with
Port security officers told 'be cautious of cyber, other threats'
Page 3 Dismissed election petition #88
Majority of new logging concessions went to small loggers – Bharrat
See story on page 14 See story on page 5
Govt rejects US report that Police Sergeant’s claims were not investigated
See story on page 11 Govt starts consultations
Nude body of pensioner found wrapped in sheet, dumped with garbage …as neighbours recall shouts of “murder”, constant abuse
Death of baby PME shows infant died from haemorrhage, compression to neck
care owner in custody
Apost-mortem examination performed on the body of seven-month-old Oriyah Gravesande has revealed that the infant died from haemorrhage and compression to the neck.
The post-mortem examination was conducted on Wednesday by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Mortuary.
Gravesande died on Tuesday, hours after her mother had dropped her off at the facility.
Meanwhile, also on Wednesday, Police confirmed that the owner of the private daycare in Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD) has been arrested.
Officials have confirmed that the facility was uncertified and ought not to have been in operation. This raised questions about how such a facility could operate without proper authorisation.
On Tuesday, the infant’s mother, Shavanie Gravesande, was called to the facility after being informed that her daughter was unresponsive.
“They called me and tell me that our baby was unresponsive when they took her to the health centre, and by the time they reached the Georgetown Hospital, she was pronounced dead…she left home good, smiling and everything,” the child’s parent told the media.
The mother, devastated by the loss of her child, added that she was contacted two hours after the incident, and by the time she
arrived at the hospital, she was told that her baby had died.
“They murder my child… they say she fell off the bed and wrapped up in the sheet and she suffocated,” she cried in grief.
The child’s body has been handed over to the family for burial. The incident has raised concerns about the safety and regulation of private daycares in Guyana.
In a similar case in 2019, a three-year-old
The forestry sector continues to grow as new loggers enter the market. So much so that since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s return to office, over 100 new logging concessions have been allocated - mostly to small loggers. Moreover, a further 20 to 30 new concessions will
girl died at a private daycare in Georgetown after being left unsupervised in a vehicle. The owner of the daycare was charged with manslaughter.
The investigation into the latest case is ongoing, and it is not yet known if other staff attached to the daycare have also been arrested. The community is mourning the loss of the infant, and is demanding accountability from those responsible. (G9)
be advertised in the coming weeks.
Making this revelation was Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, during Tuesday’s launch of the $900 million Forestry Revolving Fund. According to the Minister, the majority of the over 100 new logging concessions were to small loggers.
“To date, we have already allocated over 100 new concessions. Over 100 new concessions, mostly to small loggers. And in another week or so, we’ll be advertising maybe another 20 or 30 new concessions, so that more stakeholders wanting to come into the forestry sector can also benefit. And now, with our partnership with Demerara Bank, access to financing is available,” the Minister said, referring to the Revolving Fund.
Bharrat spoke of some of the challenges that have been surmounted, and opportunities that include increased access to financing. This will especially benefit small loggers, whom the Minister noted have often struggled with the financial aspect of logging.
“We know we’ve been experiencing a construction boom in Guyana. And we know that the increase for materials has gone triple-fold, maybe more in some instances. And it has put a lot of pressure on us, not only in the forestry sector, but also in the mining sector”, he said.
“The more we increase our production of aggregates, the more the demand go up. The more we increase our production of wood products, the more the demand goes up. So, it is a good time
that we are joining forces with Demerara Bank,” Bharrat further said.
The forestry sector has come a long way from just a few years ago. After taking office in 2020, Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira had confirmed that the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) was in a state of bankruptcy.
The Minister had related that when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had demitted office in 2015, the Commission had over $4 billion in its coffers. But when they took office in 2020, the agency did not even have sufficient funds to pay salaries. This was topped with high debts.
During Minister Bharrat’s first engagement at the Ministry in August, he was informed that the Commission was unable to pay salaries for July to its staff, and more so, millions of dollars were owed to utility companies. In response, Bharrat had suggested major restructuring at the various agencies, to ensure that they function in a more effective manner.
Back in August 2020, the Irfaan Ali-led Government had also approved $350 million to support the GFC after it was left bankrupt by the APNU/AFC. At that time, the Government had stated that the money was to pay salaries to staff and utility services, in an effort to bail out the Commission. Additionally, the Government had said that workers were not paid their $25,000 bonus in 2018, which was announced and not honoured by the APNU/ AFC Government. (G3)
Majority of new logging concessions went to small loggers – Bharrat …more concessions to be advertised in coming weeksNatural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat Dead: Seven-month-old Oriyah Gravesande
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, March 23 –04:15h-05:45h and Friday, March 24 – 04:15h-05:45h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Thursday, March 23 –05:20h-06:50h and Friday, March 24 – 05:40h-07:10h..
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
Sunny conditions are expected during the day interrupted by light rain showers in the midmorning to mid-afternoon hours. Clear to partly cloudy skies are expected at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.
High Tide: 17:57 reaching a maximum height of 2.83 metres.
Low Tide: 11:30h and 23:45h reaching minimum heights of 0.31 metre and 0.45 metre.
Ramadan should be received with deep respect, love, and gratitude. This month was gifted to us so that we could focus on purifying our bodies, minds, and hearts in order to come closer to Allah (swt), our Creator…,” he stated.
According to the CIOG Head, the intention should be to utilise Ramadan to enhance one’s spiritual growth and to seek Allah’s pleasure and draw closer to Him.
“Preparing and refreshing ourselves of the virtues of Ramadan, the significance of Ramadan will cause us to appreciate this blessed month in a deeper manner. Our preparation
With the sighting of the moon on Wednesday evening, the Holy Month of Ramadan commences today and President Dr Irfaan Ali, in extending Ramadan wishes, wants to see everyone’s hearts filled with forgiveness and mercy so that they can all be better humans.
The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) confirmed the sighting of the crescent and declared the first night of Ramadan to be Wednesday, March 22, 2023 and the first day of Ramadan to be Thursday, March 23, 2023.
Consequently, Taraweeh prayers commenced on Wednesday to commence fasting in observance of the month of Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
A commemoration of Muhammad’s first revelation, the annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts 29 to 30 days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.
In brief remarks, streamed on his Facebook page, President Ali said Ramadan was a reminder of the mercies and grace of God Almighty.
Importantly, he noted, it is a period during which persons’ ability to forgive, be merciful, be humble, be prayerful, and be generous and gracious is tested, examined and re-enforced for the pleasure of God Almighty.
“I pray Allah bless all of us as a country, a single family, strengthen us in faiths and open our hearts with mercy, knowing through faith, all things are possible. May this Ramadan bring tremendous blessing to all our homes; open mercy, forgiveness and grace and help us all to be better human be-
ings. Ramadan Mubarak!” the Head of State declared.
Spiritual growth
Meanwhile, CIOG President Al-Hajj Shahabudeen Ahmad also extended Ramadan greetings to all Guyanese, especially the Muslim community.
“The Holy Month of
has to start now, if not done already to welcome this distinguished guest. We must train our bodies, increase in our worship and spiritual practices now. Engage in extra voluntary prayers, reciting the Quran on a committed schedule daily, forgive those who have wronged you, spreading goodness, help those in need and be
a lamppost of positivity for our family and friends and members of our community,” he stated.
The CIOG President added, “May our fasting, sacrifice, and prayer during Ramadan contribute to the healing and cleansing of the entire world, so that truth, justice, and harmony will prevail. When we speak only the truth, we will reap enormous benefits and openings… I pray Allah (swt) gives us the strength and health to fast throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan and also to stand in prayer during all its blessed nights… May Allah (swt) bless, guide, and protect us, and have mercy on us all. May Allah (swt) bless and have mercy on our country and the entire world. May each and every one benefit fully from this noble and blessed guest and may it be a source of healing for us all.” (G8)
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Today our Muslim community commenced their most holy month of Ramadan, which can succinctly be described as “the embodiment of reflection, revelation, revolution, and restoration through sacrifice”. This comes at a time when the Hindu community is observing Chaitra Navratri and the Christian community continues to observe Lent.
“Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) began his journey into prophethood through reflection within. He was searching for a broader meaning in life that would restore justice and peace in society. He was looking for an answer that would transcend the need for material survival and transform humanity into a spiritually wholesome state. He reflected and meditated, spending many years in the sanctuary of a remote cave, surrounded by steep, barren mountains situated in the outskirts of Mecca. Finally, he received the answers in the form of divine revelations. It was in the ninth month of the Arabic calendar, known as Ramadan.
“The very first word of his revelation was “Iqra” or “read” and each chapter of the entire revelations known as the Quran began by invoking ‘the most merciful’ and ‘the most compassionate’ attributes of God. Ramadan opened the door to the illuminated message that Prophet Muhammad would continue to receive for the next 23 years of his life. The revelations brought forth an extraordinary revolution of the heart in which blossomed the fragrant flowers of mercy and compassion – the essential building blocks for a just and civilised society. The very first message, “Iqra”, inspired an ignorant nation to glean knowledge from all aspects of life, and then inspired them to share it with others, irrespective of creed, colour, or gender for the common good of humanity. The seed of this remarkable transformation of a people was planted in the month of Ramadan 1400 years ago.”
Last year around this same time, President Dr Irfaan Ali had called on religious bodies to unite under the banner of “One Guyana” for a National Day of Fasting and Prayers as three significant religious observances were overlapping – Muslims observing Ramadan, Hindus observing Chaitra Navratri, and Christians observing Lent.
As President Ali had noted in his address on Guyana’s 52nd Republic Anniversary on February 23, 2022: “while we are a multicultural and multireligious society, there are some common values in our belief system that we must inculcate if we are to build a stronger Guyana that will bring prosperity for all”. Fasting and praying to draw closer to God is one such commonality.
“Religious fasting, first of all, is an act of humility before God, a penitential expression of our need for conversion from sin and selfishness. Its aim is nothing less than helping us to become more loving persons, loving God above all and our neighbour as ourselves. Its purpose, therefore, is the transformation of our total being – mind, body, and spirit,” said Monsignor Charles Murphy, the author of <<<The Spirituality of Fasting>>>, in defining this spiritual practice.
In other words, fasting is not meant to make us feel bad or to prove to ourselves that we are strong enough to resist temptations. Fasting is meant to make us more loving persons. When we fast for a religious purpose, we do so in order to be transformed in God's grace and all of our relationships should flourish as a result.
“Fasting,” Msgr Murphy writes, “cannot achieve these aims unless its focus is on God in prayer and not on ourselves.”
As DeTurris Poust observes in a prayerful meditation on fasting and feasting: “So much of life is out of balance today. Too much, too little, too caught up in the whirlwind. The world insists we need more, more, more, more, pushing us to grab all we can. But wait. Slow down. Stop. There is another way, a better way, the only way. Only by emptying ourselves out before God will we find fullness within ourselves.”
The benefits of fasting go beyond the soul. Just as it cleanses and purifies the spirit, bringing us closer to God, it cleanses and purifies the body. When we fast, insulin levels drop and Human Growth Hormone (HGH) increases, boosting fat burning and muscle growth and lowering blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Our cells also initiate important cellular repair processes and change which genes they express, promoting longevity and protection against disease. Fasting helps cleanse the body of waste, including cancer-causing substances, improving the functioning of our hearts, kidneys, and lungs among many other health benefits.
As the three religious communities observe their holy periods, may everyone achieve Taqwa (oneness with God, liberation from ignorance, wisdom, and understanding of the mysteries of the majestic universe).
Dear Editor,
Let me begin with a little story. In 1997, the then Chaplin of American University, Washington DC, asked if I knew one by the name of Mike McCormack. I replied in the affirmative, and informed the good gentleman that Mike was the head of the Guyana Human Rights Association. Chaplin X was pleased, because he knew Mike as a human rights guy.
In 2022, the same person asked, “How is Mike doing?” I replied that he is still the head of GHRA. No need to betray further details of that conversation, but the Chaplin did exclaim, “25 years! a quarter of a century!”
Well, yes, not only that long, but much longer, because Mike has been the real headman of the GHRA since 1979. His reign is closing in on half a century with no sign of any change.
Some wider context is needed here, something the philosopher Martin Heidegger called ‘worlding’. By worlding, Heddiger meant that it is important to situate things in the
larger life-world in which specific phenomena develop.
In the worlding of GHRA, we must insist that few things, if any, are more important than human rights. It is not far-fetched to say that without the full, unconditional, and unobstructed practice of political, economic, and socio-cultural rights, we are less than human. The most generalised way of actualising rights is through democratic governance at all levels; namely, at the level of world order, the state, and the local.
In light of the above, the Guyanese people should have deep concerns with the institutional norms and general practices of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA).
The crux of the problem with GHRA is that since its founding in 1979, Mike McCormack has been the ‘top dog’, with no signs of change.
Transparency and accountability are key ingredients of any organisation that operates in the name of the public interest. Regular, open, free and fair elections are
non-negotiable elements of any civil society group, not least one that claims to be the leading voice of human rights in the country.
The GHRA has failed the test of transparency and accountability, because of its clear political biases. The GHRA is always on the side of the current political Opposition, and has a distinct urban bias. It is never concerned with the lives of people in the sugar and rice districts and villages of the country. Sometimes, however, GHRA throws in a few sentences for the Indigenous Peoples of this country. Its main constituency is the Georgetown ‘wine and cheese class.’
The blatant political and cultural bias of GHRA was recently exposed when Mike McCormack stood down from condemning the violent, racist rant of a top WPA official, all this in the presence of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Aubrey Norton.
Further, on 20 March, 2023, the Attorney General’s Chambers (headed by Hon. Anil Nandlall) revealed what
appears to amount to financial malfeasance by GHRA. A press release from the AG Chambers states the following: “…records prove that the organisation, [GHRA] which was incorporated on the 27th of September 1979, is not in Good Standing for failing to file its Annual Returns since incorporation. The Company has failed to apply for Continuance under Part IV, Division B of the Companies Act, and therefore owes the State some $38,649,600.”
A human rights organisation should always obey the law. If it does not, it should be disbanded forthwith. Mr McCormack should do the right thing and resign from his current position, and he should also be pleased to honour and put into practise the basic principles of human rights conduct.
To return to Heidegger, the GHRA needs to wrench itself from its enclosure with the WPA and PNCR. It needs to step into the world of global human rights to re-world itself.
Sincerely,
Dr Randolph PersaudDear Editor, Section 3 of the Draft Model PSA focuses on the costs, expenses, expenditures and credits of the contractor. There are several items in this section that would benefit from further review and consultation with the Audit Office of Guyana. Some examples are the following:
* In section 3.1 (Costs Recoverable Without Further Approval of the Minister)
o Income tax is recoverable for permanent employees (section 3.1) (b) (vi). With the establishment of a local
Exxon Head Office, we should revisit this benefit for the inclusion of taxes. Especially if expatriate status is no longer in place and the company is no longer providing tax equalization for their employees in Guyana.
o In section 3.1 (e) (g) Insurance and Losses, "Costs, losses and damages incurred to the extent not made good by insurance are recoverable". If this section is allowed to remain as is while inadequate insurance coverage is in place, the country will be exposed to significant financial loss in
the event of a major oil spill.
The PSA must ensure very stringent and extensive insurance coverage to prevent the financial downside that this section allows.
o In section 3.1 (e) (i) training costs are recoverable. This is counterintuitive, and reduces the benefit of what had been stated earlier in the PSA, where the funding of training is provided by the Contractor. This essentially makes the training costs borrowed funds that will have an interest rate associated with it, whether it is the market rate or the in-
ternal rate for the Contractor. Making these funds non-recoverable in the PSA would be a better approach in support of the development of local content.
* In section 3.2 (Costs Recoverable only with Approval of the Minister)
o Donations and contributions to organisations in Guyana (section 3.2) (b) are recoverable. This should not be recoverable, but instead be tax exempt.
Best regards, Jamil Changlee
The Guyana Government is refuting a finding by the United States’ Department of State that the damning allegations made by Police Sergeant Dion Bascom against senior officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) last year were not investigated.
In its 2022 Human Rights Report on Guyana, the State Department stated “…In August [2022], Police officer Dion Bascom alleged that a businessman bribed members of the Guyana Police Force to foil an investigation into an execution-style killing of
Ricardo Fagundes, a gold miner. As of October [2022], Police had not investigated Bascom’s claims.”
However, Attorney
Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped on the second day of Navratri. She is depicted as walking bare-footed, carrying jap mala in the right hand and kamandal in the left hand. Goddess Brahmacharini signifies love, loyalty, wisdom and knowledge. Her appearance symbolises simplicity.
Maa Brahmacharini, the word “Brahm” refers to Tapa, and her name means “the one who performs Tapa”.
The word “Brahmacharini” means a devoted female student who lives in an ashram with her guru along with other students. The word Brahmacharini in Vedic texts means a female who pursues sacred religious knowledge. The Goddess Brahmacharini wears white clothes, and holds a jap mala (prayer beads) in her right hand and kamandal (water utensil) in her left hand.
In her resolve to marry over Shiva, Parvati/Uma, who was born in the Himalayas, begins living like him - in the mountains, engaging in the same activities of asceticism, yogin, and tapas. This aspect of Parvati is deemed to be of Goddess Brahmacharini.
Significance of Brahmacharini Puja
General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, has debunked this finding, saying it was “palpably erroneous” in a statement on Wednesday.
According to Nandlall, it is a matter of public record that the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) of the Guyana Police Force in August 2022 conducted an investigation into the matter and a subsequent report was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice. He also reminded that Bascom had refused to participate in the probe or provide any evidence to support his allegations.
In addition, the Attorney General further recalled that the Guyana Government had even requested assistance from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Regional Security System (RSS) to investigate the allegations made by Bascom.
That investigative team was headed by a former Detective Chief Inspector of the Metropolitan Police Service, Serious and Organised Crime Command (United Kingdom). Upon completion of the investigation, a report was issued and published in the media on September 10, 2022.
Among the findings of the RSS report was that the bribery allegations made by Sergeant Bascom against the GPF, namely, Detective Superintendent Mitchell Caesar and Inspector Nigel Stephens, in an attempt to cover up the unlawful killing/homicide of Fagundes were hearsay, having no provenance.
It was also found that while Bascom has alleged that the GPF has tried to cover-up the killing of Fagundes, there is evidence that the Force has diligently sought regional and international assistance in solving this case.
Moreover, with regard to Bascom’s allegation that there was a de-
vice in the possession of the Police which identified Mark Richmond’s cell phone as being at the scene at the time of Fagundes’ murder, the RSS team reported that the GPF’s technical officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rodwell Sarrabo, has confirmed that the Police Force does not have any such technology and that . Bascom was never at the crime scene with him.
It is standard practice that the Department of State would issue questionnaires to various Government agencies when conducting its research in preparation for its report. The ques-
Government would soon engage the Department of State in respect of the “inaccuracies” highlighted in the 2022 Human Rights Report as well as other matters contained in the said Report with a view of “having such falsehoods corrected”.
Sergeant Bascom was among several persons arrested by the Customs AntiNarcotic Unit (CANU) on August 8, 2022 after a quantity of cocaine was discovered at a house on Norton Street, Georgetown.
Georgetown, in March 2021. He later deleted the videos out of fear for his family members’ lives.
Acting Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum have already debunked Sergeant Bascom’s allegations, calling them “malicious and untrue”.
Businessman Mohamed, who, from the onset, had distanced himself from the allegations, has since filed a $200 million defamation lawsuit against Sergeant Bascom, in which he contended in his Statement of Claim that the words and statements uttered by Bascom are all untrue, false, dangerous, disingenuous, malicious, irrational, unfair, unsubstantiated, unfounded, and baseless, thereby tarnishing and lowering his reputation.
tionnaires submitted to the State were returned in accordance with the stipulated deadline, which was September 12, 2022.
However, AG Nandlall contended that during the reporting period, the US State Department did not engage the GPF on this particular matter.
“Significantly, the Guyana Police Force was not engaged in respect of the death of Ricardo Fagundes or interdicted Sergeant Bascom’s allegation by those who prepared the report, as is the practice… It is unclear where the Department of State gathered its information from in relation to the allegation made by interdicted Sergeant Dion Bascom. However, what is clear is that the information published in relation thereto is patently false,” the Attorney General noted.
Nevertheless, he indicated in Wednesday’s missive that the Guyana
Days later, Sergeant Bascom, seemingly angered by his arrest, during several Facebook live videos made damning allegations of corruption against several senior Police Detectives and prominent businessman Azruddin Mohamed.
Bascom has alleged that Police ranks have accepted bribes and are “covering up” the murder of Fagundes, called “Paper Shorts”, who was gunned down outside a night club on Main Street,
Bascom is also facing a second $50 million lawsuit that was filed by 44-yearold Mark Richmond, who is attached to Mohamed’s Enterprise as a security detail, whom the Sergeant had alleged was involved in the shooting.
Moreover, Superintendent Caesar, through his lawyer, had also threatened to take legal action against Sergeant Bascom if he did not remove the posts and offer him an apology and $50 million in compensation. (G8)
The second day of Chaitra Navratri is associated with the colour yellow. It signifies positive feelings, cheerfulness, joy, and kindness. The colour also boosts confidence and curiosity.
Mantra
Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Maa Brahmacharini Rupena Samsthita
There are a host of constitutional rights that Guyanese enjoy, including freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly and association. And according to the United States (US) State Department report on human rights, these rights were generally respected by the Government.
According to the US State Department’s latest report, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government generally respected the right to freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other forms of media.
“An independent media, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expres-
sion, including for members of the media. Independent news media were active, and expressed a wide variety of views without restriction,” the report stated.
Last year, on the occasion of Press Freedom Day, the Guyana Press Association had called on media houses and journalists to take all the “necessary steps to guard” and insulate themselves against such threats as spyware. To quote the press association’s message: “…media houses should of necessity take the requisite action to minimise the surveillance and monitoring of their work in violation of the freedom to receive and impart ideas.”
Reservations were meanwhile expressed in the report about the role of state media, however, which the
report noted created an imbalance in public discourse…especially since the Opposition did not have a definitive media outlet of their own.
It was noted, however, that the libel and slan-
der laws were not used to restrict freedom of expression. Outside of the libel and slander laws, the US State Department said, Government is not known to have unlawfully monitored private online communica-
tion.
“Defamatory libel is a crime punishable by imprisonment of three years or less. The law was not enforced.
The Government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet, or censor online content.
“There were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority. The law provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the Government generally respected these rights,” the US State Department further said.
Guyana was one of 14 States that were reviewed by a Universal Periodic Review
(UPR) done on Guyana’s human rights situation by a UPR Working Group in 2020. Three countries: Australia, Chile and Pakistan, served as rapporteurs for Guyana. Previously, Guyana came under UPR reviews in 2010 and 2015.
The review was based on three sets of documents that must be presented; a national report, which contains information provided by the State under review; reports from independent human rights experts and groups, most notably the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); and lastly, information provided by stakeholders, including national human rights institutions, regional organizations, and civil society groups in the country under review. (G3)
Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, spearheaded the initiative.
“Scores of residents from Kuru Kururu village on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and other surrounding communities turned out to participate in the first ever public consultation yesterday, as plans are progressing for the development of the new Silica City.
“The consultation was geared at bringing residents up-to-date on the plans for the new smart city, which upon completion will transform some 3000 acres of land. It will be a self-sustainable city with commercial and industrial zones, housing, medical and educational facilities, and recreational and open spaces,” the Government further said in a statement.
Consultations have started on the transformative Silica City with residents along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway
and surrounding communities, aimed at ensuring persons in geographic proximity are updated on the progress of the project.
During the consultations at the Kuru Kururu Youth Choice Centre on Wednesday, Minister within the Housing and Water
While on bail, Lewis is required to report to the Alberttown Police Station every Friday until the completion of the preliminary inquiry (PI). Her next court date is April 13.
According to the aunt, she placed her nephew to sit in a chair in the living room, and saw that he had a stab wound to his left side lower abdomen.
Well – as usual – the commemoration days are coming fast and furious!! We’d just finished the “Day of Happiness” on Monday and there we were - contemplating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination!! It was kinda jarring that “happiness” came before “eliminating” racism, since if the latter exists, it’s pretty difficult for those under its thrall to be happy!! The 2023 theme for the Day was “Urgently combatting racism and racial discrimination”. Right away, your Eyewitness worried whether the goal was being diluted. “Combatting” ain’t the same as “eliminating”, is it??
A21-year-old woman who is accused of stabbing her reputed husband to death after he allegedly slapped her has been arraigned for the offence of manslaughter on Wednesday.
Aaliyan Lewis, called “Dacia”, a waitress, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan
at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and was granted $300,000 bail. The mother of three was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge, which alleged that, on March 18, she unlawfully killed Esan Hamilton, 23.
She was represented by Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade.
Reports are that the stabbing occurred at about 06:30h at Lot 57 Fourth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown. According to Police, investigations revealed that Hamilton and his reputed wife occupied one of three bedrooms on the upper flat of a family house with their three children.
Police said that Hamilton’s aunt reported that she was in the kitchen when she saw her nephew rushing out of his bedroom holding his left side abdo-
Police said the woman reported that she then saw her nephew’s reputed wife exiting the bedroom with what appeared to be a silver knife in her hand.
She said as she waited on a taxi to arrive to take her nephew to the hospital, she tried to enquire from Lewis what occurred, but received no answer.
Hamilton was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where he subsequently died while receiving treatment.
Police said that two knives were removed from the scene. (G1)
Your Eyewitness suspects the folks in the UN are beginning to realise that “eliminating” racism ain’t gonna be as easy as they might’ve thought. This abomination was germinated more than FOUR HUNDRED years ago…and has persisted even as the massive empires that were founded on its back have come and gone. Where are the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French and British Empires?? Sadly, your Eyewitness thinks that one of the reasons racism was invented – and it WAS invented, you know – is because grouping people by physical characteristics makes it easy way when you want to discriminate against them!! When Hitler wanted to unleash his genocidal program against Jews – even though he claimed they were another “race” – they had to wear those yellow badges!! By that time, the Jews had spent millennia in Europe – and were practically indistinguishable from the “master race”!!
But that just shows you how difficult it is to eliminate racism, when it can take all sorts of forms right in front of our eyes. Let’s take Anti-Black racism in the US - which has influenced our thoughts on the subject so much. First, they’re explicitly grouping folks by a colour – black – while here in Guyana, we wouldn’t do that openly!! Ironically, they have a ‘one drop of (Black) blood’ rule to call someone Black – which may mean that a “Black” could be as “White” as those blonde, blue-eyed German Nazis!! And we therefore had the phenomenon of “passing” in that country!! While there was that movie, “Imitation of life”, on the theme as far back as the 1950s, just last year, “The passing” stirred quite a few comments on Netflix. Just won’t go away!!
Unlike the US, in most of the rest of the world – especially in the aforementioned European Empires – the “one drop” rule was radically interpreted as “One drop of WHITE blood” making a person White!! Well, not really…but those with the one drop certainly thought so – to the amusement of the Whites!! In Guyana and the West Indies, they were called “Coloureds”.
There are some who believe this “mixing” will eliminate racism – but the experience of societies like Brazil, that went that route, proves otherwise!!
…bullshit
No, dear reader. Your humble Eyewitness hasn’t succumbed to the general foul-mouthedness that’s overtaken our society. “Bullshit” is a term of art – a philosophical term even!! It’s contrasted with “lying” to make a critical distinction that explains much of what’s going down in Guyana today!! You see, when a person tells lies, he actually knows the truth but proclaims otherwise, to convince you of something he’s pushing.
Bullshit, on the other hand, is what we get from all those charlatans who’re riling up people – including the army and Police – to create mayhem in Guyana. The bullshitter doesn’t even care to know the truth; all he’s concerned about is to convince others, and would say whatever he thinks expedient to carry the day!! As such the truth ceases to matter, and pretty soon folks who’d dare not say certain things in public now have no reservation in shovelling all sorts of…ern…bullshit!!
And this is the great danger we face: there’s no common truth to rally around!!
…fowl smuggling
There’ something foul in the state of Guyana. And according to the news, it’s the smuggling of fowls!! Ok…Ok… your Eyewitness couldn’t resist!! But seriously folks, after all the help and protection our fowl farms get, they still can’t compete with outsiders??
Having concluded arguments, the Court of Appeal (CoA) on Wednesday announced that it would reserve its ruling in the appeal against acting Chief Justice Roxane George’s decision to dismiss election petition #88, which is seeking to invalidate the results of the March 2020 elections.
In that matter, petitioners Claudette Thorne and Heston Bostwick have maintained that the results of the March 2020 elections must be annulled on the grounds of serious non-compliance with the Constitution of Guyana and electoral laws. They have also maintained that Order #60 (the Recount Order), which birthed the recount of all votes cast, is invalid and of no legal effect.
At another hearing on Wednesday, the petitioners’ lawyer, Roysdale Forde, SC, made a relatively lengthy address to the court, and most of his arguments were repeated from the initial hearing, which was on February 8. In fact, Douglas Mendes, SC, who is appearing for Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, one of the respondents, called out Forde for recapping his previous submissions, and declined to respond to him. Forde was the first to address the court.
Most of the other lawyers indicated that they did not wish to say anything in reply to his arguments.
The three-bench panel comprising acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud are likely to hand down their decision soon, given the public interest nature of the case.
This petition was dismissed almost two years ago by the acting Chief Justice, who had, among other things, found that the petitioners had failed to present evidence to support the contention that the conduct of the elections had contravened the Constitution and electoral laws.
At the February 8 hearing, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, had asked
the appellate court to dismiss the petitioners’ appeal, which he described as misconceived and without merit.
Thorne and Bostwick’s main contention is that Section 22 of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act (ELAA), and Order #60 which was created pursuant to Article 162 (2) of the Constitution and Section 22 of the ELAA, violated the Constitution. That order was brought into effect by GECOM to give life to the national recount process, after controversy erupted over former Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica)
Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo’s declaration.
All the political parties that contested that election had agreed to the recount process to end the political standoff.
According to the Attorney General, the wide ambit of power was conferred on GECOM by Article 162 (2) because of the serious controversies, difficulties, violence, and public disorder which historically erupted in Guyana during national elections.
Notwithstanding the broad powers of GECOM under Article 162 (2), controversies and civil unrest have persisted at election time in Guyana, Nandlall had said in his address to the court.
“No doubt, this birthed
Section 22 of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, which imbues GECOM with wide-ranging powers to remove difficulties arising from or connected with an election, including the power to amend legislation if it is necessary or expedient to do so.”
He had argued that it is “beyond dispute” that difficulty arose in respect of the 2020 elections, and so the basis for the invocation by GECOM of Section 22 of the ELAA cannot be contested.
In light of this, Nandlall had maintained that the delegated power was not used arbitrarily or for any unauthorised purpose, and it was exercised intra vires.
For his part, Mendes had submitted that Order #60 was properly and lawfully issued by GECOM. He had contended that even if the court determined that Section 22 of the ELAA was unconstitutional, the election complied substantially with the laws of Guyana, it was not a sham, and it reflected the will of the people, and therefore there is no basis to nullify the results.
While pointing out that there were no breaches of any law, GECOM’s lawyer Anthony Astaphan, SC had submitted that had it not been for the recount order, only God would have been able to say when the results of the elections would have been declared. As such, he
had contended that GECOM acted in the public’s interest to ensure a declaration was made in a timely manner, while highlighting that the recount of the votes was done in full view of the public. Even if there was a breach of law in the conduct of the elections, the Senior Counsel had argued, this alone would not be sufficient to nullify the recount results.
Forde, on the other hand, has insisted that his clients have a good case, because Justice George erred in law when she ruled that Section 22 of the ELAA and Order #60 made thereunder
were not in violation of the Constitution of Guyana.
According to him, by virtue of the APNU/AFC’s application for the election results to be declared invalid, both Section 22 and Order #60, which flowed directly from Article 162 of the Constitution, were in conflict with and/or contravened Article 177 of the Constitution.
In court documents seen by this publication, he had argued, inter alia, that Justice George again erred in law when she found that Order #60 was a mechanism to allow for the recount to be conducted by expanding the recount provisions in the Representation of the People Act (RoPA).
The Senior Counsel had submitted that the Chief Justice erred in law when she failed to find that the mechanisms set out in the recount order amounted to a substantial variation from the RoPA, and consequently could not be said to have “merely modified” the Act.
Justice George, in her ruling, had noted that neither Section 22 nor the recount order was ultra vires the Constitution. She had added that Article 162 empowered GECOM to take whatever actions were necessary to conclude the elections, including embarking on a recount of all ballots.
Alluding to the events that occurred after the close of polls, Justice George had noted, “Given the difficulties, it does appear that it would not have been prudent for GECOM to declare the results in the peculiar circumstances that accompanied the completion of the process of the March 2 Elections. A combination of Article 162 (1) (b) of the Constitution and Section 22 confer the power upon GECOM to issue this [Recount] Order if GECOM considered it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness, and compliance…as regards the election process.”
Both of APNU/AFC’s election petitions have been dismissed by the Chief Justice. In January 2021, she dismissed election petition #99, which was brought by Brennan Nurse and Monica Thomas, owing to their non-compliance with effecting service on the Coalition’s Presidential Candidate, David Granger.
The party had appealed her ruling to the Court of Appeal, which by a majority decision on December 21, 2021 held that it had jurisdiction to hear an appeal against a ruling of the High Court to dismiss an election petition on the basis of procedural impropriety.
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The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government is engaged in seeking more markets for wood products, including pre-fab houses, that will
add to the markets secured in Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines over the past year.
Making this announcement was Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat
on the occasion of World Forest Day.
According to the Minister, Guyana has already secured markets in Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines for val-
ue added wood products such as pre-fab houses.
“We’ve already secured markets in Barbados and in St. Vincent, and we’re working on a few other countries to ensure that we tap into their markets of providing quality wooden houses,” the Minister said.
“And this will bring additional opportunities in the forestry sector. Because our aim, as stakeholders in the sector, is to ensure that we
cut less trees but still keep the forestry sector viable.”
He stressed the importance of value-added products to achieve this objective, noting also that the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) references sustainable logging. He also lauded the role played by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), which has answered the call for more value-added products.
“The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association, Mr. Rafeek Khan and his team that is here. I notice Neal and others from (GMSA), and they’ve been leading on the forefront, because we have made a call that Guyana needs to move away from exporting logs and move towards value added,” he said.
Students attending the Tutorial Academy
Secondary on Tuesday and Wednesday reportedly started exhibiting strange behaviour, which some claimed was as a result of some supernatural force in the school compound.
Regional education officials assessed the situation and allowed religious leaders to visit the school on Wednesday. However, there are reports that the situation intensified at the school Wednesday.
“Evil some students manifesting,” was how some students at the school described the situation.
Two of those who were sent to the New Amsterdam Hospital reportedly returned with a religious leader who told the school’s administration that the hospital could not help the children, since their problem was supernatural.
Residents of the community told Guyana Times that on Wednesday morning about 10:00h they saw students rushing to exit the school compound with many of them jumping over the fence. In under two minutes, more than half of the school population was on the road, a resident said.
Reports are that while students were writing their end-of-term test, some began showing signs of illness and were taken to the hospital.
One teacher reported that he was unaware that something was amiss until he saw a fourth child being
taken out.
The teacher said he was monitoring a class and the second child who was being lifted out appeared to be unconscious.
The teacher related that the student fell face first to the concrete floor. However, it was not until four others were taken out of the building that he realised that something was wrong.
According to a student, he saw some other students behaving strangely and they had a weird look in their eyes.
The students were taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital.
The religious leader reportedly began to perform a ritual on two of the students who were acting strangely. According to one teacher, while speaking in a strange voice, a male student told the religious leader “seven” when asked a question.
The said student was reportedly twisting himself into positions which were not normal during the ritual.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday regional officials allowed religious leaders –from all three major faiths –to visit the school.
One teacher said they held an interfaith service.
Regional education officials who made a second visit to the school took a decision to close the school for the remainder of the week.
(G4)
In a gruesome discovery that sent shockwaves through Charlestown, Georgetown, the lifeless body of an 89-year-old former vendor was found on Wednesday morning, unconscionably dumped among a thicket of bushes just a stone’s throw away from her humble place of abode.
Dead is Patricia Bovell. Her body was found on Russel Street between Broad and Howes Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown on Wednesday. At the time of the discovery, the woman’s body was wrapped in a blue and white sheet, which added to the haunting mystery surrounding her untimely demise.
According to her distraught niece Yolanda James, the pensioner was a mother of three, but only one of her offspring remains alive, and that person is residing abroad. The senior
citizen had already lost her husband and two other children to the cruel whims of fate.
A few days before the grim discovery, Bovell’s family grew increasingly concerned when they were unable to reach her via telephone. The woman’s niece told this publication that after calls to Bovell went unanswered, contacted was made with her neighbours, who told them that they heard screams coming from the woman’s house on Sunday.
Police have since said that at about 21:05h on Sunday, the woman’s 32-year-old niece visited Bovell’s Lot 57 Russel Street, Charlestown, Georgetown residence but she was not in the house. The niece told Police that she contacted Bovell’s 27-year-old unemployed grandson who lives with her, and he told her that he took Bovell to Georgetown Public Hospital because she was feeling un-
well. However, checks for the pensioner at GPHC proved futile.
With mounting worry, relatives contacted Police and an investigation was launched into her disappearance. During the course of their inquiries, the victim’s grandson, with whom she had been residing, was taken into custody on suspicion of foul play.
Under the steely gaze of law enforcement, the young man initially claimed he had taken his grandmother to the hospital, but when the authorities attempted to verify his story, they came up empty-handed.
The investigators persisted with their questioning, determined to uncover the truth behind Bovell’s disappearance.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, Police said the grandson told investigators that on Sunday, at about 04:00h, his grand-
Nandlall and Jagdeo then appealed the local appeal court’s ruling to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which in October 2022 found that the CoA had no jurisdiction to hear an election dismissed for the reasons listed by Justice George. Given the ruling of the country’s apex court, that ruling was quashed and the Chief Justice’s decision was re-
stored. The manner of service is prescribed in Rule 9 (1) of the National Assembly (Validity of Elections) Rules, which imposes on the petitioners the statutory obligation to effect service within five days after the presentation of the petition. Having been filed on September 15, 2020, the petition should have been served on Granger five days thereafter, which would have been
FROM PAGE 9
September 21, 2020, since the fifth day – September 20, 2020 – was a Sunday. But in Nurse’s Affidavit of Service, it was stated that the petition, along with the relevant documents, was only served on Granger on September 25, 2020 – five days outside of the statutorily prescribed period.
Petition # 99 can no longer be heard, as all right of appeal has been exhausted.
(G1)
mother took ill and he took her to GPHC using a passing taxi. Police said that investigators made checks at the hospital, but the woman was never at GPHC.
As a result, the Police canvassed the area at Russel Street and received information from neighbours that they heard screams of “murder” coming from Bovell’s residence on Sunday at about 04:00h. According to Police, neighbours reported that the cries went on for about five to 10 minutes, and then the place became quiet.
On Wednesday morning at about 10:00h, the Police said, they received information of a stench coming from the alleyway near Bovell’s home. Acting on this information, ranks went to the location and found a naked body of a female in a partially decomposed state, wrapped in a blue and white sheet, among garbage.
The body was taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home to await a post-mortem examination.
Speaking with this publication, the dead woman’s niece recounted the harrowing moment when they stumbled upon the grisly scene.
The woman said she and her family formed a search team to look for her grandmother, and they combed
through the area where she had lived, scouring every nook and cranny for any sign of their beloved relative.
Eventually, they stumbled upon an empty lot where a strong stench was emanating. Suddenly, she said, a bloodied and swollen finger protruded from beneath a discarded sheet.
Horrified and sickened, the family immediately contacted the Police.
As the investigation continued to unfold, a throng of curious onlookers gathered to bear witness to the unfolding mystery turned into tragedy.
Meanwhile, Bovell’s granddaughter further told Guyana Times that the suspect has been abusive to his grandmother for years.
She said just recently her cousin beat the woman brutally, and kicked her down the stairs, which caused her to break her hands.
The woman said they made several reports of the abuse, but despite their efforts to get the man away from the pensioner, she continued to beg for him because she refused to put her late daughter’s son to live on the streets.
When asked if the suspect suffers from any men-
tal illnesses, the woman responded “no”. She said he is in good health and is not mentally challenged.
Meanwhile, the woman’s neighbours related to this publication that most days they are awakened by the woman’s screams. One woman said, “When she come home with her pension, we would hear him saying ‘way the money deh! Pass you pension now!”. She said this is usually followed by a sound beating.
Another person said she last visited the woman on Tuesday last, since she attends her church. She said that while there, the woman told them that the man had beaten her.
Police said on Wednesday evening that several persons were questioned, and statements were taken as the woman’s grandson remains in custody.
As Guyana undergoes an unprecedented economic transformation, the country has become more at risk for cyber threats – something which local port security officers were urged to be aware of.
Security threats posed to shipping and port facilities came into focus when the Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG), in collaboration with MATPAL Marine Institute, hosted a one-day Port Facility and Shipping Security Awareness training programme.
The programme was held last Tuesday at the Institute’s Training Centre in Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown. The exercise saw participation from members of the SAG, and sought to bring port officers up-to-date with the various types of threats that are facing port and shipping facilities around the world.
Delivering remarks at the opening ceremony of the training, Chief Port Security Officer of Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), Major (retd.)
Dwain Nurse, told participants that there are many serious threats that are prevalent at port and shipping facilities. He pointed out that cyber threat is one of the emerging risks to port security worldwide.
“Security risks are always new and emerging, the newest of them being cyber threats. We must be aware of those emerging threats, because while some might be around for a while, some of these threats might be new to your environment.
It is our job to mitigate and minimise these dangers and threats,” Major Nurse added.
He went on to encourage
the port security officers to be aware of their environment, of their role, and what is expected of them.
MARAD is the designated local authority for the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS). The ISPS code provides a framework through which ships and port facilities can cooperate to detect and deter acts which pose a threat to maritime security.
Heightened focus
Meanwhile, Chairman of the SAG, Philip Fernandes, said the course is timely and important at this time of heightened focus on Guyana.
“The security of our shipping terminals is not only the concern of the businesses in the industry, or the owners of cargo. It is of national importance that everyone plays a part to ensure the safety and integrity of our port facilities, to uphold the reputation of our country as a safe and secure destination,” Fernandes noted.
On the other hand, Senior Lecturer of the
MATAL Marine Institute, Ian Hutson, who conducted the training, outlined the various threats posed to shipping and port facilities. These include terrorism, piracy, stowaway, drug trafficking, sabotage, civil unrest, kidnapping, and human trafficking.
The participants also heard from Trustee of the Shipping Association, Andrew Astwood, during the one-day training programme.
The participants were Shane Kendell and Alton Sauers – Muneshwers Ltd; Colin Henry –Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC); Tracy Miller and Onika Duncan – John Fernandes Ltd; Paul DeFreitas and Enroy Bobb – NAMILCO; Amechi Chiawa – Guyana National Industrial Company (GNIC), and Vidianand Sandhu.
The Shipping Association of Guyana (SAG) is a non-governmental organisation that serves as the advocate for the entire shipping industry in Guyana, representing ship owners, shipping agents, terminal operators, cargo haulers and transporters (road, air and river).
The Guyana Government, through MARAD, has been working on strengthening the local port security with the implementation of several initiatives, as well as through partnerships with bilateral partners.
Only in February 2022, 12 Guyanese received certification after participating in a workshop training exercise on good practices in port security. The venture was hosted remotely in October 2021 by the Embassy of Chile in Guyana and the Maritime Territory
and Merchant Marine.
At the time, MARAD Director General Stephen Thomas had said the training would help to place Guyana in line with security protocols.
Meanwhile, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill had also noted the importance of such exercise in Guyana’s developmental trajectory.
“This is not just because of oil and gas. Oil and gas make it relevant because of the volume and the increase in traffic, but if you’re listening to the vision and where we’re going, Guyana would play a leading role in reducing CARICOM’s import food bill by 25 per cent by 2025,” the Minister had
said.
Moreover, the Guyana Government is also cognizant of the increasing threat that cybercrimes pose, and is also working with bipartisan partners such as the United States Government.
In fact, only on Monday last, the Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice, Richard W. Downing, and his team – which included Cybersecurity Program Manager from the Secretariat of the InterAmerican Committee against Terrorism, Organization of America States (OAS), KerryAnn Barrett, and other Department of Justice (DOJ) cyber experts visited Guyana to discuss cy-
ber security solutions with Government officials here.
The US officials urged Guyana to sign onto the Convention on Cybercrime, which would offer additional resources to strengthen domestic capacity for law enforcement responses when combatting cybercrime. They said this crucial step would help Guyana combat cyber threats as it undergoes major economic transformation.
Additionally, the DOJ cyber team, in conjunction with the OAS, offered technical support toward the development of national cyber security frameworks to combat cybercrimes, especially in the security and energy sectors. The team proposed similar support to Caricom countries. (G8)
Some 30 homes and businesses were affected to different extents by floodwaters in Grove, East Bank Demerara on Tuesday afternoon after a sea defence breach occurred in the area.
A total of 30 households, comprising 25 children between the ages of five and 18, and 17 adults were directly affected by the breach.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said on
Tuesday he received calls from residents who notified him about the flood. He added that subsequent to the flood, an assessment has been conducted to know and understand the magnitude of what transpired, so the situation can be properly assessed.
“We will have to get a clear indication if this was a result of the contractor’s fault, if it was a result of my own staff’s fault, because
of improper monitoring; or it was just the event of the spring tide that we are having here, or if it’s just a combination of all of those factors. And we will have to deal with that at the appropriate time,” Edghill remarked.
Edghill added, “We have an active contractor…working on the sea defences close to where the breaches occurred. That contractor, along with other emergency response contractors, were and are mobilized to deal with the current flooding.”
Prime Minister Mark Phillips highlighted that, since the incident, the Ministry has mobilised the appropriate equipment to do an emergency sealing of the breaches.
“We have since mobilised the equipment to do an emergency sealing of the breaches, and why we won’t do that now is because…we’re experiencing an unusual high tide at present, and while the tide is ebbing now, at 4 am [on Wednesday] we’re expecting it to have high tide again.
So, it’s important that we do the work,” Phillips expressed.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, shared that the Ministry is currently taking action to
explained.
The area’s existing sea defence consists of an embankment with a dilapidated timber revetment. Last year, a contract was awarded for phase one construction of 200 metres of steel
ensure the breaches are repaired. He added that once they are finished, permanent work will continue in the area.
“When we saw what happen with the flooding, myself and [the] Prime Minister came to the location with some technical people. We were at the back, the place was messy, the water is overtopped because they have [a] high tide. In addition to that, the dam that is being used to move material from one place to the next it was very muddy, and movement of the machine back and forth I believe…compounded the problem with the high tide.
“So, you had areas where three spots…were overtopping [and] water moved quickly into the community. With respect to the objective of sealing the three breaches, we have mobilised a number of machinery and materials to seal the three branches, that’s the number one objective,” the minister
revetment. To date, approximately 135 metres have been completed.
To alleviate the flooding, temporary works include the heightening and fortifying of a barranca along the river dam to withstand the turning tide.
In response to the flood, the Civil Defence Commission coordinated, established, and executed an operational management of emergency shelter for the affected residents at Grove Seventh Day Adventist Church, Lot 123 Grove Village, East Bank Demerara. The emergency shelter is being monitored and manned by the staff of the Civil Defence Commission, who remain dedicated and vigilant in the response to disaster preparedness and management throughout Guyana.
Additionally, 80 hampers, inclusive of 50 cleaning supplies and 30 food packages, were distributed to residents of the community
Guyana is among 14 Caribbean Community (Caricom) Members States and regional institutions that are benefitting from a project funded by the Canadian Government that seeks to address statistical gaps to improve socio-economic measures and support evidence-based policy making in the Caribbean.
Launched in 2015, the CAD$19.5 million project for the Regional Advancement of Statistics in the Caribbean (PRASC) was implemented by Statistics Canada and worked to build capacity of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) in the 14 Caricom countries and regional institutions.
Specifically, the PRASC helped to enhance the Systems of National Accounts by ensuring adherence to international standards; to enhance economic statistics by working on a robust business survey infrastructure; to improve social statistics by incorporating sex-disaggregated socio-economic indicators into household surveys; and, to encourage statistical information and expertise sharing at na-
tional and regional levels.
In a recent statement, it was disclosed that NSO representatives from the 14 participating regional nations and agencies gathered in Barbados on March 20 and March 21 for the final Project Steering Committee meeting of the Canadafunded PRASC initiative, which was held under the theme:
The meeting included presentations and discussion on: the Population and Housing Census; key PRASC activities; NSO accomplishments & priorities post-PRASC; and the project exit strategy, among other areas.
“Because if we’re going to keep our deforestation rates at 0.045 per cent, or if we’re even going to reduce our deforestation rate further but still keep the sector viable, then the only way we’ll achieve that is through value added.”
Earlier this year, St Vincent Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves had toured various housing developments in Guyana. Gonsalves had said that he was impressed by what he has seen, and his country would be importing 50 houses from Guyana.
Dr. Gonsalves had said that the homes in Guyana’s housing programme were better priced than the homes in his own country without there being a difference in quality since, according to the Prime Minister, lowand middle-income houses of both countries sport similar finishes.
“I can speak fairly authoritatively about this type of project because we have been engaged in St Vincent and the Grenadines since 2001 (my Government) with low- and middle-income houses. In fact, we have a category of houses called ‘no income houses’, and these prices are certainly better than ours, and broadly speaking, the finishes are similar.
“There are things which homeowners will have to do. Like, for instance, they can choose a ceiling they want to put in. And what invariably happens is, within a year or
At this Round of Census in the Region, which was held under the theme: ‘Leave no one behind, Everyone counts!’, Guyana was represented by Chief Statistician at the Guyana Bureau of Statistics, Errol La Cruez.
Co-chaired by Global Affairs Canada, Statistics Canada and the CARICOM Secretariat, the two-day Project Steering Committee meeting allowed partners and stakeholders to present key activities and achievements from the eight-year project and to outline future priorities.
In her remarks,
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two, people add on a room or two,” Gonsalves had explained.
Prime Minister Gonsalves had also revealed that 50 houses would be imported from Guyana. According to Gonsalves, financing is already in place, and once the houses arrive, they would help replace the houses destroyed by 2021’s volcanic eruption.
The La Soufrière volcano began an effusive eruption on December 27, 2020. On April 9, 2021, there was an explosive eruption, and the volcano has continued to erupt explosively over several days. Thousands of persons had to be evacuated.
Meanwhile, Guyana owned company Dura Villas is to supply Barbados with pre-fab houses. In February, the 1000-plus modular timber project was officially launched. Already, the Government of Barbados has put in an order for 100 homes to be shipped.
The Governments of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Guyana had already put in orders at the time, while a delegation from Grenada was in the country to gauge the prospects of the product. Rafeek Khan, who is the Chief Executive Office of Dura Villa, had been optimistic that exports could double by the end of this year through support from not just Government, but small loggers. Last year, Guyana exported over US$34 million in timber.(G3)
Executive Director of Canada’s Caribbean Regional Development Program Sharon Peake referenced the benefits of collaboration between Statistical Offices in the Caribbean to learn from each other post-PRASC.
She shared, “This is exactly the sort of vision and proactive cooperation that is needed to ensure the sustainability of any project – especially like PRASC which has invested CAD$19 million into the region over the past eight years.”
In addition to Guyana, the meeting saw NSO rep-
resentatives from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago as well as the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Population Fund.
Regional Director of
Statistics at the CARICOM Secretariat Halim Brizan noted, “PRASC has provided capacity building and technical assistance that have contributed to strategic drivers in the Regional Statistics Development Strategy.”
Participating NSOs recognised the tangible benefits of PRASC to the region, referencing the extensive support Statistics Canada provided for development of their websites in an effort to bring data closer to citizens. They also noted that, through PRASC, they are now able to provide accurate, reliable and much needed data in a timelier manner. In some cases, results from surveys are made available within one month after data validation.
The PRASC, which formally concludes in September 2023, reflects a shared commitment by the Government Canada and CARICOM to advance gender equality and environmental sustainability in the Caribbean by enhancing social infrastructure and social services at the national level and regional levels.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023| GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Magistrate Dylon Bess has thrown out the charge of falsifying an invoice against the Director of Atlantic Fuels Inc (AFI), Eugene Gilbert after ruling that the falsity was not proven beyond reasonable doubt.
The charge was filed in January 2021 by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
It read that on November 12, 2020, at GRA’s Camp Street, Georgetown Headquarters, Atlantic Fuels Inc caused to be made and subscribed
a false declaration on invoice number 100 valued $40 million for customs declaration reference number GY 410C, contrary to the Customs Act.
Gilbert, 68, had pleaded not guilty and was granted $300,000 bail.
It is contrary to Section 217 (1) (a) of the Customs Act which reads “Any person who, in any matter relating to the customs, or under the control or management of the comptroller- (a) makes and subscribed, or causes to be made and subscribed, any false declaration; …”, on
summary conviction, that person is liable to a fine of $25,000, together with imprisonment for three years.
According to the company’s lawyer, Siand Dhurjon, the charge was dismissed on Wednesday after the presiding Magistrate upheld the nocase submission he made on AFI’s behalf.
Dhurjon said that the Magistrate ruled in favour of his submission that the falsity of the invoice was not proven and that the charge lacked the specificity of the falsity being al -
leged by the GRA.
“The Magistrate was at a loss, for the court could not know if the falsity alleged had to do with the value declared, the amount of fuel declared, or the supplier,” Dhurjon pointed out.
He said that the Magistrate reminded GRA counsel Jason Moore “that a court must never have to speculate and that an accused must always know the case he has to meet”.
Considering the court’s finding, the AFI lawyer noted that Magistrate Bess held that GRA failed to make out the charge against the company even
at the preliminary prima facie stage.
According to Dhurjon, the charge stemmed from a quantity of fuel that was imported by AFI in November 2020 which was seized by the GRA and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) owing to their suspicion that AFI had falsified an invoice in relation to the fuel.
Dhurjon added that he approached the High Court on the company’s behalf; and as a result, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC, on March 15, 2021, ruled that the fuel ought to be released to AFI, because there was no
lawful reason for its detention.
The lawyer reminded that Justice George also ordered the GRA and the GEA to pay AFI around $15 million, representing costs for storing the fuel and damages for their illegal detention of the fuel.
In relation to the revocation of the company’s fuel importation licence, Dhurjon stated that he also sought the intervention of the High Court. This, he said, ended in Justice Franklyn Holder ruling that there was no basis in law for the revocation of the licence.
The GEA was also ordered by the Judge to reinstate AFI’s licence.
The charge filed by the GEA against AFI for knowingly furnishing false information to the GEA is due for a decision on Friday, on whether the court will uphold Dhurjon’s no-case submission.
In November 2015, AFI, which is located at Lot 16 Sublot ‘A’ Mudlot, Kingston, Georgetown, was granted a licence to import/wholesale, and store fuel by the GEA. The licence was valid until 2025. (G1)
An application filed on behalf of accused drug trafficker Royston Peniston for him to be released on bail pending his trial has been refused by High Court Judge Jo-Ann Barlow on Wednesday.
This is according to a statement made by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), which provided no other details on the in-chamber bail petition hearing.
About two weeks ago, Peniston, 44, of Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was arraigned before Principal Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus on a drug trafficking charge.
After denying the charge, he was refused bail
The hardcover suitcases which had allegedly contained the cocaine
and remanded to prison by the magistrate.
As such, his counsel filed a bail application at the High Court in Demerara.
Particulars of the charge stated that on March 3, in the Georgetown Magisterial District, he had 2.178 kilograms of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Peniston, called “Fat Joe”, is the owner of the popular Blue Iguana Night Club in Alberttown, Georgetown. According to CANU, the drug has a street value of $2.1 mil -
lion.
On the day in question, CANU ranks swooped down on the businessman’s property at Festival City, where they intercepted him with two hardcover suitcases in his possession. A subsequent search of the suitcases in his presence revealed a quantity of whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine. As such, Peniston was arrested and escorted to CANU Headquarters.
He will make another court appearance before the magistrate on April 3. (G1)
MBW Energy Support Services Inc (MBWESSI) is hosting the country’s first Local Content Summit on April 4, 2023, themed “Sustaining Supplier Development through Local Content Partnerships”.
The female-owned-andmanaged oil and gas support services company seeks to offer local businesses desirous of participating in the energy sector relevant information from Government officials and industry leaders.
“As a medium-size local company in Guyana, I am hopeful that the Local Content Summit will provide local companies like mine with a working road map for Local Content successful participation in Guyana’s emerging energy sector,” said MBWESSI President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abbigale Loncke-Watson said.
The company describes local content as the active participation and development of Guyanese labour and suppliers in the petroleum sector and the benefits that arise from expenditure in the sector on labour, goods and services for Guyanese industry, the
economy, and wider society.
Following the enactment of the Local Content Bill in 2021, the Local Content Secretariat, created the following year, has since registered more than 500 companies and is aiming to issue 750 more local content certificates in 2023.
Through a mixture of both panel discussions and feature presentations, the Summit will expand on the local content certification process, local content best practices through an international lens, local participation, local capacity development and strategic business partnership development.
The event will take place at Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre between 09:00h and 17:00h.
Among the speakers are Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat; Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Timothy Tucker; Country Manager of Subsea 7, Michael Gow and Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana President, Rowena Elliot.
“As the Summit is focused on local content, all companies being featured during the exhibition will be Local Content-certified companies,” MBWESSI Business Development Manager Channey Wong said.
“We are committed to bringing maximum visibility to these companies including Suregig Inc, Safeway Solutions Security, M Sookhai and Co.”
Open to all Guyanese and Guyanese businesses, particularly small-to-medium sized enterprises, the Summit will offer attendees the opportunity to present questions to panellists and presenters as well as submit a pre-summit survey detailing their present needs.
said discharged a round in his direction, hitting him to the lower right thigh, which caused him to fall to the ground.
The rank then retrieved a JA 9mm pistol containing six rounds of live 9mm ammunition in the magazine and one in the breach.
Both men were rushed to a hospital, where Jerome succumbed to his injuries.
A search of the house unearthed a black plastic bag containing 75 transparent Ziploc bags filled with suspected cannabis and a portion of loose leaves, seeds and stems also suspected to be cannabis sati-
Also present at the consultations were Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Water, Andre Ally; and Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA’s) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sherwyn Greaves.
Additionally, LamahaYarrowkabra Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Chairman Floyd Smith and representatives from a number of other agencies, including the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission and the Guyana Water Incorporated, were present.
ly cater for just over 3000 households in the first five years, and eventually grow to house more than 12,500 households when completed.
Back in January, preliminary works at Silica City had commenced to pave the way for the construction of the first 100 homes.
The first phase of the project will see an initial 400 young professional homes being constructed. It was previously reported that the Housing Ministry had already begun shortlisting persons for these homes.
a major one being the Silica City project, which will be inhabited by 2025.
“A lot of people have been asking if they will see Silica City off, and they have been hearing about Silica City. One thing you can be rest assured is that, by 2025, you will hear much more than just Silica City. You will see people living there,” the Minister envisioned.
On Wednesday, in Phase Three Wisroc in Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), a dramatic Police operation resulted in the shooting of wanted armed robbery suspect Randy Ronald Jerome.
The 33-year-old unemployed man was fatally shot about 11:30h during a shootout with Police at Wisroc. Injured is 23-year-old Ronaldo Chapman, called “Paki”, of Wismar, Linden.
Police, in a statement, said that several ranks conducted an operation to apprehend
va, on a sofa.
The drugs amounted to 458 grams.
Chapman remains a patient under Police guard at the Linden hospital.
Ranks conducted searches in the area and recovered five suspected 9mm empty casings, Police said.
Chapman, called “Paki”, of Wismar, Linden, was wanted for armed robbery and rape.
Silica City, Guyana’s first smart urban centre, is intended to be a smart city powered by renewable energy and developed with the Administration’s revised Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and Goal 11 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which speaks to building sustainable cities and communities, in mind.
Silica City will initial-
A whopping $2.1 billion contact was inked in February to develop Silica City during a contract signing ceremony at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC). This was one of the 126 contracts exceeding $56 billion that were awarded for infrastructural works under the Housing Ministry as part of its work programme for 2023.
Housing Minister Collin Croal, at the signing ceremony, had explained that significant investments will be made in key project areas –
Silica City is a development the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government had initiated talks on prior to leaving office in 2015, but which was never continued under the succeeding A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government.
In his first year in office in 2020, President Dr Irfaan Ali had revealed that Government had begun discussions on Silica City as a secondary city. He had explained that the Government was looking at an area on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway that would be connected to the new four-lane bypass road. (G3)
several suspects who were at a house at Wisroc. According to Police, the men were suspected of committing armed robberies in Linden.
During the operation, the law enforcement officers said, the suspects opened fire on them and they returned fire.
In a statement, Police said that the ranks observed three men sitting on the verandah, but when the cops approached Jerome, he whipped out a firearm from his waist, pointed it at the ranks and discharged rounds at them.
“The Police ranks took cover and observed Randy jump from the verandah and begin running in a northern direction whilst continuing to discharge rounds at Police in a bid to escape. Detectives pursued him while returning fire,” the Police statement read.
According to Police, Jerome was shot to his lower back. A black .40 Beretta Pistol containing three rounds of live suspected 9mm ammunition was retrieved from him.
During the operation, Chapman was seen at the doorway pointing a suspected firearm at a rank, whom Police
Chapman is no stranger to the law. Two years ago, he was remanded to prison for ganja trafficking. It was reported that on December 25, 2021, at Block 22, Wismar, he had 121.4 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. He was remanded to prison, and was subsequently released.
According to reports, Chapman was arrested by ranks of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) after a search of a house in Block 22, Wismar unearthed several Ziplock bags and a black plastic bag containing cannabis concealed in a speaker box.
(G9)
Honduras denied on Wednesday it had demanded US$2.5 billion in aid from Taiwan before its announcement to seek to open relations with China, instead saying the country had repeatedly requested Taiwan buy Honduran public debt.
Honduras Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina told Reuters the US$2.5 billion figure was "not a donation", but rather "a negotiated refinancing mechanism".
A source familiar with the situation told Reuters earlier Wednesday Honduras had demanded the funds in aid from Taiwan the day before
Honduran President Xiomara Castro tweeted her Government
would seek to open relations with China.
Honduras is one of only 14 countries to maintain formal diplomatic ties with Chineseclaimed Taiwan and Beijing has been stepping up efforts to win over Taipei's remaining allies, saying that as a Chinese province the island has no right to State-to-State ties, which Taiwan strongly disputes.
Castro tweeted on March 14 she had instructed the country's Foreign Minister to bring about the opening of official relations with China, though her Government has yet to formally end ties with Taiwan.
The source familiar with the situation confirmed a report by Taiwan's official Central News
Agency that on March 13 the Honduran Foreign Minister had written to Taiwan's Foreign Ministry demanding the money.
But Honduras did not wait for Taiwan's response before Castro sent her tweet, the report said.
Reina denied the report, saying Taiwan was told verbally about the offer several times, and that he had sent a note to Taiwan "about a week" before Castro's announcement.
Reina had said last week Honduras' decision was partly because the Central American country was "up to its neck" in financial challenges and debt – including US$600 million it owes Taiwan. (Excerpt from Reuters)
ANSWERS FOR LAST PUBLISHED QUESTIONS
1a) The tomato belongs to the dicotyledons group
1bi) Tap roots
1bii) Net-veined leaves
1c) sexual reproduction
1d) The seed is dispersed by animals
2a) Human
2b)
2c) The direction in which energy and nutrients flow
2d) Jaguar
3a) Glass
3bi) Juice can
3bii) The juice can is made of metal, which conducts electricity.
3c) Food
3d) Wood
ANSWERS FOR LAST PUBLISHED QUESTIONS
1a) Alcohol
1b) Some young people believe using drugs make them look cool.
1c) Liver damage, impaired
2b)
judgement
1d) Make it harder for people to access drugs
2a) The Atlantic Ocean
3a) (i) It is raining heavily.
(ii) The area is flooded.
Asia continues to prefer buying cheaper Russian oil and has not turned to Brent-linked cargoes from the Atlantic Basin despite the recent 10 per cent slump in Brent oil prices, which has narrowed Brent’s premium over Middle Eastern benchmarks to the lowest in over two years, traders told Reuters.
Brent Crude prices have plunged by around 10 per cent since the turmoil in the US and European banking sector roiled global markets. Brent hit a 15-month low early this week before clawing back some losses to trade at US$74 per barrel early on Wednesday in Europe.
The plunge in Brent has narrowed its premium over the Middle Eastern benchmarks. The Brent-Dubai Exchange for Swaps (EFS), the premium of Brent over the Middle Eastern benchmark Dubai, has narrowed to just US$1.40 per barrel this week – the lowest premium of Brent over Dubai in more than two years.
Still, Asian refiners have not shown an increased appetite for Brent-linked Atlantic Basin crude, including much of the crude sold by West African producers such as Nigeria, Angola, and Congo, according to trading sources who spoke to Reuters.
Despite the plunge in Brent prices, Russian crude grade ESPO is still cheaper for Asian refiners than West African crude, traders say. Lower-priced Russian crude is eating into the market share of West African producers.
Russia also became the single largest crude oil supplier to China in January and February, overtaking Saudi Arabia, which was the number-one supplier of oil to China last year. As China accelerated the buying of cheap Russian crude oil at discounts to international benchmarks, Chinese imports of crude from Russia jumped by 23.8 per cent year over year to 1.94 million barrels per day (bpd) in January and February 2023, per data reported by China’s General Administration of Customs. Russia beat Saudi Arabia to the top spot of Chinese crude oil suppliers as imports of Saudi crude fell by 4.7 per cent to the equivalent of 1.72 million bpd, compared to 1.81 million bpd for the same period of 2022. (Oilprice.com)
Russia blasted an apartment block in Ukraine with missiles on Wednesday and swarmed cities with drone attacks overnight, in a display of force as President Vladimir Putin bid farewell to his visiting "dear friend", Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Firefighters battled a blaze in two adjacent residential buildings in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, where officials said at least one person was killed and 33 wounded by a twin missile strike.
In Rzhyshchiv, a riverside town south of Kyiv, at least eight people were killed and seven injured after a drone struck two dormitories and a college, regional police chief Andrii Nebytov said.
"This must not become 'just another day' in Ukraine or anywhere else in the world. The world needs
Rescuers and Police Officers work at a site of a building of the local lyceum heavily damaged by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of
greater unity and determination to defeat Russian terror faster and protect lives," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy tweeted, with security camera video showing one building exploding.
A playground and a
car park at the scene in Zaporizhzhia were littered with glass, debris and wrecked cars. Emergency workers carried out the wounded or escorted those who could walk.
An elderly woman with
scratches on her face sat alone on a bench, wiping tears and whispering prayers.
"When I got out, there was destruction, smoke, people screaming, debris. Then the firefighters and rescuers came," said Ivan Nalyvaiko, 24.
During the night, sirens blared across the capital and parts of northern Ukraine, and the military said it had shot down 16 of 21 Iranian-made Shahed suicide drones.
Zelenskiy visited troops near the front line. His office released video of him handing out medals to soldiers, which it said was filmed near Bakhmut, the eastern city where Ukrainian forces are mounting a defence in what has become Europe's deadliest infantry battle since World War Two.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
The US central bank has raised interest rates again, despite fears that the move could add to financial turmoil after a string of bank failures.
The Federal Reserve increased its key rate by 0.25 percentage points, calling the banking system "sound and resilient".
But it also warned that fallout from the bank failures may hurt economic growth in the months ahead.
The Fed has been rais-
Aformer Haitian mayor was arrested on US visa fraud charges on Wednesday, a day after a jury ordered him to pay US$15.5 million over allegations he led a brutal campaign to kill and torture his political opponents.
Federal Prosecutors in Boston said Jean Morose Viliena, 50, illegally obtained a green card allowing him to live permanently in the United States by falsely claiming he had not ordered or carried out extrajudicial and political killings in Haiti.
Prosecutors said that in fact, he personally committed or ordered the maiming, harm, humiliation or death of his adversaries after being elected to a four-year term as the mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, in December 2006.
He successfully obtained a visa in 2008. He's now a truck driver living in Malden, Massachusetts. Viliena's lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.
The indictment came a day after a federal jury in Boston ordered him to pay US$15.5 million in a lawsuit by three Haitian citizens – David Boniface, Juders Yseme, and Nissage Martyr –accusing Viliena of persecuting them or their relatives.
The case shed a light on widespread violence that has plagued Haiti, and Wednesday's indictment mirrored the lawsuit's allega-
tions against Viliena.
The plaintiffs said Viliena in 2007 led a group of armed men to Boniface's home who beat and fatally shot his brother, and later mobilised a group in 2008 that beat and shot Martyr and Yseme at a community radio station.
Martyr lost a leg and Yseme was blinded in one eye. Martyr died in 2017 soon after suing.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
ing borrowing costs in a bid to stabilise prices.
But the sharp increase in interest rates since last year has led to strains in the banking system.
Two US banks – Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank – collapsed this month, buckling in part due to problems caused by higher interest rates.
There are concerns about the value of bonds held by banks as rising interest rates may make those bonds less valuable.
Banks tend to hold large portfolios of bonds and as a result are sitting on significant potential losses. Falls in the value of bonds held by banks are not necessarily a problem unless they are forced to sell them.
Authorities around the world have said they do not think the failures threaten widespread financial stability and need to distract from efforts to bring inflation under control.
Last week, the European Central Bank raised its key
interest rate by 0.5 percentage points.
The Bank of England is due to make its own interest rate decision today, a day after official figures showed that inflation unexpectedly shot up in February to 10.4 per cent.
Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said the Fed remained focused on its inflation fight. He described Silicon Valley bank as an "outlier" in an otherwise strong financial system.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
Federal Police in Brazil have announced a largescale operation to disrupt a criminal gang accused of plotting the kidnapping and assassination of Government officials in at least five states.
In a statement released on Wednesday morning, the Police said it had dispatched about 120 officers to serve 24 search-and-seizure warrants and 11 arrest warrants to individuals in states including Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondonia, São Paulo, and Parana.
The Police also alleged that the planned attacks were part of a coordinated campaign, intended to occur simultaneously. Justice Minister Flavio Dino announced on Twitter that a Senator and a Prosecutor were among those targeted.
Two public officials, husband and wife Sergio Moro and Rosangela Moro, also wrote on social media that they were intended victims.
“I congratulate the Police and agents involved in
Operation Sequaz, which dismantled an organised crime scheme to assassinate authorities and their families, including my husband [Sergio Moro] and my family,” Rosangela Moro, a member of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, wrote.
In a Twitter thread, she expressed relief over Wednesday’s announcement and said she was prepared to pursue even tougher laws against organised crime in Brazil.
“Retaliation, in crime or
politics, cannot persist. Today it’s us. Tomorrow it could be you or your children,” she wrote.
Her husband, Senator Sergio Moro, had previously served as a federal judge presiding over corruption trials, including the “Operation Car Wash” scandal, which saw former President and prominent left-wing politician Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison.
(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Step outside your comfort zone if it will help you get what you want. Refuse to let anyone interfere with your plans. Set your sights on your ultimate goal and keep your dreams secret.
(March 21-April 19)
Find your audience and make your voice heard. Showing enthusiasm, dedication and passion for something that matters to you will be contagious. Reach out to people who share your sentiments.
(April 20-May 20)
PEANUTS
(May 21-June 20)
Show your true colors and chase your dreams. Be upfront about your thoughts, feelings and intentions, and you will gain trust and respect. Compromise will help resolve an emotionally fraught issue.
Work on trying to change yourself instead of trying to change others. Arguments will not help you mend what's broken, but heartfelt talks, honesty and a fair mind will work wonders.
(June 21-July 22)
Lighten up. You have more going for you than you realize. Once you put your skills, knowledge and effort into what matters to you, everything will fall into place. Speak from the heart.
(July 23-Aug. 22)
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Open your mind and heart, and something good will transpire. Connect with people offering insight into your next move. Romance will enhance your life. Do something that excites you.
Sort through any money issues with a partner to put your mind at ease. Pick up momentum, get your house in order and pave the way to better relationships and a stress-free life.
(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)
Offer creative solutions and practical applications. Set high standards and live by the rules, and you'll make a lasting impression. Love is heading your way.
(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Take a rain check if someone offers something that makes you feel uncomfortable. It would help if you focused on what matters, not on what others want you to do or think. Make your actions count.
(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Take a moment to evaluate what's unfolding around you. Clear your schedule and make personal changes that will improve your state of mind and allow you to see your options. Refuse to jump on someone's bandwagon; create your own.
You have the drive required to reach your goal. Refuse to let anyone get in your way or lead you astray. Protect your heart, health and financial well-being.
(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
Reassess your routine and choose a healthier lifestyle. Consider spending more time doing physical activities you enjoy and eating nourishing foods that will help you gain strength and boost your ego.
(Feb. 20-March 20)
Australia have snatched the #1 ODI ranking and snapped India's four-year unbeaten series streak at home with a thrilling win in the defence of 269 in Chennai.
Australia went all in from the moment they won the toss, and gambled against the dew by choosing to bat on a dry and soft surface. They attacked the new ball in the powerplay, but kept attacking, which resulted in quite a few starts but no fifty.
The bowlers then hung in, despite a quick start from India, their two spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar taking six wickets between them to drag India back from 65 for 0 and 146 for 2.
The defence was all the more remarkable because Cameron Green's illness left Australia with Marcus Stoinis as the fifth bowler. Stoinis was a revelation, though, bowling 9.1 overs for just 43 runs, and getting a wicket.
Both sides innings progressed similarly: a quick start to maximise the powerplay and the new ball followed by the pitch playing tricks, and some aggressive options taken by batters resulting in soft-looking dismissals.
The most uncharacteristic dismissal perhaps was Virat Kohli holing out to long-off in Ashton Agar's last over, after scoring the only half-century of the match, with Hardik Pandya scoring quickly at the other end and the requirement being under a run a ball.
Kohli's dismissal, followed
by a third straight golden duck for Suryakumar Yadav, left India needing 85 off 88 with four wickets in hand. It seemed Pandya, who had earlier dragged Australia back from a rapid start with figures of 8-0-44-3, would see India through, but he, too, chose the big shot over taking the game deep. His slog off Zampa with 52 required off 39 brought in the tail.
Needing to do all the scoring himself, even Ravindra Jadeja slogged at a Zampa wrong'un, leaving the tail an improbable 45 to get off 29.
These risks were uncharacteristic largely of India, in that they came from both ends and at times when India had got the asking rate under control.
When Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma got off to a flier, scoring 65 in 9.1 overs, it looked like the pitch had hurried up under the lights. The first two wickets didn't have much to do with the pitch. Rohit fell trying to maximise the last powerplay over, and Gill got his pad in the way of a drifting half-volley from Zampa.
After that, though, Kohli batted beautifully to go at a run a ball without taking any risks, even when Agar turned some balls alarmingly across the righthand batters. Even when Kohli and KL Rahul went eight overs without a boundary, there was no panic around. Rahul then pushed India ahead with a burst of a six and two fours and a six off
gathered at the nineteenth hole, where they were able to celebrate their victories with each other and Ansa McAl. According to Ansa McAl Brand Manager Atina Samad, Glenmorangie is a single malt whisky from the MoetHennessy portfolio that is distributed by Ansa McAl Trading Limited.
She also said, "The brand was newly added to our premium spirits portfolio, and is known as one of the best premium single malt whisky that is available around the world.
Zampa and Mitchell Starc.
It seemed now that the plan was for Kohli to anchor the chase and the other end to go for big hits. One such hit came off the toe of Rahul's bat and settled with long-on. Axar Patel was promoted, and was immediately run out, thanks to brilliant fielding from Steve Smith and keeping from Alex Carey.
Pandya again calmed the chase down by hitting a six and a four in the first five balls he faced. With Pandya doing the quick scoring at the other end, Kohli perhaps didn't need to start going himself. Especially in the last over of the dangerous Agar. But go he did, perhaps because he wanted to get some scoring done before the extra fielder went out in the last 10.
Australia's batters might be asking similar questions of themselves, but they had more depth in their batting than India did. Nor did they know the total they needed to get.
When it started, the first target was to make the most out of the powerplay, which Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head did, even though the first puff of dust from the surface was seen as early as the fourth over. India had to bring spin on in the sixth over to have their first over without a boundary. Marsh was brutal, Head kept finding areas square on the wicket.
took Kuldeep Yadav on.
Even though one top-edged slog-sweep from Labuschagne went for six only because the fielder was in off the rope, the two kept attacking. Warner found long-off trying to hit over long-on, and Labuschagne holed out to long-off, both against-thespin shots.
Even at 138 for 5 in the 29th over, Australia kept attacking. Stoinis and Carey, though, did it differently, by sweeping and reverse-sweeping. A no-ball for failure to follow field restrictions helped, as Carey deposited the free hit for a six. Presumably to capitalise the last few overs
before an extra fielder goes back, Stoinis and Carey began to take bigger risks. Stoinis picked out long-on at the end of the 37th over. Carey got lucky in the next over with his flashing blade, but big turn from Kuldeep bowled him in the 39th. The two added 58 in 53 legal deliveries.
Seven down before the 40th over, Australia again were under the threat of having overaimed and finally achieving an underwhelming score. However, Sean Abbott led the lower order with 26 off 23, and # 9, 10 and 11 scored 17, 10 and 10 not out. The last wicket added 22. Australia won by 21. (ESPNCricinfo)
Australia (50 ovs maximum)
Travis Head c Kuldeep Yadav b Pandya 33
Mitchell Marsh b Pandya 47
Steven Smith (c) c †Rahul
b Pandya 0
David Warner c Pandya
b Kuldeep Yadav 23
Marnus Labuschagne c Shubman
Gill b Kuldeep Yadav 28
Alex Carey †b Kuldeep Yadav 38
Marcus Stoinis c Shubman
Gill Patel 25
Sean Abbott b Patel 26
Ashton Agar c Patel b
Mohammed Siraj 17
Mitchell Starc c Jadeja
b Mohammed Siraj 10
Last Saturday the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) came alive as a club tournament was hosted and was powered by Glenmorganie Whiskey. This company also took opportunity to host a soft launch of the whiskey.
In the golf tournament, Chet Bowling was the overall winner, as he managed to edge out his fellow competitors. The results for the tournament are as follows:
1st: Chet Bowling, Gross 94, HC 27, Net 67
2nd: Mahesh Shivraj, Gross 84, HC 16, Net 68
3rd: Shanella London, Gross 89, HC 10, Net 70
Nearest to Pin - Mike Mangal
Longest Drive - Maxim Mangra
Best Gross - Shanella London
At the end of the tournament, the players
“With the launching of the brand Glenmorangie, Ansa McAl Trading Limited will be partnering with the Lusignan Golf Club on several projects related to the sport of golf over the next few years. Our first initiative entails renovating the golf club and partnering on the first Glenmorangie Golf game."
Glenmorangie is available from aged 10 years and up, and is available countrywide.
Once spin came on, though, it was apparent scoring would have to slow down outside the powerplay, which took Australia to 61 for 0. Pandya's introduction put on immediate brakes. Head found deep third when uppercutting, Smith drove on the up, but the cross-seam delivery moved away after pitching to take his edge, and Marsh played on to be dismissed for under 50 for the first time in the series.
David Warner, playing only for the second time in the middle order in his ODI career, and Marnus Labuschagne finally seemed to get into accumulation mode, but it didn't continue for long. With Jadeja denying them runs by bowling accurately, they
Adam Zampa not out 10
Extras (lb 4, nb 1, w 7) 12
TOTAL 49 Ov (RR: 5.48) 269
Fall of wickets: 1-68 (Travis
Head, 10.5 ov), 2-74 (Steven
Smith, 12.2 ov), 3-85 (Mitchell
Marsh, 14.3 ov), 4-125 (David
Warner, 24.3 ov), 5-138 (Marnus
Labuschagne, 28.1 ov), 6-196
(Marcus Stoinis, 36.6 ov), 7-203
(Alex Carey, 38.1 ov), 8-245
(Sean Abbott, 44.6 ov), 9-247
(Ashton Agar, 45.3 ov), 10-269
(Mitchell Starc, 48.6 ov) •
BOWLING O-M-R-W
Mohammed Shami 6-0-37-0
Mohammed Siraj 7-1-37-2
Axar Patel 8-0-57-2
Hardik Pandya 8-0-44-3
Ravindra Jadeja 10-0-34-0
Kuldeep Yadav 10-1-56-3
India (T: 270 runs from 50 ovs)
Rohit Sharma (c) c Starc b Abbott 30
Shubman Gill lbw b Zampa 37
Virat Kohli c Warner b Agar 54
KL Rahul † c Abbott b Zampa 32
Axar Patel run out (Smith/†Carey) 2
Hardik Pandya c Smith b Zampa 40
Suryakumar Yadav b Agar 0
Ravindra Jadeja c
Stoinis b Zampa 18
Kuldeep Yadav run out (Stoinis/†Carey) 6
Mohammed Shami b Stoinis 14
Mohammed Siraj not out 3
Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 9) 12
TOTAL 49.1 Ov (RR: 5.04) 248
Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Rohit
Sharma, 9.1 ov), 2-77 (Shubman Gill, 12.2 ov), 3-146 (KL Rahul, 27.5 ov), 4-151 (Axar Patel, 28.5 ov), 5-185 (Virat Kohli, 35.1 ov), 6-185 (Suryakumar Yadav, 35.2 ov), 7-218 (Hardik Pandya, 43.4 ov), 8-225 (Ravindra Jadeja, 45.1 ov), 9-243 (Mohammed Shami, 47.5 ov), 10-248 (Kuldeep Yadav, 49.1 ov) •
BOWLING
O-M-R-W
Mitchell Starc 10-0-67-0
Marcus Stoinis 9.1-0-43-1
Sean Abbott 10-0-50-1
Adam Zampa 10-0-45-4
Ashton Agar 10-0-41-2
The Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Federation’s (CRTTF’s) 63rd Senior Championship was officially declared open on Tuesday afternoon during a simple ceremony at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue in Georgetown.
Table tennis players from
over 10 countries gathered for the official opening of the tournament, which served off on Monday morning at
the same venue. Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Association Federation (CRTTF) President, Theodore Matthews, in remarks emphasized the upward movement of the standard of the game in the Caribbean Region, while praising Guyana’s efforts of
our competition has reached a high standard, not only in the level of play, but as you can see, even as high as the standard of an ITTF table tennis competition. This is as a result of the hard work that we’ve done over the last 8-10 years to ensure that we can bring our competition to that level.
“We have to thank the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) for the Herculean effort that they have made over the last few months, not only to get the facility up to mark, but to run three competitions consecutively,” Matthews praised.
Meanwhile, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr. articulated that Guyana’s feat of hosting the three consecutive tournaments is only the beginning of the country’s commitment to transforming sport.
the juniors and the seniors, all at the same time and the same place,” Ramson jr. shared.
The Sport Minister went on to reveal, “And it’s a really important signal, where we get to send to the entire
region that we’re serious about making Guyana a home for sport. That’s our intention here.”
The CRTTF Senior Championships is set to conclude on March 25th, 2023, while the
Caribbean
Championship is scheduled for March 27th to April 1st. the two tournaments come after the qualification for the Central American Caribbean (CAC) Games were hosted from March 16th to 19th.
hosting three back-to-back tournaments.
The CRTTF President highlighted, “As you can see,
“We are very on the Government side to hear that, for the first time, we’re able to combine the three tournaments: the qualifiers,
The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has released a shortlist of 18 athletes who are being considered for this year’s CARIFTA Games in the Bahamas.
Among the list of teenage athletes is a proposed 4X100M Under-17 Girls’ team, a move that AAG President Aubrey Hutson had previously expressed intention of exploring.
Meanwhile, CARIFTA 2022 Gold medalists Attoya Harvey and Anisha Gibbons headline the list, both set to compete in the Under-20 Girls’ category.
Gibbons, who is currently at the New Mexico Junior College competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), will be plying her trade in the javelin event in pursuit of back-to-back gold medals. Harvey, on the other hand, will be competing in her pet events: the 800M, 1500M and 3000M races.
Also in that age category is another 2022 medalist, Narissa McPherson, who will be competing in the 400M and 800M races.
For the Under-20 Boys, Ezekiel Newton, Wesley Noble Jr, Seon Booker, Omar James, Odida Parkinson and Trevon Hamer will take to the track.
Newton will contest the sprint double (100M and 200M), while Noble Jr. takes on the 400M. Also in the 400M will be Omar James, who also has the 200M on his list of events.
In the middle-distance races (800M and 1500M), Seon Booker is set to represent the Golden Arrowhead, while Parkinson goes the full length in the 5000M.
2022 medalist Javon Roberts (800M, 1500M) leads the Under-17 Boys’ qualifiers, which consist of Malachi Austin (200M, 400M), Ezekiel Saul (Triple Jump, High Jump), Deuel Europe (Long jump) and Immanuel Adams (High jump). on the distaff side are Athaleyah Hinckson (100M, 200M), Tianna Springer (200M, 400), Tamara Harvey (Long Jump) and Adessa Albert (100M), all of whom will make up Guyana’s 4X100M experimental relay team.
“I think we need to at least create an impact around the world. I mean, you saw what happened at the Commonwealth Games at the senior level? We think if we
start to build from the youth and junior level, our ability not just to have a one-off sprinter, that we have 4, 5, 6 good sprinters in our repertoire, would build a reputation for us as a sprinting nation,” AAG President Aubrey Hutson had told <<Guyana Times Sport>> about his intention to have a relay team at the games.
The Athletics boss added, “The only way you could realize that is if we can get a good relay team, where, you know, those four athletes go out there and represent us in one event. You’re showcasing four athletes on the track and saying look, we have 4 highcalibre sprinters here.”
The CARIFTA Games ae set for April 7-10 in the Bahamas. At the 2022 Games, the Guyanese contingent returned with 7 medals: two gold, three silver and two bronze.
West Indies captain Shai Hope and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph have made big strides in the ICC Men’s OneDay International player rankings announced on Wednesday.
Following the recent series in South Africa, Hope has moved up two places in the batting to 12th position. He made a match-wining 128 not out – his 14th ODI century – in his first match as captain when the West Indies defeated the home side at Buffalo Park in East London.
Joseph made giant leap eight places to 11th spot after the
two matches. He bowled with genuine pace and penetration, and took 3-53 in East London, which was followed up by 3-50 in the next match at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom. He now has an impressive record of 93 wickets in 56 matches at an average of 27 runs per wicket, and strike rate of just under 31.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein is the other West Indies bowler in the Top 20. He took 3-59 and 2-49 in the two matches to break into the top tier.
West Indies and South Africa played to a 1-1 result in the series. The first match was washed out, West Indies won the second by 48 runs, while the Proteas won the third by four wickets.
The series now moves to Centurion for the first T20 International, which will be played at SuperSports Park on Saturday. First ball is 2pm (8am Eastern Caribbean/7am Jamaica. (Sportsmax)
…Relay team also includedA section of last year’s CARIFTA contingent at the opening ceremony in Jamaica Youth and Cadet Sport Minister Charles Ramson jr and CRTTF President Theodore Matthews playing a ceremonial first match Several of the competing teams lined up for the opening ceremony
By Brandon Corlette at ProvidenCe
National captain Leon Johnson scored his seventh First-Class century as he displayed a high-level of class and maturity against Jamaica Scorpions at Providence. The elegant left-hander, who scored back-to-back fifties in the third round, converted in this fourth round of the West Indies Championship as Guyana ended day one on 268-9 in 86.3 overs.
This is Johnson's first century at First-Class level since 2020, when he scored 189 against Windward Islands Volcanoes in Grenada.
Earlier, Jamaica won the toss and opted to bowl first. Guyana had left out Shamar Joseph and Antony Adams, while Anthony Bramble was still recovering from a blow to the face that he sustained while wicket-keeping.
Jamaica had a golden start when Marquino Mindley destroyed the mid-
Guyana 1st Innings
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
b Mindley 0
Matthew Nandu c Thomas
b Mindley 1
Kevlon Anderson c
Blackwood b Green 36
Kemol Savory lbw b Shields 1
Leon Johnson not out 142
Tevin Imlach c Thomas b Green 46
Kevin Sinclair c Thomas
b Shields 10
Veerasammy Permaul
b Mansingh 0
Gudakesh Motie c Gilzene
b Gordon 8 Ronsford Beaton not out 1
Total (9 wickets, 86.3) (23 extras) 266
FOW: 0/1 Chanderpaul, 4-2 Nandu,
26-3 Savory, 55-4 Anderson,
181-5 Imlach, 199-5 Sinclair,
206-6 Permaul, 233-7 Motie
Bowling
Marquino Mindley (14-4-34-2)
Nicholson Gordon (13-4-40-1)
Ojay Shields (15-1-66-2)
Derval Green (16-1-35-2)
Abhijai Mansingh (21-0-59-1)
Jermaine Blackwood (7.3-2-19-1)
dle stump of Test opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul. He was sent back for a duck the second ball of the match. Mindley then continued to probe, and found the outside edge of Matthew Nandu for one at 4-2.
Kemol Savory, who is fresh off a century, laboured for 26 balls and scored only one, as Guyana were 263. The left-handed Savory was trapped at the crease by seamer Ojay Shields. Kevlon Anderson was joined by his skipper Johnson, and the duo looked to redirect the innings in Guyana’s favour.
Anderson struck five fours and looked set for a big score, but he played a poor shot in hanging his bat to a wide delivery, and was caught at second slip by Jermaine Blackwood on the stroke of lunch. The Berbician made 36 from 65 balls.
Guyana reached 55-4 at lunch with Johnson unbeaten on 15. Tevin Imlach, who has had an ordinary season thus far, was showing grit and determination with his
Acourtesy call on Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., by the newly elected Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Executive Committee has resulted in a commitment from both sides to collaborate for the betterment of sports in Guyana.
The new GOA Executive Committee was elected on Tuesday evening at Olympic House, Liliendaal, and is now headed by Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) President Godfrey Munroe.
“What’s important, as far as I’m concerned, is that we identify our objectives and that we also identify what is the plan to do well,” Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr. told the GOA Executive Committee at the meeting, which also included National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman Kashif Muhammad.
The Sport Minister went on to emphasise the need for both parties to work together in order to foster a better environment for Guyanese athletes and sport in general. Ramson explained, “You don’t want when teams are travelling, representing Guyana, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport or the National Sport Commission that they are unaware, because things can happen while they are away, and where does the [requests for information] direct to? It directs to the Government, it directs to the NSC, and many times we’re blindsided,” he explained.
“We’re blindsided if there isn’t that cohesive flow of information, and knowing where are the loopholes and opportunities to collaborate and support. So, it’s important,”
Ramson highlighted.
As such, the Sport Minister went on to give a charge to the fresh committee, stating: “For the GOA, what’s important is that you’re not just functioning in the capacity as leaders and managers. That’s not just what you’re looking to achieve, because when you are finished with your tenure, you must be able to say what you have achieved.”
It is safe to say Ramson Jr’s charge was well received around the table, indicated by nodding heads.
New GOA President, Godfrey Munroe, endorsed the Minister’s call for collaboration.
“I think it’s truly the dawn of a new era. The road map that you’ve outlined in terms of the alignment and objectives of the Government and Sports Commission is in alignment
captain, and the duo batted Guyana to a safe position at tea at 151-4 in 54 overs.
Imlach and Johnson added a 126-run partnership that displayed solid batting
cal crowd, but lost partners in Kevin Sinclair (10), Veerasammy Permaul (00) and Gudakesh Motie (08).
The skipper reached his seventh First-Class centu-
es of the day, and his majestic straight drive was a signature of his top innings. Ronsford Beaton was dismissed on the stroke of stumps when he was
with the Olympic Committee. I believe all the international federations also, there’s similar synergies and partnerships, relying on collective engagement,” Munroe shared.
The newly elected President added, “I believe this Committee is quite committed to the task of propelling sport in a new direction.”
While Munroe was voted President at GOA election on Tuesday evening, Steve Ninvalle, Cristy Campbell and Philip Fernandes were elected to vice-presidents thereof.
Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon was elected Secretary General, while Emilia Ramdhani was elected Assistant Secretary general. Garfield Wiltshire was unopposed as Treasurer, while Mike Singh was elected as Assistant Treasurer.
and sharp running between the wickets. Imlach eventually edged one to the keeper for 46 from 105 ball, with Guyana reduced to 181-4.
Johnson continued to entertain the small but vo-
ry in pulling leg-spinner Mansingh for a single. He reached the milestone in 203 balls, and had scored 10 fours at that stage.
Johnson looked aggressive at the latter stag-
trapped at the wicket by Jermaine Blackwood for one. Mindley, Shields and Green each have two wickets. Day two will resume at 10:00h with Johnson on 142 not out.
The Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) have selected their Under-19 Female squad to compete in the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) Under-19 Female 30Over Inter-County tournament 2023. Naomi Barkoye will lead the Demerara team in the GCB Under-19 female Inter County Tournament. The team manager is Heema Singh, while National Coach Clive Grimmond will coach the team.
Demerara Under-19 Female team 2023 reads:
1. Naomi Barkoye Captain
2. Sarah Amin Vice-Captain
3. Nyia Latchman
4. Tamica Simon
5. Sheniya Mangra
6. Areah Ally
7. Aneesa Chetram
8. Shoba Harnarine
