monetise the gas resources, estimated at over 17 trillion cubic feet of gas.

“In another week, we expect to go out to request for proposals, to move towards implementing or looking at models, requesting models through which we can move

President Dr Irfaan Ali

as quickly as possible to monetising the total gas assets we have in our country,” he disclosed.

The monetisation of Guyana’s gas reserves has been described by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo as the next wave of economic opportunity for Guyana. This is especially since the country has some 17 trillion cubic feet of associated gas.

Back in October, Government had released the draft National Gas Monetization Strategy to the public for their feedback. The aim was to simultaneously

work on finalising the strategy while getting comments from the public, thus saving time.

Government has already made it clear that its goal is to find the best option forward to monetise its gas resources.

The Government has already said that a large number of comments were received on the strategy.

Last month, the Vice President had said that all these comments would be included, and a total review of the strategy done.

Further, the Vice President had said that after the finalization of strategy, Government would like to nudge the gas development process along, and bringing in another partner will help to underwrite some of the expenses and the risks associated with monetising the gas.

Government is planning to pipe the natural gas onshore for its gas-to-energy project at Wales, West Bank Demerara, where an Integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) plant and a 300-megawatt power plant will be built.

With Guyana seeking to develop the infrastructure to

Photo surfaces of SVG PM displaying Venezuelan map with Guyana’s Essequibo …Guyana asks Gonsalves for explanation

G

uyana has asked St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves for an explanation over a photograph that appeared on social media with him and his Foreign Affairs Minister, Keisal Melissa Peters, displaying a map of Venezuela that incorporated Guyana’s county of Essequibo.

This comes weeks after Gonsalves, who is the Chairman of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), brokered talks between Guyana and Venezuela on December 14, 2023 after that country purported to annex Guyana’s Essequibo territory. This resulted in talks between the two Heads of State – President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro – on December 14, 2023, in Argyle, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Those talks resulted in the Argyle Declaration.

The photograph has led to much criticism about Gonsalves’ role as interlocutor even his term as CELAC Chair continues.

In a social media post, Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Ronald Sanders, a Guyanese by birth, said that he was of the opinion that Gonsalves was not aware that Essequibo was included in the Venezuelan map that he was displaying.

“I have known and highly regarded Dr Ralph Gonsalves for over 40 years.

I cannot be convinced that when he held up this map, showing the Essequibo incorporated into Venezuela, he was made aware of the image,” Saunders said.

He added that the Gonsalves he knows and respects “would not consciously do such a one-sided thing while the world awaits a decision on the GuyanaVenezuela controversy from the International Court of Justice, and while he, himself, is playing the role of CELAC’s honest broker.”

While efforts by <<<Guyana Times>>> to contact Foreign Affairs Ministry officials proved futile, Guyana’s Minister, Hugh Todd is quoted by local online media house Demerara Waves, as saying that the Guyana Government was in-

formed that the photograph was taken in December 2022.

“The photo is dated and we expect clarity on the event itself,” Todd is quoted as saying in the Demerara Waves Online News story.

Venezuela has, in recent months, intensified its threats and aggression towards Guyana. In the Argyle joint declaration, the two Heads of State had agreed that any controversy between the two States would be resolved in accordance with international law.

The two countries have also committed to the pursuance of good neighbourliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean. It was also agreed that both States would refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy.

RFPs on monetising gas in Guyana will be sent out soon

transport and store gas, a pertinent question will be capital costs. According to the draft gas strategy, the Government will be seeking to attract private funding for the gas infrastructure.

It was pointed out that gas transmission pipelines usually require Government investment in the early stages.

When it comes to domestic gas and power projects, the strategy pointed out that initial Government investment is particularly done in countries with minimal existing gas infrastructure.

The strategy notes, however, that once the sector is more developed and private companies have the capacity, the

Government’s direct participation in these projects may be reduced, and the projects themselves privatised.

“Infrastructure investments such as gas transmission pipelines and gas distribution systems typically require initial Government investment, particularly in countries with minimal existing infrastructure. When the sector and regulations are more developed, private companies can build and operate whole integrated systems. At which point, the Government’s participation may be reduced to regulation and the collection of taxes and fees. As projects for which Government

has provided the initial investment near the point of becoming economically self-sustaining, there is then the opportunity for the Government to divest the project through privatization,” the document states.

One benefit of this, according to the strategy, is for the State to avoid the risks and debts, as well as diversify the investment in the sector. It was noted that private investment is necessary, considering Stabroek Block operators ExxonMobil and its partners, as they produce oil from the floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. (G3)

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

"Stop playing with the gun" – woman recalls husband’s last words

…father shot dead, 2-month-old baby injured

A

Dead: Anthony Haynes

19-year-old male is now on the run after allegedly shooting dead a 29-year-old male resident of Graham's Hall, ECD while simultaneously injuring his victim’s two-month-old baby.

Anthony Haynes, called 'One Natty', of Lot 10 Graham's Hall, East Coast Demerara, has been shot dead in an incident that Police said occurred at about 20:00h on Sunday, December 31, at his home.

Haynes had lived with his reputed wife Ronette Abrams, a 26-year-old customer service representative, and their two-monthold baby girl. According to Abrams, she was at home in her kitchen on that fateful Sunday while Haynes was in the living room, holding their baby and conversing with the 19-yearold suspect, who was at their house at the time.

A short while after, Abrams said, she heard Haynes saying: "Stop playing with the gun", then a

loud explosion that sounded like a gunshot came from the living room, and the baby started crying.

On checking, she saw her husband lying motionless in a chair with a wound to the left side chest. He still had the baby in his arms. The suspect was standing over him with a handgun in his hand.

The suspect then took the deceased out of the house and on to the road at Crown Dam Industry, a few metres away from the home, where he covered

him with a sheet while he made good his escape.

The body of Haynes was examined, and what appeared to be a gunshot wound was observed to his left side chest; while one live .38 round of ammunition was found in the living room of the house.

Haynes and his twomonth-old baby were escorted to the GPHC, where he was pronounced dead by a doctor while the baby received treatment for a wound to her right inner shoulder.

Investigations are ongoing. (G9)

Yarrowkabra men remanded on illegal gun, ammo, B&E charges

T

Remanded: Amos Emmanuel

Remanded: Alwyn James

Remanded: Bryan Khan

wo men have been charged and remanded to prison for allegedly breaking into a house at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway on November 22, 2023.

Twenty-two-year-old Amos Emmanuel and 28-year-old Bryan Khan, both of Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, were on Tuesday arraigned before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Courts in relation to the offence of breakand-enter and larceny.

The charges were laid under Section 229(a) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01, and they both denied the charges.

The matter has been adjourned to January 19.

These two accused have also been charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

They were allegedly nabbed with a .38 revolver and a quantity of .38 ammunition on December 28, 2023 at Yarrowkabra. They both pleaded not guilty, but bail was denied. They have both been remanded to prison un-

til January 19.

Meanwhile, Alwyn James, a 27-year-old resident of Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, was arrested last week, and charged on Tuesday with the offence of unlawful possession of 31 live cartridges of 12-gauge ammunition. He also was arraigned before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.

After the allegation was read to him, he pleaded not guilty, but bail was denied and he has also been remanded to prison until January 19. (G1)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mother, 4 children homeless after fire destroys home

The fire that destroyed the house at Yarrowkabra

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single mother and her four children are now homeless after a fire destroyed their home at Yarrowkabra, LindenSoesdyke Highway.

Ovina Braithwaite lived

in the one-storey, two-bedroom wooden structure with her children, aged five, eight, 11 and 13.

Reports are that the fire erupted at about 18:00h on Tuesday, while the chil-

dren were making dinner. According to reports, Braithwaite was taking a nap while the children were cooking on a kerosene stove.

However, the flames reportedly ignited a nearby cur-

New Amsterdam roadside vendors to be removed this week …Town Council to set up night market

Persons vending on the roadside in NA Foreman of the New Amsterdam Municipality’s Engineering Department, Charles Johnson, displaying a copy of a notice which was sent to street vendors of New Amsterdam

V

endors who are currently operating along the road shoulders in New Amsterdam, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), will be removed this week, the Town Council has announced.

The New Amsterdam Town Council has said that roadside vendors were given up to January 2 to remove their structures.

Foreman of the Engineering Department, Charles Johnson, pointed out that the structures have been creating hindrances to the municipality’s drain-cleaning exercise. Addressing the media at a press conference on Wednesday, the municipal official said derelict vehicles will also be removed.

“We are shortly going to be rolling out a campaign to have those removed. Once it is removed, some will be destroyed, and the others, you will have to pay a fine to recover same,” he told reporters.

Johnson added that the campaign, while commencing in January, will run until March, and will first

target Strand before moving to Main Street, and then to Republic Road. He noted that the campaign would also be rolled out in Stanleytown and other parts of the town.

“Persons selling greens and other perishables were also given notices to return to the market as of January 2, 2024. So, at the same time that we are dealing with this drainage project, we are going to be having those persons remove their stalls or other structures (from the reserve)…,” he warned, while noting that persons would be allowed to vend of the road shoulders within the township after the municipal market is closed.

“After 4:30 in the afternoons, persons can vend those various items. But during the day, which would be 06:00h to 16:30h, that will not be permitted within the boundaries of the town,” he explained.

This is not the first time that the New Amsterdam municipality has planned to make such a move; it has almost become an annual affair, and within weeks, the situation returns to what it has always been. Johnson has promised that this time it will be different.

“What happened over the years is that enforcement was an issue, so this year we have put together a team

that will deal with the ongoing enforcement of these policies. So, when we have persons removed, we will have a special team that would be doing daily checks and inspections to ensure that persons are not vending where they are not supposed to, and during the times that are not allotted,” he explained.

As an alternative, the municipality is soon to establish a night market, which would be a site for selling after the market’s opening hours.

The Engineering Department foreman pointed out that, under the law, his department has the authority to remove any encumbrance which affects drainage in the town.

Johnson told the media that several notices have been sent to persons, but no action was taken; so, now is time for action.

“Notices were sent to persons that would be affected throughout last year.

However, at the Council’s last statutory meeting, a decision was taken that we would take action to have these persons removed,” he declared.

The Engineering Department foreman also showed the media a copy of the notice that the Town Council had been issuing to those utilising the road shoulders to vend. (G4)

tain, causing the fire.

The woman and her children escaped the burning building, but were unable to save any of their belongings.

By the time the Fire Service arrived, the building was already destroyed.

Braithwaite, who has a disability, does not work, this newspaper was told, but uses her public assistance funds to care for herself and her family. Neighbours would often assist her, and already, a pensioner who lives alone in the village has offered shelter to the family until they can get a new home.

Persons desirous of helping the woman and her children can contact a village

leader on telephone number (592) 683-2103.

This fire has come two days after a fire at La Grange, West Bank Demerara left a mother and her five children homeless. That fire occurred at Lot 171 Unity Street, and was attributed to an unattended child playing with a lighter, causing a chair to catch fire around 13:45h on a Monday. The affected building, a two-storey wooden-and-concrete structure, was owned by 44-year-old Nigel Douglas, who occupied the top floor. The ground floor was inhabited by 34-year-old Keon Gonsalves and his seven-member family.

The firefighters faced challenges upon arrival at

the scene of the fire, as the building was fully engulfed in flames, with the roof already collapsed.

When Guyana Times visited the scene the following day, one of the affected occupants, Erica Lawson, conteted the official report from the Guyana Fire Service. She claimed that at the time of the fire, no one was at home, as her little brother had taken everyone out of the home and had locked the door.

Lawson refuted the notion that the fire was caused by a child playing with a lighter. She asserted that the fire was started in her brother’s bedroom, insinuating the possibility of foul play. (G9)

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

One dead, 1 homeless as Port Mourant fire flattens two houses

Dead: Tookant Deokharan

75-year-old Amina Bacchus, whose home was also destroyed

Berbice man is now dead while a pensioner is homeless after a fire destroyed two houses at Managers’ Quarters, Port Mourant, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Tuesday night.

Dead is 43-year-old Tookant Deokharan, a teacher at the Berbice Islamic School. He had lived alone in this one-storey building which was owned by an overseas-based Guyanese.

Tuesday night’s fire also destroyed a two-storey building owned and occupied by 75-year-old Amina Bacchus, leaving the pensioner homeless.

Residents said flames were

initially seen coming from Deokharan’s home at about 22:00h.

In a release, the Guyana Fire Service said it was alerted to the fire at 22:17h, and two water tenders and seven firefighters were deployed in what took about two hours to bring the blaze under control.

Safraj Bicam said he was alerted by the sound coming from the burning building.

“Me see fire pour out from the house and people start to rush out, and the other neighbour, the old lady, we start to shout for she and then they go and get she out of the house… Then the firefighters come and the truck couldn’t get access to come

A

into the street because the market stands that people get there humbug the fire truck,” this resident said.

Bicam said it took the fighters a considerable time to assemble the hose to get enough length to get to the fire.

Emmalee Duncan said she was nearby when she saw the flames lighting up the sky.

“When I come, it was just in the middle of the first house; and then it catch to the second house, and the first house eventually burn down. When I came, the fire tender was not here, they came about ten minutes after. When they came, they were trying to locate wa-

ter, and then they found a hydrant by the gas station. So, they had to carry the hose that way to get the water. From the time that they came to the time they started dousing the fire,

Albion Sugar Factory Fire Department arrived on the scene with a small unit that was able to access water and start dousing the burning buildings.

Subsequently, a second tender from Rose

November that she had renovated and repainted the interior of her house. She said there was a new washing machine which was still in the box. It was purchased along with a pressure wash-

was about three-quarter of an hour; because for them to get the water was a problem, they had to carry a gen-

Hall Town arrived, and they were eventually able to extinguish the flames; but not before both buildings were

er which she recently purchased, and all was destroyed in the fire, along with a new flat screen tele-

erator all the way to the gas station. When the second house started to burn, the water still was not there, because they had to set up the pump…everything took a lil while,” she revealed.

Eyewitnesses told this publication that after one fire tender arrived from Rose Hall Town and had difficulty accessing water from a nearby hydrant, the

flattened.

The teacher’s charred remains were discovered just after midnight. It was found close to the back door, which was said to have been locked, according to one of the firefighters at the scene.

Meanwhile, Bacchus, who was rescued from her home after residents broke the lock on the door to pull her out, said it was only in

vision.

Deokharan, who had difficulty walking because of an injury to his right knee, had spent the day at a cousin's home, where he had had lunch and had taken a nap before leaving to go and provide home tutoring to two 13-year-olds at Fyrish Village. He had last been seen returning home shortly after 17:00h. (G4)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Housing Ministry to focus on “out of hand” squatting on Linden-Soesdyke Highway – Croal …some 285 households to be relocated from EBD riverbank

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he coming months will see the Housing and Water Ministry directing its attention towards the regularisation of squatters along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, to regain control of a situation which subject minister Collin Croal has described as getting “out of hand.”

This comes on the heels of President Dr Irfaan Ali disclosing on Tuesday that the Housing Ministry and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) have finalised the first course of action which would see the development of infrastructure for the creation of 500 new house lots on the Soesdyke-

the establishment of three new formal housing settlements on the highway to relocate the scores of squatters currently occupying lands there.

According to Minister Croal on Wednesday, “…in our opinion, the Soesdyke Highway, per se, has gotten out of hand.”

The Housing Minister told a closing press conference for the year 2023 that the Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is working in collaboration with the Lands and Surveys Commission to consolidate the scattered squatters on the highway.

The highway is currently

– they have to go through the system of being like a pending applicant,” he noted.

The Minister went on to note that when these squatters are entered into the system, if they are found to have an allocation in their names, they would not be recognised through the regularisation programme.

EBD riverfront squatters

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal

ty.

Previously, authorities had regularised some of these communities, but persons have started to expand those

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has been working on regularising housing developments across the country. Government had stated that it would not be recognising any new squatting areas, and would only regularise “established” settlements.

Informal settlements

Persons squatting along the East Bank Demerara sea dam were allocated lands at Little Diamond during an exercise in October 2023

Linden Highway to address the squatting issues there.

During a visit to the highway in January last year, the Head of State had announced

lined with hundreds of persons who have illegally taken residence in scattered areas, and in some cases forming an entire unregulated communi-

areas, thus continuing the squatting culture.

Since taking office in 2020, the People’s

In fact, during Wednesday’s press conference, Croal disclosed that there were 21 recognised informal settlements when Government took office; and, to date, the regularization exercises have been completed on 13 of these areas. He added that the Housing Ministry would be targeting the remaining eight settlements as part of its 2024 work programme.

“And when we say regularization, it will mean not necessarily that you will be regularized where you’re at, but it can also mean relocation. So, we have taken stock of the persons who occupy the particular area; we have engaged, we have numbered the structures, we have put the persons through the system

Meanwhile, another area on which the Housing Ministry would be focusing this year is the removal of squatters from along the East Bank Demerara River; that is, those occupying the sea dam area between Herstelling and Diamond.

Croal disclosed during Wednesday’s press conference that there are at least 285 households along the Grove, Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Farm, Herstelling and Covent Garden Sea Dam, and they would have to be relocated.

“We have numbered those persons, we have engaged all those persons, we have allocated most of those persons for those who are getting the land. We have also sent to the bank for those who are interested in the Housing Programme. All of these have been done already by the Community Development Department…It will be taking up our time and our engagement over this quarter, because now that we have done this initial task, we will now move aggressively to address [the relocation of] those persons,” he posited.

There were two options given to the sea dam squatters for their relocation: take up lands, or the pre-built

homes being offered by the Ministry. According to Croal, they have identified lands at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara for this, and have already conducted allocation exercises for some of those persons. Each plot of land allocated measures 42X80 square ft.

With regards to the home construction, the Minister revealed that letters were given to those persons to take to the bank.

“That’s where we’re at. So, we’re currently reviewing the bank’s review of if they’re able to prequalify these people, because some of them are established persons who are working [in secure jobs], so they could obviously be prequalified,” Croal stated.

Last year the Housing Ministry had engaged the families, during which they were facilitated to lodge application for house lots, and register their interest for turnkey homes or residential lots. At an exercise in October, close to 100 families had initiated the land allocation process after previously expressing interested in land. Also, another 45 families had registered for low-income housing units.

In January 2023, an inventory found approximately 317 structures on that EBD stretch – 57 of which are owned by Venezuelan immigrants. These include 15 structures on the reserves at Little Diamond; 49 structures at Great Diamond; 96 structures at Grove; 86 structures at Herstelling Sea Dam; 45 structures at Farm Sea Dam, and seven structures at Covent Garden. Of the 317 structures, close to 30 were unoccupied. (G8)

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Electrical fire leaves MetenMeer-Zorg family of 5 homeless

The fire that rendered the family homeless

I

n a devastating incident that occurred on Wednesday afternoon, a fire engulfed the residence at Lot 130 Fourth Street, Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara and left five persons homeless.

The Guyana Fire Service has said it received an alert about the blaze at 13:12h, at a two-storey wooden-and-concrete house owned by Mohamed Safdur.

The property was occupied

by Shazim Safdur and his four family members.

According to the GFS, despite the firemen’s best efforts, the building and its contents were completely destroyed.

The Fire Service, in a

press release, attributed the cause of the fire to a breakdown in the electrical installation, resulting in arcing and sparking. This ignition then led to the rapid spread of the flames throughout the

entire structure.

Electrical fires often stem from issues within electrical systems, or appliances such as overloaded circuits, faulty wiring, or damaged cords. Warning signs may include burning smells, flickering lights, or sparks.

Prevention measures involve regular inspections, avoiding overloads, and implementing surge protectors.

In case an electrical fire occurs, the Fire Service is

asking individuals to stay calm; cut the power supply to the affected area; if possible, use a suitable fire extin-

guisher from a safe distance; evacuate if the fire is spreading beyond control; and dial 912 to report the incident.

Crucially, it has been emphasized that persons should not use water on an electrical fire, as this can ex-

acerbate the situation. The GFS has said that persons must allow trained firefighters to handle the situation, and individuals should refrain from re-entering the area until it is declared safe.

(G9)

Essequibo Coast man shot 9 times during robbery

Injured: Gowtam Williams

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owtam Williams, a 31-year-old excavator operator of Hibernia in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was in the wee hours of Tuesday attacked by two armed bandits, shot nine times, and robbed.

Reports are that the incident occurred at about 03:30h, when Williams went to use the urinal in front of the Prudence Rum Shop at Good Hope, Essequibo Coast.

This newspaper was told that the two armed assailants pounced on Williams, and launched a vicious attack that left him with nine gunshot wounds.

The Prudence Rum Shop at Good Hope, Essequibo Coast, where the shooting occurred

After discharging their firearms, the bandits seized Williams’s iPhone and two gold chains weighing a total of 12 ounces before hastily fleeing the scene.

Williams’s sister, Devika Williams, has said her brother had gone to use the urinal when the two masked and armed gunmen attacked him and fired a shot to his foot.

She said the perpetrators then forcibly removed one of his gold chains and fired a shot at his abdomen.

They then seized the second chain along with his phone, and fired additional shots as they made good

their escape.

“When they approached my brother, they shoot him to his foot and took one of his chain off. And he held on to the gun and tried to fight back, and they shoot him in he belly and took the other chain and his phone, and fired the other shots and escaped,” she detailed.

Williams was immediately rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital, where he was admitted and remains a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He sustained four gunshot wounds to his right foot, two to his left foot, and three to his abdomen.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Staff fired over corruption, likely to be charged – Housing Ministers …persons urged to report corrupt acts with “solid” evidence

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female staffer at the Housing and Water Ministry has been terminated and is expected to be charged as the Ministry works on rooting out corruption within.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues disclosed that at least one employee has been fired after being caught soliciting money in order to fast-track houselot applications.

“We were able to get evidence on one employee… she was arrested, she was questioned and, I believe, put on bail. The last I know is that the file is with the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions). So, I assume the Police are awaiting the return of that file before charging her. But from our side, we’ve taken definitive action and she has been terminated,” Rodrigues stated.

Back in November, the Minister within the Housing Ministry had cause to lash out after “an avalanche of allegations levelled against employees” on social media had “compromised months of tedious investigative work”.

At the time, the social media post had linked

(L-R) Housing Minister Collin Croal and Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues at Wednesday’s press conference

a male staff from the Minister’s secretariat to the alleged corruption. But in a November 24, 2023 statement, Rodrigues had noted that there was no “shred of evidence” against that male staff, who had first brought the matter to her attention and was working along with the Police to uncover solid evidence against other staff members and outsiders who were suspected of conducting illegal transactions. She noted his efforts have led to the arrest of several persons and there could have potentially been more arrests had the probe

We called in the Police; we give all the information to the Police and the sting was set up.”

In addition to the corrupt staff, the Minister also disclosed that one of the persons who paid a bribe to fast-track their land application was also arrested during the Police operation.

Nevertheless, as the Ministry works on rooting out corruption within, she implored members of the public to provide credible evidence against staff so that definitive actions could be taken against

not been compromised.

Questioned during Wednesday’s press conference about her defending the employee, the Minister said: “I merely presented the facts. That employee was the employee that was approached by the other employee, who was subsequently arrested. So, he facilitated the investigation with the Police when she approached him to set up a scheme to help her to get house lots to allocate other people. He reported the matter to me [and] I advised him to report it immediately to the Police.

them.

“There were a number of allegations levelled against several staff members, but you would appreciate that we cannot take definitive actions based on allegations. Obviously, we would examine these individuals more closely. There were engagements with them and they were interviewed in-house to find out if they were willing to offer any explanations as to why these allegations were being made against them.

But obviously, if you don’t have proof of any corrupt activities, there is no possibility for us to just terminate somebody based on just allegations… and that is why we keep pleading with members of the public to please come forward with any solid information that you have or evidence that you have of any staff member of anyone claiming to be able to get an allocation for you in exchange for money,” the minister posited.

In the same breath, however, Rodrigues noted that persons have to also be wary of those who are complaining about the corruption in the system since they too are part of the problem.

“Many of those who make complaints or allegations on social media are people who have given someone – a middle man or third party – money in ex-

change for land and have not gotten it because the person they paid does not have the authority to allocate them lands… There is no need for people to pay bribes for house lots,” she contended.

In fact, Housing Minister Collin Croal, who

was also at the Ministry’s closing press conference for 2023 on Wednesday, made it clear that low-level employees were not responsible for the issuance of house lots.

He reassured, nonetheless, that the Ministry was dealing with corrupt employees whenever complaints were received.

“As we get the complaints, we address them and we deal with them…

There have been at least two [other complaints against employees at the Ministry] not for the similar allocation issue but delinquent and for other issues that we have terminated. For example, we had one enforcement staff who would have misappropriated the use of his firearm and that staff has been dealt with,” the Housing Minister stated.

Croal went on to outline that a series of steps have been taken by the Ministry to reduce middle-man cor-

ruption, including pushing for more online transactions. For the past two years, persons have been able to make changes to their personal information and all other enquires online.

Additionally, the Ministry has placed two employees in front of its Brickdam office who take details from persons going there to follow up on their applications and at the end of every week, this information is then processed.

Moreover, he noted that the Ministry has completely cut out any third-party involvement in the process.

“If persons are following-up, it has to be the individual [on the application] themselves… But at a minimal, we’ve reduced seeing persons because we want the [online] system to work. And these are some of the additional measures that we have implemented,” the Housing Minister stated. (G8)

16 NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Health Ministry evaluating “Fresh Start” programme bids for electronic aims to rehabilitate prisoners medical records project

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he Health Ministry is currently in the process of evaluating 16 bids submitted by companies interested in designing, supplying, and installing an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system.

This will allow technology to be incorporated into the local health system, and the project is being financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

In September 2023, the Ministry published requests for proposals from companies to develop an EHR. EHRs contain a patient’s medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment

plans, immunisation dates, and test results.

According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, they allow access to evidence-based tools that providers can use to make decisions about a patient’s care, improve patient safety and experience, and facilitate better patient referrals or transfers.

The system tools will also centralise and standardise clinical data management within clinics, improve the efficiency and accuracy of documentation, and reduce delays in retrieving patient records.

“We have evaluators that

are going through those bids, and hopefully they’ll narrow it down and then we’ll get one company that we’ll be working with,” said Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony during a recent press briefing.

Dr Anthony also disclosed that the Ministry has been working on digital health and is hoping to set up a new department this month.

“Hopefully, this will be a ninth programme that we’ll have in the Ministry and with digital health we’ve been doing quite a number of things,” DPI quoted the Minister as saying.

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is piloting an EMR system in its medical clinic, and then it will be expanded to other departments.

Telemedicine is another innovative programme that uses technology to deliver efficient and quality health services to those living in farflung villages, including hinterland and riverine communities.

A

total of 28 inmates from different prison facilities have benefited from the Guyana Prison

The toolkits provided to inmates were for categorised areas such as tailoring, animal husbandry, welding,

Labour Ministry to repossess unused co-op lands

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he Labour Ministry plans to repossess unused lands under the stewardship of cooperative societies (co-ops).

According to Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, an audit exercise is ongoing to determine which interim management committees will be discontinued and which lands will be utilised for other development purposes.

The activity is being executed by the Ministry in collaboration with the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Authority and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission.

In October of 2023, Government had given co-ops some time to fix their affairs; however, Hamilton revealed that the Administration continued to receive complaints regarding the inadequate management of societies.

He gave this explanation to members of the press during the Ministry’s endof-year press conference, on Tuesday, where he further revealed that the audit reports would be ready by the first quarter of 2024, just in time for the co-ops’ Annual General Meetings (AGMs).

It was noted that if during the AGMs, it is uncovered that the current management committees were not managing the affairs of the co-ops properly, the Chief Co-op Development Officer would utilise his powers to repossess the societies’

lands.

Additionally, the audits will determine which lands will be repossessed by Government.

Hamilton explained that this process would only affect multi-purpose co-ops that utilise lands for agriculture and forestry activities.

In this regard, he reminded the public that lands managed by co-ops are leased, so ultimately the Government has responsibility.

“We form an agriculture co-op; we have the membership, there’s a procedure and we’re seeking 500 acres of land to do rice cultivation… we have to submit a work programme, a plan. This is how we will execute this project, the time span we will execute it. Most, if not all of them, fail in that regard and so they have broken the contract with the state entity,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to ensure all co-op housing schemes are regularised and each resident receives his or her land transport, regardless of whether their co-op society is func-

tioning or not.

This exercise is being spearheaded through a partnership between the Labour Ministry’s Co-op Department, the Housing and Water Ministry and the Attorney General’s chambers.

Hamilton disclosed that over 50 transports have already been provided to several residents living in communities along the East and West Coast of Demerara.

“What the Government is doing is ensuring that owner of a property in a coop scheme they be empowered… you have people that have $70 million house and more in these schemes that are useless to them, because the land is owned in this block as a co-op. They don’t have access to a transport that they could go monetise, they just have a building but they can’t go to the bank and say loan me some money to develop a business, or I want to send my child to university. And we’re bringing that to an end, we will bring it to an end,” the Minister stated.

The Labour Minister first indicated the Government would be seeking to repossess such lands that are held by Co-ops in January during the 2023 National Budget debate.

Since then, the Labour Ministry has been engaging many of the cooperative societies, according to Hamilton.

It is estimated that there are over 1735 cooperative societies in Guyana.

Beneficiaries of the “Fresh Start” programme

Service (GPS) “Fresh Start” programme, which was initially launched in 2022.

According to a press release from the GPS, 14 toolkits were issued in 2022 and a similar number for 2023.

electrical installation, joinery, plumbing, landscaping, and cosmetology, etc.

Director of Prisons (acting), Nicklon Elliot explained that the “Fresh Start” initiative was a demonstration of

the Government’s commitment to rehabilitation, providing second chances, and empowering individuals to embrace a future full of promise and opportunity.

The programme is designed to reduce criminal recidivism by providing resources and motivation for success when ex-offenders rejoin the community. It also aims to meet the needs of ex-offenders transitioning from incarceration back into society, as well as giving former offenders a chance to be better individuals.

The Head of the Prison Service’s Strategic Management Department, Rae-Dawn Corbin-Cameron also emphasised that the toolkits were provided to assist former prisoners to earn an honest living.

The Fresh Start oversight committee is responsible for reviewing all applications, verifying the area of operation, and monitoring the progress of successful applicants. The GPS plans to expand the oversight committee in 2024 to have more officers dedicated to identifying eligible candidates.

Japan Airlines: Coastguard plane not cleared for take-off, transcripts show

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coastguard aircraft involved in a fatal collision at Tokyo's Haneda airport was not cleared for take-off, Japanese authorities have said.

The smaller aeroplane collided with a Japan Airlines (JAL) passenger jet on the runway on Tuesday.

Newly-released transcripts of air traffic control instructions just before the crash confirmed the JAL Airbus A350 was cleared to land.

Permission for take-off was not given to the coastguard Bombardier Dash-8.

According to officials, the JAL flight was cleared to land on runway 34R at Haneda while the coastguard aircraft was told to "taxi to holding point C5" – a place on the airfield's taxiway system where air-

Police and firefighters gather around the burn-out Japanese coast guard aircraft at Haneda airport on Jan 3, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan.

(Photo: Kyodo News via AP)

craft await permission to enter the active runway for take-off.

The transcript shows the coastguard aircraft acknowledged the call from air traffic to taxi to the holding point – its last transmission before the collision.

The transcripts appear to contradict the coastguard plane's captain – the

only one of the six crew to survive – who told investigators he had been given permission to enter the runway which the JAL airliner All 379 passengers and crew on board the state-ofthe-art JAL Airbus were safely evacuated after the collision, Police said.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Panday’s brother Subhas on ex-PM’s legacy: ‘BAS’ never forgot his roots T

he last surviving son of the Panday clan, Subhas Panday, said despite the loss he is feeling, his heart is filled with pride as he reflected on the life of an enigma whom he had the privilege to call his brother.

“I am proud to have had Basdeo Panday as my brother,” Subhas, an attorney, said in an interview with Newsday, three days after his eldest brother, former prime minister Basdeo Panday, died in Orlando on January 1.

He believes his brother died from the same disease that caused their mother’s death.

“They said he was collecting water in the lungs and apparently that converted into pneumonia.

“On New Year’s Day, he had a meal and was talking and laughing with his family when he developed a cough that did not stop. He was given oxygen, but he died around 2.17 pm.”

He said his family had placed the man they fondly called “Bassant” on a pedestal.

“He was the blue-eyed boy for my mother. He was the light of the family. He was the glow. He could do no wrong.”

As someone coming out of poverty, Subhas spoke of his brother’s many accomplishments – as an actor, on stage and in the movies, as a trade unionist, lawyer, politician and prime minister.

“But he never forgot the steps that he climbed to reach where he was. He always looked back for the poor in society.”

Panday was an achiever, he said, and pursued education as the key to escaping poverty. He said he accomplished a lot in his life.

Against all odds and criticisms, he made a cane cutter, Dora Bridgemohan and Spiritual Baptist Archbishop Barbara Burke, senators. Panday defended his decision, Subhas said.

“He said he wanted to make a statement that the lowest and poorest in society could sit in the highest court of the land.”

In a candid interview,

Former prime Minister Basdeo Panday

Subhas said, “We came from nothing. We came from the lagoons, from the cane field, and he did not want the next generation to continue that legacy.

“Our parents came to TT in the early 1900s at the tail end of indentureship, and soon after, my brother was born.

“Our parents were illiterate and remained on the estate as gardeners.”

Subhas recalled that Panday was a brilliant boy and excelled as a student at St Julien Presbyterian Primary School, walking four miles each way.

Determination led him to pass the entrance examination for the prestigious Presentation College, San Fernando.

As gardeners, his parents did not possess any kind of wealth to cover the transport cost to and from San Fernando, from where he lived in St Julien’s, in an area called Coonook, which was devoid of any proper housing or amenities.

Panday was determined to escape from the cane fields and a relative took him in at San Fernando, affording him the opportunity to attend his alma mater.

At the end of his school years, he was sent back to St Julien’s and back to the cane fields, which he detested.

“That used to anger him.

He used to go crazy. He was determined, come hell or high water, he was getting out of the cane field.”

While weighing cane, Panday encountered the Seereram brothers, who assisted him in getting a job as a teacher at Seereram Memorial Vedic School, Chaguanas and later at

Barrackpore Vedic.

During his tenure as a teacher, he wrote and passed the civil service examination and was sent to work as a note-taker for then Justice Noor Hassanali, who would later become the president.

“Justice Hassanali had a great influence on my brother, who ended up in England to study law. He could not get a job and ended up working as an electrical helper laying cables on the road. He spent 15 hours (a day) on the job and could not get time to study.

"He, however, decided to do a diploma in acting and communications and got several acting roles in the London theatre and on the screen.”

Soon, Panday went to the University of London, where he studied philosophy, politics and economics, and was on his way to India, having secured another scholarship, when he came home to say farewell to his mother before leaving for his ancestral land.

As fate would have it, Subhas said, Panday had a chance meeting with trade unionists, politicians and attorneys, such as CLR James, Joe Young, George Weekes, Francis Mungroo, Jack Kelshall and others who deterred him from going to India, enticing him with a life of trade unionism.

That decision changed the course of his life and fulfilment of his vision to help the less fortunate.

The Workers and Farmers Party was formed.

All the candidates who contested the general election in that year lost their deposits. That did not deter the young Panday, who started working at Kelshall’s law office, with former speaker Nizam Mohammed, also an attorney.

He became editor of the OWTU’s Vanguard newsletter and ended up facing a charge of contempt for calling Hassanali the late Dr Eric Williams’ “shoeshine boy.”

His oratory skills were discovered when in the novote campaign in the 1970s, Williams, then prime min-

ister, caused Point Fortin MP Roy Richardson to cross the floor and become opposition leader.

It was in this incarnation that Panday was appointed to the Senate and his experience as an actor got him noticed as a skilled orator.

He later assumed control of the sugar union on the death of its leader and one of his first acts was to advocate for a 100 per cent increase in the wages of sugar workers at Caroni (1975) Ltd. “Because we came from agriculture and were very poor, my brother had a special love and weakness for those in a similar situation.

“At that time sugar workers woke their chil-

dren at 4 am to take them into the cane fields to help.

My brother put an end to that. He told the workers now that their salaries were enhanced, they should ensure the children went to school and not to the cane fields.

“He had a passion for education. During his tenure as prime minister he built 19 schools, including the Biche High School which was criticised by (Finance Minister) Colm Imbert as a school for ‘lagahoos and douens.’

“He initiated the Dollarfor-Dollar programme at a time when oil was US$9 or US$10 a barrel, telling people with bright children to put a dollar towards their university education and

government would match it. He brought down crime when under his administration, Dole Chadee and his gang were hung for the murders of the Baboolal family.

“He ensured the downtrodden Baptists were liberated and given the Shouter Baptist holiday.

"He really did a lot for this country, and I think what he did, many of us cannot do in two lifetimes.

“He was sharp, witty and give fatigue as good as he took it,” recalling at a political meeting when someone in a passing car shouted at him, “Panday, you are a dog,” he immediately replied, “Thank you, my brother.” (T&T Newsday)

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Ecuador's President Mexican authorities free seeks to hold referendum 31 kidnapped migrants on security measures

U

E

cuadoran President Daniel Noboa said on Wednesday he was seeking to hold a referendum on imposing tighter security measures in the South American country, where violence and crime have spiralled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Noboa, a former legislator and the son of a prominent businessman, took office in November on pledges to reduce violence and create jobs via urgent legislative reforms.

In a nationally-televised message on Wednesday, Noboa said he had submitted draft questions for the referendum in a letter to the Constitutional Court, which will have 20 days to respond.

The referendum would seek approval from voters on lengthening prison sentences for serious crimes like homicide and arms trafficking, among others, as

Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa

well for Ecuador's military to eradicate international criminal groups operating in the country, according to Noboa's letter to the court.

Ecuador is facing rising violence – including in prisons where hundreds have been killed in recent years – which officials attribute to drug-trafficking gangs amid deep financial troubles and high migration figures.

"This consultation has three clear objectives; one the intervention of the armed forces in the fight against crime; two ... support from the justice system so that those convicted of organised crime serve longer sentences," Noboa said.

The third objective would help boost the economy if approved, Noboa said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

WI's tribute to late ex-PM Panday: A titan of leadership The University of the West Indies (UWI) regional headquarters in Jamaica called former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Basdeo Panday a titan of leadership.

In a release on Wednesday, the university expressed heartfelt condolences for his passing, calling him an indomitable spirit whose legacy as a former PM echo with grandeur and reverence.

"Panday's tenure as Prime Minister, visionary founder and leader of the United National Congress

was marked by his unyielding commitment to the upliftment of TT." Vice Chancellor of UWI, Professor Hilary Beckles, extended condolences to Panday's family in the release, saying, “We remember Mr Panday's support to our regional university during his term as Prime Minister and his notable initiatives such as the school-building and Dollar-for-Dollar programmes, aimed at enhancing education in TT.” The release noted the university's 2012 Conversations with Prime Ministers series, held in honour of TT's 50th independence anniversary, saying Panday’s contri-

bution was noteworthy and insightful. During the conversation series, Panday said education was the pathway to a better life, saying it was because of it he was able to escape the clutches of poverty. Making it a cornerstone for his governance and a guiding principle that shaped his policies.

Beckles said Panday forged his own eclectic career path, which spanned many roles, including that of a primary school teacher and a civil servant, among others, all of which set the stage for his pursuit of higher education in law, economics and drama. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Argentina court suspends Milei's 'mega-decree' labour reforms

A UWI's tribute to late ex-PM Panday: A titan of leadership

T

he University of the West Indies (UWI) regional headquarters in Jamaica called former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Basdeo Panday a titan of leadership.

In a release on Wednesday, the university expressed heartfelt condolences for his passing, calling him an indomitable spirit whose legacy as a former PM echo with grandeur and reverence.

"Panday's tenure as Prime Minister, visionary founder and leader of the United National Congress was marked by his unyielding commitment to the up-

liftment of TT." Vice Chancellor of UWI, Professor Hilary Beckles, extended condolences to Panday's family in the release, saying, “We remember Mr Panday's support to our regional university during his term as Prime Minister and his notable initiatives such as the school-building and Dollar-for-Dollar programmes, aimed at enhancing education in TT.” The release noted the university's 2012 Conversations with Prime Ministers series, held in honour of TT's 50th independence anniversary, saying Panday’s contribution was noteworthy and

insightful. During the conversation series, Panday said education was the pathway to a better life, saying it was because of it he was able to escape the clutches of poverty. Making it a cornerstone for his governance and a guiding principle that shaped his policies.

Beckles said Panday forged his own eclectic career path, which spanned many roles, including that of a primary school teacher and a civil servant, among others, all of which set the stage for his pursuit of higher education in law, economics and drama. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Brazilian city begins 1st mass vaccination against dengue

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he city of Dourados in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul on Wednesday began the country's first mass vaccination against dengue, the city's Government said.

The initiative aims to vaccinate around 150,000 residents of the city between the ages of 4 and 59 using the recently approved Japanese drugmaker Takeda's vaccine QDENGA. Distribution started on Wednesday of the first batch of 90,000 doses already delivered by the Japanese laboratory as part of an agreement with the city. The vaccination schedule re-

quires a second dose in three months.

The dengue infection, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, causes a disease that can be mild or have more serious forms, occasionally leading to death.

Symptoms include muscle weakness, drowsiness, refusal of food and liquids, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

By the end of the first week of December, Brazil had registered 1.6 million cases of dengue in 2023, an increase of 15.8 per cent over the same period last year, according to data from the Health Ministry. The number of deaths caused by

the infection grew by 5.4 per cent in the period to 1,053.

Last month, the country's Health Ministry announced it would include Takeda's shot in the national vaccination programme of its public health system, known by its local acronym 'SUS'.

The vaccine will not initially be used on a large scale nationwide, given its limited supply, instead, it will focus on priority groups and regions.

The country expects to receive another 5.08 million doses of the vaccine between February and November.

(Reuters)

top Argentine court on Wednesday suspended a package of labour reforms decreed by new President Javier Milei last month, after the nation's largest union filed an injunction.

The ruling by the National Chamber of Labour Appeals temporarily blocks enforcement of the labour regulations in Milei's so-called "mega-decree," which includes more than 300 measures aimed at deregulating the South American country's economy.

Labour elements of the decree include the repeal and modification of laws related to employment contracts, terms for dismissal, severance payments, and more.

The powerful General Labour Confederation (CGT) union has staunchly opposed those measures, planning a nationwide strike set to kick off at the end of the month.

The dispute highlights

Luis D'Elia, leader of a social organization, holds a banner as demonstrators block a road during a protest against Argentine President Javier Milei's economic reforms, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 28, 2023 (Reuters/Agustin Marcarian photo)

the roadblocks ahead for Milei, who won November's run-off election under the promise of rescuing the economy, which is battling triple-digit inflation, a lack of central bank reserves and increasing poverty.

The Judges behind the decision said the new labour measures were being temporarily suspended until the court can make

a final ruling on whether they are allowable under Argentine law without congressional approval.

The CGT on Wednesday celebrated the ruling, saying it "halts (Milei's) regressive and anti-worker labour reform."

The Milei Administration said in a statement it plans to appeal the suspension.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Jamaica: Our children cannot tolerate a year similar to 2023, says Blaine

C

hild rights group Hear The Children's Cry has opened 2024 with a repeat of its call for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to order a National Child Audit, with particular attention to underserved and remote communities.

"We need to have an accurate and up-to-date assessment of the conditions under which our most vulnerable citizens, our chil-

dren, are currently living – with the aim to correct the urgent needs for improvement," said Hear The Children's Cry founder Betty-Ann Blaine on Tuesday in a release titled 'Declare 2024 a Year for our Children'.

"We also encourage the Government to provide adequate resources to support family life, and to ensure that the Government

budget for this is commensurate with the needs to be met.

"It is also critical for the Government to ensure that the laws for the protection of children are enforced, and that those who abuse, brutalise, and murder Jamaican youngsters do not walk free as has happened so many times in the past," added Blaine. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

19

Around The World

Hezbollah, Israel appear to signal OILNEWS OIL NEWS no desire for spread of Gaza war Oil prices settle up 3% on supply concerns after oilfield shutdown in Libya

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il prices climbed on Wednesday, settling up about three per cent after a disruption at Libya's top oilfield added to fears that mounting tensions in the Middle East could disrupt global oil supplies.

Brent futures rose US$2.36, or 3.1 per cent, to settle at US$78.25 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose US$2.32, or 3.3 per cent, to settle at US$72.70.

Both crude benchmarks settled higher for the first time in five days with the biggest daily percentage gain for WTI since midNovember.

"Oil is trading ... higher today, buoyed it would appear by protests at Libya's largest oilfield and further attacks in the Red Sea," said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst (UK & EMEA) at data and analytics firm OANDA. In Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member Libya, protests forced a shutdown of production at the 300,000 barrel per day (bpd) Sharara oilfield.

Oil prices also climbed after Israel intensified its bombing of the Gaza Strip after its war with the Iran-backed Palestinian Hamas group stretched into Lebanon with the killing in Beirut of Hamas's deputy leader. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.

The head of Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah, also backed

by Iran, warned the killing of Hamas' deputy chief was "a major, dangerous crime about which we cannot be silent".

In the Red Sea, another Iran-backed group, the Houthis in Yemen, continued to attack vessels, prompting concerns that a wider Middle East conflict could develop and close crucial oil transport waterways like the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.

In OPEC member Iran, two explosions killed more than 100 people and wounded scores at a ceremony to commemorate top commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed by a US drone in 2020.

OPEC said cooperation and dialogue within the wider OPEC+ oil producer alliance would continue after Angola last month announced it would leave the group.

OPEC+, which includes OPEC and allies like Russia, said it plans a February 1 meeting to review implementation of its latest oil output cut.

Fed and oil inventories Federal Reserve officials appeared increasingly convinced inflation was coming under control, according to the minutes of the US central bank's December meeting.

The Fed is widely expected to keep rates on hold in January.

Traders have priced in a 65.7 per cent chance of a 25-basis point rate cut in March, according to CMEGroup's FedWatch tool.

Lower interest rates reduce consumer borrowing costs, which can boost economic growth and demand for oil.

The American Petroleum Institute (API), an industry group, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) will release their oil inventory reports one day later than usual due to the New Year holiday with API expected around 16:30h on Wednesday and EIA on Thursday.

Analysts forecast US energy firms pulled about 3.7 million barrels of oil from storage during the week ended December 29.

That compares with a build of 1.7 million barrels in the same week last year and a five-year (2018-2022) average decline of 4.0 million barrels. (Reuters)

H

ezbollah in Lebanon and the Israeli army made statements suggesting the two avowed enemies wanted to avoid risking the further spread of war beyond the Gaza Strip after a drone strike killed a Palestinian Hamas deputy leader in Beirut.

In a speech in Beirut on Wednesday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed that his powerful Iranbacked Shi'ite militia "cannot be silent" following the killing of Hamas deputy Saleh al-Arouri on Tuesday.

Nasrallah said his heavily-armed forces would fight to the finish if Israel chose to extend the war to Lebanon, but he made no concrete threats to act against Israel in support of Hamas, Hezbollah's ally also backed by Iran.

Israel neither confirmed

Smoke rises over Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, as seen from Israel, January 3, 2024 (Reuters/Amir Cohen photo)

nor denied assassinating Arouri, but has promised to annihilate Hamas, which rules Gaza, following the group's October 7 cross-border assault in which Israel says 1200 people were killed and some 240 abducted.

Israeli military spokes-

Trump asks Supreme Court Blasts kill nearly 100 at to overturn Colorado ban slain commander Soleimani's memorial; Iran vows revenge

Former US President Donlad Trump

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ormer US President Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to reverse a Colorado ruling that barred him from running for president in that state.

Colorado's top court said last month Trump was not an eligible candidate as it said he had engaged in insurrection over the US Capitol riot.

His appeal comes a day after he challenged a similar decision by Maine.

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed in multiple states seeking to disqualify Trump from the November 2024 ballot.

Courts in Minnesota

and Michigan have dismissed similar efforts to disqualify the former US President.

In other states, such as Oregon, cases revolving around the current Republican frontrunner's eligibility are still pending.

A US Supreme Court ruling on the issue of Trump's eligibility would be binding nationwide.

In Maine and Colorado, Trump was removed from the ballot after legal challenges that accused him of inciting the US Capitol riot of January 6, 2021.

The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution bans anyone who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from holding federal office.

In a statement, the Trump campaign accused the Colorado Supreme Court and President Joe Biden, a Democrat, of "doing all they can to disenfranchise all American voters by attempting to remove President Trump".

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia and Ukraine stage major POW exchange after UAE mediation

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kraine and Russia on Wednesday announced their first exchange of prisoners of war in nearly five months, with more than 200 freed by each side after what both said was a complex negotiation involving mediation by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Russia's Defence Ministry said 248 military personnel had been handed over by Ukraine. Kyiv said it had brought home 230 peo-

ple – 224 soldiers and six civilians – in what it said was the largest documented swap of troops so far.

The UAE's Foreign Ministry acknowledged its role, saying in a statement that the swap was made possible by its "strong friendly relations" with both Moscow and Kyiv.

It offered both further humanitarian efforts and to find a peaceful solution to the war.

person, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, when asked what Israel was doing to prepare for a potential Hezbollah response, told a reporter: "I won't respond to what you just mentioned. We are focused on the fight against Hamas."

White House spokesperson John Kirby, asked about Nasrallah's speech, told reporters: "We haven't seen Hezbollah jump in with both feet to come to Hamas' aid and assistance."

Another US official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, suggested neither Hezbollah nor Israel wanted a war.

"From everything that we can tell, there is no clear desire for Hezbollah to go to war with Israel and vice versa," said the official.

Arouri's killing was a further sign of the potential the nearly three-monthold war might spread well beyond Gaza, drawing in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Hezbollah forces on the Lebanon-Israel border and Red Sea shipping lanes.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

A video released by Ukrainian authorities showed returning prisoners draped in the country's blue and yellow flag filing off a bus, singing the national anthem and shouting the patriotic greeting "Glory to Ukraine".

Most, but not all, appeared to be in good health. . One returnee shouted: "We are home! You didn't forget us!"

The Russian Ministry

of Defence released a similar video of returning uniformed prisoners arriving in Belgorod in buses. "I'll be home in five hours, roughly speaking, that's going to be a joy," said one unnamed man.

Despite a lack of talks on how to end the 22-month war, Kyiv and Moscow have held many prisoner swaps since the early months of Russia's invasion in February 2022.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

People gather at the scene of explosions during a ceremony held to mark the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, in Kerman, Iran, January 3, 2024 (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency via Reuters)

T

wo explosions killed nearly 100 persons and wounded scores at a ceremony in Iran on Wednesday to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed by a US drone in 2020, Iranian officials said, blaming unspecified "terrorists".

Iranian State television reported a first and then a second blast after 20 minutes during a crowded fourth-anniversary event at the cemetery where Soleimani is buried in the southeastern city of Kerman.

No one claimed responsibility for the blasts. A senior Biden Administration official said in Washington that the blasts appeared to represent "a terrorist attack" of the type carried out in the past by Islamic State militants.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi condemned the "heinous and inhumane crime", and Iran's top au-

thority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowed revenge for the bloody twin bombings.

"Cruel criminals ... must know that they will be strongly dealt with from now on and ... undoubtedly there will be a harsh response," Khamenei said in a statement, according to State media.

Several countries, including Russia and Turkey, condemned the attacks, and the United Nations Secretary General called for those responsible to be held accountable.

Iranian Health Minister Bahram Eynollahi told state TV the death toll was 95, down from 103, and said 211 others were injured, making it the deadliest attack in the history of the Islamic Republic, which has faced similar incidents in the past from various groups, including Islamic State. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

DAILY HOROSCOPES Live and learn. Get involved in the conversation and prepare to make moves that will help you outperform any challengers. Put forth your best effort, and you will reap the rewards.

(March 21-April 19) Update your credentials, look at trends and apply for a position that interest you. It’s up to you to create opportunities and bring about changes that satisfy your soul.

PICKLES

(April 20-May 20) Look at the cost before you get involved in something. Don’t let anyone interfere with your decisions or lead you astray.

Focus on what you want to do. A new look or romance appears promising.

(May 21-June 20) Observe the changes others make and consider a change of direction. Refuse to let your emotions get in the way of your progress. It’s time to please yourself.

PEANUTS

(June 21-July 22)

(July 23-Aug. 22)

Sign up for something novel. Don’t feel the need to follow the crowd or allow someone to control what you do next. A pastime that leads to a cost-efficient lifestyle will help you get your house in order.

Look outside your immediate surroundings for answers. Problems at home will escalate if you are reluctant to speak up.

Don’t let a loved one override you in a delicate matter.

CALVIN AND HOBBES (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Adjust your routine to eliminate wasted time due to a lack of organization. Start to delegate some of the little jobs you don’t care to do to those eager to get involved in your project.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Pay attention to money matters.

Spontaneous purchases or donations may provide instant gratification, but it won’t last. Look for opportunities to cut corners.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) A quick fix will boost your morale. A trendy new look that’s simple, and affordable will give you additional confidence and energy. Alter how you live or handle day-to-day situations.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

LAST PUBLISHED WORD -- CONSENT

Don’t ignore an opportunity. A domestic change can help you save money. Don’t let anyone stand in your way or make you feel inadequate or uncertain about something you want to pursue.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don’t let your spending spin out of control. Excess is the enemy, and knowing when to say no is necessary. Stick to your routine. Self-improvement and love are favored.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep an open mind, but don’t allow anyone to coax you into something questionable. You’ll do your best if you concentrate on earning a decent living and handling your financial affairs.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

21

India emerge on top after 23-wicket mayhem in Cape Town A

s many as 23 wickets tumbled on a chaotic opening day in Cape Town, including a never-before-seen collapse of 6 for zero. It was the first time in 2,522 Tests that a team had lost six wickets for no runs.

India claimed that unwanted record when they went from 153 for 4 to 153 all out in 11 balls in response to South Africa’s 55 all out in the afternoon session.

Despite that collapse, India were still in front on a Newlands pitch that provid-

collapse, triggered by Lungi Ngidi’s triple-strike, brought South Africa back into the game.

Aiden Markram, who was the first batter to be dismissed on the day, then somehow survived 51 balls in South Africa’s second innings to bring his team even closer to parity. India, though, still have a substantial lead of 36, which appears even bigger on this surface.

South Africa were not in control of only 55 of the shots they played in their first in-

Virat Kohli playing the ball off the front foot

ed excessive seam movement and variable bounce throughout the day. With even the old(ish) ball misbehaving off the surface, the batters found it fiendishly difficult to bat, especially when the bowlers forced them to play a shot.

Only once has more wickets fallen in a day in Test cricket in this century.

It was that kind of a day in Cape Town.

Dean Elgar became the just second player after Australia’s Jack Barrett to be dismissed twice on the same day of his last Test. Barrett’s last Test was in 1890. After opting to bat, Elgar was bowled by Mohammed Siraj off an inside edge for 4 in the first innings, where South Africa folded in 23.2 overs.

Siraj’s new-ball spell of 9-315-6 skittled South Africa for 55 - the lowest total against India in Test cricket - in a session.

India then needed less than ten overs to take the lead, with Rohit Sharma motoring along at better than a run-a-ball during those early exchanges. However, the late

It was Siraj who had started the mayhem on Wednesday when he hit the perfect length and the outside edges. Siraj’s new-ball spell in Centurion was just as incisive, but luck - and the wickets - didn’t go his way in the first Test. But it would be a discredit to Siraj’s skills to say it was only good fortune in Cape Town.

While Siraj probed away around off stump - or outside off - against the right-handers, he snaffled Elgar and Tony de Zorzi with a middle-andleg line, with a deepish short leg and leg slip in place. After bringing the stumps - and the close-in catchers in play - he hung one up outside off. Elgar took the bait and threw his hands at the ball, only to chop it back onto his own stumps.

After having de Zorzi flaccidly fend to short leg, Siraj had him caught down the leg side

by KL Rahul.

But it was the dismissal of David Bedingham that created a stir in Cape Town. When Siraj put one on a length and outside off, it reared up vi-

India bundled South Africa out for 55 first first-class match in over a year, and kept offering up floaty half-volleys. Burger also erred by being too full, before he pulled his length back and hit the shoulder of Rohit’s bat. Burger also got rid of Shubman Gill for 36 and Shreyas Iyer for a duck to leave India at 110 for 4.

Virat Kohli, though, looked comfortable in the middle, and continued to play his shots, especially the drives. Ngidi then returned to the attack and bowled at full tilt, running in hard and hitting the deck even harder.

bounce was just too much to handle. Kohli himself was part of that 6 for zero collapse.

L

But India’s batters had done enough to pull their team ahead on a manic day.

(ESPNCricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Mukesh Kumar bidding Dean Elgar goodbye after being the last man to dismiss him

nings. They got bowled out for 55. That means one in five mistakes cost the ultimate price.

India were the same.

They were not in control of 50 of the shots they played. A ratio of one in five again. In all, there were only seven double-digit scores across three innings. If this match ends in less than 34.1 overs today (Thursday), it will be the shortest Test ever.

ciously into Bedingham’s glove and ballooned to third slip. Mukesh Kumar, who was picked in place of Shardul Thakur, came into the attack in the 20th over and took care of the tail.

Rohit then came out attacking against Ngidi and Nandre Burger, who weren’t as accurate as Kagiso Rabada with the new ball. In his first spell, Ngidi bowled like… someone who was playing his

Mohammed Siraj walking off after taking 6 for 15

In the 34th over, he bounced out all of Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah, who slotted in at #8 in the absence of Thakur. The big seam movement and variable

La Liga leaders Real Madrid extend unbeaten run

a Liga leaders Real Madrid gained a hard-fought win over Mallorca thanks to Antonio Rudiger's late header.

Mallorca hit the woodwork twice as Antonio Sanchez's header bounced off the underside of the crossbar on to the goalline, with Samu Costa also hitting the post for the visitors.

Those misses proved costly as Rudiger headed in from Luka Modric's fine left-wing corner in the 78th minute.

Real, now unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions, are three points clear.

However, second-placed

KL Rahul's wicket was the last of three to fall in one over off Lungi Ngidi

Girona will return level on points with Carlo Ancelotti's side if they beat third-placed Atletico Madrid in the late game on Wednesday.

Rare Rudiger goal proves the difference

This was the first game since Ancelotti ended speculation linking him with the Brazil national team as he extended his Real contract, committing him to the club until at least 2026.

Ancelotti was boosted by the return of Vinicius Jr, playing his first club game in almost two months, fol-

lowing a hamstring injury sustained on Brazil duty in November. Vinicius twice had efforts saved by Predrag Rajkovic - one attempt from a tight angle and another strike from outside the penalty area.

But Mallorca, 14th in the table, twice hit the frame of the goal as they looked to gain a shock win.

England's Jude Bellingham is the top scorer in La Liga this season with 13 goals, but his best attempt was a diving header from Modric's cross which away goalkeeper Rajkovic jumped to save.

After Mallorca hit the post, Real dominated as they pushed for a fourth successive win in all competitions and their ninth in their past 10 games.

They should have gone ahead when Rodrygo's shot was parried into Brahim Diaz's path, but the substitute hit the post with a diving header when faced with an unguarded goal only a few yards out.

But Diaz was spared blushes, thanks to Rudiger's goal, his first in La Liga since 11 September 2022 when he scored in a 4-1 victory over Mallorca. (BBC Sport)

South Africa 1st Innings BATTING R Aiden Markram c Jaiswal b Mohammed Siraj 2 Dean Elgar (c) b Mohammed Siraj 4 Tony de Zorzi c †Rahul b Mohammed Siraj 2 Tristan Stubbs c Sharma b Bumrah 3 David Bedingham c Jaiswal b Mohammed Siraj 12 Kyle Verreynne † c Shubman Gill b Mohammed Siraj 15 Marco Jansen c †Rahul b Mohammed Siraj 0 Keshav Maharaj c Bumrah b Mukesh Kumar 3 Kagiso Rabada c Iyer b Mukesh Kumar 5 Nandre Burger c Jaiswal b Bumrah 4 Lungi Ngidi not out 0 Extras (b 4, lb 1) 5 TOTAL 23.2 Ov (RR: 2.35) 55 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Aiden Markram, 3.2 ov), 2-8 (Dean Elgar, 5.3 ov), 3-11 (Tristan Stubbs, 8.3 ov), 4-15 (Tony de Zorzi, 9.2 ov), 5-34 (David Bedingham, 15.2 ov), 6-34 (Marco Jansen, 15.5 ov), 7-45 (Kyle Verreynne, 17.5 ov), 8-46 (Keshav Maharaj, 19.6 ov), 9-55 (Nandre Burger, 22.6 ov), 10-55 (Kagiso Rabada, 23.2 ov) • BOWLING O-M-R-W Jasprit Bumrah 8-1-25-2 Mohammed Siraj 9-3-15-6 Prasidh Krishna 4-1-10-0 Mukesh Kumar 2.2-2-0-2 India 1st Innings BATTING R Yashasvi Jaiswal b Rabada 0 Rohit Sharma (c) c Jansen b Burger 39 Shubman Gill c Jansen b Burger 36 Virat Kohli c Markram b Rabada 46

Shreyas Iyer c †Verreynne b Burger 0 KL Rahul † c †Verreynne b Ngidi 8 Ravindra Jadeja c Jansen b Ngidi 0 Jasprit Bumrah c Jansen b Ngidi 0 Mohammed Siraj run out (Burger) 0 Prasidh Krishna c Markram b Rabada 0 Mukesh Kumar not out 0 Extras (b 4, lb 10, nb 5, w 5) 24 TOTAL 34.5 Ov (RR: 4.39) 153 Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2.1 ov), 2-72 (Rohit Sharma, 14.2 ov), 3-105 (Shubman Gill, 20.6 ov), 4-110 (Shreyas Iyer, 22.2 ov), 5-153 (KL Rahul, 33.1 ov), 6-153 (Ravindra Jadeja, 33.3 ov), 7-153 (Jasprit Bumrah, 33.5 ov), 8-153 (Virat Kohli, 34.2 ov), 9-153 (Mohammed Siraj, 34.4 ov), 10-153 (Prasidh Krishna, 34.5 ov) • BOWLING Kagiso Rabada Lungi Ngidi Nandre Burger Marco Jansen

O-M-R-W 11.5-2-38 -3 6-1-30-3 8-2-42-3 9-2-29-0

South Africa 2nd Innings BATTING R Aiden Markram not out 36 Dean Elgar (c) c Kohli b Mukesh Kumar 12 Tony de Zorzi c †Rahul b Mukesh Kumar 1 Tristan Stubbs c †Rahul b Bumrah 1 David Bedingham not out 7 Extras (lb 1, nb 4) 5 TOTAL 17 Ov (RR: 3.64) 62/3 Yet to bat: Kyle Verreynne †, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Dean Elgar, 10.2 ov), 2-41 (Tony de Zorzi, 12.1 ov), 3-45 (Tristan Stubbs, 15.2 ov) • BOWLING Jasprit Bumrah Mohammed Siraj Mukesh Kumar

O-M-R-W 6-0-25-1 5-2-11-0 6-2-25-2

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

shortlisted for Massara’s Strikers FC triumphs Matthews Women’s T20 International in inaugural Climb Guyana Cup Player-of-the-Year award

…Expanded ‘Battle of the North’ 2024 Tournament to feature women’s teams

S

trikers Football Club of Massara Village signed up for the inaugural Climb Guyana Cup at the last minute on the eve of the December 23 launch, and went on to triumph over seven formidable teams in the epic ‘Battle of the North’ showdown at the Aranaputa Sports Ground.

With only three days to spare before heading to another competition in Lethem, Strikers grappled with doubts about enduring intense 60-minute knockout matches on December 23 and 24 against seven formidable North Rupununi teams, including FC Basin, Challengers, Surama/ Wowetta, Toka, Three Hills, Spartans and Falcons.

The young squad started with a resounding win against Surama|Wowetta on December 23 and powered through to defeat the formidable home club, FC Basin, in the second round to earn their spot in the championship clash against Falcons FC. In a riveting December 24 final showdown, Strikers’ physically fit lineup and aggressive tactics prevailed, dominating the Falcons in a closely contested match that culminated in a thrilling 1-0 victory. This hard-fought win secured their rightful claim

The victorious Strikers FC to be champions of the Climb Guyana Cup ‘Battle of North’ title, trophies, medals and $100,000 in cash.

Oslyn, Strikers formidable goalkeeper, clinched the prestigious Top Goalkeeper award bestowed by Eon DeViera Academy, while Denzell Moses proudly secured the MVP trophy, courtesy of Champion’s Choice.

Falcons, having triumphed over Challengers and Spartans en route to the final, claimed the esteemed second place, earning a cash prize of $75,000 for their stellar performance.

In the electrifying clash for third place, Spartans outshone the home club FC Basin

with a commanding 3-1 victory, seizing the $50,000 prize money and the accompanying trophy.

Additionally, Spartans’ Rondella Benjamin emerged as the recipient of the Petra Organisation’s Top Goal Scorer’s Trophy, recording an impressive tally of five goals throughout the tournament.

Climb Guyana founder Amanda Wilson-Falloon congratulated the champions, Strikers FC, and thanked all participating teams, officials and fans for contributing to the success of the inaugural Climb Guyana Cup. She also expressed gratitude to North Rupununi Football Association (NRFA),

Aranaputa Council, and Climb Guyana team members, including Region Nine Director Alphonso King, Lisa Khan, George Clarke, Breann Wilson and Pearl Jacobus, for their unwavering commitment.

“Climb Guyana closed out 2023 in extraordinary fashion, marking a thrilling milestone with the inaugural Climb Guyana Cup. A big thank you to every player, official, devoted fan, and members of Team Climb Guyana, who made this event an incredible success. Hats off to our champions, Strikers FC, who participated with heart and determination from the first match.”

Wilson-Falloon highlighted that fans were treated to two days of exceptional sporting prowess, and revealed that the tournament will be held again in the North Rupununi in a few months with bigger cash prizes, the inclusion of women’s clubs, and an array of surprises and twists to enthrall both players and fans alike.

“In just a few months, we’re returning to the North with expanded prizes and the exciting addition of women’s clubs, promising several days of thrilling football in the heart of North Rupununi,” Wilson-Falloon shared.

”Amazing” Curry leads Warriors past Magic

Steph Curry going up

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tephen Curry scored 36 points in an impressive display as the Golden State Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak with a 121-115 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Coach Steve Kerr praised Curry for an “amazing” performance on Tuesday as Golden State improved to 1617 with a much-needed home win.

The Warriors had lost consecutive games to the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks, until Curry intervened with a big night which included some crucial plays in the fourth quarter.

Curry also had six assists and four steals, while Jonathan Kuminga scored 19 points and Klay Thompson added 15 for the Warriors.

“Steph was amazing,” said Kerr. “But Steph is always amazing. Even when he doesn’t score 36 points. Just the attention he draws defensively, what he does to an opposing defense, the way he opens up the floor, he’s a remarkable player. He really

got himself going on a night when we needed it.”

The Warriors will host the Nuggets today (Thursday) as their seven-game homestand continues, with Chris Paul relieved to get back to winning ways ahead of that clash with the defending NBA champions.

“It was huge! We have been struggling to get wins,” said Paul. “It is hard to win in this league. That team [Orlando] is a young team, well coached. They’ve been playing hard all season long, so this was a good win for us.”

The Magic are on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, and are fifth in the Eastern Conference after the loss to Golden State.

Paolo Banchero had 27 points and 12 rebounds, with Franz Wagner adding 25 points, but Orlando fell to 1914 on the season and 7-10 in road games.

“They have an elite shot-maker and Hall of Fame player in Steph Curry – that is what we got,” said coach Jamahl Mosley.

Thunder hold off Celtics Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 36 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder held off the NBA-leading Boston Celtics 127-123 on Tuesday for their fifth straight win.

Josh Giddey had 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Thunder, who have won eight of nine. During that stretch, they have beaten defending champion Denver twice, ended the Clippers’ nine-game winning streak, beat West-leading Minnesota by 23, and now the Celtics.

point game.

Gilgeous-Alexander sealed the victory with a pair of free throws with 2.8 to play.

Embiid leads 76ers in return

Joel Embiid tallied 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in his return from a sprained right ankle to lift the Philadelphia 76ers to a 11097 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Embiid, who missed all four games on the 76ers’ holiday road trip, was 10 of 20 from the field, and notched his seventh career triple-double

Thunder stopped the NBA-leading Celtics Kristaps Porzingis scored 34 points and Jayson Tatum added 30 as Boston had a six-game winning streak snapped.

Oklahoma City opened a 108-90 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics rallied to cut the deficit to 121119.

Giddey hit a pair of free throws with 12.1 seconds left to put the Thunder up 4, before Porzingis hit a deep shot in the left corner with 3.7 seconds left to make it a two-

in the third quarter. He extended his franchise records with 15 straight 30-point games and 14 consecutive games of 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 16 for the 76ers, who have won three straight and seven of eight at home.

DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 16 points and Andre Drummond had 11 with 17 rebounds.

W

est Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been shortlisted for the Women’s Twenty20 International Player-of-the-Year honours in the International Cricket Council’s 2023 awards.

Matthews, the number one-ranked ICC Women’s T20I all-rounder, put together a remarkable series of performances last year as she racked up 700 runs in the year, the most by any player in a year in Women’s T20Is. She also picked up 19 wickets at an average of 16.21 in a mere 14 matches for the year.

The 25-year-old Barbadian is up against three high-class players, with England’s Sophie Ecclestone, the top ranked T20 international bowler, Australia’s Ellyse Perry, and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu also nominated.

Matthews’s stellar display against Australia in a bilateral T20I series in the second half of the year was one for the ages. During that series, she posted scores of an unbeaten 99, 132 and 79, as she proved to be a thorn in the Australian side.

Matthews’s extraordinary unbeaten 99 in the first game of the series was overshadowed by her mind-blowing 132 in a run-chase of 213 in Sydney. The world-record run-chase in women’s T20Is saw Matthews break several records, including that of the highest individual score in a women’s T20I run-chase. Her overall tally of 310 runs in the series is the most by any player in a women’s T20I bilateral series.

Matthews also enjoyed good form in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, where she tallied 130 runs and took four wickets and four catches. The hard-hitting Matthews produced a match-winning performance in a tight encounter against Ireland at the T20 World Cup. In that contest, she picked up four wickets and made a 34-ball 48, but her remarkable 132 against Australia overshadowed it all.

Having taken three wickets for 36 runs as Australia made a whopping 212, West Indies were faced with a daunting task in the runchase, but nothing could have prepared anyone for Matthews’s innings. She hit two fours and a six in the 17th over of the run-chase to raise her century off just 53 balls, and then clubbed Jess Jonassen for four fours in a row in the 19th over to bring the equation down to eight runs needed off six balls.

While Matthews was dismissed in the over, she had set the stage for one of the most outrageous women’s T20I wins of all-time with her blistering 132 off just 64 balls. The innings was studded with 20 fours and five sixes, as 110 of her 132 runs came in boundaries.

Meanwhile, the men’s T20 shortlist includes 2022 winner Suryakumar Yadav of India, New Zealand’s Mark Chapman, Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, and Uganda’s Alpesh Ramjani – who helped his side qualify for their first ever World Cup. Gerald Coetzee (South Africa), Yashasvi Jaiswal (India), Dilshan Madushanka (Sri Lanka) and Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand),

Windies women skipper Hayley Matthews compete for the men’s emerging player.

Nominees for Test and ODI awards will be released later this week. (Sportsmax)

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23

West Indies confirms Hackett credits GDF’s championship Cricket organizational changes win to hard work, commitment

Ryan Hackett speaking with media operatives

F

ollowing a heart-thumping KFC Elite League Cup final, wherein they were made to hold their nerves in order to pull off a win on sudden death penalty kicks, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Football Club have asserted themselves as the best club around currently.

Assessing the achievement, midfielder Ryan ‘Bom Bom’ Hackett, who had been wearing the captain’s armband at the time of the clinical victory, explained what the win meant to GDF FC. “It’s a great feeling. Who

now the players out there, who stood up to the challenge and come through victorious. You know, and we want to thank the players who make this possible and coaching staff and everyone who put a hand in,” Hackett shared with this publication.

It was a see-saw battle on January 1, as Western Tigers played their first game with their usual Head Coach Calvin Allen and GDF lost the services of a player just after halftime.

While noting it was tough for his team, Hackett revealed that they still viewed the opposition the same, given their quality.

Hackett shared about the red- card infraction, “It was a real tough feeling, because we went down short of a man. So, going in with ten players, we had to work hard and we had to go deep.

“No, we don’t feel like GDF come into the game [with an advantage]. We respect we opposition. We

A relook at final action in the Elite League Cup

know Western is a very good team, and you know them get very good player, and we just come to play we brand of football,” the GDF player said as he turned his attention to Western Tigers’ predicament.

With the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) hinting at the 6th Elite League’s commencement in February, ‘Bom Bom’ opined that the game was good preparation for the upcoming season.

“Yeah, this give we a lot of confidence. We just take one game at a time, you know. Every game is like a final to GDF. So, as it come, we just treat it like a finals,” he explained.

The GDF Football Team won both the 5th edition of the KFC Elite League and the KFC Elite League Cup in 2023, with Western Tigers and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Football Club being the respective runners-up on both occasions.

Waugh calls out Windies, South Africa on weakened Test squads …Seeks ICC intervention

W

est Indies Cricket has again found itself in the firing line, as Australian Test legend Steve Waugh has called for the intervention of cricket’s world governing body, International Cricket Council (ICC), to salvage the credibility of the game’s longest format, after South Africa followed the Caribbean selectors’ lead and opted for an under-

Board are any indication of the future, keeping their best players at home,” Waugh said.

“If I was New Zealand, I wouldn’t even play the series. I don’t know why they’re even playing. Why would you, when it shows a lack of respect for New Zealand Cricket?

“It’s pretty obvious what the problem is — the West Indies aren’t send-

WAUGH...If the ICC or someone doesn’t step in shortly, then Test cricket doesn’t become Test cricket

chise opportunities.

While he acknowledged there is little financial incentive for smaller nations to play Test cricket, Waugh called for a standardised fee to be implemented by the ICC. “If the ICC or someone doesn’t step in shortly, then Test cricket doesn’t become Test cricket, because you’re not testing yourself against

not getting paid properly. I don’t understand why ICC or the top countries who are making a lot of money don’t just have a regulation set fee for Test matches, which is a premium so [that] people are incentivised to play Test cricket.

Otherwise, they’ll just play T10 or T20.

“The public are the ones who are going to suffer, be-

Jason Holder

strength Test side.

West Indies recently named seven uncapped players in a weakened 15-man squad for two Tests against Australia later this month, while South Africa also selected seven debutants for their two-Test series in New Zealand next month. This as South Africa’s top players have been allowed to focus their efforts on the shorter format, as the New Zealand tour clashes with the country’s premier Twenty20 domestic tournament.

“It’s going to happen if the South African Cricket

ing their full-strength side [to Australia this summer].

They haven’t picked a fullstrength Test team for a couple of years now”, he said.

“Someone like Nicholas Pooran is really a Test batsman who doesn’t play Test cricket. Jason Holder, probably their best player, is not playing now. Even Pakistan didn’t send a full side [to Australia],” he argued.

Both Holder, the Caribbean side’s leading all-rounder, and batting all-rounder Kyle Mayers have skipped the Australia tour to explore T20 fran-

Nicholas Pooran

the best players,” Waugh said. “I understand why players don’t come; they’re

cause it’s not the full side playing, so it’s not Test cricket,” he added. (Sportsmax)

CWI CEO, Johnny Grave

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) has confirmed several organisational changes at the start of a significant year, that will see the launch of a new four-year strategic plan (2024-27) and the hosting of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June.

J o h n n y Grave, Chief Executive Officer of CWI, stated, “As an organization, we are dedicated to nurturing a culture of continuous evolution and improvement. We are steadfast in our pursuit to maximize our human capital, engage the best talent, and foster an environment where excellence thrives throughout the entire system.”

Grave also revealed, “We have concluded a thorough appraisal process, resulting in the realignment of responsibilities of some of our team members. As part of this process, while some contracts have reached a natural conclusion, including those of Dominic Warne, Commercial, Marketing and Communications Director; and Philip Spooner, Media and Public Relations Manager; both individuals will continue supporting us in the extremely important year ahead in new roles, working directly on the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June.

“We appreciate their contributions and dedication to our organization, and remain committed to their involvement in this significant period.”

One of the components being assessed as part of the new cricket strategy is the selection system. CWI will further explore the strengthening of this area, building on the established policy from the 2019 selection review.

Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket at CWI, emphasized the importance of this review by stating, “We are dedicated to refining our selection processes to better serve

Guyanese Travis Dowlin is among several selectors whose contracts came to an end on December 31, 2023

the needs of West Indies Cricket. The ongoing evaluation and restructuring efforts are integral steps toward achieving this goal.”

Bascombe elaborated that the review has resulted in some immediate changes in structure and personnel. “The review has been planned to coincide with the end of the contracts of some selectors, to enable a seamless transition. CWI expresses its gratitude to Roland Butcher, Travis Dowlin and Robert Haynes, whose tenures ended on 31 December 2023. Their dedication has been laudable, and CWI acknowledges their significant role with gratitude.”

CWI has taken the decision not to immediately replace these selectors until the completion of the review process. The remaining Lead Selectors shall continue to serve under their existing contracts with CWI, Bascombe added.

“Coach Development Manager Chris Brabazon has also left the organisation to take up a new role back home in Australia.

We are grateful for the tremendous contribution that Chris has made over the past 4 years, which has seen the introduction of a comprehensive range of coaching courses and accreditations, resulting in over 1,000 newly-certified coaches in the region.”

CWI has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering an environment of continuous improvement and transparency within its operations.

The recruitment process for a new Commercial Director and Coach Development Manager will begin imminently.

(Sportsmax)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024

Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business

Cricket West Indies confirms organizational changes Pg 23

Pg 23

Pg 22

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