Guyana Times - Thursday, July 18, 2024 by Gytimes

Domestic Violence

Updated law to provide protection to same-sex couples

The Family Violence

Bill No. 11 of 2024, which was recently tabled in the National Assembly will replace the 1966 Domestic Violence Act with the aim of preventing and reducing incidences of family violence in Guyana while ensuring the protection of victims of abuse within families and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The Bill seeks to provide protection for couples in same-sex relationships and expand the definitions of abuse and family members.

According to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall after three decades, the law needed to be overhauled.

“In that three decades, we were able to detect a num-

ber of deficiencies, we were able to identify a number of loopholes and a number of short comings,” he said.

The Bill is “much improved” and “far more comprehensive,” he added, noting that a larger category of persons can now get protection under the Family Violence Bill as opposed to the Domestic Violence Act.

Notably, while “cohabitants” in the Domestic Violence Act of 1966 speaks of “a man and woman” who although not married to each other, are living together as husband and wife, the new Bill’s definition refers to “persons” who, although not married to each other, are living together as a “couple”.

Further, it offers a definition for “family mem-

bers” which also takes into consideration social practices of considering someone a relative though there may be no blood-relations. The definition encompasses spouse or former spouse, cohabitant or former cohabitant, relative or former rel-

ative child, who regularly resides or has previously resided with the respondent, visiting or intimate relationships, persons who have shared the same household or residence, persons who share guardianship or caregiving responsi-

bilities, persons considered to be relatives based on tradition or contemporary social practice, any other person whom the respondent reasonably regards or regarded as being “like a family member” having regard to the nature and circumstances of the relationship.

Various forms of abuse

In addition, while the Domestic Violence Act only defined domestic violence, the new Bill has separated various forms of abuse including emotional, psychological and economic abuse. Economic abuse it describes as the deliberate withholding or threatening to withhold the financial support necessary for meting reasonable living expenses of the applicant or dependent children of the relationship.

As it relates to family violence, this will include the various forms of abuse as well as threatening, coercive, controlling or dominating actions that causes a family member to fear for his/her safety. Also included is intentionally damaging a family member’s property or threatening to do so, unlawfully depriving a family member of their liberty or threatening to do so, causing or threatening to cause the death of/or injury to an animal.

The Bill proposes a new civil cause of action which allows a victim of family violence to claim damages and compensation against a perpetrator.

Some terms were also changed to be gender neutral or include both male and female.

Law Enforcement

The Bill is divided into six parts and contains 58 clauses. Part three of the bill sets out the duties and powers of police officers as it relates to family violence. It notes that concerns have been raised in Guyana and the Caribbean where the police officers are slow to interfere in domestic relationships unless the crime is “obvious and serious.” This has led to occasions where the victims later suf-

fer greater harm and even fatal injuries.

To address this, the AG pointed out that the Bill “gives the police force a wide range of powers to deal with domestic violence complaints and to take immediate steps to protect the victim e.g remove the victim or the offender out of the home.”

The summary of the Bill states: This Bill seeks to give law enforcement mandatory obligation to arrest anyone who has committed serious harm against a family member. The police officer who is called to answer a report of family violence must arrest the perpetrator once he has reasonable grounds to believe that serious violence has been committed.

The police are also barred from seeking to mediate a resolution between parties.

It further places a responsibility on the officers to prepare a written report and submit same to a senior rank for either the launching of a formal criminal investigation or laying of criminal charges.

“This seeks to ensure that there is an early police intervention in the process,” the Bill states.

Magistrates’ powers expanded

The powers of the magistrates are also expanded. Importantly, part five of the Bill emphasises that the court has the power to grant protection even before criminal conduct is proven.

The Bill was derived from studies including the Spotlight Initiative which is aimed at eradicating violence against women and girls, and analyses the Domestic Violence Act 1966, Sexual Offences Act 2010, Protection of Children Act 2009, Childcare and Development Act 2011, Cybercrime Act, Violence Against Women Act 2019 – USA, Family Violence Act 2018 – New Zealand and the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2020 of Trinidad and Tobago.

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Thursday, July 18 –02:00h-03:30h and Friday, July 19 – 02:30h-04:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, July 18 –14:10h-15:40h and Friday, July 19 – 15:10h-16:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers are expected to prevail during the day and at night, with early-morning and late-afternoon sunshine. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to South South-Westerly between 0.89 metre and 2.23 metres.

High Tide: 14:19h reaching a maximum height of 2.26 metres.

Low Tide: 07:47h and 20:06h reaching minimum heights of 0.85 metre and 0.97 metre.

Venezuela border controversy

US reiterates full support for Guyana …urges respect for

he United States, through Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Daniel Erickson, has reaffirmed its support for Guyana in its territorial controversy with Venezuela, a position that Erickson revealed comes directly from US President Joe Biden.

On Tuesday, Erickson, who once served as the Western Hemisphere policy lead for President Biden’s transition and as a special advisor to then Vice President Biden, held virtual strategic discussions with top officials from Guyana.

During those discussions, Erickson spoke about the strength of relations between the United States and Guyana. Erickson also reaffirmed American support for Guyana in its border controversy with Venezuela.

While the US has long supported Guyana against Venezuela’s efforts to unjustly claim Essequibo for itself, on this occasion Erickson said that this directive came directly from US President Joe Biden.

“In addition to the economic challenges, we also recognise that Guyana faces external challenges. I do want to reiterate once again, and this comes directly from President Biden himself, that the United States fully supports Guyana’s territorial integrity.”

“As we know, our longstanding policy is that the current border between Guyana and Venezuela should be respected, until the parties reach a new agreement or the International Court of Justice [ICJ] issues a final decision. We remain fully committed to that policy,” Erickson explained.

According to Erickson, the US remains committed to growing its ties with Guyana, whether they be on a commercial basis or further support for Guyana’s efforts to modernise its defence capacity.

“The United States is well positioned to support Guyana, as you continue to expand your civilian defence institutions, whether through Karate training, our international military education training programmes or by assisting the modernisation efforts, the United States can help Guyana improve your existing defence capabilities,” the official said.

It was only in April of this year that US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer had also affirmed to President Dr Irfaan Ali, the US’s unwavering support for Guyana in its border controversy.

Guyana’s territorial integrity

According to a readout from the White House, the two officials spoke on the phone to “discuss regional security and stability”, talked about ways to deepen the bilateral relationship between Guyana and the US, and discussed other shared priorities, including energy security and climate change.

During that phone call, Finer reaffirmed the US’s “unwavering support” for Guyana’s sovereignty in light of threats from neighbouring Venezuela, which is laying claim to the Essequibo, two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass, and to a portion of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where oil production and exploration activities are being conducted.

The phone call between the two officials followed Finer’s visit to Guyana back in February as part of efforts to continue US cooperation with regional partners on issues of mutual interest, including democratic governance, economic stability, and regional security.

During that oneday visit to Georgetown, Finer, who was accom -

panied by the National Security Council’s Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere, Juan González, had met with President Ali and senior security officials in the Guyana Government.

Guyana has consistently received support from all the ABC countries – America, Britain and Canada. Support for the ICJ to serve as the final decision-making forum on the controversy has also come from the European Union, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the Commonwealth.

The case is currently before the ICJ, with Guyana and Venezuela given until December 9, 2024 and August 11, 2025 respectively, to make a second round of written submissions. While both sides had agreed that a second round of written pleadings were necessary, the two sides differed on the time period to submit them.

Guyana had proposed a six-month period from April, while Venezuela had requested a 12-month

period. Venezuela had claimed that the 12-month period was necessary given the case’s complexity. This, however, was in spite of the ICJ’s procedural rules which generally favour shorter time limits.

Guyana’s side argued that this request was excessive. The case has been before the ICJ since it was brought there in 2018 by Guyana, after the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, António Guterres forwarded the case to the World Court, as per the procedure adumbrated in the Geneva Agreement. The Secretary General chose the ICJ as the means to resolve the controversy legally, in keeping with the dispute mechanism outlined by Art 33 of the UN Charter.

Guyana submitted its memorial since March 2022, with Venezuela given until April 2024 to submit its own counter-memorial. It did so on the very last day. This came after two attempts by Venezuela to challenge the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter, had been overturned. (G3)

US President Joe Biden Western Hemisphere Affairs Senior Director, Daniel Erickson

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Editor: Tusika Martin

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An end to faultbased divorce

After decades, the Matrimonial Causes (Amendment) Bill 2024 tabled in Parliament marks a significant milestone in the evolution of divorce law in our country. The removal of fault-based divorce is a reform that promises to modernise Guyana’s legal system and bring it in line with contemporary societal norms.

For too long, couples seeking divorce faced the arduous task of proving fault, which often led to bitter proceedings, unnecessary animosity, and prolonged legal battles. The requirement to assign blame could exacerbate alreadystrained relationships, making it difficult for parties to move forward amicably, especially when children were involved.

The new legislation, by eliminating the need to establish fault, shifts the focus from assigning blame to facilitating a more dignified and cooperative dissolution of marriages. This change not only streamlines the divorce process but also promotes a more compassionate approach to separation, recognising that marriages can irretrievably break down for a multitude of reasons.

As this newspaper reported on Wednesday, the grounds for divorce will be amended to include “irreconcilable differences which has caused the irremediable breakdown of the marriage”, provided that the parties have been separated and lived apart for a continuous period of six months prior to filing for the divorce. This includes instances where the two persons have separated “notwithstanding” that they have continued to occupy the same space.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall has stated that this addition will remove the need for the petitioner to prove before the court that their partner was involved in adultery or desertion, cruelty, or any other provisions which may not necessarily be the reason for the divorce.

He said: “Unless you can prove those things, you can’t get a divorce and this has led to innumerable problems in society. This has led to persons being forced to live together and then those where married persons severed all relations…The most nasty set of details can come out in divorce petitions as evidence in court and is publicly done and damaging the relationship between the parties forever and the persons who suffer most are the children in the marriage.”

Moreover, the Matrimonial Causes (Amendment) Bill 2024 reflects broader societal changes towards promoting autonomy and respect for individual choices within marriage. It acknowledges that relationships are complex and multifaceted, and that individuals should have the right to exit marriages without being subjected to unnecessary hurdles or judgment.

Critics of this Bill may argue that it undermines the sanctity of marriage or could lead to an increase in divorces. However, it is essential to recognise that the removal of fault-based divorce does not diminish the institution of marriage itself. Instead, it recognises the reality of modern relationships and empowers individuals to make decisions that are in their best interests and those of their families.

Further, the Bill is accompanied by safeguards to ensure that adequate provisions are made for the welfare of children and vulnerable parties during divorce proceedings. By prioritising fairness and justice, the Bill aims to protect the rights of all individuals involved, fostering a more equitable outcome for families undergoing separation.

The AG chambers must be acknowledged for its tireless efforts on this Bill, which now promotes a more compassionate and efficient process for divorces.

The Matrimonial Causes (Amendment) Bill 2024 represents compassion. We do hope that our society is ready to evolve and adapt to changing circumstances.

As AG Nandlall said it is time that Guyana positions itself with the rest of the world and update its laws.

Trump, elections and the politics of spectacle

By Rami G KhouRi

The iconic photograph of a bleeding and defiant Donald Trump surrounded by security agents in the aftermath of an assassination attempt will likely go down in history as fully encapsulating who he is, what he believes in, and how he seeks to reshape American politics and society. The events of July 13 have only strengthened the public image he honed in the past decade as president and candidate: a noholds-barred macho populist who – powered by his business acumen and conservative values – challenges the liberal establishment and promises to make America great again.

The photograph, however, is much bigger than the man, for it captures the deeper political and ideological dynamics in the United States over the past 40 years. In fact, one could argue that Trump has been so successful in politics because he has skilfully made use of key aspects of the culture, economy, governance, power and personal values that have shaped American life since Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s.

Entertainment (especially sex, sports and reality television), digitised communications, personality cults, free-market economics, global dominance, and unlimited personal aggrandisement and wealth accumulation have captured American minds, even while squeezing and crushing middle and low-income communities.

Bringing elements of the entertainment world into politics has been Trump’s trademark and has helped him capture vast swaths of the US electorate. His ability to captivate crowds was on full display on Saturday.

When the security agents surrounded him and tried to take him to his van to exit the arena, he resisted. He stood up and pumped his clenched fist, shouting “Fight, fight!” The

roused crowd responded, “USA! USA!”

Trump appeared not unlike the battered fighters in the wrestling spectacles he loves and has himself participated in. His fist-pumping and chanting was not just a show of defiance but also an entertainer’s trick to whip up his audience into a frenzy and make sure they come back for more in the next show (or donate to his campaign).

This is how the new mercantile politics works in America. Spectacle and emotion attract audiences and advertisers, regardless of whether the issue is a presidential assassination attempt or a dramatic fight between wrestlers.

By using his entertainment skillset, Trump by now has attracted enough voters from all segments of society to recreate the Republican Party in his image. His persona and simplified doctrines are on full display in this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. It is quite indicative that Dana White, the head of Ultimate Fighting Championship, whose events Trump has often attended, will speak just before the Republican presidential candidate on the fourth day of the convention, July 18. While Trump basks in all the media attention in Milwaukee, some observers have started raising questions about political violence and polarisation.

The shooting at the Trump rally cannot be seen as unusual in modern America where gun violence and extreme political rhetoric prevail. However, the high-profile target gave it added drama, and propelled the mainstream media into its usual hysteria of wondering why such a fine country as the United States suffers this kind of homegrown political violence.

This was not another 9/11, or an assault by the big three “foreign menaces” of China, Russia, or Iran. This was indigenous terrorism. Where did it come from? Some analysts, academics and media pundits ar-

gue that something big changed in the US in the past 40 years, which has affected how individuals engage in society, relate to others, and express their sentiments. The Reagan-to-Trump journey, they say, has peaked today in the triumph of the “political cult”, “political tribalism”, “identity politics”, or “strongman leaders”. These and other expressions all capture the dynamic of men and women across the US whose traditional community-based lives have changed dramatically.

Mass “social decay and despair” keep expanding among Americans, Journalist Chris Hedges writes, and push some to adopt Trump as their saviour. They feel isolated and ignored by society, threatened by immigrants, or suffer economic pain. So they cling to leaders who promise salvation and give them a voice by echoing their complaints against the liberals, the media, the government, and foreigners.

In this sense, it is hardly surprising that Journalists reported Trump supporters shouting obscenities at them after the shooting, and even trying to break into the press pen at the event. Their wounded warrior hero-leader had urged them to keep fighting, and they did.

And this was no precedent. For months, the press corps at most Trump events has had its own security guards, because, in America’s current tribal culture wars, they have been defined by both the right and the left as part of the problem.

Significantly, the Trump cult took an even more religious hue after Saturday’s events. Supporters and fellow Republican politicians, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, evoked “divine intervention” to explain how Trump survived the shooting. They spoke of God’s miracle, the presidential candidate being protected by “the armour of God”, and that God had saved him so that he could defeat the evil

forces in society.

Whether this religious mobilisation will help Trump in the November vote remains to be seen. A lot will depend not just on him exploiting the assassination attempt – which he certainly will – by rallying his loyal base and expanding it among undecided voters who appreciate his fighting spirit. A lot will also depend on Joe Biden’s ability to conduct presidential business despite making embarrassing mental and verbal lapses.

Another factor will certainly be the Muslim American and Arab American communities, whose intense anger at Biden’s enthusiastic support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza triggered an organised revolt against voting for him in the primaries earlier this year, especially in key swing states. And it is not just these minority communities; according to polls, some 38 per cent of voters are less likely to vote for Biden because of his policies on IsraelPalestine. Given these realities, Biden’s chances of defeating an emboldened Trump do appear in doubt.

Whatever happens in November, one thing is for sure: the iconic image of Trump pumping his fist and bleeding from his ear will remain a symbol of an era in American politics, defined by spectacle and populism, where imagery, emotion, and the universal human quest for mystical saviours triumphed over policy options and consensus decision-making. The disorienting impact of free-market economics and entertainment values on ordinary men and women who are worried and do not know where to turn will continue to drive voting patterns for years to come.

(Al Jazeera)

(Rami G Khouri is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Arab Center Washington and Distinguished Fellow at the American University of Beirut. He is a journalist and book author with 50 years of experience covering the Middle East)

A spectator sits atop a bicycle suspended above the race route during the 16th stage of the 111th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 188.6 km between Gruissan and Nimes, southern France (AFP)

The Emperor’s New Clothes and Nigel Hughes

Dear Editor,

Just like in the famous tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes, where the emperor paraded through the streets in imaginary garments while believing he was wearing a magnificent outfit, whereas in reality he was stark naked, we see a similar situation with Nigel Hughes today.

He tells grand stories and makes bold claims, convincing the gullible that there is no conflict of interest involv -

ing him as the leader of the AFC, whose law firm is contracted with oil giant ExxonMobil. However, much like the emperor’s illusion, many of us see through this facade and recognize the naked truth: his stories of grandeur, setting up an internal committee to keep ExxonMobil at arm’s length, and much more, only meet the litmus test of a leader who is self-serving, and will bend to big corporations over the interests of his people.

Nigel Hughes’s conflict of interest is glaringly obvious. As the leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), a party with seats in the National Assembly, his ties to ExxonMobil are not only inappropriate, but are also deeply troubling. His law firm’s contract with ExxonMobil places him in a position where his political decisions could be unduly influenced by corporate interests, compromising the welfare of the Guyanese people he is sup -

posed to serve.

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has highlighted this issue, stating that ExxonMobil, despite their denial, are conflicted because they have hired and have on their payroll in Guyana the leader of a political party with significant influence over national policies.

Dr Jagdeo has pointed out that ExxonMobil pays Nigel Hughes ostensibly for legal services, but the amount is not on the pub -

lic record. This figure could easily be inflated for work not done, and may have all the bearings of a legal payment, but it is effectively a political contribution to Hughes and his party to ensure that ExxonMobil’s interests are protected in any future government, or even in the current National Assembly.

Hughes’s assertion that he would exit his relationship with ExxonMobil if he becomes President is a clear attempt to deflect

attention from the present conflict of interest. This promise, made with the intent to pacify critics, only serves to highlight his willingness to prioritize personal and corporate interests over public duty. It’s time for us, the citizens, to be like the child in the story: bravely pointing out the reality that everyone else is too afraid to acknowledge.

Sincerely,

Alvin Hamilton

Conflict of interest questions and answers Now, who is being disingenuous?

Dear Editor,

In light of a disclosure through a press statement made by the undersigned in the undersigned’s capacity as a Director for a private firm, SphereX Professional Services Inc. (hereinafter called “SphereX”), wherein SphereX terminated a contract with ExxonMobil Guyana (hereinafter called “EMGL”), a reporter wrote to the Public Procurement Commission (hereinafter called “the Commission”), where the undersigned also sits as a Commissioner, enquiring whether the Commission was ever made aware of the undersigned’s business relationship with EMGL, and whether any conflict of interest was appropriately disclosed by the undersigned involving EMGL.

First and foremost, let me say that as an independent constitutional office holder serving the public’s interests, I am duty bound to

subject myself to this level of public scrutiny. I welcome these enquiries, which I am more than happy and willing to address.

The Commission is well aware of my private consulting practice through the aforementioned firm (SphereX). As regards conflicts of interest at the Commission level and my previous business relationship with EMGL, to date, there hasn’t been any matter regarding EMGL that has ever engaged the attention of the Commission for a decision or deliberation. As such, there was never any conflict-of-interest situation specific to EMGL and the undersigned as a commissioner of the Public Procurement Commission.

Moreover, it is important to note that EMGL has nothing to do with the Public Procurement Commission per se, since EMGL does not tender for government contracts. Accordingly, EMGL’s

operation is governed by the Petroleum Agreement (2016), the Local Content Act, the Petroleum Activities Act, and the Environmental Protection Act. There thus is absolutely no conflict of interest.

Suffice it to state that the Commission’s records would confirm (viz, the minutes of the Commission’s meetings) that whenever a conflict of interest arose, I had promptly made such disclosure and recused myself accordingly.

For example, the Commission’s records would confirm that there were two separate occasions in the past when two “private companies” had lodged complaints in relation to public tenders they had participated in, of which one was a past client and the other was a current client of SphereX. These were promptly disclosed to the Commission, and I had recused myself accordingly.

Furthermore, I have appropriately, and as a matter

of principle, disclosed and recused myself in the recruitment process for staff of the Commission as well. To this end, there were two instances when two candidates had applied for various positions, and they were both personally known to me. All of the foregoing disclosures can be confirmed by the Commission.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to put on record, and to state explicitly, that I am not the leader of any political party, I am not an executive member of any political party, and I am not an ordinary card bearing member of any political party.

Of note, SphereX is a professional services firm that provides economic, financial and investment advisory services, and political analyses to both local and foreign corporate clients/investors.

Yours sincerely, Joel Bhagwandin

Dear Editor,

An organisation recently formed to promote African culture, heritage, unity, and to drive and empower communities in positive social change, among other noble ideals, plans to host its own Emancipation Day festivities.

This has evoked the ire of another organization, who sees this development as a ‘contemptuous and wicked ploy’ to divide and destroy, and has called for the cancellation of the event in support of the traditional event.

The call suggests the right to host Emancipation celebrations is owned exclusively by the traditional organization, and no other is allowed to chal -

lenge that right. This is Pure balderdash!

Every year, at this time, the ugly head of divisiveness, discord, disunity, animosity, among several other adjectives, must rise to the surface in what is essentially a time of celebrating and commemorating an occasion of our people. Why does it have to be this way?

Africans organizing and promoting an African event to showcase cultures and values of the African people are deemed and labelled ‘contemptuous and wicked’. Now, who is being disingenuous?

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

Power Up Maths

the original number. For example: 3 x 7 ÷ 3 = 7

If you divide an original number by a second number, and then multiply the quotient by a second number, you are left with the original number. For example: 5 ÷ 2 x 2 = 5

That works because division is the same as multiplying by a reciprocal.

If you divide an original number by a second number, and then multiply the quotient by a second number, you are left with the original number. For example: 5 ÷ 2 x 2 = 5

That works because division is the same as multiplying by a reciprocal.

Solving equations by multiplication and division

That works because division is the same as multiplying by a reciprocal. Examples:

Page Foundation

Before you begin to solve equations by multiplication and subtraction, you should review some interesting things about numbers.

Division is the “opposite” of multiplication. Multiplication is the “opposite” of division. If you multiply an original number by a second number, and then divide the product by a second number, you are left with the original number. For example: 3 x 7 ÷ 3 = 7

Solving equations by multiplication and division

You know that if you have a fraction with the same number in the numerator and denominator, the fraction is equal to 1

You know that if you have a fraction with the same number in the numerator and denominator, the fraction is equal to 1.

Before you begin to solve equations by multiplication and division, you should review some interesting things about numbers.

If you divide an original number by a second number, and then multiply the quotient by a second number, you are left with the original number. For example: 5 ÷ 2 x 2 = 5.

You know that if you have a fraction with the same number in the numerator and denominator, the fraction is equal to 1

You know that if you have a fraction with the same number in the numerator and denominator, the fraction is equal to 1 So 7 7 = 1, 2 2 = 1 and �� = 1.

So 7 7 = 1, 2 2 = 1 and �� = 1.

That works because division is the same as multiplying by a reciprocal.

So 7 7 = 1, 2 2 = 1 and �� = 1.

If you divide an original number by a second number, and then multiply the quotient by a second number, you are left with the original number. For example: 5 ÷ 2 x 2 = 5. That works because division is the same as multiplying by a reciprocal.

So 7 7 = 1, 2 2 = 1 and �� = 1.

Examples:

(You do not even need to know the value of x!)

The Pardoning Hour

BY KHATY XIONG

(You do not even need to know the value of x!)

Remember….

3 x 7 ÷ 7 = 3 x (7 x 1 7 ) 7 x 1 7 = 7 7 = 1

Remember….

5 ÷ 2 x 2 =

Remember….

Remember

In an equation, you need to treat both sides the same way. Whatever you do to one side, you must also do to the other side.

You know that if you have a fraction with the same number in the numerator and denominator, the fraction is equal to 1

In an equation, you need to treat both sides the same way. Whatever you do to one side, you must also do to the other side. Exercises: Solve

Solve

Exercises: Solve

In an equation, you need to treat both sides the same way.

Whatever you do to one side, you must also do to the other side.

So 7 7 = 1, 2 2 = 1 and �� = 1.

(You do not even need to know the value of x!)

Exercises: Solve

Remember….

Exercises: Solve

2x + 4 = 9 2) 6m – 8 = 14 3) 12 + 2p =

In an equation, you need to treat both sides the same way.

Whatever you do to one side, you must also do to the other side.

Observing air pressure

In this fun and easy science experiment, we’re going to explore and investigate weather by observing air pressure.

Materials: Table Newspaper Ruler

Exercises: Solve 1) 2x + 4 = 9 2) 6m –

Instructions:

Place the ruler on a table so that two inches hang over the edge.

Place a double sheet of newspaper over the ruler. Align the edge of the newspaper with the edge of the table. Strike the edge of the ruler.

How it works:

When you strike the ruler, the newspaper will not move as the air pressure on the newspaper will hold it down. Air pressure

is simply the weight of all the tiny air molecules that press down on you and the Earth. It is this air pressure, or weight of the air molecules, that hold down the newspaper. (sciencefun.org)

In verse we scald ourselves dream the good dream paludal in the folded tongue two half-shadows thanking tus rab liag the gift of a curved bone carving our way back to Zos Phab Nab thiab Zos Vib Nais back even further ntawm Dej Naj Khoom where tus choj lined with cadavers smells sweet of rice and wild yams where the buzzards and shadows of B-52s are not allowed to land.

I steady myself though I am not my own talisman gelid current to napalm eyes.

WORD SEARCH:

New APNU Chair optimistic ahead of talks with PNCR Leader

…as grievances to be addressed during 1st face-to-face meeting

Member of Parliament (MP) Vincent

Henry, who was recently voted in as Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) at the expense of former Chairman and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leader Aubrey Norton, is optimistic that any squabbles between the two groups could be addressed when they meet face to face.

Henry, who heads the Guyana Action Party (GAP), is expected to meet with Norton today, Thursday, July 18. It will be the first time they meet face to face, since June 6 when Henry, in an unprecedented move, was elected by the other members of the APNU coalition as Chairman, ousting Norton in the process.

In an interview with Guyana Times, however, Henry remained focused on APNU moving forward as a coalition and readying itself to contest next year’s elections.

“We spoke one to one, more than one time. And actually, we intend to have a meeting tomorrow [today]. And work our way towards having, like I mentioned before, our objective being met,” Henry explained.

The MP was optimistic that any ill feelings and bad blood could be sorted out when they meet, since they remain committed to coalition politics.

“Everything will be discussed tomorrow [today]. Because it’s the first time we will be meeting face to face. And I’m certain that we will be able to sort out whatever

level problems. I call them level, because they’re not major problems that are there. And we’ll be able to move forward, again, because what else can you do? The best formula is a coalition formula,” he further explained.

The other parties in attendance at that June 6 meeting in which Henry was elected APNU Chairman were: the National Front Alliance (NFA); the Equal Rights and Justice Party (ERJP), and the Guyana Nation Builders (GNB), whose leader Tabitha Sarabo-Halley has been elected General Secretary of APNU.

Voted out

Despite being voted out of the chairmanship by the other parties in the APNU coalition, Norton has been insisting that he is still the Chairman. Following the elections, to which Norton’s party had allegedly been invited to, the PNCR had later released a statement claiming it had never received an invitation to attend the meet-

ing.

The party had thus claimed the elections were null and void, since only the PNCR party could initiate such a meeting. However, other members of APNU had countered, saying that a letter calling the meeting was sent to Norton, via email, on June 5, 2024.

APNU had affirmed in a statement, however, that any member of the Executive Council could have requested a meeting… and that is exactly what they did, in a June 3, 2024 letter addressed to Norton and sent via email.

A reminder was also sent to Norton two days later.

APNU anniversary

Meanwhile, APNU released a statement on Wednesday in recognition of its 13 years of existence which was officially marked on July 15. APNU coalesced in 2011, to contest the General and Regional Elections that year.

At the time, the parties in APNU included the PNC, widely acknowledged as the

largest party; the Working People’s Alliance (WPA); the Justice For All Party (JFAP) and GAP. Since 2011, however, there have been several changes.

One of the changes were WPA’s exit from the coalition. Following the ascension of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to the seat of government in August 2020, the WPA in a letter to then APNU Chairman David Granger had accused the larger PNCR party of dictatorial tendencies toward the smaller parties in the coalition.

WPA Secretary Tacuma Ogunseye had noted that since the formation of APNU there have been an active sidelining of the smaller parties. That had caused the WPA to, on many occasions, air its grievances both internally and publicly.

He had said that through-

out the life of APNU, WPA, to its detriment, had done everything within its powers to ensure the survival and success of APNU and by extension, the coalition. The accommodating positions it assumed on critical issues, which it would normally condemn, have exposed the party both internally, by party members and supporters, and externally, by its detractors, to the worst kinds of criticisms imaginable.

The WPA had requested that the names of its two nominees for Parliament and the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) seats be removed from APNU’s list. Instead of withdrawing, however, one of those nominees, Sarabo-Halley, had remained in Parliament, resigned from the WPA in August 2020 and formed the

GNB, which went on to join the APNU coalition. It was a similar story with JFAP, which withdrew from APNU that very next month. When APNU selected its parliamentary list for the 12th Parliament, the JFAP was not given a seat. The PNCR took 22 of the 31 parliamentary seats for itself.

The JFAP has had a dramatic relationship within APNU. Jaipaul Sharma, son of party founder CN Sharma, quit the JFAP and switched to the PNCR early in 2020. The very next year, Sharma switched his political allegiance – this time leaving the PNCR to form his own party, the Equal Rights and Justice Party (ERJP), which joined the APNU coalition.

In December 2022, the Alliance For Change (AFC) formally broke away from APNU. (G3)

PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton APNU Chairman Vincent Henry

Leaders of the smaller parties comprising APNU following the election of Vincent Henry as Chairman last month

Construction worker dies at Land of Canaan worksite

A28-year-old

Dead is Christopher Paul Fernandes of Lot 43

Supply, EBD. While no details of how the incident occurred was released, the Labour

Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department has launched an investigation into the

workplace fatality.

Reports are that the OSH Department, along with the police and Guyana Power and Light (GPL) personnel, responded to reports of the accident at the Lot 37 Section ‘C’ Land of Canaan worksite.

Senior OSH Officer Darwin Bourne is leading the preliminary investigation to determine the cause of the accident and to provide recommendations aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.

Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton has since expressed his sympathy to the relatives, co-workers, and friends of Fernandes.

He also reminded employers and workers of the crucial importance of adhering to safety and health practices in the workplace to prevent such tragic incidents that can result in the loss of lives.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to uncover the circumstances surrounding the fatality and ensure workplace safety standards are upheld.

This incident occurred just three days after a truck driver, Maniram Navindralall of Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD) was accidentally electrocuted. Based on reports received, Navindralall was hired to pick up and deliver four crates of concrete blocks in Windsor Estate at a private property. While he was offloading the blocks, the vehicle came into contact with a 13, 800-volt primary network, resulting in him being electrocuted.

Following the reports made, an OSH Officer visited the scene, where he commenced investigating to determine the causes of the accident and to provide recommendations to prevent future recurrences. (G9)

A new…

…US Republic?

Up to now, most folks have dismissed Trump as a wacko populist outlier who is cynically bucking the American elites for his ego – and wallet!! But whatever they might think, they still gotta explain why his supposedly outlandish positions resonate with so many Americans, no?? To be a populist means you’re purveying ideas that are “popular”, and in that case, Trump can’t be an outlier! To some large segment of the American populace, he is “mainstream” - as far as THEY’re concerned.

We knew from voting patterns in 2016, when he became President, that his support came from a helluva lot of po’ whites from all over – including blue collar workers in the North. Even though he was lambasted for being a serial womaniser and a “crotch-grabber”, he yet grabbed votes from that demographic!! And while his lifestyle certainly didn’t show him to be no choir boy -his most fervid voters were fervent evangelicals - especially from the South and Midwest. How did an archetypal city slicker from that den of iniquity called New York City get to be the hero of those folks??

Well, yesterday, your Eyewitness mentioned his VP pick - JD Vance (he never uses the full “James David) - for this November’s election, and if you know about Vance, you’ll be able to appreciate the Trump phenomenon!! Vance wrote his modern American “rags to riches” story in the NYTimes bestseller “Hillbilly Elegy” - which Netflix picked up to make an Oscar nominated movieand all is explained by showing more than telling. The old American “Rags to riches” story was told in the pulp novels written by Horatio Alger in the 19th century, and it was about impoverished boys who, through hard work, determination, courage and honesty, joined the “respectable middle class”.

Well, JD Vance’s story is about the here and now, and describes intergenerational poverty of the po’ white Hillbillies from the Appalachian Mountains –which continued even as they trekked to the Midwest, only to see their bubble burst in what is now called the “Rust Belt”. The moonshine (bush rum) that fuelled the Hillbilly violent and unstable lives was now replaced by heroin in the Midwest as the factories that had provided employment and a decent life were hived off to China and other destinations foreign.

Hard work don’t give you nothing when the factories are all sent abroad!! Vance decries the dominant liberal paradigm focusing on handouts like food stamps, which simply perpetuate the misery by convincing the welfare recipients they got no agency. The liberals ensconced in the cities, mansions and universities scorn the “white trash”!!

Trump’s cussing out this elite - while insisting America must take care of its own - has given Hillbillies a voice.

…police low

The police have preyed on the Guyanese people for so long that there’s nary a soul who remembers it otherwise. When the Brits were here, they had the police do their bidding – “to keep us in our place” for over a hundred years. When Burnham took over, they continued preying on us, but this time to keep Burnham in power!! And since they knew Burnham was playing games with their professionalism, they jettisoned that completely as they started doing their own hustle. Remember getting arrested for having flour and sardines, and having to bribe the police by “sharing”??

Well, this has become so embedded after Granger took over and threw out some professional brass for his lackeys that things are now out of hand. The Home Affairs Minister was forced to call a spade a spade and denounce officers running procurement rackets from inside Police HQ!

Imagine those miscreants became so bold that they had to be called out for ostentatiously wearing bling on the job!! Bun dem!!

…US relationship

Even as the US just announced they’re ratcheting up their strategic cooperation with us, your Eyewitness has pointed out they seem to be playing footsies with Mad Maduro - who’s going to the polls this month-end.

So, what’s the ‘strategy”?

construction worker lost his life on Tuesday at his worksite at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The worksite where the incident occurred

Dead: Christopher Paul Fernandes

GO-Invest Head calls for global collaboration for regional investment opportunities

Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer and Agency Head of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Dr Peter Ramsaroop, on Wednesday called on investment promotion heads of the world to adopt a united approach to maximise investment opportunities in this part of the hemisphere.

In a release from GOInvest, it was stated that he issued the call to regional investment agency heads and their representatives at the opening of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies’ (WAIPA) Central America and the Caribbean Regional Meeting being held in the Dominican Republic. Vice President of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Peña de Antuña, also attended the event.

In his presentation titled, “Guyana Case: Investment Possibilities in New Industries”, he underscored the importance of integration in the region and noted the use of artificial intelligence to create thriving agriculture and tourism sectors. The local investment chief also used the opportunity to promote Guyana as an investment hub in the region, pointing out that Guyana is open for green and sustainable investments in tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, energy, ICT, forestry, and efforts to tackle climate change.

With a surge in economic growth in recent years coupled with heavy investments in social development, food, climate, and energy securities in Guyana, Ramsaroop also told the forum that Guyana has emerged as the Jaguar economy in this part of the world. He also touched on relations between Guyana and the Dominican Republic. Guyana and the Dominican Republic enjoy cordial bilateral relations. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1970 but in recent years have ramped up collaborations. In 2023, President Dr Irfaan Ali visited the Dominican Republic, and in the same year, President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, paid a reciprocal visit to Guyana. In 2023 alone, the two nations signed 10 cooperation agreements. The Dominican Republic has also established an embassy in Guyana, and today the private sectors of the two nations enjoy a stronger bond as they collaborate in tourism, energy, construction, among other areas.

The two-day WAIPA meeting brought together regional investment agencies head and representatives and was held under the theme “Building a Regional Agenda for the Promotion of Foreign Direct Investment”. Ramsaroop called for the event to be held in Guyana in 2025.

Established in 1995 at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, WAIPA is

a global body representing investment promotion agencies (IPAs) from over 100 countries. It focuses on supporting and empowering IPAs from around the world by serving as their primary knowledge hub on attracting, facilitating, and advocating investments. By virtue of its role as a primary knowledge hub, WAIPA, in effect, actively works to assist nations in achieving economic development, fostering job creation, and facilitating technology transfer through sustainable Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Ramsaroop has been marketing Guyana as an investor-friendly nation at major investor and business conferences around the world, in keeping with President Dr Irfaan Ali’s Vision 2030 agenda, which includes transforming Guyana into a global hub for business, eco- tourism, and leisure.

GO-Invest Head, Dr Peter Ramsaroop

High-powered guns, ammo, drugs found in South Ruimveldt

In a successful intelligence-led operation, ranks from the

branch discovered a cache of high-powered firearms, ammunition, and narcot -

ducted between 18:00h and 21:30h on Tuesday, focused on an alleyway lo -

Guyana Police Force's Criminal Investigation Department and Narcotics

ics in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown. The operation, con -

cated at Park Place, South Ruimveldt, bordered by a playfield and three hous -

es.

The police found a pink suitcase hidden under some zinc sheets in a clump of bushes. Inside the suitcase, the ranks discovered two AR rifles, one black and one black and blue, along with a Ruger 9mm pistol and a Taurus 9mm pistol, each with a magazine.

Additionally, the suitcase contained various scopes and sights, including a BSA telescopic sight, three ATN Viper telescopic sights, and a Bushnell range finder.

The cache included a significant quantity of ammunition: 319 rounds of 9mm, 106 rounds of .380, 156 rounds of 12-gauge cartridges, 925 rounds of .223, 20 rounds of .270WIN, 33 rounds of .68, 76 rounds of .45, and 117 rounds of .44 ammunition.

Further searches in the same alleyway led to the discovery of a large black plastic bag containing

suspected cannabis. The narcotics weighed approximately 3.20 pounds.

The firearms, ammunition, and narcotics were photographed and logged as evidence. Ballistics

testing will be conducted on the firearms, and investigators are currently pursuing two individuals in connection with the case. An investigation has been launched.

(G9)

The guns, ammo and narcotic that were found during the operation

Surinamese woman found dead in Berbice hotel

…died from gasoline ingestion – PME reveals

The body of a Surinamese woman was discovered in a room of a West Berbice hotel.

Dead is 25-year-old Gaitree Katrain called ‘Kimberly’ of Kandratikiweg, Saramacca, Nickerie, Suriname.

The woman was expected to check out of the Starlite Hotel on Monday after spending three days.

Her lifeless body was found in a room at the hotel located at D’Edward Village, West Bank Berbice.

The discovery was made at about 17:00h on Monday by the hotel’s manager.

According to the police, the woman had checked into a hotel room alone on Thursday last and was scheduled to check out on Monday.

Reports are that, during her stay she would periodically leave and return to the hotel but on Monday after she did not check out as was scheduled, the manager went to the room and found her lying face down on the bed, with a white teacup beside her head.

She was picked up and taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Katrain had left Suriname to visit her uncle, who lives in Berbice. However, according to her mother, Sonita Katrain, when she contacted her daughter via a social media platform on one occasion, she refused to disclose her location. “She say, ‘tell Papa and you stay good’, that is all she tell me,” the

now-dead woman’s mother revealed.

Sonita Katrain stated that she later contacted the bus driver responsible for picking up the young lady in Corriverton and transporting her to her uncle’s house.

“The bus driver say that she leave with a next bus and she didn’t go with him. He said that she went in a Georgetown bus,” the grieving mother said. She said she subsequently learned that her daughter was at the hotel, after the manager called to say that she had passed her check out time.

“I called the number… her mother answered. When the person answered, i told her that it was pass her checking out time. I told her that it is three hours past her checking out time and the person asked me “check out from where?” so I asked if it was not Gaitree I was

speaking to, and then the person told me that she was the mother,” the hotel manager recounted.

Manager of the hotel, Jagdesh Ganesh explained that when Gaitree Katrain checked in she provided that phone number as her contact information.

According to him, after a few hours had passed and he was getting no response from the guest, he decided to go into the room.

“I take a spare key and notice that door was bolted from the inside and I shake it and the door opened and I see her lay flat on the bed face down. I watched her and noticed that she was not moving or responding so I come out and called the [police] station,” the manager said.

Police have since said that two bottles containing a red substance suspected to be gasoline

According to the hotel manager, he had a discussion with a cousin of the dead woman who revealed information pertaining to Katrain and the gasoline.

“Like she is addicted to this gasoline,” he said.

“One of her cousins called me to find out about the story and she told me that her parents had to hide gasoline from her; she would

smell the gasoline and she would get high,” the manager claimed he was told.

The now-dead woman’s mother when asked about the issue of gasoline, said she was told that her daughter consumed gasoline.

Asked if Katrain was suicidal, or was in the habit of inhaling gasoline, her mother replied in the negative.

“She never attempted...

She always say that she would never kill she self; she will never do that, she will never make the devil tempt her to do that,” she replied.

Meanwhile, an autopsy conducted on the body of Katrain on Wednesday by Government Pathologist Dr Vivekanand Bridgemohan found that she died as a result of gasoline ingestion. (G4)

Quick response from GFS contains fire at GRA

Employees at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) head office on Camp Street, Georgetown were briefly evacuated just after 14:00h on Wednesday when a fire alarm sounded due to a fire in the risk management department.

According to officials on the scene, the fire started following an electrical fluctuation and was quickly detected and reported. Firefighters arrived on the scene promptly and managed to contain and extinguish the fire. There were no injuries reported, and the building sustained minimal damage. The GRA has assured the public that operations will resume today following a safety inspection.

GRA’s head office is a 6-storey building, which houses some 700 staff members. (G9)

Customers, employees and firemen outside the GRA building

Dead: 25-year-old Gaitree Katrain, called “Kimberly”

Adapt business approach to agriculture – GSA’s CEO

Students from the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), local farmers, agro-processors and budding agriculturists are being encouraged to adapt sustainable and innovative business approaches to agriculture, as they work to thrive in the sector.

The group, which amounted to about 50 participants were at the time engaged in a capacity-building session hosted by GSA in collaboration with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

The event provided the space for the participants to be fully equipped with information and skills geared towards improving their knowledge, particularly in the business arena.

This included learning about business compliance, record-keeping and the importance of documentation, especially as it relates to accessing financing.

Additionally, it created the opportunity for them to gain valuable insight into what’s happening in the sector regionally, as it

agriculture and the young people have to be inspired to go into the field and I think that once they come to a place like GSA and interactive session like this, they begin to realise that it is a profitable business and it inspires them to take more risk. And there are banks here so they need to know how to create up a business plan,” the GSA CEO said.

Meanwhile, Adviser at the Agriculture Ministry,

a good thing when all of you can come together and exchange ideas that contributes to cross fertilisation of knowledge and it creates an environment for creativeness, innovation and adaptability,” Dr Blair.

The capacity-building session organised by GCCI, follows several similar sessions hosted across the country. Together with partnering agencies such as

relates to challenges and innovations like climate smart agriculture.

According to GSA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gavin Ramnarain, the programme coincides with the national agenda to boost farmers entrepreneurial capabilities to increase the production of food while upgrading their livelihoods.

On this point, he emphasised the need to continuously encourage and provide guidance to youths in the sector so that they will see agriculture as a profitable business.

“Agriculture is business and there’s an awful lot of money to be made in

Dr Richard Blair, encouraged the participants to adapt to change in agriculture and rural development, given that it is crucial for economic growth of Guyana.

According to Blair, by doing this farmers and agro-processors will be able to thrive in a globalised environment, thus aiding in building a more sustainable and prosperous agricultural landscape in Guyana.

“This programme fits very snuggly with government’s overall grand and ambitious goal of making agriculture highly competitive, resilient, and of course profitable for farmers like yourselves … it’s

the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the Guyana Food Safety Authority, the New Guyana Marketing Corporation, the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, the Small Business Bureau, and the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), GCCI hopes to achieve its objective of contributing to food security and diversification of the economy.

This in keeping with the private sector’s pledge to propel the trajectory of Guyana’s agriculture sector through support, knowledge exchange and empowerment. (G1)

Advisor at the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Richard Blair

Section of participants at capacity-building session

6-year-old boy shot in head 'Miceman' wanted for attempted murder

The Guyana Police Force

(GPF) has issued a wanted bulletin for Marlon Marcus, also known as 'Miceman,' in connection with the attempted murder of sixyear-old Jeremiah Gustave.

Marcus' last known addresses are East Ruimveldt and Albouystown, Georgetown.

The shooting occurred on July 9 at around 19:45h outside Jeremiah's home on Charles Street, Charlestown. Jeremiah, a pupil at Smith Memorial Primary School, sustained a gunshot wound to the head while standing next to his 39-year-old mother, a food vendor.

Reports are that the suspect approached on a black motorcycle and fired four shots aimed at a man known as 'Crab', who was nearby the child and his mother. 'Crab' managed to escape unharmed, but Jeremiah was struck by a bullet and collapsed.

Wanted: Marlon Marcus, also known as 'Miceman,' Injured: Jeremiah Gustave

Jeremiah's mother, Keisha Gustave, transported him to a city hospital, where he has undergone two emergency surgeries and remains on life support. Police recovered two 9mm spent shells at the scene. In an interview with Guyana Times, Keisha recounted the harrowing incident, explaining that she initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks. It was only when Jeremiah called out to her

that she found him in a pool of blood, shot through the temple with the bullet lodged at the back of his head.

She expressed her devastation and is calling for justice for her innocent son, hoping for the swift arrest of the suspect.

Anyone with information on Marlon Marcus' whereabouts is urged to contact the police at 232-0313, 225-8196, 225-6976, or the nearest police station. (G9)

Inmate found dead in cell at Lusignan Prison

Lindon Lamaizon, who was convicted on a causing death by dangerous driving charge, was found dead in his cell at Lusignan Prison on Wednesday morning around 06:00h during a routine check conducted by on-duty officers.

The Guyana Prison Service reported that Lamaizon was found unresponsive, and his blood pressure and pulse were immediately checked. A nurse was unable to obtain a reading, and a doctor was contacted. Upon examination, Lamaizon was pronounced dead.

Lamaizon had recently been discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was diagnosed with kidney failure and was undergoing treatment at the time of his death. An investigation has been launched.

The man was convicted in 2021.

This incident follows the recent death of another inmate, Niron Yacoob, at Mazaruni Prison. Yacoob, a 44-year-old murder convict, was found dead in his cell less than a month ago after complaining of shortness of breath. He was pronounced dead at Bartica Hospital.

was serving a 66-year sentence for murder and had several underlying medical conditions. On the day of his death, he had complained of shortness of breath around 00:26h and was immediately taken to the Prison’s Infirmary, where he received medical attention before passing away. (G9)

Yacoob

Dead: Lindon Lamaizon

National Summer Camp 2024 Ministry of Education

Ministry of Education photos

Health Ministry introduces system to digitise viral infection data collection

As Guyana forges ahead with plans to manage the spread of viral infections, the Government through provisions made to Health Ministry has invested in a Flu Information Management System, which will digitise collection of data from the various regions.

The adoption of this system will allow doctors and primary healthcare physicians at health institutions to input all information regarding illnesses like the seasonal flu, dengue fever, malaria, and Hepatitis A and B, among others, in one location where it could be accessed in Georgetown.

Health practitioners from surveillance departments, transmission, analysis, and reporting are currently being trained on how to use the system, which Health Minister Dr Frank

Anthony believes will play a crucial role in standardising data analysis.

Additionally, the training will update their knowledge in sentinel surveillance, data entry, and case follow-up within the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Flu

system, aiming to improve the system's overall functionality.

According to Dr Anthony, skilled experts will concentrate the information provided by staff for the ministry to implement targeted programmes aimed at reducing the risks

of viral infection transmission and the likeliness of death.

“So, the hope is, in the next couple of years, we'll have one system that will be able to respond to all of our needs. Now, in this particular case, what we're looking at, while we build that system, we want to start using data, especially on the flu, to understand what is happening. This year, we would have heard, okay, a lot of people have flu symptoms, but maybe they're confusing that with dengue, maybe they're confusing that with COVID, so we're not sure. But what these systems will allow us to do is to tease out whether it's flu or whether it's some other thing, and therefore we'll be able to have more accurate numbers and respond appropriately,” Dr Anthony explained.

Dr Anthony said prior to the Flu Information Management System, practitioners in the public health system would use Microsoft Excel to track the spread of viral infections.

On this point, he explained that now the specialised software will boost their capability to guard against future epidemics and possibly pandemics, given that it promotes accurate statistics and rapid response to cases.

“So, while we have been building systems to understand what is happening with human health, we would only be able to respond appropriately to future pandemics if we are able to track diseases among the animal population and to understand what is happening in our environment and if we find these things early, we will

be able to respond appropriately,” he added.

According to the health minister, these efforts will be supported by a pandemic fund, which has been put in place to raise additional resources for special and critical programmes being spearheaded by his ministry.

“We have also applied to the pandemic fund for additional resources, and if we do get those resources, then we will be able to fund this plan that we have developed. And that would mean that we will be strengthening our laboratory systems to be more responsive, we will be strengthening our surveillance system, we will be training more people in terms of doing surveillance and all the other areas that we need to strengthen,” the health minister stated. (G1)

UNODC boosts national security with donation of drones to Govt

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in an effort to enhance national security donated two advanced drones (DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise and a DJI Mini 4 Proto) to the Home Affairs Ministry.

According to a recent social media post by the Home Affairs Ministry, the donation was made in the Ministry’s Boardroom by Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer

and representative of the UNODC, Roberto Codesal through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Firearm Programme.

Expressing gratitude for the donation was Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn said, "this donation aligns with the UNODC's mutual commitment to strengthening security measures and combating illicit activities. The advanced technology provid -

ed by these drones will enhance our operational capabilities and contribute to our mission of maintaining public safety.”

Codesal reiterated the UNODC's dedication to collaborating with the ministry to promote peace and security. "We are pleased to support the Ministry of Home Affairs with these drones, which will undoubtedly bolster their efforts in crime prevention and control," he stated.

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

Over 80 girls registered for code programme 2024 – OPM outreach officer

The Office of the Prime Minister’s Industry & Innovation Unit

Guyanese Girls Code Programme 2024 has already seen a high number of females registering early.

This is according to Outreach Officer at the Office of the Prime Minister’s Jennifer Persaud, who said that that the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector is rapidly growing in Guyana. On this point, Persaud noted that the programme which was developed by the Office of the Prime Minister, the Industry and Innovation Unit is geared

towards encouraging more women to be a part of the technological revolution in the country.

“We do know that ICT is on a move, we see what’s happening overseas, we also see what’s happening here within Guyana and the Government of Guyana and what they are continuing to do, we do know that we have more work to do within the sector and this is one way we can ensure that girls be a part of the change and also urge them to study and understand that we cannot run away for ICT. It’s there to stay,” she said during a recent broadcast of

the EdYou FM programme.

Moreover, Persaud highlighted the support the programme has received over the years, she further disclosed that a number of participants have already secured their spot for this year’s version of the programme.

“You saw the number of women or young girls or females that participated in the programme, just today I had a conversation with someone on the phone they said they saw the flyer and they want to know ‘I am 22

can I participate’ and I said yes, we’re not refusing you. We posted the ad last week that we’re opening the online cohort and we already had about 89-100 females already registered,” she stated.

Meanwhile, this year’s edition of the programme will commence on July 20 and will cover a variety of topics such as such as problem solving, design thinking and Programming with Scratch among others.

The aim of the programme is to increase the

number of Guyanese women in Guyana’s ICT sector by teaching young girls to code/programme in order to empower them to innovate and create the technology that can change their world. Applicants are not required to have previous experience coding/ programming but must be proficient computer users. The programmes align with Guyana’s Sustainable development goals four and five which deals with gender equality and quality education.

PSC meets with Home Affairs Minister, GFS on fire safety

The

with Home Affairs

Gerry Gouveia Jr. Fire safety has emerged as a critical concern for the private sector, prompting the PSC to initiate talks during which they discussed collaborative efforts between

vention and management strategies.

In addition to training initiatives, the PSC and GFS will collaborate on the development of a comprehensive fire risk assessment frame-

The focus of the discussion centered on enhancing fire safety measures across various sectors. PSC was represented by its Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Governance and Security Sub Committee, Captain

the private sector and the GFS in mitigating fire risks.

A key outcome of the meeting was the agreement to establish joint training programmes aimed at educating businesses and homeowners on effective fire pre-

work tailored for businesses and homeowners. This initiative aims to provide practical guidelines for identifying potential fire hazards and implementing preemptive measures to mitigate risks.

Office of the Prime Minister Outreach Officer, Jennifer Persaud

Private Sector Commission (PSC) met

Minister, Robeson Benn, and senior officials from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Wednesday.

The meeting with Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, and senior officials from the GFS and PSC

Guyana’s new Ambassador to Belgium submits credentials

The Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry has announced that Sasenarine Singh, Guyana’s newly appointed Ambassador to Belgium, presented his Letter of Credence to Chief of Protocol of the Federal Public Service – Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Hubert Roisin.

This marks a significant step towards Ambassador Singh becoming fully accredited as Ambassador and Head of Mission to the Kingdom of Belgium, with the final presentation to His Majesty King Philippe announced to be completed in

September of this year.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Singh underscored the warm and longstanding relationship between Guyana and Belgium, outlining key areas for bilateral cooperation including the mitigation and adaptation action plan around the climate change challenge, the agenda to enhance trade relations, our common commitment to world peace and support of the International Court of Justice process underway as the lawful means to addressing all matters in connection with the preservation of the territorial integrity of nations. Singh further empha-

sised Guyana’s status as the world’s fastest-growing economy, presenting significant investment opportunities in several sectors of the economy including agriculture which can result in greater prosperity for both nations. He reiterated Guyana’s dedication to combating drug trafficking and stressed the importance of cooperation with Belgium in this critical area.

In response, Hubert Roisin warmly welcomed Singh to Belgium and expressed enthusiasm for the proposed areas of cooperation, many of which are priorities for Belgium, including the climate mitigation action plan. He welcomed

the opportunity for Belgium to have a strategic part-

ner in South America, emphasising the importance

of bolstering trade and investment, particularly in agriculture. His Excellency Roisin also highlighted Belgium’s essential port infrastructure supporting trade in petrochemicals, oil, and gas.

Singh conveyed warm greetings from President Dr Irfaan Ali, the Government, and the people of Guyana, reaffirming a strong commitment to advancing the partnership between Guyana and Belgium. Both parties expressed eagerness to collaborate closely on addressing shared challenges and exploiting common opportunities, thereby forging a prosperous future for both countries.

Toronto cleans up after severe storms cause floods

Major motorways in Toronto have reopened and cleanup efforts are underway after a string of storms flooded parts of the city, cut power, and left drivers stranded.

Nearly 5000 customers were still without power as of Wednesday morning, according to Toronto Hydro, down from 167,000 the previous day.

Environment Canada reported that almost 100 millimetres (4in) of rain fell on Toronto on Tuesday, surpassing the city's daily record set in 1941.

Images and videos showed severe flooding across the city, cars nearly submerged, and water cascading down the staircases at Union Station, a major transit hub.

The pop star Drake post-

ed a video on Instagram which appears to show part of his Toronto home, "The Embassy", submerged.

"Better be espresso martini," he wrote as the video showed sludgy brown water filling a room.

As Toronto deals with the aftermath, city manager Paul Johnson said the focus was both on cleanup and how to rebuild the city's aging infrastructure in a flood-resilient way a costly undertaking that would take years to complete.

The challenge, Johnson added, is doing this work while record-breaking storms continue to happen.

He noted that Toronto had three 100-year storms in the last 11 years alone.

"The definition of them seems to have flown out the window," he told report-

ers at a news conference on Wednesday.

Tuesday's storm brought major chaos to commuters and travellers in the city.

It delayed or cancelled several flights out of Billy Bishop Airport, on the Toronto Islands in Lake Ontario.

The Don Valley Parkway (DVP), a major motorway that runs adjacent to the Don River, was blocked in both directions by flooding. Ontario Highway 410 was also closed.

Both have reopened as of Wednesday morning, with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow saying in an interview with local news outlet CTV that things were "almost back to normal".

Authorities said they rescued at least 14 persons, including one person who had to be plucked from

their car's roof, on Tuesday. Toronto's fire service also received more than a thousand calls from people trapped in lifts after large areas of the city centre lost power during working hours.

Meteorologists said that Tuesday s record rainfall was due to three consecutive storms that fell on the city.

We had 25 per cent more rain in three hours than we'd have normally in the whole month of

July with all the thunderstorms and systems that moved through, meteorologist Dave Phillips told local news station CP24.

Johnson said that parts of the city were hit with normal levels of rain, while others were deluged with "hurricane amounts of water".

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority warned that areas near shorelines, rivers, and streams in the city were especially prone to flooding.

There are more than a dozen rivers and streams in Toronto, making it vulnerable to rising water levels. Chow said she did not know why the Don Valley Parkway, which is prone to flooding, was not closed earlier in the day.

Toronto suffered from an intense and costly July storm in 2013 that left at least 300,000 persons without power and more than 1000 passengers needing rescue from a flooded train. (BBC News)

Guyana’s newly-appointed Ambassador to Belgium, Sasenarine Singh presenting his Letter of Credence to Chief of Protocol of the Federal Public Service – Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Hubert Roisin

Cars are halted before a flooded section of the Don Valley Parkway after heavy rains hit Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 16, 2024 [Reuters/Kyaw Soe Oo photo]

Regional

Venezuelan Opposition Leader's security chief arrested days before election

The security chief of Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado was arrested early on Wednesday, her Vente Venezuela political movement said.

The arrest comes less than two weeks before the July 28 vote, where the Opposition coalition's candidate Edmundo Gonzalez is polling significantly ahead of President Nicolás Maduro, who is seeking a third term.

Machado, who resoundingly won the Opposition's October primary, was barred by a court from running in the election over alleged fraud, which she denies. Several dozens of Machado's allies have also been detained.

The Vente Venezuela movement said officials took Machado's security chief, Milciades Avila, from the house where he had been staying.

"I'm warning the world about Maduro's escalation of repression against those who work in the campaign or help us in any part of the country," Machado said via X. Venezuela's Opposition has repeatedly denounced arrests and other moves by the authorities that they say are meant to harm its election campaign and prevent a fair election.

A spokesperson for the US State Department said Washington was concerned by Avila's arrest.

"Arrests without due pro-

cess run contrary to the spirit of the October 2023 electoral roadmap agreement," the spokesperson said, calling for Avila's immediate release.

Avila was "accused of gender violence" against a group of women who had "tried to attack Edmundo and me" at a food store in La Encrucijada, located in the country's Aragua state, last Saturday, Machado said.

Pictures in local media showed a group of women, including some officials from a regional governor's office and known supporters of the ruling party, confronting Machado and Gonzalez.

Machado claimed on X that detaining Avila was aimed at leaving her team unprotected for the remaining period of the election campaign.

Avila has worked with Machado for a decade and "risked his life to defend

me", she said.

Machado said she held Maduro responsible for Avila's safety and that of 24 other team members who have been detained.

Foro Penal, a NonGovernmental Organisation, said on Monday that 102 persons have been detained since the start of the election campaign on July 4.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Communication and the Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The United States and others have dismissed the 2018 re-election of Maduro as a sham. Washington has urged Maduro's Government to ensure the election is "competitive and inclusive".

Six of Machado's former campaign staff are currently seeking political asylum at the Embassy of Argentina. (Reuters)

Gonsalves announces Cabinet re-shuffle

St Vincent Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has announced the first reshuffle of his Cabinet since his Unity Labour Party (ULP) won an historic fifth consecutive term in office in November 2020.

Gonsalves said that former Minister of Public Service, Frederick Stephenson has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, replacing Keisal Peters, who created history when she became the country’s first female Minister of Foreign Affairs in August 2022.

Meta decides to suspend its generative AI tools in Brazil

Meta Platforms said on Wednesday it decided to suspend use of generative artificial intelligence tools in Brazil in response to the Government's objections to its new privacy policy regarding personal data and AI.

With more than 200 million people, Brazil is a crucial market for Meta. For example, Brazil has the second-largest user base for Meta's WhatsApp after

India.

In June, Meta hosted an event in São Paulo to launch its first AI-driven ad targeting programme for businesses on the popular chat service.

Earlier this month, Brazil's National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) decided to suspend with immediate effect the validity of Meta's new privacy policy for the use of personal data to train generative artificial intelligence

systems in the country.

ANPD ruled that the company would need to adapt its privacy policy to exclude the section related to the processing of personal data for generative AI training, according to the Brazilian authority.

In a statement, Meta said it has decided to suspend the tools while it is in talks with ANPD to address the authority's doubts over generative artificial intelligence. (Reuters)

Haitian women and girls face "alarming" violence in displacement

camps – UN

Haitian women and girls are facing an “alarming” level of violence, including threats of rape, in makeshift displacement camps that have sprung up as a result of a surge of gang violence in the Caribbean nation, the United Nations says.

In a report released on Wednesday, UN Women said the camps lack basic necessities, such as lighting and locks for bedrooms and toilets, which leaves women and girls “particularly at risk of sexual and gender-based violence”.

“Gender-based violence has reached alarming levels, with aggression against women and girls, and more specifically rape, being used in most camps as a deliberate tactic to control access to humanitarian assistance,” the agency said.

The report comes as a second contingent of Kenyan Police landed in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince this week as part of a UN-backed

mission that aims to tackle a surge in gang violence.

Haiti has reeled from years of violence as armed groups – often with ties to the country’s political and business leaders – have vied for influence and control of territory.

An uptick in attacks across Port-au-Prince at the end of February prompt-

ed the resignation of Haiti’s unelected Prime Minister, the creation of a transitional presidential council and the Kenyan Police deployment. More than 578,000 Haitians have been internally displaced as a result of the violence, according to the UN, and just over half of that figure are women and girls. (Al Jazeera)

J$1 billion for Beryl victims in Jamaica

TLeeward parliamentarian will also be assigned the sports portfolio, which had also been held by Stephenson.

he Jamaican Government will be providing $1 billion in grants and other forms of assistance to people whose homes were damaged by the impact of Hurricane Beryl, which hit the country on July 3.

exception of Manchester, Clarendon, and St Elizabeth, assessments have been substantially completed, and it is anticipated that the exercise would be done in another week.

“Dr [Orando] Brewster will remain in the Ministry of Housing and Informal Human Settlements,” Gonsalves said, adding that the first-term Central

Gonsalves said that Peters would take over the “heart and soul of the government” as Minister of National Mobilisation and Social Development and that prior to the impact of Hurricane Beryl on July 1, he was contemplating splitting the ministries of housing and national mobilisation. He said that there was still some work to be done dealing with housing after the volcanic eruptions in April 2021, reiterating that his Government had said that it wanted to split the Ministry of National Mobilisation and Social Development and the Ministry of Housing.

“Senator Keisal Melissa Peters, will go into renewed energy and focus at the heart and soul of the government in National Mobilisation and Social Development and all the various sub-subjects in that particular portfolio in that particular ministry, plus of course, postal services from the Ministry of Minister Stephenson.

(Excerpt from Nation News)

Making the announcement on Tuesday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the money would go towards the restoration, reconstruction, and relocation of houses.

Giving an update on the Administration’s relief and recovery efforts in a statement to Parliament on Tuesday, Holness said a total of 5153 household damage assessments have been completed.

He said that, with the

The Prime Minister noted, however, that under the initiative, which will be channelled through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, not every house that was damaged will qualify for grants, restoration, reconstruction, and relocation, and that assistance will be based on the assessment done.

“The condition that we have agreed is that all potential beneficiaries must be assessed…The Ministry of Labour and Social

Security will explain further what the criteria [are]. We have established them, but we haven’t finalised [them]. We can’t finalise them until we have the full assessment, because you want your criteria to match what you have assessed,” he said.

“In other words, you wouldn’t want to have a criteria that doesn’t fit what you have actually observed in the field. So, clearly income is going to be a parameter that will gauge who qualifies and for persons who have income. For persons with insurance, there are programmes that I’ll announce shortly,” said Holness.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Milciades Avila, security chief of Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado, drives her car during a rally, in Merida state, Venezuela, June 25, 2024 (Reuters/Gaby Oraa photo)

Women cook in a makeshift kitchen at Antenor Firmin high school, which has been transformed into a shelter for Haitians displaced by gang violence, in Port-au-Prince on May 1, 2024 [Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters]

St Vincent Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves

Around

COIL NEWS

Wildfires erupt in Canada crude patch in threat to oil sands

Israel pounds central Gaza, sends tanks into north of Rafah

Israeli forces hit areas in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday, killing at least nine Palestinians, according to health officials, while Israeli tanks carried out a limited advance further into Rafah in the south.

Over the past 24 hours, Israeli strikes have killed at least 81 Palestinians and wounded 198, the Gaza Health Ministry said. The Ministry does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its casualty count.

rude oil inventories in the United States fell sharply this week by 4.44 million barrels for the week ending July 12, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API).

For the week prior, the API reported a 1.9 million barrel draw in crude inventories.

This week marks the third week in a row of APIestimated inventory draws for crude oil, for a total loss of 15.5 million barrels.

On Tuesday, the Department of Energy (DoE) reported that crude oil inventories in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) rose by 0.6 million barrels as of July 12. Inventories are now at 373.7 million barrels the highest level since December 2022, but still well below the 656 million barrels in inventory in June 2020.

Oil prices were trading substantially down ahead of the API data release on Tuesday. At 16:11h ET, Brent crude was trading down US$1.04 (-1.23 per cent) on the day at US$83.81 down about US$1 per barrel from this time last week. The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was also trading down on the day by US$1.08 (-1.32 per cent) at US$80.83 down nearly US$1 per barrel from this time last week.

Gasoline inventories rose this week by a small amount, +365,000 barrels, after last week s three-million-barrel decrease. As of last week, gasoline inventories are one per cent below the five-year average for this time of year, according to the latest EIA data.

Distillate inventories rose this week by 4.92 million barrels, on top of last week s 2.3-million-barrel increase.

(Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

In Rafah, where medics said two persons were killed in an air strike, tanks carried out a raid in the north of the city before pulling back, a tactic Israeli forces have used in other areas before mounting deeper incursions.

The Israeli military said troops were "continuing precise, intelligence-based operational activity in the Rafah area". It said they had eliminated what it called a terrorist cell and a launcher that had

been used to fire at troops.

It said air strikes had struck 25 targets throughout the Gaza Strip during the past day and that troops were continuing to operate in the central area, in part to dismantle structures used to observe the soldiers.

Nine months into the war, Palestinian fighters led by the

Islamist Hamas group are still able to attack Israeli forces with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs, occasionally firing barrages of rockets into Israel.

Israel's Defence Minister said that the military had made significant gains and the pressure was working.

"Operations in Gaza have

led to the conditions necessary to achieve an agreement for the return of hostages," Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in an overnight call with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin.

Israel vowed to eradicate Hamas after its militants killed 1200 persons and took more than 250 hostage in an attack on October 7, according to Israeli tallies.

On Tuesday, the military said it had eliminated half of the leadership of Hamas' military wing and killed or captured about 14,000 fighters since the start of the war, around half the fighting force estimated by the Israeli military. At least 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory offensive since then, Gaza health authorities say. Israel says 326 of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

UK's Starmer uses European forum to press for EU reset, Ukraine support

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will use his role as host of a European forum today to press his desire to reset Britain's post-Brexit relationship with the European Union and to reaffirm support for Ukraine.

Rising Republican star JD Vance to take spotlight ahead of Trump, as Biden contracts COVID

Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate, US Senator JD Vance addressed the Republican National Convention on Wednesday in a speech that could illustrate how Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement may dominate the party for years to come.

Trump's Democratic opponent in the November 5 election, President Joe Biden, tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, the White House said on Wednesday. Biden, 81, who was on a campaign visit to Las Vegas, is returning to Delaware and will perform his presidential duties from home while isolating.

gests that Europe must do more to protect its own security.

"We cannot let the challenges of the recent past define our relationships of the future. That is why European security will be at the forefront of this government's foreign and defence priorities, and why I am focused on seizing this moment to renew our relationship with Europe," Starmer said in a statement.

"The EPC will fire the starting gun on this government's new approach to Europe, one that will not just benefit us now, but for generations to come."

Even before the COVID announcement, a 20th congressional Democrat, US Representative Adam Schiff urged Biden on Wednesday to step aside, telling the Los Angeles Times he had concerns about whether Biden could defeat Trump. Vance was due to take centre stage in Milwaukee, where Republicans have sought to display party unity to contrast with the Democratic infighting. His speech would likely be the four-day convention's most-watched moment before Trump, 78, speaks tonight.

In his brief political career, the 39-yearold Ohio lawmaker has sought to build Trump's

The illness was the latest twist in a campaign that was dramatically altered four days ago when Trump narrowly survived an attempt on his life at a political rally in Pennsylvania. Biden's diagnosis is especially ill-timed. The President has sought in campaign appearances to counterbalance a halting June 27 debate performance against Trump.

populist instincts into a coherent policy agenda that envisions the US playing a less dominant role in global affairs.

Trump, his right ear still bandaged after it was grazed by a bullet in Saturday's attack, walked onto the convention stage on Wednesday afternoon and stood in front of the podium for several minutes while aides talked him through the logistics of his Thursday night speech.

Authorities have yet to establish a motive for the shooting. US Secret Service agents killed the gunman at the scene.

Officials from the Secret Service and the FBI briefed lawmakers on Wednesday. The US House of Representatives will establish a bipartisan task force next week to investigate how the 20-year-old shooter was able to get so close.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Two weeks after winning a large majority in an election and fresh from his first international trip to NATO in Washington as Prime Minister, Starmer hosts the European Political Community (EPC) of more than 40 nations at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, to build cooperation on border security.

The one-day meeting of a group set up after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 provides Britain's new leader another opportunity to push for closer defence cooperation especially before the possible election of Donald Trump who sug-

Starmer has been determined to reset EU ties after the 2016 vote to leave the bloc created years of rancour. He has said he does not see Britain rejoining the single market or customs union in his lifetime.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Violence breaks out at Bangladesh anti-quota protests, Govt orders probe into killings

Police in Bangladesh fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse students protesting against the Government's job quota system on Wednesday, a day after violent clashes left six persons dead and scores injured.

Authorities also announced the indefinite closure of all public and private universities from Wednesday following the protests over public sector job quotas, which include a 30 per cent reservation for family members of fighters from the 1971 War of Independence from

Pakistan.

Later, Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina said the government will form a judicial committee to investigate the killings.

Wednesday's violence broke out after security forces deployed outside the Dhaka University campus as students chanted: "We will not let our brothers' blood go in vain".

Police fired teargas and rubber bullets and lobbed sound grenades at the students as they marched in processions carrying coffins in solidarity with those

killed, said protest coordinator Nahid Islam. The quotas have caused anger among students who face high youth unemployment rates, with nearly 32 million young Bangladeshis not in work or education out of a total population of 170 million people.

Demonstrations intensified after Prime Minister Hasina, the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, refused to meet the protesters' demands.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Britain's Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a bilateral meeting at a hotel in Washington DC, US, ahead of the NATO summit. July 10, 2024 (Stefan Rousseau/Pool via Reuters file photo)

Palestinians inspect the damage as the collapsed minaret of Abdullah Azzam mosque leans against a house after the mosque was hit by an Israeli strike, in Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip (Reuters/Ramadan Abed photo)

DAILY HOROSCOPES

(March 21-April 19)

Don’t be fooled by hype or deals that sound too good to be true. Focus on doing your best and incorporating fun into your daily routine. Take responsibility for your happiness.

Put your energy into making changes that let you live life by your rules and allow you to create opportunities. Discuss your plans with those affected by them.

(May 21-June 20) (April 20-May 20)

(June 21-July 22)

(July 23-Aug. 22)

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

You can think big, but don’t overstep your boundaries or put yourself in a vulnerable position. Someone will take advantage of you if you give them the chance. Think about how to approach your goal.

Don’t fear being different; your uniqueness will attract interest. Do what comes naturally and enjoy interacting with interesting people and participating in new adventures.

Push yourself to achieve stellar health. Start a fitness program or change your eating habits. Engage in activities that introduce you to people who can benefit you. Romance is on the rise.

Shake things up. Travel and education will get you moving in the right direction. Refuse to let emotional situations stand between you and happiness. Change is your passage to peace of mind.

Knowing what you want will be necessary to reach your destination with gratitude and appreciation. Put your energy into building the connections and skills that lead to success.

Pay attention to your spending habits and investments. Although opportunities are present, making the right decision will take work. Say no to joint ventures and refuse to argue.

Get out and see what’s happening in your community. Engage in something that interests you and try to spend time with people who stimulate you. Make romance a priority.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Set goals and keep moving. Don’t hesitate to make changes at home that allow you to expand your interests and make your space comfortable and convenient. Listen and compromise.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Take a moment to study a situation before you leap into action. Understand how your decisions will affect your life and loved ones. Take your time to make a move.

Emotional reactions will hold you back. It’s to your benefit to withhold your feelings. A change may be necessary, but don’t cut corners. Everything must be in place for your plans to work.

Saints Hockey Club clinch U16, U21 championships

The Saints Hockey Club (SHC) have clinched the Juniors’ Summer Break Hockey Championships in both Under-21 and Under-16 categories, showcasing their dominance in the local hockey community.

The three-day event hosted at the National Gymnasium captivated the near-capacity crowd with exhilarating U16 and U21 matchups. The finals on Sunday were a perfect culmination of riveting Junior Hockey tournament.

The SHC Sensations, advancing to the Girls’ U16 final, faced YMCA OFHC Stars, with the Her-ricanes securing an early 1-0 lead. However, the Sensations quickly equalized, putting the score 1-1, then took the lead with a penalty shot, which they converted to make the score 2-1. The Sensations then dominated the proceedings, scoring four goals in a row to secure a commanding 6-1 victory and the U16 Girls’ Championship.

The SHC Legends won the Boys’ U16 Championship

with a 2-0 victory over the GCC Outlaws. Although both teams had multiple opportunities, the first period ended 0-0.

Chad DeAbreu of the GCC Outlaws broke the tie with a well-executed penalty, but the Legends quickly equalized with a booming penalty shot.

The match ended 1-1,

shootout, which the Legends won 2-0 in sudden death.

In the U21 Girls’ final, GCC Spartans and Saints U21

Ladies competed for the top title, and both sides performed well, thus the first period ended in a deadlock.

Footballer Enzo Fernandez faces disciplinary action

Juniors’ Summer Break Hockey Championships 2024… – over alleged racist chant

Chelsea have begun disciplinary proceedings against midfielder Enzo Fernandez, after he posted a video on social media that the French Football Federation (FFF) said included an alleged “racist and discriminatory” chant.

The FFF said on Tuesday it would file a complaint to world governing body FIFA over the video featuring a song sung by some of the Argentina squad about France’s black players.

Fernandez’s Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana, who has one cap for France, posted an image of the video on Instagram, describing it as “uninhibited racism”.

Fernandez - a £107m British record signing in February 2023 - said he is “truly sorry” for the video he posted, as Argentina celebrated winning the Copa America.

FIFA is also investigating the video, in which several members of the Argentina squad take part in a song originally sung by Argentina fans questioning the heritage of France’s black and mixedrace players.

Chelsea have seven France players who are black or mixed race in their firstteam squad - Fofana, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Lesley Ugochukwu, Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto and Malang Sarr.

offensive language, and there is absolutely no excuse for these words,” said Fernandez. “I stand against discrimination in all forms, and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character.”

A Chelsea statement read: “We acknowledge and appreciate our player’s public apology, and will use this as an opportunity to educate. The club has instigated an internal disciplinary procedure.”

The FFF will contact the Argentine Football Association (AFA) about the live video posted on social media by Fernandez after beat 1-0 in Copa

America final on Sunday.

A statement from the FFF, external said president Philippe Diallo “condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable and discriminatory remarks that were made against the players of the French team”.

It added: “Faced with the seriousness of these shocking remarks, contrary to the values of sport and human rights, the president of the FFF decided to directly appeal to his Argentine counterpart and FIFA, and to file a legal complaint for racially offensive and discriminatory remarks.”

The Argentine FA has been approached for comment.

Despite many penalty attempts, neither team scored, resulting in a nilall draw. The Saints eventually triumphed 2-0 in the penalty shootout due to GCC’s poor shooting. They thus claimed the U21 Girls’ Championship.

The all-Saints U21 Boys’

final pitted SHC S’Team against SHC Clovelly.

S’Team advanced to the final with a commanding 4-2 victory against GCC Pitbulls, while Clovelly sealed their position with a 2-1 win over YMCA OFHC Top Form.

In the final, SHC S’Team defeated SHC Clovelly 1-0,

owing to a great goal-keeping performance by Darius Alleyne, who was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Best Keeper of the Boys’ U21 tournament.

Lizzo Bobb of YMCA Old Fort received the MVP award in the Girls’ U16 championship, while Mackala Poole of SHC Sensations won the MVP award in the Girls’ U21 championship, and Grant Fernandes of GCC was named the Boys’ U16 tournament MVP. Meanwhile, in thirdplace playoff matches, SHC Sigmas defeated YMCA OFHC Stunners 1-0 in the Boys’ U16 category, and GCC Her-ricanes triumphed over VHC Sticklers 2-0 in the Girls’ U16 category. In the U21 division, YMCA OFHC Top Form dominated GCC Pitbulls with a 7-0 victory. The tournament, proudly sponsored by Value4U Incorporation, showcased the incredible talent and passion among young hockey players.

Interim rules will be tested on day of Guyana Cup Meet

…Ahead of legislation becoming law

lines. A number of racing jurisdictions in the Caribbean are interested in competing in Guyana, but cannot because we are not regulated,” he disclosed.

Then he said, “We will be hosting two meetings, at Rising Sun Turf Club and Port Mourant Turf Club, to sensitise (owners) and explain the rules that will be introduced to horsemen. Copies of these rules will be handed out to them at the meetings. The dates will be announced shortly. The interim rules will be advertised and printed in the race day program also.”

CFrance beat Argentina in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup, and Argentina beat France in the final of the 2022 World Cup.

“The song includes highly

A FIFA spokesperson said they were “aware of a video circulating on social media” and “the incident is being looked into”. They added: “FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone, including players, fans, and officials.”

Chelsea said they find “all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable”, and added: “We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome.” (BBC Sport)

oming on the heels of the recent announcement made by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, draft legislation for the formation of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) has been submitted, and is expected to be laid in Parliament shortly for approval of same soon.

A senior official of the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee (JJTRC) has said the ‘waters will be tested’ by the introduction of some interim rules on the Guyana Cup race day, come Sunday August 11, 2024 at the racing track at Rising Sun Village, West Coast Berbice. These interim rules, according to this official, would form part of a dress rehearsal to prepare horsemen for the type

of rules they would have to follow when the GHRA’s Rules of Racing become law.

The official has also said, “The world will be looking at us on Guyana Cup (day). We have to showcase that we are preparing ourselves to conform to what is internationally done. What is being introduced on Guyana Cup Day of racing by us is for horsemen to understand what regulated racing will be. This is not being done to penalise, but to prepare them for regulated racing.”

He admitted, “It may seem like a bitter pill, but we have to swallow it to conform to what everyone has been crying out for: legislation.

“We have to promote horse racing in Guyana along international guide-

ENTERTAINMENT

The Horseracing fraternity is anticipating the passing of legislation that would govern the sport

Girls’ U16 Champions, SHC Sensations, shared photo-op after the 2024 Summer Break Juniors Indoor Hockey tournament

Enzo Fernandez joined Chelsea from Benfica for £107m in 2023

THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2024

Richards-Botham Trophy: Test 2…

Brathwaite hoping batters ‘find a way’ to challenge England at Trent Bridge

West Indies’ batters would attempt to strike the right balance between defence and attack when they face England in the second Test at Trent Bridge, with captain Kraigg Brathwaite saying they have “to find a way” to put runs on the board.

The tourists were bowled out for totals of 121 and 136, and lost the first Test by an innings at Lord’s, with no one in the top seven managing more than the 27 posted by debutant opener Mikyle Louis in the first innings.

Brathwaite has said that while there had been discussions about what a young batting lineup -- four of whom came into the series having played fewer than five Tests -- could do differently; such as taking the attack to England’s bowlers, the focus of his message would be on doing the same again, but “for longer”.

“It’s pretty simple what we’ve got to do,” he said. “We’ve got to bat a lot bet-

ers are learning on the job, Brathwaite has the experience of 90 Tests to fall back

ter. Obviously, we’ve got to find a way, which we’ve had some discussions around different things we can do better as a team. There are still a bit of positives with the bat. With the ball, as I said before, [England scored] 50-60 runs too many, but it was a positive to get ten wickets. But with the bat, we’ve just got to put runs on the board. It’s simple.

“A few guys did get in and didn’t go on. It’s just important that you go on for longer, because the longer you bat, the easier it becomes, and it’s important to stay in that plan for as long as possible. Obviously, you want to put away bad balls; that’s what ev erybody wants to do. But it’s that hard work that you do for 40 minutes, being able to take that to an hour, two hours,” he explained.

“And it is a balance, a mixture of putting away the bad balls; because when you put away the bad balls, it gives them confidence. We just got to keep learning. You know, I think a lot of learn ing would have taken place in the first Test, and you’ve just got to believe in our abil ity and do it, and aim to do it for longer periods,” he de clared.

While many of his play

play it, the faster you will learn,” he said. “Obviously if it is drawn out over a long period of time, playing two Tests here, two Tests there, you will take longer to learn. The guys are learning, that is the positive, but yes, we need more Tests; it would improve everything about the make-up of playing Test cricket, because it’s always going to be tough. You get good periods, you get bad periods, and the more often you play, you pretty much understand it better.

Ashes very much on the selectors’ minds, he probably does warrant a spin to keep him fresh.

Shoaib Bashir retains his slot as the lone spinner, despite not bowling a single over at Lord’s. Pennington and Potts must wait in line for an opportunity, as Woakes takes the new ball, and presumably his choice of ends for the first time in a home Test, alongside Atkinson.

on - and he remains unflustered by a lack of personal form with the bat, which has seen him score one half-century in his last eight Tests going back to February 2023, during which time he has averaged 15.13.

“I know what I have to do, and it’s obviously important to lead this team and lead the batting. Just to build this foundation is obviously what I’m focusing on, and obviously that always puts us in a better position to score big runs,” he said.

“I enjoy captaining, I en

new ball and be there as long as [I] can. That’s always my focus, so I don’t see it as any added pressure,” he explained.

“Yes, you know, at times you don’t get runs and it could be a little bit tough, but it’s just important to stay mentally tough and keep believing,” he said.

“The guys are learning, that is the positive; but yes, we need more Tests. It would improve everything about the makeup of playing Test cricket, because it’s always going to be tough,”

Kraigg Brathwaite revealed.

On the team’s motivation, he referred to their victory in Brisbane earlier this year, having been beaten heavily by Australia in the first Test, as proof “that we could get it done after a loss”, and said it is important not to dwell on the lack of preparation time that resulted in such an underwhelming performance at Lord’s.

“I think (that) from a belief point of view, it shows that we could get it done after a loss, albeit in different conditions,” Brathwaite said of the Gabba victory, West Indies’ first in Australia since 1997. “It was [a few] months

important to believe in yourself. Guys are ready to go!” he declared.

The two-match series in Australia in January was West Indies’ only Test commitment between July 2023 and the current England series, and Brathwaite reiterated calls by his predecessor Jason Holder for administrators to do as much as possi-

“But we have what we have. We have a good period (from) now till December, we have six more Test matches for the year. So, we’ve got to make use of that, and hopefully, going forward, we can get more, because it will benefit the players. The more Test matches you play, the more experience you get. You always learn, because I’m pretty much still learning after 90 games. Yeah, we need more Test cricket,” he said.

Team news: Wood returns to the fold

There is just the one change for England after their innings win at Lord’s. Anderson has been moved sideways into his bowling mentor role, and into his place comes the thrusting new kid on the block, Wood,

Ben Duckett, whose wife is due to give birth this week, may yet be a late omission. Dan Lawrence is on standby. England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Shoaib Bashir. West Indies had concerns over Shamar Joseph, who appeared to suffer a hamstring niggle at Lord’s, but it transpires it was just cramp, so he retains his place in an unchanged line-up. His nominal replacement would have been the uncapped Jeremiah Louis - brother of Mikylewho could have made it two St Kitts players in the West Indies lineup in as many Tests, after none in their first 96 years.

West Indies: 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Mikyle

ble to schedule more games, while also looking forward to home series against South Africa and Bangladesh following the conclusion of their trip to England.

“It’s a challenge. I mean, we be longing for more Test cricket. I think the more you

who is back in the ranks for his first red-ball outing since the tour of India in March.

At the age of 34, he’s hardly representative of England’s long-term future, but he does have two-anda-bit years left on his threeyear contract, and with the

Louis, 3 Kirk McKenzie, 4 Alick Athanaze, 5 Kavem Hodge, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Joshua da Silva (wk), 8 Gudakesh Motie, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Shamar Joseph, 11 Jayden Seales. (ESPNCricinfo)

Archibald, Edghill to bear...

Archibald, who is currently in Stuttgart, Germany with his Jamaican Coach and colleagues, will join the Mulhouse Camp on July 24.

According to a recent missive, Archibald is currently finetuning his work in his quest for Olympic glory. The CAC Games 2023 gold medalist and Pan American Games 2023

bronze medalist reportedly shared, “Today was good for me, just getting in reps.”

Archibald’s time in Germany began back on July 13, 2024, and was arranged based on a collaboration between the Jamaican Administrative Athletic Association (JAAA), Archibald’s Coach, and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA).

The Mulhouse training camp will be held from July 14th – 21st, 2024 for table tennis and swimming, and July 22nd–29th, 2024 for athletics. Athletics’ Aliyah Abrams and swimming’s Raekwon Noel are Guyana’s other two competitors at the Paris Games. The Games will be run from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11.

West Indies’ batting would need to click if they are to level the Test series

Kraigg Brathwaite is looking for a big response from his side in Nottingham

Mark Wood and Shoaib Bashir preparing to bat during England practice

IKD/GKC officially opens Headquarters at Liliendaal

Although not fully completed, the Frank Woon-A-Tai Budokan that has been constructed by the International Karate Daigaku (IKD) and the Guyana Karate College (GKC) has officially been opened on Wednesday morning.

Present to conduct the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Liliendaal dojo was Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips.

In his feature address, the Prime Minister highlighted the role the Budokan would play in popularising the sport of Karate in Guyana.

“The establishment of the Karate College will help to popularize the sport and serve as a base from which Karate clubs can be expanded across Guyana. I look forward to the College elevating the standard of Karate. I see the College playing a leading role in making Karate more visible and popular in Guyana, and attracting more enthusiasts. I see the College enhancing the infrastructure for Karate training by establishing more well-equipped dojos and fostering access to experienced Coaches that will ensure higher quality training for students,” the Prime Minister shared on

Wednesday morning.

Prime Minister Phillips went on to emphasize the need for there to be trained instructors, an investment that can lead to the development of the sport.

The PM opined, “The loss of skilled and experienced instructors leaves a gap that hinders the sport’s growth and continuity. In this regard, the establishment of the Karate College marks a crucial step in addressing this issue. It is important that the College implements ongoing training programmes to develop a

large pool of instructors, who can then go out into their communities and into the schools to teach the art of Karate.

“By investing in the continuous development of local instructors, the College can ensure that the skills and knowledge essential for Karate are effectively passed on to students,” the PM has said.

Once completed, the Budokan will sport 4 dojos, offices, instructors’ lounge, changing rooms, washrooms, and sections for spectators. There are also plans for

Archibald, Edghill to bear Guyana’s flag at Paris Olympics

…Guyanese Olympians at various training camps

Track star Emanuel Archibald and table tennis ace Chelsea Edghill will take on the outstanding responsibility of carrying the Golden Arrowhead when the Paris 2024 Olympic Games officially open next Friday, July 26th. In addition, these two athletes, along with their 3 other colleagues competing at the global event, are

Aleka Persaud are currently at the Mulhouse High-Performance Training Camp in Mulhouse, France. It is a training camp organized by Pan American Sport and is geared at aiding the athletes to get acclimatized to the French conditions. While there, Persaud and Coach Sean Baksh had the privilege of meeting Pan Am Sport President Neven Ilic.

building a dormitory on the remainder of the facility’s

one-acre plot of land.

The IKD/ GKC has already invested more than $40M into the Budokan, and another $1M was being donated on Wednesday by 10th Dan Woon- A-Tai’s daughter.

The opening of the Budokan has come at a timely moment, since it coincides with the IKD’s hosting of their 4th World Cup, which would take place in Guyana this weekend.

Montra, Regal Stationery join supporting cast for Kares One Guyana T10 Blast

The Kares One Guyana T10 Tape ball Blast, which commences on August 3rd, is gaining momentum with the addition of Montra Restaurant and Longue and Regal Stationery and Computer Centre as sponsors.

Montra isn’t just throwing its financial weight behind the tournament; it’s also fielding a team, the Montra Jaguars, to compete among the 32 participating squads.

Regal Stationery is taking a different approach, sponsoring the individual accolades for the tournament’s top performers.

Players will vie for the titles of Most Runs, Most Wickets, and Player of the Final. Each winner would receive a Smart TV and a $75,000 cash prize.

Assuria Insurance is not holding back either, offering a motorbike and $85,000 to the Most Valuable Player.

The stakes are higher than ever, with a larger prize pool this year. The winning team will take home a whopping G$1.5 million, with G$500,000

and G$250,000 going to the runner-up and losing semifinalist respectively. The Round-of-16 follows the opening matches on August 4th. Matches will be played at 9:00AM, 11:00AM, 1:00PM, and 3:00PM on both days.

The excitement is building for the Kares One Guyana T10 Blast, and with the support of these key sponsors, the tournament promises to be a thrilling spectacle.

Kares Engineering, Banks DIH, Star Rentals; Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; Montra Restaurant and Longue, SuperBet, Ministry of Housing and Water; Premier Insurance, ENet, Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal Inc., Trophy Stall, Demerara Mutual Insurance, ANSA McAL Distribution, RS53 Restobar & Lounge, Jacobs Jewellery & Pawn Shop, and First Change Builders Inc. are the other sponsors on board thus far.

FL Sport’s John Ramsingh is flanked by Anuradha Bahadur and another representative of Regal Stationery

Managing Director of Montra Restaurant & Longue, Kumar Sarran (left), and John Ramsingh of FL Sport

Aleka Persaud (R) and Coach Sean Baksh (C), met with Pan Am Sports President Neven Ilic

Chelsea Edghill will compete at the Olympic Games for a second time

Prime Minister Mark Phillips

Prime Minister Mark Phillips and 10th Dan Frank Woon-A-Tai unveiled the Budokan’s Torii Gate