Guyana Times - Thursday, May 4, 2023

$15M Guyana-China Friendship Pavilion unveiled

Trade between Guyana and China has been increasing over the past few years, and at the end of 2022, bilateral trade in goods had jumped to US$1.88 billion. This is even as China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, has said that there is scope for even greater relations between the two countries.

This increase in trade was revealed on Tuesday, during the sod-turning ceremony for a $6.6 billion hospital at Bath, West Coast Berbice (WCB). The hospital is being constructed by Chinese company Sinopharm - one of six regional hospitals the company will be building throughout Guyana.

“Guyana has become China’s largest trading partner among (Caribbean Community) countries. Investment by Chinese also increased, making contributions to turning Guyana’s economic potential into economic development,” Haiyan said.

The ambassador further promised that her office would continue to encourage investments.

When it comes to bilateral relations between the two countries, Haiyan was optimistic that under the ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative, even closer relations could be cultivated.

“Amid uncertainty in the global economy, the economic resilience and growth of China and Guyana has be-

come more valuable, and create more trade economic potential between the two countries. And (under) the framework of Belt and Road Initiative, China is willing to further enhance bilateral cooperation,” she said.

The Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, a significant development strategy launched by the Chinese Government

with the intention of promoting economic co-operation among countries along the proposed Belt and Road routes.

The initiative has been designed to enhance the orderly, free flow of economic factors, and the efficient allocation of resources. It is also intended to further market integration and create a regional economic co-operation framework of benefit to all. The initial focus has been infrastructure investment, education, construction materials, railway and highway, automobile, real estate, power grid, and iron and steel.

Pavilion Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a $15 million Guyana/Chinese Friendship Pavilion was unveiled at Lamaha Street, Georgetown. The architecture is a nod to Guyana and China’s relations, particularly as the two countries are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relationship.

Intended as a symbol of the longstanding bilateral relationship between China and Guyana, the pavilion was constructed by China Trading.

During the unveiling ceremony, Ambassador Haiyan spoke of the important ties

between the two countries.

“From the beginning of last year, we have been holding a series of celebration activities, including Chinese film festival, issuing commemorative coins, stamps, the online cultural exhibition, online photo exhibition, investment webinar, etc,” the Ambassador said. “Through these activities, we jointly recalled 50 years of friendship and cooperation, featured by mutual respect, mutual benefits, mutual support. And joint development…more and more people will have a chance to visit this pavilion and have a rest here. I hope more people will be inspired to learn more about Chinese culture, and also benefit more from diplomatic coop-

eration.”

In August 2022, China’s status as a valued partner in Guyana’s development was underscored at a China-Guyana Investment Opportunities seminar, where it was revealed that trade between the two countries for the first half of last year totalled US$950 million.

During the seminar, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Zhang Shaogang, had revealed that of that total figure, Guyana’s exports to China accounted for US$720 million. The US$950 million is in fact a more than 200 per cent increase in trade between the two countries. (G3)

The $15 million Chinese-styled Pavilion that was opened on Lamaha Street on Wednesday

China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, May 4 – 04:00h-05:30h and Friday, May 5 – 04:30h-06:00h.

Thursday, May 4 –15:40h-17:10h and Friday, May 5 – 16:20h-17:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

WEATHER TODAY

Sunshine is expected throughout the day, with clear to partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to Easterly between 4.02 metres and 6.25 metres.

High Tide: 15:57 reaching a maximum height of 2.65 metres.

Low Tide: 09:31h and 21:45h reaching minimum heights of 0.51 metre and 0.58 metre.

WCB residents call for Govt intervention in community development, agriculture …Pres

Ali responds, makes on-the-spot interventions

ment to upgrade the ballfield and pavilion in Paradise for the youths. Culture Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr is already on the ball with this, the residents were told.

There was also a request for skills training programmes targeting the region’s school dropouts. According to the President, “We should look to see if they’re interested in remedial education and get them into patient care management programmes and those types of programmes so they can get employment when they’re finished.”

LOTTERY NUMBERS

Residents along the West Coast of Berbice on Tuesday raised a number of issues that are affecting them when President Dr Irfaan Ali led a high-level team to engage citizens in

travelled to the region for the sod-turning ceremony for a $6.6 billion level four regional hospital at Bath Settlement, WCB.

While at Paradise, President Ali engaged res-

Ali made a number of onthe-spot interventions. Among them is a commit-

With regard to security, a member of the Region Five Community Policing Group (CPG) informed the Guyanese Leader that they do not have any vehicles to do patrols.

TURN TO PAGE 5

Paradise and surrounding communities in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

The Head of State’s visit to the WCB community was impromptu. He had

idents on issues affecting their communities including in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure, water, and security.

In response, President

President Ali engaging Region Five residents

President Dr Irfaan Ali led a Government team on an impromptu visit to Paradise, West Coast Berbice on Tuesday

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Intimate Partner Violence

Next Sunday we will be celebrating “Mother’s Day” –a day set aside for us to honour our mothers. And since everyone has a mother – even in this age of surrogacy – we should appreciate what they mean, not only to us individually but societally. At the individual level, our mothers bore us for nine months in bodies that underwent innumerable changes as we literally fed off them, from fertilised egg until we could survive upon entering the world. But that “entry” meant that her body is excruciatingly torn apart, and in some cases can mean her death, as we should know from the unfortunately not infrequent reports of “maternal deaths”.

In our plantation society, mostly descended from slaves and indentured labourers, mothers had the double-burden of having to return to work in the fields within days of giving birth. Those brutal and authoritarian structures have clearly been passed down systemically, so that, in modern Guyana, much of the talk of love and caring for mothers remains just that – talk. A report from the University of Guyana, which was released about three years, showed that the “incidence of domestic violence by an intimate or previously intimate partner in Guyana increased from 74.8% in 2011 to 89% in 2017”, with more than 80% of the victims being female. Many of those victims are mothers, and this offers a clue as to what is really going on.

The males inflicting that horrendous level of violence on persons supposed to be their “better halves” had to have been socialised in homes where such behaviour was normalised. A report from the year before claimed, “Half of all women who experienced Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Guyana never sought help. Victims, community members, and stakeholders attributed this to lack of knowledge of available help, perceptions of being blamed or stigmatised by their situation becoming known throughout the community, and inadequate support structures to ensure victim safety after reporting violence to the Police.” And just last week, a LAPOP poll explained that indifference, when it showed that 62 per cent of Guyanese feel that Intimate Partner Violence is a “private matter”. In Guyanese parlance, a “man and wife thing”.

While it is routinely touted that “the family” is the building block of society, in Guyana, at least 30 per cent of “families” are headed by mothers, without fathers to complete the normative “nuclear” family. As such, Edith Clarke’s 1957 study of the phenomenon in Jamaica, her classic “My mother who fathered me”, has recently been expanded and reissued because it remains relevant in the entire Caribbean out of our colonial experience referred to above.

On May 14, when we celebrate “Mother’s Day” in a world in which every facet of our lives has been commercialised to the nth degree, let us spare a thought for the actual conditions in which so many of our mothers have to survive. It has become clichéd to ask that we all show the love we shower on our mothers on this day, throughout the year, but we know the pleas fall on barren soil. The LAPOP poll cited above explains why this may be so: “Socialisation matters more than the circumstances in predicting the normalisation of Intimate Partner Violence.” But it also suggests a way to reduce the despicable behaviour: “Education has the largest predicted effect on attitudes towards IPV: more educated individuals are 24 percentage points less likely to normalise IPV (ie, more likely to see it as a matter that merits the public attention).”

For starters, the curricula of our educational institutions from nursery to university should have explicit modules that socialise our next generation to view any form of domestic violence, including IPV, as reprehensible, and not to be tolerated. There must also be a sensitisation of the wider society through a programme of public education through billboards, and messages on social and mainstream media, etc, against IPV.

We must do more to protect Journalists globally

By Charles M sennott

In every corner of the world, Journalists are intimidated and locked up at distressing rates and far too many are killed just for doing their jobs.

On this World Press Freedom Day, there is much to be concerned about given the threats that Journalists are facing daily. There is also much work to do to ensure that we have a world that recognises the need to guarantee the right to press freedom.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is reporting a sharp rise in the number of Journalists killed on the job in 2022. A total of 67 media workers died in the field, which is an almost 50 per cent increase from 2021.

The raging war in Ukraine is largely responsible for the uptick in the killing of Journalists, but there are other countries, notably Mexico and Haiti, where we are losing colleagues for reporting on the front lines or standing up to the tyranny of Police States and terrorists.

The escalating violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories is also claiming lives. In May 2022, Israeli forces killed veteran AmericanPalestinian Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh while she was covering an Israeli military raid on a Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank.

CPJ is also reporting that a record number of Journalists were imprisoned in 2022, a sign of a weakening of those press freedoms worldwide. There were 363 Journalists detained in more than 30 countries last year, with the highest number of detainees held in Iran, China, and Myanmar. The overall figure is nearly double from 2015 and the highest since the press freedom group began tracking imprisonments three decades ago.

The recent arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Moscow on trumped-up “espionage” charges has coincided with the news

last week that a leading journalist in China named Dong Yuyu will be facing trial on similarly exaggerated charges of spying. These two arrests are two sides of the same coin: A crackdown on journalism by two authoritarian States that are intent on eroding press freedom.

The Chinese Journalist, Yuyu, works for a major State media outlet called Guangming Daily, where he is an editor and commentator. He was a former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 2007, where I had a chance to meet him, and he is well known and respected for his forthright assessments and clear analysis of the challenges that China is facing. He was arrested a year ago, but his family just decided to go public as he is facing trial and up to 10 years in prison.

Gershkovich, the 31-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter based in Russia, was detained while on a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg in March. He is the first American Journalist since the Cold War to be arrested by Russian security services. The Journal, the White House, and press advocacy groups around the world deny Russia’s claims that he was a spy and have called for his immediate release.

Beyond the illegal arrests and detentions and beyond the killing of Journalists, there is also a wave of harassment that is occurring daily, particularly targeting women, across the world. Journalists like Pakistan’s Gharida Farooqi, have been the target of a vicious campaign of profane and menacing harassment. The struggle she has had just trying to do her job exemplifies a global epidemic of online harassment that quells the voices of thousands of women journalists worldwide who have been targeted, humiliated, and attacked while in the field doing interviews, attending public events, and covering breaking stories.

In a survey of some 700 women Journalists conducted by the nonprofit Washington-based International

Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and UNESCO, nearly three out of four women Journalists said they had suffered online abuse in their work. Some 30 per cent of the respondents said they were self-censoring on social media, while 38 per cent tried to make themselves less visible online.

The report stated: “Online violence against women Journalists is one of the most serious contemporary threats to press freedom internationally.”

The GroundTruth Project stands in solidarity with these colleagues and joins the CPJ, the Nieman Foundation and a long list of other advocacy organisations calling for justice for the killing and wrongful detention and intimidation campaigns online of Journalists. GroundTruth has joined many news organisations in calling for the immediate release of both Gershkovich and Yuyu as well as too many other reporters wrongfully detained in Myanmar, Iran, Egypt, Nicaragua and a list of countries that is distressingly long.

The organisation is expanding its Report for the World programme, which seeks to support independent media in countries around the world where we are seeing that an erosion of local journalism is running parallel to an erosion of democracy. On World Press Freedom Day, we ask everyone to do what they can to support Journalists who must be free to be out there on the ground in the most challenging places on earth to bring home the stories that matter and to do so without fearing for their lives. (Al Jazeera)

(Charles M Sennott is the founder and editor-in-chief of The GroundTruth Project, a nonprofit journalism organisation that is home to two flagship programmes supporting emerging Journalists in under-covered corners of the world: Report for America and Report for the World. Sennott is a longtime international correspondent for The Boston Globe, a bestselling author and award-winning documentary producer)

The Gold State Coach is driven alongside members of the military during a full overnight dress rehearsal of the Coronation Ceremony of Britain’s King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort in London, Britain (Reuters)

Self-confessed killer handed life sentence for 2nd killing

Already serving 15 years in prison for manslaughter, Joshua Meredith was on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 30 years for a similar crime.

The 29-year-old former East Ruimveldt, Georgetown convict was arraigned before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow for the November 21, 2016 murder of Paul Rodney, 31, of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge, resulting in a jury being empanelled to hear the evidence and to determine whether he was innocent or guilty. However, as the trial progressed, Meredith opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. As such, the trial Judge directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty on the murder charge, and a formal guilty verdict for manslaughter.

At Meredith’s sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Justice Barlow explained that she accepted his guilty plea because provocation was established from the evidence. She, nevertheless, told Meredith that he shot and killed Rodney one month after he had shot and killed another man during a robbery. According to her, he was probably emboldened

to do this by the fact that he had not been caught for the other killing.

On the day Rodney was riddled with bullets, she said, Meredith exhibited scant regard for others’ lives, limbs and properties by firing a gun indiscriminately.

In her sentencing remarks, the Judge alluded to the convict’s criminal conduct as a teenager, which saw him being charged and placed before the court for robbery when he was 15 years old.

After becoming an adult, she noted, Meredith continued along this path, engaging in a delinquent lifestyle that his family did not approve of. She pointed out that it was very unfortunate

that members of Meredith’s community had labelled him a “notorious criminal”.

In the end, Justice Barlow concluded that a sentence of life imprisonment would be appropriate, given the circumstances of the case. She explained that such a sentence was warranted to send a strong message to would-be offenders: that the court would not condone crimes.

She ordered that the convicted killer must serve a minimum of 30 years before he is eligible for parole. But from this, a 10-year deduction was made for his early guilty plea, meaning that he will be considered for parole after 20 years.

Meredith has not been credited for the time he

spent in pre-trial custody.

Asked if he had anything to say before being sentenced, Meredith told the victim’s family “I am sorry”.

He was represented by defence counsel Adrian Thompson, while State Counsel Cicelia Corbin, and State Counsel Rbina Christmas presented the case for the prosecution.

It was reported that Rodney and a group of men were involved in an argument at Avocado Avenue in West Ruimveldt. The argument escalated into a fight, during which Rodney attempted to escape, but was pursued and shot several times about his body. His killer(s) escaped on a CG motorcycle.

Police Headquarters, in a statement on the killing, had stated that ranks were on a mobile patrol when they heard several explosions, and they went to investigate. They came upon a group of men running, during which several more gunshots were fired. Rodney was subsequently found lying motionless on the ground, covered in blood.

2020 conviction

In December 2020, Meredith was given a 15year jail sentence for manslaughter in relation to the death of Charlestown,

WCB residents call for Govt...

President Ali indicated that when his Administration took office in 2020, the Guyana Police Force only had about 50 working vehicles for the entire country and in Division Five (MahaicaBerbice), there were only two vehicles. “Commander [of Division Five] has been working hard to increase it. We just ordered 50 more… Each station now has a vehicle and now we’re going to move to help the CPG to get vehicles,” he assured.

In the area of infrastructure and community development, concerns were expressed about the poor water quality in the WCB villages, which are high in iron content. But the Head of State explained that Guyana’s ground water usually contains heavy iron content and this is something that Government is addressing through its water treatment initiative.

“One of the plans that we have right now in the whole investment infrastructure is to have, along the coast, 100 per cent treated water by 2026. So, we’ve started a programme of building treatment plants all across every single region. So, I would say by the end of 2024, as a result of that investment, we’ll start see

massive improvements,” he stated.

Moreover, the residents also complained about deplorable streets in several West Coast Demerara communities. The President not only promised to have these roads fixed but also have the works done by persons in the area.

“The way we want these streets to be done is we want local people to be involved. These are the concrete roads type of streets that we’ll be building and we’ll be working to have a few of the local people and local contractors involved in building this,” the Guyanese Leader said.

To this end, President Ali ordered Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, to return to the area on Wednesday to conduct an assessment of the roads that need to be fixed and engage the residents on the works to be done.

In addition to Dharamlall, the Head of State also instructed that the Minister assigned to Region Five, Sonia Parag, along with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha also attend the meeting in order to address the barrage of issues that farmers face in the region.

One man who chairs a

Farmers Association with approximately 50 members – mostly young people involved in cash crop, rice and livestock farming – asked for assistance with agriculture inputs. As such, the President ordered Minister Zulfikar to meet with the farmers to ascertain what support can be given to them.

Other farmers, one who loss his rice crop and was promised paddy to replant, and another who lost her livestock to floods, were seeking updates on assistance. They were told that the Minister Mustapha will address this when he visits this week.

Another livestock farmer also spoke of difficulties accessing molasses but the Head of State reminded him that government is now trying the revive the ailing sugar industry which produces molasses as a by-product. While the farmer was told that many persons are moving away from using molasses due to its shortage in recent years, the President’s team nonetheless took the information of the farmer with the aim of assisting him.

Meanwhile, one resident reminded that President Ali had promised during a previous visit to the region to

Georgetown resident Gregory Garraway, who was shot during a robbery. He was indicted for murder, but elected to plead guilty to the lesser offence.

On October 2, 2016, Garraway, 21, who had gone to “Wings and Things Bar” at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown to purchase food, was wearing two gold chains around his neck. After placing his order, he left the bar. When Garraway returned, as he was crossing the street to pick up the food, Meredith snatched his chains, pulled a gun from his pocket, and discharged a round in Garraway’s direction, killing him.

late Garraway’s brother, who was present at the time of the shooting. The Home Affairs Minister has granted him remission for about 80 days on the 15-year prison term.

In 2009, when he was just 15, Meredith dropped out of school and travelled to neighbouring Suriname, where he admitted to being involved in criminal activities. That same year he was charged and placed before the courts for robbery. He was convicted of the offence, but owing to his tender age, the Magistrate fined him $20,000 and placed him on a bond to keep the peace for two years. Residents in the East Ruimveldt community where Meredith lived had mixed reactions about him. While some said he was a very jovial and helpful young man, others described him as a “notorious criminal.”

Reports from the prison revealed that Meredith is a very disrespectful and disorderly inmate. As a result of his attitude, prison officers were forced to place him in solitary confinement.

FROM PAGE 3

have the backdam clean for farming activities however this is yet to be done despite them submitting the relevant signatures.

However, a representative from the Agriculture Ministry explained that they are currently reviewing the list to verify landownership since they do not want to infringe on any private-lands.

President Ali was adamant that this process must be completed by next week. He also urged the residents and farmers to be proactive and reach out to Government representatives to have their issues dealt with.

“We care about development… You guys have to work for yourselves. We want to help to provide leadership that is why we put a Minister here. Don’t be afraid you come to her. We’re embracing. We’re for everyone. We want everyone to be part of this…”

“And when Sonia comes to the community, y’all come out and talk to her. Come out and share your ideas. Y’all come out and work with her. That’s all I’m asking… and that is the way we’ll work for the community,” the Guyanese leader posited. (G8)

A post-mortem examination performed on the body revealed that Garraway sustained gunshot wounds to his abdomen, and died as a result of septic shock.

Meredith was subsequently pointed out at an identification parade by the

There were a few positive reports about him from the prison, including his willingness to attend anger management and rehabilitation programmes. Moreover, a probation report in his favour disclosed that he was unable to have a good childhood due to several circumstances, including abandonment by his father. (G1)

Killed: Paul Rodney Killed: Gregory Garraway

Confessed killer Joshua Meredith at court on Wednesday

Page Foundation

CXC Questions: Maths

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

By Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Part III

There passed a weary time. Each throat Was parched, and glazed each eye. A weary time! a weary time! How glazed each weary eye, When looking westward, I beheld A something in the sky.

At first it seemed a little speck, And then it seemed a mist; It moved and moved, and took at last A certain shape, I wist. A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist! And still it neared and neared: As if it dodged a water-sprite, It plunged and tacked and veered.

With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, We could nor laugh nor wail; Through utter drought all dumb we stood!

I bit my arm, I sucked the blood, And cried, A sail! a sail!

With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, Agape they heard me call: Gramercy! they for joy did grin, And all at once their breath drew in. As they were drinking all.

See! see! (I cried) she tacks no more! Hither to work us weal; Without a breeze, without a tide, She steadies with upright keel!

The western wave was all a-flame. The day was well nigh done!

Almost upon the western wave Rested the broad bright Sun; When that strange shape drove suddenly Betwixt us and the Sun.

And straight the Sun was flecked with bars, (Heaven’s Mother send us grace!) As if through a dungeon-grate he peered With broad and burning face.

Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat

loud)

How fast she nears and nears!

Are those her sails that glance in the Sun, Like restless gossameres?

Are those her ribs through which the Sun

Did peer, as through a grate?

And is that Woman all her crew?

Is that a DEATH? and are there two?

Is DEATH that woman’s mate?

Her lips were red, her looks were free, Her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, The Night-mare LIFE-IN-DEATH was she,

Who thicks man’s blood with cold.

The naked hulk alongside came, And the twain were casting dice; ‘The game is done! I’ve won! I’ve won!’ Quoth she, and whistles thrice.

The Sun’s rim dips; the stars rush out; At one stride comes the dark; With far-heard whisper, o’er the sea, Off shot the spectre-bark.

We listened and looked sideways up! Fear at my heart, as at a cup, My life-blood seemed to sip!

The stars were dim, and thick the night, The steersman’s face by his lamp gleamed white; From the sails the dew did drip— Till clomb above the eastern bar The hornèd Moon, with one bright star Within the nether tip.

One after one, by the star-dogged Moon, Too quick for groan or sigh, Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, And cursed me with his eye.

Four times fifty living men, (And I heard nor sigh nor groan) With heavy thump, a lifeless lump, They dropped down one by one.

The souls did from their bodies fly,— They fled to bliss or woe! And every soul, it passed me by, Like the whizz of my cross-bow!

WORD SEARCH

“You are already winners” –Manickchand to students writing NGSA

Thousands of students across the country on Wednesday turned out to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), the annual exam that marks the end of a student’s primary school education and the beginning of their secondary education journey.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand visited Peters Hall Primary School to offer words of encouragement to the students writing this year’s exam.

“Get in there, put your heads down, read the questions carefully, take your best answer and I promise you whichever school you get, you will shine like a star,” Manickchand said to the students.

The Minister added that the students were “already winners” as they continue to receive support, both at home and at school.

“Across Guyana, I want to say good luck to all of our students. You are ready for this assessment. We have done everything we can possibly, humanly do to make you ready,” Manickchand said.

She explained that the Education Ministry has made several efforts to aid the pupils in best preparing for this annual assessment including giving each student textbooks and materials such as pencils, rulers, sharpeners and erasers, and even offering students breakfast before the day of exams – a first for the country.

“We have placed all of our material online so everything is public. All our past papers are there for anyone to print. All our topics for Grade Six are done in videos and placed on the Learning Channel and YouTube,” Manickchand said.

The education minister also expressed that the Ministry has demonstrated versatility in adjusting the exam to accommodate for the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic placed on students.

“We’ve brought the curriculum down, because we know about COVID-19 and the loss that [the students] had so we’re not testing to a Grade Six level; we’re testing to a Grade Five level. These children are going to be able to manage this exam,” Manickchand said.

She also disclosed that the Ministry is working to ensure that education is

delivered at a high quality in each high school, adding that several new high schools are being built across the country to provide secondary school education to those who previously did not have access.

“Guyana is really moving and we’re making sure that we’re not just moving with high-rise buildings, hotels and roads, but that we’re developing our people, our children so that they can actively participate in this driving country that we’re building out,” Manickchand said.

Students’ view Guyana Times spoke with several students who shared their thoughts on the first day of assessments which focused on Science and English Language.

“It was somewhat easy and somewhat difficult,” said Tomaisha Alliyah Payna of West Ruimveldt

Primary School, adding that she found the picture studies of the language exams the most challenging.

After studying extensively for the past two weeks, Payna hopes to join either The Bishops’ High School, Tutorial High School, St John’s College or Richard Ishmael Secondary School. The sixth-grade student also expressed her desire to eventually become a teacher.

“It sounds fun [and I want to] help teach other children,” Payna said.

Similarly, Kayden Featherstone of St Pius Primary School also hopes to become a teacher one day to “share his knowledge”.

Featherstone, however, who described the first day’s exams as “very simple”, aspires to attend one of the country’s top high schools.

An aspiring engineer,

Akil Scott of St Pius Primary School shared that the exams were “very good” with only a few areas within the Papers Two that he was unsure of.

He added that he hoped to attend Brickdam Secondary School.

Some 16,268 students across the country are writing the exams at 517 centres. The results will be released on July 17.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand addressing students at Peters Hall Primary School before their first set of exams on Wednesday

Families wishing students well before their NGSA exams

Mentally-ill man beaten, ear bitten off during attempted robbery Freedom… …of the press??

Thirty-four-year-old Earl Emmanuel, a mentally-ill resident of Kuru Kuru Housing Scheme on the SoesdykeLinden Highway, is nursing a series of injuries he sustained after being beaten and having one of his ears bitten off by a man who attempted to rob his home.

In an interview on Wednesday with the victim's niece, Tracy Emmanuel, she explained that her uncle, who has been mentally ill since childhood, was left alone at home while his father ran an errand on Monday at approximately 19:30h. Tracy Emmanuel said that, based on what her grandfather told her, when he returned home, he encountered a known menace in the community inside the house.

"He said before he entered the house he heard

screams coming from the area, but when he got closer, he realized that they were coming from his house. He said when he went inside, he saw the man… When the

man ran out, he went to see my uncle lying on the bed in a pool of blood." Immediately, the family alerted other persons, and Earl was taken to the hospital for medical

treatment.

She said they then went to the Kuru Kuru Police station to file a report, but they were told that the Police did not have a vehicle to look for the suspect. “The Police wrote up a report and sent them to Diamond Hospital, but never followed up”, she said.

Tracy said her aunt went back to the station to find out about the investigation, and it was only after her visit that the Police went to look for the suspect, and arrested him at his home.

"My uncle can't eat or do anything. He had to get 10 stitches in his head. When we went to the station, the man admitted to beating up my uncle and biting off his ear. We thought he had cut off his ear, and he had to chop my uncle in his head." (G9)

Another day…another DAY!! Yesterday - May 3 - was World Press Freedom Day, with the theme - “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights.” Quite a mouthful, innit? In Guyana, with all the talk of “press freedom”, folks seem to forget that our politicians sue the press at the drop of a hat - and get away with it!! Nobody worries that freedom of the press should facilitate people’s opinions!! Imagine that coming out of the rigging attempt of March 2020, several folks who wrote to the press about their opinions on what went down were sued for libel - and millions and millions were won!!

Your Eyewitness remembers that the Sanctimonious Gangster sued some newspapers for a BILLION DOLLARS, just because they carried a letter from a nationally known public commentator on what he thought of him for doing the dirty!! But nobody called this out for what it isintimidation of free expression by a public figure!! There’s an exception to libel, called “fair comment” - but in Guyana, following British precedents, it’s quite restrictive, unlike in the American judicial system. In the latter, the laws are in the spirit of this year’s theme - and tend to cut the press quite a lot of slack because of the greater good in the right to know what’s going on to secure one’s freedoms.

Your Eyewitness feels that if human rights are to be furthered through freedom of expression - via the ministrations the press - the local Courts oughta follow the US precedents, rather than the stiff Brits’. The latter’s focus isn’t on freedom writ large in terms of human rights - but on the sanctity of the reputation of the individual!! The Yanks’ position reflects the protection of the ordinary folks, who are more concerned about the systemic attacks by the state on their freedoms - which constitutes the substance of democracy. The Brits’ position is a residue of their feudal system, where the hoi polloi have to be reined in so that - God forbid!! - the lord of the manor’s reputation is not impugned!!

The freedom of the press protections come out of its facilitation of the democratic drive - in 18th century Europe - and earned them the name “Fourth Estate” - after the nobility, the bourgeoisie and the commoners - who were duking it out for ascendancy. In the US, it was a straight fight by the ordinary folks to prevent a return to the Royal loyalists. We’re more like the US - save ours is a struggle to prevent Burnham’s notion of a press from returning. He - insisting that “there’s more than one way to skin a cat”banned newsprint to newspapers other than his Chronic!!

Nowadays, the PNC controls the now dominant social media!

…with one-party democracy

The Barbados Labour Party - under the leadership of the dynamic Mia Mottley - went to the polls in 2022 and won all 30 of the seats in their Parliament. This followed the 2018 elections where her party - with her at the helmhad also swept all thirty seats!! So, by the time she finishes her present term in 2027, she would’ve been ruling for a decade!! During which she broke away from the British Crown and declared Barbados a Republic!! Quite a move for a country that once swelled with pride at being called “Little England”!!

Compare them with Guyana, where the PNC and AFC had checkmated the PPP in 2011, ousted them in 2015, and the PPP reciprocating in 2020 to illustrate the democratic “politics of in and out”. Here, the PNC - and the TUC that parrots its line - are insisting that we have a “dictatorship”!!

Why can’t we follow Barbados, where Trade Unions, Business and the Govt just signed a five-point plan to develop their country??

…and the GPA

Your Eyewitness just read a hysterical release from the Guyana Press Association about the Government ganging up on them to oust their executive and control the press. All because some members want elections - due since 2020 - held!!

Injured: Earl Emmanuel

Stabroek Block operations

ExxonMobil must provide unlimited insurance — High Court rules

…failure to comply within 30 days would result in suspension of licence …Govt to appeal decision

Demerara High Court

Judge Sandil Kissoon has ruled in favour of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcing the liability clause in the Environmental Permit granted to ExxonMobil (Guyana) for its offshore oil operations in the Stabroek Block.

Consequently, by an Order of Mandamus, EPA was directed to issue ExxonMobil’s local affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production (Guyana)

Limited (EEPGL), with an Enforcement Notice on or before May 9, for the company to provide, within 30 days, unlimited Parent Company Guarantee Agreement and/ or unlimited liability Affiliate Company Guarantee, together with Environmental liability insurance, as is customary in the international petroleum industry. Failing to comply would result in the suspension of the permit dated May 31, 2022, the Judge has declared.

According to the Judge, the guarantees are to indemnify and keep indemnified Guyana and the EPA against all environmental obligations of Esso and its co-venturers within the Stabroek Block.

In September 2022, President of the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc

(TIGI), Fredericks Collins, and Guyanese citizen Godfrey Whyte had moved to the court to get the EPA to implement the liability clause in the permit issued to ExxonMobil (Guyana) for its operations.

Referring to Esso’s agreement in the permit to provide insurance and an unlimited parent company indemnity to cover all environmental loss and damage that might result from a well blowout, oil spill, or other failures in the Stabroek Block, the litigants went to court to ensure that Esso takes full financial accountability in the case of harm, loss, and damage to the environment.

On the issue of whether the EPA acted in breach of its statutory duty and unreasonably permitted Esso to carry out petroleum production operations in the absence of compliance with the terms of the permit, Justice Kissoon held that the EPA has committed an illegality, acted unlawfully, ultra vires, unreasonably, in defiance of logic, irrationally, and without any jurisdiction.

The Judge said, “The [EPA] failed to take any meaningful step, or any step whatsoever, to assess what was provided to it by Esso, the permit holder, purportedly as environmental liability insurance, when it was not in fact

in keeping with Condition 14:05 of the licence.”

The High Court found that Esso was engaged in a “disingenuous attempt” which was calculated to deceive when it sought to dilute its liabilities and settled obligations stipulated and expressed in Condition 14 of the permit, while simultaneously optimising production in the Stabroek Block.

“The insurance obtained by the EEPGL from its Affiliate Company, AON UK Ltd, both for the Liza Phase 1 and Phase 2 Projects, does not satisfy the stipulation and obligation set out at Condition 14:5 of the Environmental Permit, or even what is considered environmental liability insurance according to international standards of the petroleum industry,” the court further found.

Despite Esso, through its public pronouncements, having communicated its intention to increase production levels in its petroleum production facilities, Justice Kissoon pointed out that EPA has failed to suspend and/ or cancel the renewed permit, notwithstanding the potential catastrophic consequences to the environment, citizens and the State. He therefore declared that Condition 14 of the permit imposes on Esso “unlimited

and uncapped liability for all costs associated with clean up, restoration, and compensation for all damages caused by any discharge of any contaminant arising from its exploration, development, and petroleum production activities within the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.”

Collins had contended that he cannot drive his car without insurance, and, as such, it is incomprehensible that the EPA would allow Esso to operate without insurance.

An oil spill, he submitted, would be devasting not only to Guyana, but the wider Caribbean, as people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods.

EPA and Esso, the respondents, were ordered by the High Court Judge to pay Whyte and Collins $1.5M in costs. Whyte and Collins were represented by Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam and Attorneys-at-Law Melinda Janki and Abiola WongInniss. The EPA was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Francis Carryl, Shareefah Parks and Naiomi Alsopp, and Esso was represented by Edward Luckhoo, SC, Andrew Pollard, SC, and Eleanor Luckhoo.

There are several court cases challenging various aspects of ExxonMobil’s opera-

tions offshore Guyana. (G1)

Appeal

Meanwhile on Wednesday evening, the Attorney General in a statement said that the Government as a major stakeholder noted the ruling by Justice Sandil Kissoon and the several declarations granted. These are that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Guyana breached its statutory duty by failing to enforce compliance by Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) of its Financial Assurance obligations to provide an unlimited Parent Company Guarantee Agreement and/or Affiliate Company Guarantee Agreement to indemnify and keep indemnified the EPA and the Government of Guyana against all environmental obligations of the Permit Holder and Co-Venturers within the Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana.

“The EPA and the Government of Guyana are of the considered view that the Environmental Permit imposes no obligation on the Permit Holder to provide an unlimited Parent Company Guarantee Agreement and/or Affiliate Company Guarantee Agreement. In this regard, we hold the respectful opinion that the

Learned Judge fell into error in his findings. This ruling can have profound ramifications and grave economic and other impacts on the public interest and national development. As a result, the decision of the Learned Judge will be appealed and orders will be sought to stay its effect until the hearing and determination of the appeal,” the statement read.

The AG noted that the EPA and EEPGL spent almost a year negotiating a Parent Guarantee and Indemnity Agreement to the tune of US$2 billion in liability coverage in compliance with EEPGL’s financial assurance obligations under the Environmental Permit and the Environmental Protection Act. “These negotiations only concluded last week. These negotiations and their material details were placed before the court for its consideration, but unfortunately to no avail,” the statement said.

Justice Sandil Kissoon

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SBM inks 10-year deal with Exxon to operate, maintain 4 FPSOs in Guyana

SBM Offshore, the Italian shipbuilder responsible for constructing the floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels currently operational in Guyana’s waters, has inked a 10-year agreement with ExxonMobil to operate and maintain a total of four FPSOs in the Stabroek Block.

The Operations and Maintenance Enabling Agreement was announced on Tuesday, and will be applicable to the Liza Destiny (operating in Liza Phase One development), Liza Unity (operating in Liza Phase Two), Prosperity (earmarked for Payara) and ONE GUYANA (earmarked for Yellowtail) FPSOs.

“This framework agreement establishes the new terms related to the operations of the Guyana FPSO fleet for a period of 10 years up to 2033. The lease terms and durations remain the same for all units, with 10 years lease for FPSO Liza Destiny and up to 2 years lease for FPSOs Liza Unity, Prosperity and ONE GUYANA, after which the FPSOs’ ownership will transfer to the client,” the announcement from SBM stated.

“This contract supports SBM Offshore’s long-term business vision in Guyana, enabling the company to perform local and sustainable investments in people

and infrastructure, as well as to deploy its digital and operational technologies to the Guyana fleet. The estimated impact on the revenue backlog is around US$3 billion based on various operating and maintenance assumptions.”

Meanwhile, it was explained that SBM Offshore will operate the units through an Integrated Operation Model, which will include seconding ExxonMobil Guyana employees in some key onshore and offshore positions. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBM Offshore, Bruno Chabas, was quoted as referring to the operational model as the first of its kind in the industry.

“We are very pleased with the contract concluded

with ExxonMobil Guyana leveraging both companies’ recognized operating excellence. This contract capitalizes on our developments in Guyana to date, positioning the Company for long-term operations in the country. This Integrated Operation Model is the first of its kind in the industry,

and (it) extends our relationship with ExxonMobil Guyana by integrating further our teams. We believe it is the optimal solution to achieve excellence in the operation of Guyanese assets bringing value to all stakeholders and setting a new performance benchmark for the industry,” Chabas said.

It was only last month that the Prosperity FPSO constructed by SBM Offshore arrived in Guyana to join the other FPSOs Liza Destiny and Liza Unity, which are currently producing more than 380,000 barrels per day.

Prosperity will develop the Payara field in the offshore Stabroek Block. It has an initial production capacity of around 220,000 barrels of oil per day, and an overall storage volume of two million barrels.

Production from the Prosperity vessel is expected to push daily production to some 600,000 barrels in 2024. ExxonMobil had said at the time that installation campaigns were ongoing and development drilling is underway to support

Prosperity’s start-up later this year.

Guyana, with US oil giant ExxonMobil as the operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019 in the Stabroek Block. Guyana’s oil revenues are being held in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) at the New York Federal Reserve Bank, where it is earning interest.

The oil rich Stabroek Block, which is producing the oil, is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres).

Exxon, through its local subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is the operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Block.

Hess Guyana Exploration

Ltd holds 30 per cent interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027, with possibly 10 FPSOs operational by 2030. Production has already started in the second phase, with the Liza Unity FPSO vessel in operation.

The third project – the Payara development – will target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels, and was at one point considered to be the largest single planned investment

in the history of Guyana. Meanwhile, the Yellowtail development, which will be oil giant ExxonMobil’s fourth development in Guyana’s waters, will turn out to be the single largest development so far in terms of barrels per day of oil, with a mammoth 250,000 bpd targeted.

The Uaru oil development, which will be the fifth one for the company offshore Guyana, is targeting between 38 and 63 development wells, including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells. Exxon had previously also made known that it anticipates first oil from the Uaru development by late 2026 or early 2027. (G3)

CEO of SBM Offshore, Bruno Chabas

Prosperity is the latest SBM-constructed FPSO to arrive in Guyana

Authorities destroy brothels operated by convicted Venezuelan woman

the elimination of trafficking. The Government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore, Guyana remained on Tier 1.”

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry continues to encourage people to report all suspicious activities on hotline numbers (592) 227-4083 or (592) 623-5030. Spanish-speaking persons can contact (592) 624-0079. (G1)

Two brothels, respectively located at Barakatt Backdam and Crusher Landing in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), which were being operated by a convicted Venezuelan woman, have been destroyed by the authorities.

The Home Affairs Ministry said that, on Monday, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), in collaboration with the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons, destroyed the illegal structures. These establishments were being operated by Mayelin Josefina Cordova, a 41-year-old Venezuelan national who was recently convicted and sentenced to six months in prison under the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act for using a brothel.

Two Venezuelan women were found at the property. As investigations continue into this case, the Ministry said it will keep the public informed. “Further, we would like to thank the Guyana Police Force – TIP Unit; Counter Trafficking in Persons Unit; Ministry of Human Services and Social Security; Office of the Director of Public Prosecution; and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) for their continued support in our fight against human trafficking in Guyana,” the statement read.

It added, “The [Trafficking in Persons] Taskforce and its sister agencies will continue

(their) focus on increasing awareness of human trafficking, strengthening enforcement efforts, international cooperation, and enhancing work with all stakeholders (Government, Civil Society organisations, and the Private Sector) to prevent human trafficking and thwart the efforts of traffickers.”

On Wednesday, April 26, Cordova was arraigned in the Bartica Magistrate’s

prisonment after he was convicted of trafficking a Venezuelan national for labour exploitation. As part of his sentence, Shaw must pay $2,127,000 in restitution to the victim.

And Browne, known as “Tommy” and “Yankee”, was sentenced to four years in prison on each of two counts of human trafficking involving two Jamaicans.

The sentences will, however, run concurrently. He was also handed a one-year jail sentence on a count of withholding their passports.

The 44-year-old Browne, of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), was also fined $200,000 and or-

Court and pleaded guilty to operating the brothels — a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. She was subsequently jailed by the presiding magistrate.

This is the third conviction the Human Services and Social Security CounterTrafficking in Persons Unit has secured so far this year, and it continues to provide protective care, counselling, and other support to victims of human trafficking.

Back in March, businessmen Feezal Shaw and Tito Browne were sentenced to terms of imprisonment for human trafficking. Shaw, 64, of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was sentenced to three years’ im-

dered to pay $6,300,000 in restitution to the victims.

The Government’s commitment to preventing human trafficking has been demonstrated in the implementation of several policies and collaborations with various stakeholders, including the Guyana Police Force (GPF); GGMC; Maritime and Airport security officials; medical professionals; and Education, Welfare, and Guidance officers.

Notably, Guyana has maintained its Tier One status in the US Department of State’s 2022 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

According to the report, “The Government of Guyana fully meets the minimum standards for

Authorities have destroyed two brothels that were being operated by Mayelin Josefina Cordova

Jailed: Mayelin Josefina Cordova

Day 1 of NGSA

(Ministry of Education

across Guyana

Education photos)

Unattended garbage fire spreads to nearby home, others damaged

Afire that was started through the improper disposal of garbage has left a 60-yearold woman homeless, a flat wooden building destroyed, and two other houses in Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown damaged.

The incident occurred at about 19:00h on Tuesday at Lot 733, Sixth Field Cummings Lodge. The destroyed building was owned and occupied by 60-year-old Haimwantie Singh.

According to the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS), Singh had lit a heap of garbage next to her home and had left it unattended, and the fire quickly spread to her home and engulfed the house, re -

and one metre of PVC guttering in the neighbouring houses located at Lot 734 and Lot 733 respectively.

The GFRS stated that firefighters from the Central, Alberttown, and

Quamina St hotel incident

Sophia man died from heart attack – PME reveals

Days after the body of 46-year-old Omar Ally was found in a Quamina Street, Georgetown hotel, a postmortem examination has revealed that he had suffered a heart attack. Government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh conducted the autopsy.

Ally was found dead last Friday in a hotel room he had checked into with a woman. The woman, Kenisha Thomas, was later seen jumping from the hotel's second floor and fleeing the scene after Ally's body had been discovered.

ing citizens of the dangers of leaving burning garbage or grass fires unattended, as they can quickly escalate and cause significant damage. To control and prevent grass and garbage fires, the Guyana Fire Service advises, the public must avoid openly burning grass and garbage, and find other means of disposal and/or land clearing. Large grass and garbage fires should be reported to the Fire Department immediately, and cigarette or cigar butts should not be thrown on the ground or out of a vehicle.

In an interview with reporter Travis Chase on Tuesday, Thomas admitted to having had an affair with Ally which had lasted for four years, but denied any wrongdoing with respect to his death. She claimed that in the four years of her relationship with the man, they had never had an argument, and she had no reason to kill him.

She claimed that after imbibing alcoholic beverages and having had intercourse, both

she and Ally had gone to take a bath when he collapsed and hit his head on the toilet bowl while she was in the bathroom. Thomas added that, upon seeing this, she ran to get help from the receptionist, but Ally became motionless before she could return. This, she said, caused her to panic.

Thomas, who has since retained a lawyer, committed to turning herself over to the custody of the Police after the autopsy results were known, and she explained that she fled the scene out of fear of Ally's wife, who is also her neighbour,

finding out about the affair.

“I didn’t wait for the Police because I got scared, and I didn’t want to wait for his wife and his family to come there and see me. That’s why I ran away,” Thomas explained. The woman said the hotel staff knew them well because they frequented the hotel.

“I want to express my deepest sympathy to the Ally family. This is a situation that I am not happy about, and I want to apologise for how it happened and the circumstances that have ensued…”, she said. (G9)

Love triangle ends in fatal stabbing

sulting in its destruction.

The heat radiating from the burning house also destroyed three black tanks

Campbellville fire stations were dispatched to the location.

The GFRS is also warn -

“Parents should also educate their children about the dangers of playing with fire, and keep a shovel, bucket of water, fire extinguisher or other fire suppression tools on hand to put out fires if they occur or get out of hand,” the Fire Service has said. (G9)

A24-year-old pork-knocker is now dead after reportedly being stabbed to his chest by another man while in his camp at Jaw Bone Backdam in the North West District (NWD) of Region One (Barima-Waini) on Monday.

Dead is Kwasi Mitchell of Hyde Park, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and Police have confirmed that the stabbing incident stemmed from a misunderstanding over a teenage girl.

According to reports, the suspect and Mitchell had reportedly shared an intimate relationship with a 16-yearold female of Baramita, NWD.

On Monday, at about 00:30h, the suspect and the teen had a misunderstanding, after which she left the suspect’s camp and went to Mitchell's camp to sleep.

In her statement to the Police, the teen said that at about 02:00h, while sleeping at Mitchell’s camp in his hammock, she felt an impact on her head. She opened her eyes and looked up, and saw the suspect armed with a sharp object in his hand, which he allegedly used to stab Michelle in his left side chest and right hand.

She said Mitchell frantically jumped out of the ham-

mock and ran away from his camp, before he collapsed on Jaw Bone Landing. Publicspirited persons who saw the man collapse assisted him to the Baramita Health Centre, NWD, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The body was later escorted to the Port Kaituma Mortuary to await a PME.

Meanwhile, the suspect was nabbed and assaulted by members of the public at the scene of the stabbing, before being handed over to the Police. He has since confessed to the murder, the Police have said. Investigations are ongoing.

Firefighters at the scene of the fire at Cummings Lodge

Omar Ally, the dead man, and Kenisha Thomas running from the scene after the body was discovered

PAHO/WHO, Guyana partner to develop “game-changing” vaccine technology

The Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) is currently conducting a two-day workshop in Guyana to assess the needs of the country for the development of a new vaccination technology, microarray vaccine patches.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop organised by PAHO and the Health Ministry on Wednesday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony shared that this new technology could be a game changer for Guyana.

He added that it would also allow the Ministry to effectively carry out its duties and reach persons in remote hinterland communities in a more effective way. According to the Minister, transporting traditional vaccines is quite expensive.

“It’s really a game changer in many ways. If we adopt this technology it’s going to help us to get vaccines out to very remote communities in an easier way, because right now we have to move vaccines…from Georgetown to go out to those hinterland communities, it’s quite

costly: we have to keep it at a certain temperature, when it gets there we have to store it at a certain temperature, we have to invest a lot of money in training of people and then when we finish all of that and we give the vaccines, we have to consider how we will get rid of the waste, the needles and the syringes and so on. All of that is quite problematic,” the Minister explained.

Meanwhile, a representative of the WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Mateusz Hasso-Agopsowicz shared that this new technology has been recognised by the WHO and multiple other immunisation partners, adding that not only was it being explored for both the Measles and Rubella vaccines but the end goal was to employ this tech for all vac-

cines.

“This new technology to deliver vaccines, microarray systems patches, have been recognised by the World Health Organisation and multiple immunisation partners as the most important tool in order to use to achieve the elimination of Measles and Rubella,” he said.

According to HassoAgopsowicz, knowing how a country would use this technology is essential to its development so as to fit its needs and make an impact.

“We were battled with, what is the best way to ensuring that this new innovation can be developed as fast as possible so it can be available to countries that really need it, and as part of this workshop, we’re bringing this concept, this technology here to better under-

96 Berbicians benefit from steel, cement subsidies

to help persons to start the construction or the foundation stage, [and] give you that impetus [and] that encouragement,” Croal said. “That is why [we] had the announcement of the steel and cement subsidy programme.”

After recognising that several house lots were left empty after their allocation due to their owners being unable to start building right away, the Government established this subsidy programme to aid the residents in starting their construction process.

stand how countries, once the technology is ready… will use it, whether they would only give it to specific populations, whether they would apply it to everyone who is eligible for vaccination, whether they would be initially hesitant to introduce it, because they would like to collect some local data, we would like to know that ahead so we can well prepare for the introduction of these innovations and we can make sure that they really make an impact,” Hasso-Agopsowicz told this publication.

He further added that “There are also other vaccines in development that could be delivered using microarray patches, COVID is one example, Hepatitis B, and also other vaccines such as flu vaccines, against in-

fluenza or against HPV, and there are many [other] vaccines being evaluated, and I think the challenge is now to identify what are the most suitable and appropriate vaccines that would benefit from the fact that this technology could really reach children that haven’t been previously immunised because that is the ultimate goal of this innovation.”

According to Anna-Lea Kahn, who is also a representative of the WHO, the technology is still under development and this workshop is a representation of Global, Regional, and Country Level collaboration to inform persons of the innovation.

“The purpose of the workshop is very much to make sure that the way we embark or go about developing innovations like this tech-

nology is reflective and also meeting country needs. It’s all about making sure that it’s a bottom-up process that countries are informing the developments of innovations that meet their specific needs, thus making sure that the way we go about developing this kind of product and when we eventually do choose to introduce it, that we’re well informed and we’ve managed to design and make sure that the product corresponds with the needs of countries,” Kahn shared. She added that by making the products better designed and corresponding with a country’s needs and priorities and preferences, they would then have a better chance of effective uptake and having the product actually have the desired impact.

The Central Planning and Housing Authority (CHPA) on Wednesday continued its steel and cement subsidies programme, this time targeting Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), where some 96 persons benefitted.

In another measure to ensure the ease of home ownership in Guyana, these 96 residents were presented with steel and

cement subsidies to the tune of $225,000 each.

“[The Housing and Water Ministry] wants to be able to be a facilitator, an enabling environment, so that you can as quickly as possible move on to the state of home-ownership,” said Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal to residents during the voucher-distribution exercise.

“Part of that initiative is

Applicants that are qualified for mortgages up to $25 million are eligible for this programme. Of the 96 selected applicants within this Region Six exercise, 68 will be collecting cement only, and the other 28 will collect steel and cement.

“For $6 million and below, steel and cement will be provided. And for those mortgages, $6 million to $25 million, we will be giving you two slings of cement, and this will be done in the form of our voucher,” Permanent Secretary within the Housing Ministry, Andre Ally, said.

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal distributing a steel and cement voucher to a Region Six resident on Wednesday

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and representatives of PAHO & WHO during the launch of the workshop

Works will soon start on US$10M Joe Vieira Park – China’s Ambassador

ed to the regional government by businessman Joe Vieira, and falls under the National Parks Commission. The green space was designated a park on March 24, 1982.

Commissioner (ag) of the Protected Areas Commission and the National Parks Commission, Jason Fraser, along with the Economic and Commercial Counsellor

of the Chinese Embassy, Hanming Hu, signed the agreement committing some US$10 million to the upgrading of the park.

“I believe this new park will provide the local people a modern public place near their home, where they can enjoy the lakeside views, picnic time, fitness exercise, culture events, and recre-

ational activities,” she had said.

The park will also include canopies and a children’s activity centre. It will be fully funded by China through a grant, and will have a Guyana-China Friendship Monument commemorating the long and ongoing friendship between the two countries. (G3)

GOGEC signs MoU with CBMEX Energy Guyana

Works will soon commence on the US$10 million Joe Vieira Park on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), which is being funded by the Chinese Government to mark Guyana and China’s celebration of 50 years of diplomatic ties.

This was revealed by Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, during an interview on the sidelines of the unveiling of another Chinese/Guyana project- a $15 million Guyana/Chinese Friendship Pavilion at Lamaha Street, Georgetown on Wednesday.

When asked by the media, the ambassador assured that works will soon start on the park. “(Workers) have already arrived from the designer company. Some technicians from the contractor. They are busy with the preparation work. I know

because the park is closed, we’ve done some (coordination) to make sure the project will go smoothly. Now they are constructing the building for the workers… there’s already progress. We’re planning to have a sod-turning ceremony soon,” she disclosed.

Last year, Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, had said the iconic Joe Vieira Park would take about 20 months to be upgraded. The Minister, along with Ambassador Haiyan, spoke about the project during the National Clean-up and Beautification Campaign that was led by President Irfaan Ali on Sunday in Region Three.

Indar had related that the Park would be rebuilt into something “very, very attractive”, not only for the region, but for the entire

country. He also reminisced on the pre-COVID traditions of Easter celebrations at the venue.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Guo had said at the time that the park would be renamed the Guyana-China Friendship Joe Vieira Park. She had said that the park would be built with the aim of providing a public place for families, and would not only host recreational activities, but cultural events as well.

Also in 2022, the Guyana Protected Areas Commission and the Chinese Embassy had signed an agreement to transform the Joe Vieira Park in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) into a modern green space.

The Joe Vieira Park, located at Schoonord, WBD, has been in an abandoned state for years. It was donat-

The Guyana Oil & Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) has participated in the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2023, themed “Delivering the Future of Offshore Energy”. GOGEC, in a release on Friday, said the aim at OTC is to promote its members’ marketing materials and also to meet potential members.

Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), it said, brings together the technical and scientific knowledge from offshore energy game-changers as they share best practices, technical in-

novations, energy transition, and emerging trends.

“GOGEC met with scientists, engineers, researchers and executive-level professionals on their progress in revolutionising the ever-changing environment of offshore and onshore projects. GOGEC has current MOUs with Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and Petroleum Commission of Ghana, which are also exhibitors at OTC,” the release stated.

In addition, the President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber, Manniram Prashad, signed an MOU

with CBMEX Energy Guyana with the aim of working closely to encourage and facilitate the dissemination and application of new knowledge and expertise, especially in the area of oil and gas development and management.

“GOGEC plays a significant role in linking Oil and Gas and energy companies to Guyanese businesses. The chamber is excited to bring such a large delegation to the oil and gas capital of the world, and expects to see tremendous results in the form of MOUs and contract signings,” the release added.

96 Berbicians benefit...

These vouchers can be redeemed at four locations within Region Six: Gafsons Industries Ltd., National Hardware, David Persaud Investment Ltd, and N. Singh Lumberyard and Hardware Store.

“This initiative not only assists the beneficiaries, but also the hardware stores in getting their sales,” CHPA Chief Executive Officer Sherwyn Greaves said.

“It stimulates the economy in terms of the money being spent and circulated in Region Six, and jobs being provided for the construction workers.”

Each supplier involved in this programme has signed an agreement to keep a fixed price for their cement and steel for voucher recipients. Starting from Wednesday, this voucher expires after six months.

FROM PAGE 15

“We don't want you to sit on it, because we went through a process, and so we

also have to have timelines for doing such [initiatives,]” Croal said.

An artist’s impression of how the enhanced Joe Vieira Park would look

CHPA Chief Executive Officer Sherwyn Greaves handing out a voucher

“Inefficient” Opposition stymieing Govt’s legislative agenda – AG

As the Guyana Government continues to pursue an aggressive and transformative legislative agenda, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C, has bemoaned the parliamentary Opposition’s role in slowing down that progress. “Our legislative agenda is constantly being slowed down and stymied because of an incompetent and inefficient Opposition [the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change],”

Nandlall stated during his weekly programme – Issues

In the News.

He made reference to the Data Protection Bill which addresses, among other things, the public’s

criticisms regarding the planned introduction of an electronic ID Card for citizens. Government signed the US$35.4 million contract with German-based company Veridos Identity Solutions back in March for the implementation of the national electronic Identification (ID) Card, which would not only promote the ease of conducting a host of transactions by Guyanese, but also be used by the State to track migrants in the country.

Criticisms had emerged over the absence of the relevant laws in Guyana that would allow for the protection and use of such a card and the data (bio-data of the cardholder) it will contain.

But the Attorney General

explained that there are provisions within the contract period for implementation of the card for the legal and the administrative apparatus to

President Ali to attend King Charles III’s coronation

have a role, unfortunately, to play. No input from the Opposition nor from the Civil Society commentators, and the timeframe which has been stipulated for receipt of recommendations and inputs is quickly coming to an end,” he posited.

President Dr Irfaan Ali is leading a delegation to the United Kingdom to attend the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on Saturday. President Ali left Guyana on Wednesday. The Coronation Ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Over2,000 workers needed to meet local labour demands

Some 2,200 workers are needed to meet the current demands of Guyana’s labour force, even as the country’s economy continues to witness drastic transformation.

This was disclosed by Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton on Monday, while attending the Labour Day celebrations at the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU).

“When you talk about unemployment, it’s not that people cannot get employment. We have to understand what is happening here. We are not a country where people are shut out from employment. There is more employment than people that need to be employed in Guyana,”

Minister Hamilton told the Department of Public Information (DPI).

He noted that many people are leaving their jobs to join the oil and gas sector, and, as such, those positions are left unoccupied. There is also a shortage of workers in the construction sector, which has resulted in many contractors being unable to finish their projects on time.

“You go and take a walk in all the areas where we are doing construction… housing …doing infrastructure, and you will see that the contractors…saying that they cannot find skilled personnel. The shore base out there, that they’re developing in the river, needs 700 employees. So far, they

have only found 200. So, they are 500 short. In this country, in oil and gas, we are short of 2,000 welders and fabricators,” Minister Hamilton disclosed.

To this end, he has encouraged young people to take up these vacant jobs in the meantime, as they search for the ones they desire.

“When you leave school, find a job whilst you’re looking for the job that you want, based on your profession,” he emphasised.

Last year, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo launched the PartTime Jobs Initiative as part of the Government’s efforts to address labour shortages and supplement household incomes for families.

be put in place to govern the use of the e-cards.

However, Nandlall pointed out that the Data Protection Bill was released since April 15, inviting feedback from the public, including the Opposition, and, to date, not a single submission has been received. The deadline for feedback is May 6, and it is envisioned that the Bill would then be tabled in the National Assembly next week.

Tactics

Nandlall believes that when this happens, the Opposition will again employ tactics that would negatively impact the Government’s aggressive legislative agenda.

“Come next week in the Parliament, when we plan to lay the bill, you will hear them asking for more time: that they didn't get time to study the bill. You will hear that they want the bill to go to a select committee because they haven’t read the bill. I am saying that that constitutes a gross dereliction of duty…

“I don't want them to agree with the bill. But they

The Attorney General went on to outline that Government is operating on multiple tracks in regard to its legislative agenda, and in some cases there are international deadlines which have to be met, such as the upcoming Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) assessment in September this year.

Once such legislation is the Real Estate Agents Bill. It had been highlighted that there is a gap in Guyana’s AML/CFT structure with the absence of any regulatory framework for the local real estate industry. Government is now trying to fill that vacuum ahead of the September review with the proposed legislation that would govern the operations of real estate agents.

As recently as Tuesday, AG Nandlall met with industry stakeholders and presented them with the draft copy of the bill for them to give their feedback. He underscored the importance of having this bill passed on time in the National Assembly before Parliament goes into a two-month recess in August, which is just one month before AML/CFT assessment.

“I am just giving you a glimpse of the hectic work schedule that we have, and rather than offer constructive criticism and support in the national interest, you have an Opposition, all it

does is it obstructs, it opposes, it stymies, and it dilates. And why? Because they have no constructive contribution to make, and that is demonstratively clear by what they say in the press and the way that they conduct themselves in the National Assembly and outside of the National Assembly,” he asserted.

The Real Estate Agents Bill has some 83 provisions and several scheduled that were crafted after consultations were held with the real estate operators in Guyana. Additionally, similar legislation from the Caribbean were also looked at in coming up with a bill that adequately and robustly provides a type of regulatory framework suitable for Guyana, one that would comply with prevailing international standards and obligations.

The bill defines real estate, and it has a system to register operators within the sector. It lists, among other things, the qualifications and disqualifications for registration, and it creates a register of all operators in the sector. It establishes an association, as well as a board to run that association, which would also have rules as to its function. It has provisions dealing with issues of indemnity insurance, and establishes a licensing committee that would licence real estate operators.

The bill, further, speaks to obtaining brokers' licence as well as to professional misconduct, the duties and obligations of real estate agents, and disciplinary matters, including offenses and penalties. (G8)

Attorney General & Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, S.C

At the event, His Majesty King Charles III will be crowned alongside The Queen Consort.

While in the United Kingdom, President Ali will also engage in several meetings with global leaders.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Photo issued by Buckingham Palace of King Charles III and the Queen Consort taken by Hugo Burnand in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, London (PA/Hugo Burnand)

Brazilian Police raid ex-President Bolsonaro’s home Mexico’s Lopez Obrador denounces USAID funds as ‘interventionist’

Police in Brazil have raided the home of former President Jair Bolsonaro as part of an investigation into falsified COVID-19 vaccination documents.

In a statement on Wednesday, Federal Police said they conducted 16 raids in Rio de Janeiro and the capital, Brasilia, targeting a “criminal network” believed to have “inserted false COVID-19 vaccination information into public health systems”.

The statement did not name Bolsonaro specifically.

Police said the false vaccination certificates, which occurred between November 2021 and December of last year, “resulted in the alteration of the true COVID-19 vaccination status of the individuals in question”.

“As a result, the individuals were able to emit vaccination certificates and use them to evade health restrictions put in place by authorities in Brazil and the United States,” the statement said.

The vaccine investigation is one of several probes tar-

geting the former far-right leader, a COVID-19 sceptic who during his tenure repeatedly downplayed the dangers of the virus and rejected the need for public health restrictions.

The probe may answer questions about how Bolsonaro, who pledged to never get a COVID-19 vaccine, was registered as vaccinated in health records made public in February.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University,

approximately 700,000 coronavirus deaths were recorded in Brazil – the second-highest death toll in the world after the US – and Bolsonaro’s Administration had faced criticism and large protests over its handling of the pandemic.

Speaking to reporters outside his home after Wednesday’s raid, Bolsonaro said he was “surprised” by the search and reiterated that he never got a jab. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Jamaica: More than 1000 people have criminal records expunged

JusticeMinister

Delroy Chuck says the Criminal Records (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Board has approved 1200 applications from more than two thousand people seeking to have their criminal records expunged.

Chuck told Parliament that 2322 applications had been received last year.

“When people apply, they expect that within days or weeks it will be expunged. That is not how it works. When persons apply, the first thing that is done is that a report has to be requested from the Criminal Records Office, and because of the burden on the Criminal Records Office, the likelihood of getting back the criminal records report within six months is really very unlikely,” he said.

However he told legislators that improvements have been realised from the Criminal Records Office over the last few months and that

the expungement of criminal records continues to be one of the most demanded services offered by the Ministry of Justice.

“Expungement is an area that the Ministry of Justice comes under a lot of complaints and [receives] a lot of applications,” he said, noting that a submission will be made to Cabinet to look

at the widening of the expungement jurisdiction.

Chuck said following Cabinet’s deliberation, it is hoped that a Bill will be brought to Parliament in this fiscal year to widen the categories or to ensure that persons who have been rehabilitated can get their matters expunged.

“We refuse a lot of applications. There are persons who have been found guilty for serious crimes, but they, having served their sentence, have returned to the community. They have lived fairly upright lives, and because the Third Schedule is quite restrictive, they cannot get expungement and many of them, even though they appeal to the Minister, the Minister is reluctant to grant any appeal where the offence is of a serious nature, notwithstanding that they have been good upright citizens for 10 [or] 15 years,” he said. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has issued a letter to The administration of Joe Biden, calling for the United States to end aid to organisations he perceives as opposed to his government.

The letter specifically identifies funds from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), though it does not name the groups López Obrador objects to.

“The US Government,

specifically through USAID, has for some time been financing organisations openly against the legal and legitimate government I represent,” he said in the letter, dated Tuesday and read during the President’s morning press briefing on Wednesday.

“This is clearly an interventionist act, contrary to international law and the relations which should prevail between free and sovereign states.”

Wednesday’s comments echo earlier pushback from López Obrador, who previously sent the US a diplomatic note in 2021 denouncing USAID funds.

At the time, he objected specifically to funding for the nonprofit Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity. “A foreign Government can’t provide money to political groups,” he said of the funds, adding: “It’s promoting a form of coup.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Man suspected of killing 5 Honduran neighbours in US captured

Aman suspected of killing five of his neighbours in Texas has been arrested after Police found him hiding in a cupboard underneath a pile of laundry.

Francisco Oropesa was detained north of Houston. He was several miles from his own home where the shootings happened late on Friday.

Oropesa is accused of attacking his neighbours after they allegedly asked him to stop practising with his rifle as the noise was keeping a baby awake.

The victims included a nine-year-old.

They were all from Honduras, and the country's Foreign Ministry

identified them as Sonia Guzman, 28; Diana Velasquez, 21; Obdulia Molina, 31; Jonathan Caceres, 18, and Daniel Enrique Lazo, nine.

The arrest of Oropesa, a 38-year-old Mexican national, brings an end to a four-day manhunt that swept up law enforcement officials across multiple jurisdictions, including the FBI. Drones and scent-tracking dogs were used as Police searched an area as far south as the Mexican border.

Authorities offered a reward of US$80,000 for information leading to his arrest and, on Tuesday, the FBI said Oropesa "could be anywhere" as the days-long

search failed to yield any leads.

But a member of the public contacted the FBI's tip line on Tuesday evening and the suspect was captured just over an hour later near the town of Cut and Shoot, officials said in a news conference.

Police have not said who owns the home he was arrested in, but the New York Times reported that property records show it belongs to a relative.

"They can rest easy now, because he is behind bars," Sherriff Greg Capers said of the families of the victims. "He will live out his life behind bars for killing those five." (Excerpt from BBC News)

Belize donates Barbados black belly sheep to Guatemala

Peru's security forces committed alarming human rights violations during anti-Government protests last December, a regional human rights body said on Wednesday, adding that the response to demonstrators could be classified as a massacre.

More than 60 people died in clashes with Police and soldiers in protests that broke out following the ouster of then-President Pedro Castillo.

"There were grave episodes of use of excessive force," the Inter-American Commission on Human

Rights (IACHR) concluded in a report.

The Government has denied it committed abuses during the protests and said it is collaborating with investigations.

President Dina Boluarte, who replaced Castillo, later on Wednesday dismissed the group's conclusions.

"We reject the supposed findings of extrajudicial killings and the 'massacre' description," she said at a press conference.

IACHR said a large number of people were killed and injured by gunfire, mainly in the Andean regions of

Ayacucho and Puno, where people demanded new elections and Boluarte's resignation.

The violence "might also amount to a massacre," the report asserted.

"There were serious human rights violations that must be investigated with due diligence and an ethno-racial approach," said Margarette May Macaulay, head of the IACHR, which is the human rights arm of the Washington-based Organization of American States. "The deaths could constitute extrajudicial executions." (Excerpt from Reuters)

Belize Government remains committed to regional partnerships for the growth and development of the agricultural sector

Belize has donated breeding sheep, including the Barbados Black Belly sheep to Guatemala that will be used to improve the existing genetic stock at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of the Republic of Guatemala (MAGA).

A statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE),said that in collaboration with the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) Breeding Sheep and Goat Production and Guidance System Enhancement Project, the

Caribbean Community (Caricom) country had donated the Dorper, Katahdin, and Barbados Black Belly sheep breeds to Guatemala.

“The donation follows a Memorandum of Agreement signed between MAFSE and MAGA in 2022 to advance the agricultural development of both countries in technical areas such as livestock, agro-processing, fruit trees, research, innovation, and technological transfer.

“This agreement has also resulted in Belize’s technical officers receiving training in various thematic areas in Guatemala and Guatemalan officers visiting Belize to of-

fer training sessions,” the statement noted.

It said that Belize Government remains committed to regional partnerships for the growth and development of the agricultural sector and that the donation also forms a wider partnership with the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) through advancing the sheep sub-sector in Belize and the region.

Belize and Guatemala have had a long running border dispute with Guatemala claiming the whole or part of Belize since 1940. The issue is now before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). (CMC)

Violent response to Peru protesters may be massacre, says rights group

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro leaves his home following a search operation, in Brasilia, May 3, 2023 [Adriano Machado/Reuters]

Jamaican Justice Minister Delroy Chuck

Around The World OIL NEWS

Ukraine tried to assassinate Putin by drone, Kremlin says

Oil falls 4%, extending losses after Fed rate hike

Oil prices fell four per cent on Wednesday, extending steep losses from the previous session after the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates and as investors fretted about the economy.

Brent futures settled US$2.99 lower, or four per cent, to US$72.33 a barrel, the global benchmark's lowest close since December 2021. Brent hit a session low of US$71.70 a barrel, its lowest since March 20.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell US$3.06, or 4.3 per cent, to US$68.60. WTI's session low was US$67.95 a barrel, lowest since March 24.

A day earlier, both benchmarks fell five per cent, their biggest daily percentage declines since early January.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Fed raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, pressuring oil prices as traders worried that slower economic growth could hit energy demand.

But the Fed also signalled it may pause further increases, giving officials time to assess fallout from recent bank failures, wait for resolution of a political standoff over the US debt ceiling and monitor inflation.

Banking sector concerns returned to the spotlight on Monday after US regulators seized First Republic, the third major US institution to fail in two months, with JPMorgan Chase & Co agreeing to take US$173 billion of the bank's loans, US$30 billion of securities and US$92 billion of deposits.

"The Fed going into a pause mode should be very supportive for the price of oil," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group. "The big question is whether or not we're going to have more shoes drop in the banking sector."

The European Central Bank is also expected to raise rates at its policy meeting today.

Also pressuring oil prices, Government data showed US gasoline inventories unexpectedly rose by 1.7 million barrels last week. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a 1.2-million-barrel drop.

"The most notable thing is that gasoline demand gave back all of the increases that we'd seen in previous weeks," said Andrew Lipow, President of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston.

US crude inventories fell by 1.3 million barrels in the week, compared with forecasts for a 1.1-million-barrel drop.

In China, data over the weekend showed April manufacturing activity fell unexpectedly in the world's largest energy consumer and top buyer of crude oil.

Morgan Stanley lowered its forecast for Brent prices to US$75 a barrel by year-end.

"Downside risk to Russia's supply and upside risk to China's demand have largely played out and prospects for 2H tightness have weakened," the bank said in a note, referring to buoyant exports from Russia despite Western sanctions. (Reuters)

A13-year-old boy gunned down eight fellow pupils and a security guard in a Belgrade school on Wednesday in a planned attack, prompting Serbia's President to announce tougher curbs on gun ownership.

Using two handguns that belonged to his father, the boy fired first at the guard and three girls in a hallway and then shot his teacher and classmates in a history lesson, Police said. The teacher and six pupils were hospitalised, some with life-threatening injuries.

Veselin Milic, head of Belgrade Police, said the attacker had two guns and two petrol bombs and had planned everything carefully. "He even had ... names of children he wanted to kill and their classes," he

Russia accused Ukraine on Wednesday of a failed attempt to assassinate President Vladimir Putin in a drone attack on the Kremlin citadel in Moscow, and threatened to retaliate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv had nothing to do with the reported overnight incident.

"We don't attack Putin, or Moscow, we fight on our territory," Zelenskiy told a press conference during a visit to Finland, of the war against Russian occupiers.

A senior aide to Zelenskiy called the accusation a sign that the Kremlin was planning a major new attack on Ukraine, at a time of potential turning point in the war as Kyiv prepares to mount a long-anticipated counteroffensive.

Shortly after the Kremlin announcement, Ukraine reported alerts for air strikes over the capital Kyiv and other cities.

Russia said that two unmanned aerial vehicles were aimed at the Kremlin.

"As a result of timely actions taken by the mil-

itary and special services with the use of radar warfare systems, the devices were put out of action," a Kremlin statement said.

"We regard these actions as a planned terrorist act and an attempt on the President's life, carried out on the eve of Victory

Day, the May 9 Parade, at which the presence of foreign guests is also planned."

Fragments of drones were scattered in the Kremlin grounds, but there were no injuries or damage, it said.

Putin himself was safe.

The RIA news agency said he had not been in the Kremlin at the time, and was working on Wednesday at his Novo Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow.

"The Russian side reserves the right to take

taliatory measures where and when it sees fit," the Kremlin added.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now Deputy Head of Russia's Security Council, said the incident "leaves us no option but to physically eliminate Zelenskiy and his clique".

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Syria, Iran leaders sign long-term oil, trade agreements

told a press conference.

Gun ownership is widespread in Serbia, which has witnessed several mass shootings over the past decade, and President Aleksandar Vucic said checks would be stepped up.

As Serbia prepared for three days of national mourning, Vucic announced a moratorium on new gun licences other than for hunting, revision of existing permits, and surveillance of shooting ranges and how civilians store their weapons. School shootings are rare.

The shooter, who gave himself up to Police and at 13 is below Serbia's age of criminal responsibility, will be placed in a psychiatric institution, Vucic told reporters, adding that both his father and mother had been arrested. (Excerpt from Reuters)

The death toll in the flooding in western Rwanda has gone up to 127, according to the office of President Paul Kagame, as a rescue operation is under way to reach stranded people amid torrential rains.

“Rescue interventions are ongoing in the most affected districts … in order to secure endangered citizens,” Kagame’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.

Six people were also killed overnight in neighbouring Uganda, in the mountainous southwestern Kisoro district, the Uganda Red Cross said.

François Habitegeko, governor of Rwanda’s Western Province, said, “It rained heavily all night, causing immense suffering in the districts

of Ngororero, Rubavu, Nyabihu, Rutsiro, and Karongi.”

The hardest-hit districts in the province were Rutsiro, where at least 26 people died, Nyabihu with 19 killed, and Rubavu and Ngororero with 18 deaths each, he added.

Habitegeko said the rain started about 18:00h (16:00 GMT) on Tuesday and the River Sebeya burst its banks. “The soil was already soaked from the previous days of rain, which caused landslides that closed roads,” added the Governor.

A video clip posted on the State-run Rwanda Broadcasting Agency’s Twitter account showed muddy water running along a road and houses that had been destroyed.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

The Presidents of Iran and Syria have signed a series of long-term cooperation agreements on oil and other sectors to bolster economic ties between the two long-time allies.

Iran’s Ebrahim Raisi, leading a large economic and political delegation, met his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, after landing in the war-torn country for a two-day visit – an Iranian President’s first visit to Damascus since 2010.

The Iranian delegation includes the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Oil, Roads and Urban Development as well as Telecommunications. Raisi is also being accompanied by a number of Private Sector businessmen from Iran, according to Al

Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Tehran.

“The Iranian President has … signed at least 15 documents covering several lucrative economic agreements between the two countries,” Jabbari said.

Tehran has been a main backer of al-Assad’s Government since a 2011 uprising turned into fully-fledged war and has played an instrumental role in turning the tide of the conflict in his favour.

Iran has sent military advisers and thousands of Iran-backed fighters to Syria to fight on al-Assad’s side against the Opposition. Tehran has also provided an economic lifeline for al-Assad, sending fuel and credit lines worth billions of dollars.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

re-

A still image taken from video shows a flying object exploding in an intense burst of light near the dome of the Kremlin Senate building during the alleged Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow, Russia, in this image taken from video obtained by Reuters, May 3, 2023 (Ostorozhno Novosti/Handout via Reuters)

Flash floods hit western Rwanda, killing more than 100

9 killed in planned attack at Serbian school by 13-year-old boy

Rescue interventions are ongoing in Rwanda [Jean Bizimana/Reuters]

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi are pictured during the signing of cooperation agreements in Damascus, Syria [Yamam al Shaar/Reuters]

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Don't pass up a chance to learn something new. Someone you encounter will have an impact on your decisions. Travel, communication and love are apparent. Include loved ones in your plans.

(March 21-April 19)

A hasty decision or action will cause emotional stress. Relax, take your time and refuse to let anyone pressure you to do something you are questioning. When in doubt, talk to someone you know will offer sound advice. Don't take a health risk.

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Put everything you've got into your work; an opportunity to advance will unfold. A chance to earn more or receive a gift or grant looks promising. Set up a meeting.

If you do your part, rewards will follow. Use your skills, knowledge and experience to help a cause or someone in need. You don't have to spend money to get ahead.

(June 21-July 22)

Do some research. Nothing stays the same forever, and it's important that you be aware of what's going on around you if you want to keep up. Take care of yourself and those you care about most.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Embrace what's new and exciting. Explore what you have in common with friends and peers and do your part to nurture meaningful relationships. Set high standards and strive for stability and security.

Emotional and financial matters will take a turn for the worse if you get involved in a joint venture or agree to share expenses with someone unreliable. Examine your living arrangements.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

You'll be eager to take care of your responsibilities so you can move on to what inspires you. Get involved in a creative process that encourages positive lifestyle changes.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Spend more time analyzing the best way to lower debt and save money. Refrain from sharing personal matters. Someone you least expect will reveal your secrets if given the opportunity.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Open your doors to friends and relatives. The feedback you receive will help you decide how to update your surroundings to fulfill your needs. Dedicate some time to exercise or a hobby.

Keep your life simple, meaningful and cost-efficient. Don't feel obligated to go along with others' decisions. Follow your heart and do what's best for you. Romance is encouraged.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Put a solid financial plan in place and do whatever's necessary to ease stress. Lowering your overhead or changing what isn't working for you will lead to valuable ideas.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

TATA IPL 2023: Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings…

Mumbai Indians ease to 215 target

-courtesy of the Kishan-Suryakumar show

Punjab Kings have a deep batting line-up, which allows them to approach innings in a fearless manner. They duly posted 200-plus for the fourth time in a row - an IPL record –courtesy of an unbroken stand of 119 from 52 balls between Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma. Yet they ended up on the losing side, and that was down to a masterclass in T20 batting from Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan, who helped Mumbai Indians hunt down 215 with plenty to spare, just three days after they had also successfully chased 213.

Livingstone and Jitesh had swung, slapped and sliced Mumbai's bowlers all around during their century stand, to lift Kings from 95 for 3 in the 12th over to 214 at the end of their innings. Livingstone cracked 82 off 42, while Jitesh missed his half-century by one run, getting to 49 from 27.

But then Suryakumar hammered 66 at a rate of more than two runs per ball, and Kishan slammed 75 to further clog the points table, where four sides - including both these teams - each sit on ten

points. The race to playoffs has indeed heated up.

Fearless batting Mumbai were 54 for 2 after the powerplay, as Rohit Sharma's inconsistent run continued. He was out for a three-ball duck today, and Cameron Green fell after a cameo. Another 161 were required at 11.50 an over when Impact Player Suryakumar joined Kishan. By then Kishan had settled in, having raced to 26 off 15 with two fours and two sixes. Three overs later, the required rate had risen further to 12.54.

NSC fuels basketball coaching clinic

Several up-and-coming basketball coaches will, over two days, be equipped with a better understanding of the sport through a National Sports Commission-fuelled coaching clinic.

Hosted at the National Racquet Center on Woolford Avenue in Georgetown, the clinic is set to enlighten coaches, especially Physical Education teachers, on the rules of the game, coaching philosophy, techniques such as jump shots and layups, defensive stance and footwork, team offense and defense, in-game strategy, planning a training session and drills.

The clinic will also incorporate practical sessions, which are set to be held at the Burnham Court on Carmichael Street, Georgetown.

A simple opening ceremony was hosted at the Racquet Center on Wednesday morning, when the VicePresident of the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF), the renowned Rawle Toney, underscored the importance of such initiatives.

“This initiative is very

important to the Guyana Basketball Federation because, if you’ve been keeping abreast, we’ve been very active at all levels, using both genders, male and female; and coaching has been a very big part of it,” Toney shared.

A sports journalist, Toney also explained, “Basketball has two formats. I think it’s important to note there’s 3x3 and 5x5. One of it involves coaching, the other one doesn’t involve coaching; well, direct coaching in a game, and as such, I think today’s activity will be very beneficial to you.”

Meanwhile, Assistant Director of Sport (DoS) Melissa Dow-Richardson spoke of the Government’s efforts to increase sport-funding in an effort to develop talent and increase capacity through such training opportunities.

Dow-Richardson told the gathering, “That National Sports Academy is based on three pillars: the Nursery, which was implemented in 2021; the second pillar we are currently a part of, which is tournaments; and the third pillar, which will be the elite. So, this coaching programme is very well poised for the

development of one of our core sports, which is basketball.

“Over the first year, the basketball programme has reached out into the community, and players have been exposed to the fundamentals of the game. But now, what we need to do is increase the capacity of those persons who coach those young persons in the community,” the Assistant DoS added. The basketball clinic was set to span two days and is set to concluded today, with practical sessions at the outdoor court on Carmichael Street.

had slammed the last eight overs of Kings' innings for 115.

Jofra Archer had given away only five runs in his first over, but in the 13th, the two Kings’ batters belted 21, including four leg-byes, off him. Some luck went Jitesh's way, when a top edge flew over the short-third fielder and a heave fell short of deep midwicket; but close calls could not stop him from going hard at the bowlers.

And that is when the carnage began.

Kishan went after Harpreet Brar to pick up 14 from the tenth over, and then combined with Suryakumar to slam 14 more off Rahul Chahar next. PBKS were still very much in it, though, when MI were 100 away with eight overs remaining, but then the turning point of the chase truly arrived.

Suryakumar helped thrash 23 off a Sam Curran over: 6, 6, 4, 4 came off consecutive legal deliveries, and this final boundary got him to his fifty from 23 deliveries. Soon after, Kishan targeted Arshdeep Singh: 6, 4, 4, and the game was almost done. Mumbai needed just 45 from 30 from that point on.

Merciless on Mumbai

The match had seemed in the balance earlier in the day, when Matthew Short's struggle ended. Jitesh came in at #5, with Livingstone already set at the other end. By the time the pair was done, they

At the other end, Livingstone's knock included deft touches between point and short third, as well as forceful swat-pulls. And when Rohit brought Archer back for the 19th over, Livingstone smacked three sixes in a row, before five wides meant the over cost 27. In all, Archer leaked 56 in four overs.

Who knew then that Livingstone and Jitesh would eventually finish on the losing side? Some of the credit for that should also go to the experienced Piyush Chawla, who, having gone for 14 off his first seven balls - including three fours by Shikhar Dhawan - hit back in the eighth over of the innings. He tossed the ball up again to invite Dhawan down the track, but this was a wrong'un, and Dhawan was beaten and stumped for an attacking 30. Chawla went on to put the lid on Kings' scoring over the next few overs, finishing with 2 for 29 in a spell that included subtle changes of pace and constant use of variations. Short was his second victim, misreading a googly to be bowled for 27. Livingstone and Jitesh got together thereafter, but Chawla was still one up on them at the end of the game. (ESPNCricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Punjab Kings (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R B

Prabhsimran Singh c †Ishan

Kishan b Arshad Khan 9 7

Shikhar Dhawan (c)

st †Ishan Kishan b Chawla 30 20

Matthew Short b Chawla 27 26

Liam Livingstone not out 82 42

Jitesh Sharma †not out 49 27

Extras (lb 5, nb 2, w 10) 17

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 10.70) 214/3

Did not bat: Sam Curran, M Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet

Brar, Rishi Dhawan, Rahul

Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Prabhsimran Singh, 1.3 ov), 2-62 (Shikhar Dhawan, 7.2 ov), 3-95

(Matthew Short, 11.2 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Cameron Green 2-0-15-0

Arshad Khan 4-0-48-1

Jofra Archer 4-0-56-0

Piyush Chawla 4-0-29-2

Kumar Kartikeya 3-0-24-0

Akash Madhwal 3-0-37-0

Mumbai Indians (T: 215 runs from 20 ovs)

BATTING R B

Rohit Sharma (c) c Short

b R Dhawan 0 3

Ishan Kishan †c R

18.5 Ov (RR: 11.46)216/4 Did not bat: Nehal Wadhera, Piyush Chawla, Jofra Archer, Kumar Kartikeya, Arshad Khan

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Rohit Sharma, 0.3 ov),

Liam Livingstone slapping one through covers

Ishan Kishan going aerial

Suryakumar Yadav going over covers

Assistant Director of Sport (DoS), Melissa Dow-Richardson GBF Vice President Rawle Toney addressing the clinic’s participants

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024…

Caribbean bid process takes centre stage

CricketWest Indies (CWI) is undertaking a thorough bid process for Caribbean countries wanting to host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the West Indies and USA in June next year. Following the bid process, the venues will be confirmed on 31 July 2023.

Geoff Allardice, CEO of ICC, has said: “We are delighted that the next edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will take place in the West Indies and the USA. Of course, the Caribbean is a region rich in cricket culture, where fans can enjoy a carnival experience with a fine tradition of producing exciting and flamboyant cricketing stars across all formats of the game. The T20 World Cup is a special event in the calendar, and this upcoming edition of the men’s event will expand to 20 teams competing to claim the ultimate prize in T20 International cricket. All host countries play an important role in the provision of world class venues, training facilities and services for players and officials, with the upgrade of any facilities providing a lasting legacy for the game in the West Indies.”

Johnny Grave, CEO of CWI, has said: “This will be the most significant sports event held in the West Indies for a generation, helping us to unlock new commercial and economic growth opportunities for the ICC, CWI, and our region as a whole. This will be the fifth ICC global event that we have proudly staged. 14 years since we last hosted a Men's World Cup event, and this time it will be bigger than ever. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 will be co-hosted with the USA, and is the largest ICC World Cup in history, with 20 teams playing 55 matches.

WIFBSC 2023 Championships…

Queensway Security Service Inc supports GuyanaNRA

“This tournament will be a major financial boost to the West Indies and all our host countries, as it's the perfect opportunity to invite the world to the biggest cricket carnival ever staged. CWI aims to partner once again with our regional governments to ensure that we collectively capitalize on this fantastic platform to promote the region to the world.”

Grave added: “This tournament is also an op-

Developments

‘The blinkers affecting their vision’ were removed, and local horsemen were able to witness a new dimension to the “Sport of Kings” with the staging of Sunday’s first-ever race card on an all-weather surface laid less than two weeks ago at Bush Lot United Turf Club (BLUTC) on the West Coast of Berbice (Region Five).

portunity for us to rebuild our cricket, re-engage our traditional cricket supporters, and attract a new generation of fans. Cricket has always been part of our culture, and we will celebrate this tournament by providing memorable experiences for teams and cricket fans on and off the field, that will blend the unique Caribbean matchday experience with the very best in American sporting entertainment.”

Countries have been required to demonstrate their ability to deliver a worldclass venue and stage the matches by providing match and training facilities; undergo a venue inspection; provide immigration, customs, medical and security support; as well as other operational and logistical requirements, including accommodation for the members of the teams, match officials and broadcast crew.

Visits to Caribbean venues that are contemplating submitting proposals to host ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches started on Wednesday 26 April. A small team will visit each country to look at facilities and discuss the pathway to becoming a host country. A similar process will also be followed to identify venues to host matches in USA.

Countries selected will have the opportunity to promote themselves to a global audience of over one billion people from all over the

world. This tournament will also inject significant investment into the economy of each host nation.

The format of the tournament will see the 20 teams participating – with four groups of five teams in the first round. Each team will play one match against the other teams in the group. The top two teams from each group will move into the Super8s stage, and these eight teams will be split into two groups of four, with each team playing one match against the other teams in their group. The top two teams from each group of the Super8s will advance to the SemiFinals with a chance to make the Final. This is the second time that the West Indies would have hosted the event, with the first time being back in 2010. West Indies have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on two occasions – in 2012 in Sri Lanka, and 2016 in India. (CWI)

Queensway

Security

Service Inc of

153 Regent Road and Oronoque Street in Georgetown, has made a timely donation on behalf of her company to the Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA), ahead of next week’s Caribbean Championships. The donation was delivered by Administrative Manager Cindy Girwar.

Set to be held at the Crabbs Rifle Range in Antigua & Barbuda, the GuyanaNRA has received excellent support from corporate Guyana and the Government, through the Ministry of Sport and the National Sports Commission, to ensure that Guyana fields the best team to wrest the Short-Range Championship from Jamaica, who won as host nation in 2022.

In handing over the cheque to Fullbore Vice Captain Leo Romalho at the company’s Head Office, Ms Girwar said the company is very pleased to again be supporting the National Rifle

Team, which has made this nation proud for decades.

“This team is well known, and has made this nation proud over the years. Traditionally, we have supported, and we are more than happy to keep this going, thus our contribution again this year. Your track record speaks for itself, and we extend best wishes to you and the team ahead of this year’s competition,” she said.

On behalf of the GuyanaNRA, Ramalho expressed gratitude to Ms. Girwar and the main principals of Queensway Security Service Inc for their committed and continued partnership.

The team is scheduled to leave on Sunday for Antigua and Barbuda, where Team practice is scheduled for next week Monday, with the Individual Championship firing off on Tuesday and concluding on Thursday.

Friday will be a rest day, with the much-anticipated Short Range Team Match set for Saturday.

Speaking on Sunday’s opening of the new all- weather track, Nasrudeen “Junior” Mohamed, who heads the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee(JJTRC), said, “I have to thank my workers for their sacrifice in making this possible. These guys worked tireless to make this possible. While the village was sleeping, they were working. Being fellow villagers of Bush Lot village, this was their way of saying ‘thanks’ possibly. Time was against us, but while the Complex is not completed, we were able to have racing on the newly laid surface.”

Several quick times were recorded, which in fact are new records; and top rider of the day, Colin Ross, interviewed about the newly laid surface and the record times, remarked: “It’s too early to comment, but when it settle down with more racing, we will have a first-class surface. Today it was a trial, but the times recorded were quick. New track records were set. The track has a nice cushion, it is different to what this track previously had, and the other tracks. I think this is the way to go for all the tracks. It will be better for the horses.”

Dr Clive Rahamut-Ali, a senior practising veterinarian and former race day veterinarian/ official at Santa Rosa Park in Trinidad, was in attendance. He has been assisting the industry in Guyana, and was flown in to share his knowledge. He served at Bush Lot as timekeeper and advisor to the stewards/officials on Sunday’s race day. He indi-

cated, “With this new track, it is the most opportune time to introduce some new (regulations for) track safety and welfare of the animals.”

Among the ideas floated in this regard were:

1. The creation of <a race day database for injuries occurring on the track,> especially where they are occurring.

2. <A track inspection safety team prior to and during races,> especially if a catastrophic injury occurs. That would also include interviewing the rider, once he is not hurt.

3. A proposed <48-hour pre- race veterinary inspection of horses>.

4. <A track veterinarian stationed at the starting gates> to ensure the safety of the rider and horse. That would involve <a final vet check, ensure the rider is comfortable, and assess any horse that flips at the gates or harms itself in the box.>

5. Create <a Bleeders’ List for all horses that suffer external bleeding from the nostrils.> Provide an endoscopic exam for any horse that requires an upper airway evaluation. <Ensure that all horses parade in front of the officials prior to trotting down to the gates.>

Dr Rahamut-Ali advised, “It would be an excellent idea to have the young local veterinarians come out to gain experience in the game. This would only increase the welfare and safety of both ani

mals and riders. It will be a work in progress. I am will

ing to help any young veterinarian that needs the experience.”

Deroop, an outstanding administrator and owner, shared: “It (the track) was above my expectations, as it (was) just recently done. It was way beyond what I expected. Quite a number of horsemen were high in praise. It was quick and level. The horses ran well on the track. It’s only two weeks old, and it could only get better. I was impressed about the new rails, and the turns were smoother. Look at the times set, that tell you something.”

The venues are set to be confirmed on July 31, 2023

GuyanaNRA Fullbore Vice Captain Leo Ramalho receiving the cheque from the Administrative Manager of Queensway Security Service Inc, Ms Cindy Girwar

on Sunday last at Bush Lot United Turf Club

National Indoor Archery Championship deemed a resounding success

Archery Guyana brought the curtains down on its 2023 edition of the Seven Seas National Indoor Championships on Sunday 30th April, 2023 at the National Gymnasium.

This event kicked off with Ranking rounds held from Tuesday, 23rd to Friday 27th April, 2023 at the same venue. 59 Archers representing various entities and clubs such as Archery Guyana, Pro-Archers Guyana, School of the Nations Archery Club, Qayyim Academy Archery and The Archery Guild participated in two divisions; namely, Barebow and Recurve. After registration closed, the Competitions Committee placed participants in various categories, which catered from Under-12 to Seniors 50+.

Overall, there were

twelve categories, as the archers of all ages fought for the highest- ranking scores.

There were some

nail-biting moments as the final day progressed. There were several upsets and a few 1-arrow shoot-offs be-

Present at the Finals

Hackett wins recent LGC Club tournament

The Lusignan Golf Club last Saturday hosted a club tournament. Many golfers came out in their numbers, but no one could catch the experienced Brian Hackett, who was able to keep his opponents at bay while he took the tournament by storm.

The results of the tournament are as follows:

1st: Brian Hackett - HC

19, Gross 85, Net 66

2nd: Jordi Pinol - HC 36, Gross 93, Net 67

3rd: Mahesh Shivraj - HC 15, Gross 84, Net 69

Nearest to pin: Brian Hackett

Longest Drive: Guillermo

Escarraga

Speaking about his victory at the end of the tournament, a victorious Brian Hackett said, "Saturday’s win is the beginning of a great year. I expect to

continue doing well. I felt all my hard training paid off, and I am seeing the fruits of my labour. The temperature and the course was good. The rain cooled the hot sun. My game was above par, and certainly a score to be jealous of."

Pertaining to the future,

the LGC is looking to do something around the Cricket Carnival with one of the bigger telecommunications companies in Guyana. That event would be something along the lines of a festival of golf. More importantly, the club is also looking to host a chip-and-

putt competition and a summer camp for the children over the summer holidays.

The Golf Club is also seeking to host more activities by which it can be associated with family and entertainment, and not just the game of golf.

Festival City, Pouderoyen win ...

Meanwhile, in the penultimate match of the night, Pouderoyen defeated Paradise Invaders 2-nil. Teflon Fraser of Pouderoyen produced a magnificent performance by scoring a double in the 14th and 26th minutes respectively.

An enthusiastic per -

formance was witnessed from Festival City in the final match of the night. They came up against Mackenzie Allstars, and thumped the Linden outfit 3 goals to nil (3-0) and secured their place in the Round of 16 action.

A team performance resulted in goals from Rich

Deon in the 3rd minute giving them an early advantage, with more goals coming off the boots of Jamaul Butts and Jermaine Scott in the 26th and 27th minute respectively.

The Medal of Service Award-winning Kashif and Shanghai Organization is pioneering the tournament

FROM BACK PAGE

that will carry a first-place prize of $1,000,000.

The second-place team will pocket 500,000, while $200,000 and $100,000 will go to the teams finishing third and fourth respectively. The tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) will receive a motor cycle.

was Ms. Dileya Deonarine, Pharmacist/Brand Manager of the Seven Seas portfolio here in Guyana, who explained that their tailored range supports an active lifestyle focusing on the health of your bones, cartilage, muscles, and connective tissue. All these products start with Omega-3 & Glucosamine, with the addition of Chondroitin, Calcium and Turmeric to suit your specific Joint Care needs.

One of their featured products: Joint Care Max, has been specifically formulated to support an active lifestyle. It supports Cartilage, Bones, Muscles and Connective Tissue to help in four important areas of Joint Care. It also contains our highest level of Glucosamine at 1500 mg.

Their Perfect 7 Plus line’s Pharmacist/Brand Manager, Ms. Dileya Deonarine, explained that it brings together the benefits of a daily multivitamin and Omega-3 to help support the demands of our modern busy lifestyle. The Perfect 7 Plus Man aids the body in 7 key ways, supporting your muscles, heart, brain, bones, vision, metabolism and energy levels. The Perfect 7 Woman Plus aids the body in 7 key ways, supporting your brain, skin & nails, hair, vision, heart, hormonal activity.

Since this brand was founded, Massy Distribution and Seven Seas have strived to provide customers with the best quality products, and have committed to putting ‘you’ at the centre of everything we do. This was tangibly demonstrated at the Finals, where every person present was presented with

Haliborange Vitamin C effervescent sugar-free tablets in two flavours: classic lemon and black currant.

Another feature of the Finals was the Inaugural BBQ Fund-raising event, which saw a significant number of persons who turned up to witness the exciting finals at the same time.

Thanks were expressed by Mrs. Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon, President of Archery Guyana, for Seven Seas collaboration as a competition sponsor. It was particularly spectacular to see the turnout of family members, friends, well-wishers, spectators and members of the public, who came out to experience the sport of Archery.

The competition concluded with the Medal ceremony presided over by President of Archery Guyana, Mrs. Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon, and SecretaryGeneral of Archery Guyana, Mr. Nicholas Hing. Ms. Elizabeth Mason was present to also award special prizes to the winners of their products. Medals were presented by very distinguished persons present throughout the event, and included Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal; Deputy Director of Sport and President of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation, Mr. Franklin Wilson; President of the Guyana Olympic Association, Mr. Godfrey Munroe; Attorneyat-Law Mr. Andrew Pollard S.C.; Secretary-General of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Association, Mr. Roger Rogers; and former President of Archery Guyana, Mr. Mohamed Gamal Khan.

Participants and winners at the National Indoor Archery Championships 2023

Minister Collin Croal with the winners of the Women's Barebow Division. From left are Theresa Jaikishun, Roshini Boodhoo and Julie Ann Williams

tween semi-finalists and finalists, with the crowd and the various supporting clubs cheering their archers.

The winners’ row following the LGC’s most recent tournament

Powell traded to Barbados Royals ahead of CPL 2023

Rovman Powell has been traded to the Barbados Royals ahead of the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League. It is a move that sees Hayden Walsh moving the other way to join the Jamaica Tallawahs.

Powell, the West Indies T20 captain, has led the Tallawahs to their third CPL title in 2023, and has scored 1337 runs for the franchise since first joining them in 2016.

Walsh leaves the Royals after having played for the franchise since 2019. He claimed the Player of the Tournament title in his first year with the Barbados team.

As an experienced leg spin bowler with international pedigree, he will be a valuable addition to the Tallawahs squad.

Festival City, Pouderoyen win on Night 10

Powell has said he leaves the Jamaican franchise with a heavy heart. "It is with a heavy heart that my time with the Tallawahs has come to an end. I have made lifelong friends and memories I will never forget. Not least winning two CPL titles for my home franchise, one of those as captain, which I will always cherish.

"I'm looking forward to joining the Royals and beginning a new chapter of my CPL career. I would like to thank all the players and coaches who have been part of my Tallawahs journey these last few years. Most of all, I want to thank the Jamaican fans for your support. Always remember, we likkle but we Tallawah."

The Republic Bank CPL Draft show will be broadcast in late June 2023, and the tournament is set to get underway on August 16.

Permaul claims 600th first class wicket

Legendary left-arm spinner Veerasammy

Permaul continued to rewrite the record books when he claimed his 600th first class wicket on day one of the third match of the Headley-Weekes TriSeries.

The 10th night of action in the Kashif and Shanghai-organized “One Guyana” National Futsal Tournament saw Showstoppers and Kingston locked in a battle in which neither team was willing to lose points. The match was full of enthusiasm, and there was no shortage of goals, resulting in a 3-3 score.

A sensational goal from Marvin Joseph in the 1st minute gave Showstoppers an early lead, but the equalizer was scored by Theophilus Barker in the 13th, while another in the 14th gave Kingston the lead for a few seconds.

Then Showstoppers’ Omar Williams levelled the scores in the 14th minute, but Nigel Denny of Kingston netted a fantastic goal in the 29th to hand his team

the lead again, but Daniel Moschetti of Showstoppers levelled the scores for a third time in the 30th and final minute of the game.

Playing at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, Team Weekes reached 61-3 in replying to Team Headley's 177 all out at stumps, scored from 65.2 overs, thanks to Kaveem Hodge's 67. Permaul was the pick of the Team Weekes bowlers with 3-16 from 14.2 overs, and Dominic Drakes had 3-17 from 12 overs to rock the top-order. Jair McAllister and Raymon Reifer each had one wicket.

In reply, Team Weekes lost three big wickets. Zachary McCaskie was trapped by Marquino Mindley for two, while Guyana and West Indies Test opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul made 12 before being trapped by off-spinner Chaim Holder at 50-2, after adding 48 runs with Raymon Reifer.

Test player Reifer was also removed by off-spinner Chaim Holder for a promising 34, which had four boundaries. Holder bowled three overs late in the day to end with 2-2.

Earlier, Hodge was supported by Akeem Jordan,

Veerasammy Permaul who scored 37. The righthanders added 71 runs for the seventh wicket, but

Team Headley 1st Innings

Kieran Powell lbw b Drakes 23 Matthew Nandu c Thomas b McAllister 4

Kavem Hodge c Thomas b Sinclair 67

Sunil Ambris lbw b Drakes 4

Tevyn Walcott c Sinclair b Drakes 8

Joshua Da Silva run out 5

Justin Greaves c Thomas b Reifer 4

Akeem Jordan c Thomas b Permaul 37

Chaim Holder bw b Permaul 3

Anderson Phillip not out 3

Marquino Mindley c Carty b Permaul 7

Total (10 wickets, 65.2) (12 extras) 177

FOW: 31/1 (9.1) Kieran Powell 35/2

(12.2) Matthew Nandu 46/3 (15.5)

Sunil Ambris 56/4 (17.5) Tevyn Walcott

62/5 (20.1) Joshua Da Silva 74/6 (24.3)

Justin Greaves 145/7 (51.1) Akeem

Jordan 167/8 (60.2) Kavem Hodge

169/9 (61.2) Chaim Holder 176/10

each of the other batsmen failed to make their mark on the score.

(65.2) Marquino Mindley

Bowling Raymon Reifer (13-4-36-1)

Nial Smith (6-1-26-0)

Dominic Drakes (12-5-17-3)

Jair McAllister (7-2-23-1)

Veerasammy Permaul (14.2-8-16-3)

Kevin Sinclair (13-0-47-0)

Team Weekes 1st Innings

Tagenarine Chanderpaul lbw b Holder 12

Zachary McCaskie lbw b Mindley 2

Raymon Reifer b Holder 34

Alick Athanaze not out 7

Total (3 wickets, 22.0) (6 extras) 61

FOW: 2/1 (1.5) Zachary McCaskie 50/2

(17.4) Tagenarine Chanderpaul 61/3

(21.6) Raymon Reifer

Bowling Akeem Jordan (6-2-14-0)

Marquino Mindley

sport@guyanatimesgy.com

Rovman Powell

The victorious teams on Night 10 of the “One Guyana” tournament