Guyana Times - Tuesday, April 4, 2023

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, Apr 4 – 04:00h –05:30h and Wednesday, Apr 5 – 04:15h – 05:45h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, Apr 4 – 15:25 –16:55h and Wednesday, Apr 5 – 16:00h – 17:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

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

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 3.12 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 15:57h reaching a maximum height of 2.59 metres.

Low Tide: 09:33h and 21:49h reaching minimum heights of 0.67 metre and 0.62 metre.

Gas-to-energy project will save over US$150M in fuel import costs – Bharrat

…says project integral for building Guyana’s manufacturing sector

have to import products. We’re manufacturing it right here. The Government earns revesnue.”

“And we save on the gas-to-energy project directly and save on the importation of fuel. Because we are using gas to generate electricity, as opposed to spending maybe $150 million to $200 million right now on the importation of fuel to fuel the generators,” Minister Bharrat further said.

LOTTERY NUMBERS

For the majority of Guyana’s history, the cost of energy has been a sticking point hampering the development of the local manufacturing sector. According to Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, the gas-to-energy project will change this.

During a recent virtual programme, the Minister explained all the benefits Guyana stands to experience when the gas-to-energy project comes online, including saving between US$150 million to US$200 million in foreign currency that would have otherwise covered the country’s fuel import bill.

“Many of the stakeholders, be it in agriculture or forestry, or any other sector, when you try to encourage them to go into value added, that is the first issue they raise with you. The cost and reliability of power generation,” Minister Bharrat said.

“For instance, one stakeholder in the forestry said Minister, they cannot afford $1.4 million a month electricity bill, to go into value added. That is why this gas-to-energy project is so important. Because we need to build out a manufacturing sector. This will benefit us in so many ways. One, it creates so many jobs for Guyanese.”

He noted that this was one of the things the Government considered in situating the gas-to-energy project in Wales, on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD)… since this was one of the hardest hit areas when the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) closed sugar estates.

Minister Bharrat stressed that the gas-toshore project in the long term is not only about the power plant or the Natural

Gas Liquid (NGL) plant. Rather, he said it is about what will happen in the area surrounding those two plants, as the Government

The scope of Guyana’s gas-to-energy project consists of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipeline from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil.

It features approximately 200 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that will run from Liza Destiny

Demerara.

The pipeline would be 12 inches wide, and is expected to transport per day some 50 million standard cubic feet (mscfpd) of dry gas to the NGL plant, but it has the capacity to push as much as 120 mscfpd.

The pipeline’s route onshore would follow the same path as the fibre optic cables, and will terminate at Hermitage, part of the Wales Development Zone (WDZ) which will house the gas-to-shore project.

In Budget 2023, the gas-to-energy project received a $43.3 billion allocation. This allocation is in addition to the $24.6 billion injected into the start-up of the transformational project, which includes the construction of an integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Plant and the 300-megawatt (MW) Combined Cycle

builds out one of the largest industrial parks.

“Two, we produce our own goods and services right in Guyana. Obviously it’s cheaper. We don’t have to pay shipping tax and any other charges attached to it. Thirdly, we save on foreign currency because we don’t

and Liza Unity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the shore. Upon landing on the West Coast Demerara shore, the pipeline would continue for approximately 25 kilometres to the NGL plant at Wales, West Bank

Power Plant at Wales, WBD.

The NGL and 300 MW power plant components of the gas-to-shore project, are meanwhile expected to cost US$759.8 million and will be financed through sources that include budgets and loan financing. (G3)

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

An artist’s impression of the gas-to-energy project

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Promoting equality

The norm of equality has become the mantra of the age and certainly in Guyana. However, it has become a very contested issue, which has to be unpacked very carefully so that it may be achieved as broadly as possible. Even in economic terms, as Thomas Piketty has shown, most of the world have moved further away from this goal and we must question why. The reasons are legion but not being confined to Guyana suggest they are structural. One salient one is that "equality” is an aspirational term frequently invoked without its users being clear about its meaning. With such subjectivity, no wonder its attainment is so conflictual.

Most will agree with the statement, “we are all equally human” ,but what does that mean? Isn’t it a tautology? We are not equally tall, strong, intelligent or beautiful, so whither equality? For the term to have any content, we have to choose particular areas of endeavour, personal attributes or treatment and then measure whether or not we are all equal in terms of the identified criteria. As such, things or persons can be said to be equal, only with some specific property that we have identified. Equality, from this perspective, has, therefore, to be contingent on the context or criteria wherein we speak equality is a triadic relationship. We may talk about three types of equality –those pertaining to personal characteristics, to treatment, and to distribution. The last two categories become relevant to politics, but may be dependent on personal cultural attributes.

There are some theories of equality that are purely formal – they specify no substantive content but are simply a formula or policy. As such, once the rule is followed –for example in colonial Guyana, where only “men of property could vote”, one could claim there was equality even though women and slaves could not vote. Statements such as “equality before the law” also fall under this category: no questions arise as to what the content of the law was. Formal equality only demands consistency and is nettlesome.

It is generally accepted that in any society, some inequalities will be morally permissible. But should differences in ethnicity, interests, aptitudes, intelligence, and conceptions of “the good” justify such inequalities?

Rawls’ difference principle proposes that “any unequal distribution of social or economic goods (eg, wealth) must be such that the least-advantaged members of society would be better off under that distribution than they would be under any other distribution principle”. In Guyana, these are questions that have to be discussed, debated, and agreed on.

Normally, the rewards or punishment from one’s efforts are also seen as permissible (meritocratic) even if not equally distributed. Once indefensible inequalities have been identified, then the State/society has to decide what to do about them. Items identified from the latter category at some time or place have been political power, opportunity for scarce resources, welfare or social position, social position/class, economic resources, welfare etc. In general, some stress political equality while others focus on economic equality: Conservatives and Libertarians balk at increased governmental intervention while Socialists/ Marxists/ liberals expect the state to intervene to mitigate inequalities. In Guyana, questions of the equality of social status, and political and economic parity are intensely contested between the ethnic groups in the society.

As we indicated, we can only have substantive equality when there is a specific criterion identified by which policies can be assessed. For instance, in terms of “equal treatment” or opportunity, there can be formal equality if the law states that offices are open to anyone who is qualified. In this instance, one is being told that all existent inequalities of talent, birth or station, etc, are morally permissible. But what happens when equality of opportunity does not lead to equality of outcome because of social, cultural or other personal attributes of some citizens?

It has been suggested that where there are historically determined structural conditions that undergird some inequalities, there may be the need for affirmative action programmes to rectify these imbalances.

Extreme times, extreme measures

By Jason McKay

The United States did not become the land of the free easily or overnight. It had to fight a war of Independence in the late 1700s.

It then had to fight a civil war in the 1860s. Even then, laws still existed that didn't create a free society for all. The country had to go through another struggle for civil rights in the 1960s.

The Cuba you see today didn't happen overnight either. Irrespective of what you may think of modern-day Cuba, it is significantly better than it was under the Batista regime that ended in 1959.

This required a revolution, a literal war, and significant criticism from many corners of the world.

The Jamaica we have today also didn't just happen. There were several major slave rebellions that set the stage for emancipation.

There was the Morant Bay Rebellion that made it clear that the descendants of slaves and the former slaves would not accept a position of servitude forever.

There was the civil war of the seventies to end the oligopoly of post-Independence Jamaica.

One thing that is constant in all of the above examples is drama and dramatic action.

Last week, in my column, I highlighted the need for extreme action to prevent the domination of criminal gangs that exist currently in Haiti.

I broke it down to shortand medium-term measures.

Based on the responses I received, it appears that many of my readers expect to stop the 10,000-strong enemy force of incarcerated and non-incarcerated gang members that are in full throttle in their quest to create a gang-dominated country

by normal judicial practices. This is not realistic.

Nothing is going to be achieved without drastic measures, and more than likely extreme combat. This is the nature of struggle and this is the nature of change.

The conflict over Northern Ireland was constant, violent and costly to both England and to the besieged occupied territory. This from the day Michael Collins agreed to partition Ireland.

Fixing the problem required a long period of occupation, revolt and ultimately compromise.

Is it fixed? Yes, to some extent. Is it fair? No, not really because England has retained territory that is not theirs.

Is it the will of the persons living there? Yes, because the majority of the populace of that territory are descendants of the British.

Has the bloodshed stopped? Yes? Well, it's good enough for me.

Jamaica will need drama and a period of tribulation to win the war it needs to fight.

Just like we needed a Michael Manley to end the oligopoly and an Edward Seaga to prevent the communist threat.

We simply can't stop what is happening or prevent where we are going by using normal judicial practices. It's not going to happen, nor is it going to be halted by FirstWorld Police practices. We are not First World, nor is the threat we face.

Love, like or dislike it, we will have to do things that are in direct contradiction to a functioning society that the Police exercises control over.

This will also be in contradiction to standards in England, the United States, and Germany.

Our solutions will be more in keeping with countries like El Salvador, Brazil, and Trinidad.

Why? Because our threats are similar to other ThirdWorld countries.

Now all along we were content to use this First-World model because the killing was largely a pauper issue. This changed when they attacked our banks, when they attacked our money, when they showed what they can do to the operation of commerce. Life is funny, huh!

Therefore nobody is content anymore. All now see the possibility of being dominated by mayhem. They see the end of our way of life.

What we differ on is the measures to be employed.

My measures involve drama. Not because I like drama, but because it's the only approach that will work.

Several administrations have passed laws and taken steps to bring about change. They are welcome and useful. But they are for a country that is not in crisis. They are for a country that has time to endure the bloodshed.

In the long run, the new Gun Act will have the desired positive effect, but you will have to modify the plea bargain legislation.

The economic path that the country is on will one day allow for an environment that doesn't encourage gang membership.

Many things will occur in a country that has been improving the standards of living of its citizens for over 50 years, but we are in peril now.

We need immediate action now.

For once the stars are all lined up for a solution.

The Haiti example is in our news every day and the recent attacks against our commerce has created a situation that allows for the Government to introduce measures that the Opposition wouldn't dare oppose.

This allows us to start the

process.

A national state of emergency that gives the State the ability to remand indefinitely. I have said it many times.

A state of emergency that ignores all the other accompanying measures such as closing businesses, traffic nightmare check points and entertainment industry prohibition. It'd be one that simply allows for indefinite remand if the killers give the Government a reason to exercise it against their gang. A big stick over their head.

However, the medium term will require drama. An adjustment to the Constitution that allows for the introduction of an Interment Act.

All countries in a crisis use crisis measures.

The aforementioned Northern Ireland crisis used interment. Was it abused? Yes. Will we abuse it? Not if the power rests with the Commissioner of Police or his deputies.

Is it drastic, is it dramatic, extreme? You're damn right it is. Is it necessary? Absolutely!

This is what defines a country’s leadership, the guts to do what is necessary when it is required.

The slaves didn't free themselves, Lincoln did.

Batista didn't give up Cuba, Castro took it.

Who will be the leader who saves us from a state of gang domination?

I honestly think that our current leadership has the stomach for it. I see many persons in Opposition who also will step up. The issue is, do they see what I see? I don't know if they do.

That is the difference between most people and myself. Most don't see gang domination in our future.

Well, maybe they see it clearer now after March 19.

(Jamaica Observer)

President Dr Irfaan Ali and Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo met with several healthcare providers from the Private Sector at State House on Monday to discuss greater public-private collaboration. Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and the Head of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Robbie Rambarran were also part of the meeting (Office of the President photo)

PPP/C Administration does not encourage hostilities towards media

Dear Editor, The President of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir is quoted in the Sunday April 02 article, as accusing the Government of insulting the high esteem of some sections of the media fraternity and opening doors to attacks on the press.

This accusation appears to have stemmed from the conduct of a presidential press conference hosted by His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Leonora Track and Field Centre, during the wrap up phase of a regional outreach by the Office of the President.

Raghubir’s wild accusations are in consonance with a plethora of grouses the Kaieteur News has

sought to raise about the press conference, ranging from their dissatisfaction with the one-and-ahalf-hour notice issued; President Ali’s deferral of questions related to their oil and gas obsession, and the tented setting being an affront to the dignity and nobility of the media, as seen through their perspective.

They are claiming that they somehow felt intimidated by the fact that residents of Region Three who had been benefiting from direct Government services and presidential interventions to solve age-old problems across their communities during the two-day outreach, became voluntary observers to the opentent press conference, with

some intermittently choosing to express their disgust with some reporters disinterest in the substantive matters addressed during the outreach exercise.

It would seem that the vehemence with which both the Kaieteur News and the Guyana Press Association have chosen to lament their peeves, is signalling the commencement of a strange new dispensation for free media practice in Guyana.

The standard global practice of the press being available and on standby for continuous coverage at a moment’s notice, at any site where the Head of State of a country is actively engaged, appears to no longer apply to this particular media house and the

GPA, thereby rendering a one-and-a-half-hour notice for a presidential press conference at the very site, terribly insulative to them.

The tented setting, comfortable enough for thousands of Guyanese working class citizens and the President of the country, are now somehow beneath the station of Kaieteur News reporters and Nazima Raghubir.

And for some troubling reason, the peoples’ freedom to openly express dissatisfaction with some reporter’s persistent disinterest in the issues other than oil and gas that are germane to the lives of Guyanese and their communities, are mute, to the pre-eminence of the freedoms and special interests

of Kaieteur News and the GPA President.

The records of Friday’s press conference at Leonora would reveal that there were no acts of hostility towards any member of the media at the press conference in question, that the PPP/C Administration does not encourage any such hostilities, and the track record of the Irfaan Ali Government stands tested, proven and unrivalled with regards to extending respect, empowering support and the building of an enabling environment for unfettered freedom, access and advancement of the whole media fraternity in Guyana.

While the Government of Guyana presses ahead with the important busi-

ness of empowering citizens and transforming the country, those in the media with misplaced egos and other agendas would do well to stay abreast with the imperatives of the new, nimble and evolving environment that now underpins the national ethos.

President Mohamed Irfaan Ali will continue to avail his office and Cabinet to the press wherever and whenever the people’s business requires attention, as has consistently been the practice since assuming office in 2020.

Sincerely, Kwame McCoy Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister

GPA: Worrying, most disappointing response to issue

Dear Editor, The Guyana Press Association (GPA) views the Minister of Public Affairs, Kwame Mc Coy’s support for the recent intimidation of media workers as worrying and a most disappointing response to a legitimate issue raised by media workers through our body.

The Minister's response to GPA President's concern and those of Kaieteur News journalists is in contradiction to the Media Freedom Coalition’s mandate "working together to advocate for media freedom and safety of journalists." Notably, the Minister signed and committed to the Coalition in 2021.

The GPA finds the Minister's entire response instructive. It is, sadly, a fully opened window displaying

how the Government disregards the media workers and its concerns.

In 2018, the GPA condemned the heckling of media workers by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and its supporters and this time around we outright condemned any intimidation of media workers and called for better treatment of the media. For the avoidance of doubt and ease of reference, please see below the full text of that statement that was issued in November, 2018.

This cannot be the yardstick any political party in or out Government wants to use as an engagement with the press. The Minister with his "media" experience, and now his mandate to build better relations, should do better.

Equally disturbing was the fact that President Irfaan Ali sought to preempt what he considered would have been questions by sections of the privately-owned media in his effort to stimulate cheers from the audience by previously stated positions/ political statements that are no longer of news value. Rather than lecture the media about how to do its job, the President would have been better off if he had provided details of policies and programmes to address the likely impact of an oil spill on Caribbean islands. Access to Information can become an invaluable resource if invaluable details are provided.

The Guyana Press Association urges media workers in the State and

privately-owned media to take note that situations like these point to the need for your body to remain free from the clutches of politicians and other interest groups.

GPA's 2018 Statement for reference

The Guyana Press Association notes the continued intimidation of media workers who attend press conferences held by A Partnership for National Unity at Congress Place in Sophia.

Media Workers have complained about the continued heckling and intimidation by supporters of the Party who are seated in the press conference held by the Party.

We can only assume that

this behaviour is a feature endorsed by the Party and its leaders since it happened during today's event with PNC Chairperson Volda Lawrence and senior APNU members and the Party's last press conference held by PNC Leader, President David Granger.

The GPA would like to remind all political parties

that media workers have the right to conduct their duties without fear of intimidation and we would not hesitate to call on our workers and media houses to boycott press events if this unacceptable behaviour continues.

Sincerely,

Guyana Press Association

Dear Editor,

I take note of ANUG’s and TNM’s position to not contest the Local Government Election. This I interpret as a decision of self-serving party leaders and is a blatant neglect of the constituents who voted for them at the General and Regional Elections. This signals that the ivory tower leaders of ANUG and TNM are aloof and out of touch with the realities facing their constituents.

It baffles the mind why ANUG and TNM would enter a national contest where they have the remotest of chance to win

the presidency or a seat in Parliament and not enter the contest for the Local Government Elections where they stand a greater chance of winning constituent seats to represent people in their communities or villages. Why would these parties not want to participate and represent their supporters in community upkeep and development?

Is Local Government Elections not attention grabbing enough? Could it be that they are more concerned with being celebrities rather than being servants in their villages and streets? A lot can

be deemed of the character of leadership of those who seek national celebrity status but not willing to make the sacrifices of being a community organiser or leader.

Local Government Elections are an ideal breeding ground to produce quality politicians and leaders of the future who seek to make the lives of people better. Local government is where politicians solve problems and deal with matters that are closer to the people. A party not willing to walk the streets and toil in the trenches for Local

Government Elections should never be given a listening ear when they attempt to get attention on the national stage. If you are not interested in helping me to fix my issues at a street or village level, you certainly have no right to get my vote to solve my problems at a national level. A political party incapable of organising for a Local Government Election is not deserving of any attention or votes of the people at a General or Regional Elections.

Yours sincerely, Alvin

Hamilton

Parties unwilling to toil at LGE should never be given listening ear at general elections

NGSA Math Questions

Venezuela border controversy

World Court to rule Thursday on Venezuela’s preliminary objection

Kingdom recognised that going forward, the only two parties, which were directly interested in the resolution of the controversy, were Guyana and Venezuela. By the agreement, the United Kingdom accepted that it would no longer be an interested party.”

This conclusion, he noted, is also supported by the position of Venezuela set out in its exposition of motives for the draft law ratifying the Protocol of Port of Spain on June 22, 1970.

Professor Sands had said the Protocol states that the possibility existed, that an issue of such vital importance, as the determination of the means of dispute settlement would be left to

the two directly interested parties to be decided by an international institution chosen by them, or failing that by the UN’s Secretary General.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to rule on Thursday on Venezuela’s preliminary objection in relation to Guyana asking the court for a final and binding ruling on the October 3, 1899, Arbitral Award settling the land boundary between the two South American nations.

A press statement issued on Monday by the World Court said that a public sitting will take place at 15:00h (10:00h Guyana time) on Thursday at the Peace Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands, during which its President, Judge Joan E Donoghue, will read out the court’s decision.

On November 18, 2022, Guyana presented arguments before the ICJ, rejecting Venezuela’s contention that the United Kingdom (UK), and not Guyana, is the proper party to approach the court for a final and binding ruling as “incoherent, legally misconceived and factually baseless”.

Venezuela’s Executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez had advanced that her country was not disputing the court’s jurisdiction to arbitrate the matter but instead asserted that Guyana is not the proper

party to file the claim.

Her position is that because the UK, which she described as a “land grabber” and accused of a “cover-up”, was a party to the Arbitral Award which saw Guyana being “given” territory, and owing to Guyana being a former British colony, it was the UK that ought to have asked the ICJ to resolve the border controversy.

She relied on the Monetary Gold Principle—a procedural legal rule that came with the historical practice of the ICJ—which means that international courts are not competent to settle disputes between states unless those states agree to exercise jurisdiction over this dispute by the court.

Having been decolonised since May 26, 1966, Guyana has rejected this argument, with Professor Philippe Sands, a Professor of International Law at University College London, submitting that the UK “has no legal skin in this game” as Guyana is now a self-governing state.

Professor Sands had said that when Guyana became independent, the UK gave its consent to the United Nations (UN) and by extension, its judicial arm—

the ICJ—by way of negotiating, signing, and bringing into effect the Geneva Agreement (1966), with the power to settle the border controversy between the two nations.

That Agreement, signed on February 17, 1966, is a treaty to resolve the conflict between Venezuela and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland over the border between Venezuela and British Guiana, and at that time was an active treaty between Venezuela and the UK, along with its colony of British Guiana.

When Guyana gained independence three months later, it joined the agreement as an independent nation alongside the UK and Venezuela, fully taking over the United Kingdom’s former position in talks with Venezuela regarding the border dispute, he had argued.

Arguing that the Monetary Gold Principle can be of no avail to Venezuela, the international lawyer had said: “In this case, the 1966 Agreement and in particular, the provisions of Articles Two and Four… for the practical settlement of the controversy, make it clear that the United

In an article written by the late Guyanese diplomat, historian, and author, Odeen Ishmael, it is stated: “The Protocol provided for a minimum period during which Venezuela undertook not to assert any claim to sovereignty over the Essequibo region of Guyana, and for Guyana to assert no claim to Venezuelan territory. The initial period of the protocol was for twelve years and was automatically renewable. However, it could be terminated by either side at certain stated intervals, but it had a guaranteed minimum life of twelve years.

“The Protocol did not replace the Geneva Agreement of 1966 but merely suspended it. But if either side, after a minimum period of twelve years should withdraw from the agreement, the Geneva Agreement would be automatically revived and all the procedures provided in that agreement would be available again to both countries.”

Strong message must be sent to accounting officers who flout laws – PAC

…as former PS under APNU/AFC paid contractor without contract

Monday’s session of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) saw the former Permanent Secretary of the Legal Affairs Ministry under the APNU/ AFC Administration accepting culpability on behalf of the Ministry for breaches to the law and members of the PAC emphasising the need for a strong message to be sent to accounting officers.

The case involved works to upgrade the Legal Affairs Ministry’s electrical circuits to integrate solar power. According to the Auditor General’s 2019 report, works were done and payments made despite there being no contract.

It was explained that the contract was signed on July 29, 2019, over a month after the works were inspected and the defects liability period started. Usually, a contract is signed before contractors even mobilise to do work.

Acting Permanent Secretary at the time, Joylyn NestorBurrowes, accepted culpability.

“To avoid major disruption of the Ministry’s work, the project was given some amount of urgency. We agreed we have breached the regulations,” NestorBurrowes explained, when being informed of the seriousness of the breach.

Tense exchange

Afterwards, the PAC emphasised the seriousness of the matter. PAC member Juretha Fernandes noted the importance of the committee sending a strong message. Also, PAC member Ganesh Mahipaul stressed that laws are there to be adhered to.

“Thank you, but I’m saying to you that it is not something that should be tolerated at any point in time and the fact remains that these checks and balances and systems that are in place that ought to be followed is not there as rubberstamps. What you did here was to clearly make the system a rubber stamp. That cannot be tolerated and must be [dealt with],” Mahipaul said.

A tense exchange would follow where the former

Permanent Secretary took offensce to the line of questioning at the PAC. However, her protestations did not find many sympathetic ears at the PAC on either side of the aisle.

“[I’ve done] 35 years of exemplary service. I’m not promoting myself but I think I would have done well and that last question we had on that paragraph, I don’t think it should have been ventilated the way it [was]. Because some of us, sometimes we do not remember everything and it is human to err.”

“Sometimes I think the members should be professional with us and don’t let us feel as though we are criminals… we are doing things wrong deliberately. You don’t know how much I would have taken on that specific matter on that electrical work. I had so much headache when that happened. And to be taking blame for it, you don’t want to be throwing people under the bus.” PAC member and Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira noted that the PAC was at no point disrespectful to the former PS. In his response, PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira made it clear that the committee has a job to do, in making sure there is accountability in public spending.

“It’s regrettable that the PS would have concluded that from the members of this committee asking questions based on her response. And I too was led to believe that you had no involvement in this particular issue that you want to accuse members of attacking you. But as I would have indicated, I don’t believe the members were attacking you.”

“The members were seeking clarification, from an accounting officer who was responsible for the stewardship of a Ministry. And I want you to understand that we here as members of the PAC, have a duty to ensure that we hold accounting officers responsible in executing their mandate in relation to the letter of the law,” Figueira said. (G3)

…over paternity

Your Eyewitness returns to this “Father of the Nation” ruckus that’s been roiling the newspaper chatterati. And that’s important to note – it doesn’t appear that the masses have been moved to work up a sweat on the issue. Your Eyewitness suspects that’s because to them, there’s absolutely NO issue – each of the ethnic groups have already picked their own “father”. And by golly they ain’t gonna be no stepchild!! For most Indian-Guyanese Cheddi Jagan wins the race hands down; as does Forbes Burnham with African-Guyanese. So, it would seem that unlike folks being made in the image of their father (as the Good Book says!), for national leaders, it MIGHT BE the other way round!!

So, the question arises, who’s the “father of the nation” for the other groups?? Note we’re talking about POLITICAL leaders in terms of the country writ large. But if we’re to go by the convention of Cuffy (Kofi) of Berbice being the NATIONAL hero, we’ll then be allowed to go back to preunification 1831. So would European-Guyanese settle on Laurens Storm van Gravesande?? He’s the fella who solidified the foundational settlement of Essequibo – from whence he sent out settlers to Demerara when the soil fertility ran out. To some folks, he might just be the ULTIMATE national hero!! But, of course, there’s the not-too inconsequential matter that he permitted the enslavement of Africans –dragged across the Atlantic. That black mark can’t be erased – even by Europeans. Note the apologies of the Trevelyan family to Barbados and the Guardian owners to Jamaicans! So Gravesande’s out!! Along with all the other Europeans –Dutch, French and British – of that era.

So, how about our Indigenous Peoples?? Weren’t there some great Chiefs who resisted the Dutch and the British and refused to become vassals. And forced them to sign treaties by which they had to be given tributes annually!! A lotta modern folks don’t realise that this is the foundation of the acknowledgement to having claims to whatever land they occupied – in the order granting us Independence!! They weren’t GIVEN lands – they always OWNED IT!! Your Eyewitness wonders whether any names of those stalwarts have come down in the lore of the nine tribes?? Stephen Campbell was the political leader who brought back the bacon in 1965 from the Constitutional Conference, so maybe he can do until someone else is selected – BY THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES!!

So, what about the Portuguese and Chinese?? Will Peter D’Aguiar and Arthur Chung do?? Let’s hear it now!! Trouble is, this might never end. If there’s a “Father of the Nation”, the question has been posed there ougthta be a “Mother of the Nation”, no??

Or was Guyana an Immaculate Conception??

…in a calabash

Now while your Eyewitness is of the view that the geriatric antics of some wanna-be revolutionaries in the present are more akin to galvanic twitches from the seventies, he does believe that the State can’t allow the law of the land to be flouted with impunity. The individual who called for his “kith and kin” in the armed forces to turn their guns on Guyanese who aren’t kith and kin has rightfully been charged with “Attempt to exciting racial discord” in accordance with the Racial Hostility Act. He was freed on bail.

Back in 1970, Burnham – who sought to create the armed forces in his image – had told them they had to swear loyalty to his government but as to any other government, that was a matter up to them. After that, the Army did kill two civilians guarding ballot boxes in the 1973 rigged elections –where all ballot boxes were taken to Army HQ and ballots substituted to give the PNC a two-thirds majority.

But have remained professional since. Quo vadis??

…and calm

While that sideshow continues, most Guyanese are getting on with their lives in the new economy which offers hope that at long last we can all be free of the scourge of poverty.

PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira

Former acting Permanent Secretary Joylyn Nestor-Burrowes

Tacuma Ogunseye charged for attempting to excite racial hostility

…granted $100,000 bail

Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Tacuma Ogunseye was released on $100,000 bail on Monday after denying a count of attempting to excite racial hostility.

The 71-year-old appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The charge read that on March 9, 2023, at Buxton, ECD, he attempted to excite hostility or illwill against a section of the public on the ground of their race by words spoken by him.

The charge was filed under Section 2 (3) of the Racial Hostility Act.

After denying the allegation, he was released on bail and ordered to make another court appearance on April 6. He was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Nigel Hughes and Darren Wade.

Police Legal Advisor, Attorneyat-Law Mandel Moore, who is prosecuting the case, raised serious objections to Ogunseye being admitted to bail. In so doing, he relied on the fact that the defendant is still under investigation, and the serious nature and penalty attached to the offence.

His objections were, however, overruled by the presiding Magistrate.

After posting his bail, Ogunseye told reporters gathered outside the courthouse that the State does not have a “real case” against him.

Wanted bulletin

Ogunseye, who surrendered to the Police last week Friday, several hours after a wanted bulletin was issued for him, was kept in custody over the weekend. That bulletin had stated that the man was wanted for several serious offences, including attempting to excite racial hostility or ill-will.

Accompanied by his lawyers, Ogunseye walked into the CID compound just after 10:00h on Friday. The senior WPA Executive did not have much support, except for a few members of his party.

He was arrested and escorted to the Police Force’s A Division Headquarters, located at the Brickdam Police Station.

Speaking with reporters, Hughes disclosed that he advised his client to invoke his constitutional right to remain silent, and noted that offences contrary to the Racial Hostility Act are bailable.

On March 9, Ogunseye made several damning remarks on the Buxton Public Road, East Coast Demerara, while he was addressing a public meeting held by his party. Among other remarks he made at the meeting, the WPA

member declared that “the first objective is to get the African team in a state of battle readiness… the Afro-Guyanese Police and soldiers… would stand with AfroGuyanese in resisting mainly IndoGuyanese supporting the PPP/C.” He said: “The reality is the army, the Police are majority

African Guyanese. My sisters and brothers, once we organise the people and once we begin to fight, we will ensure that our brothers and sisters in uniform will do the right thing. And if they do the right thing, this matter is over in days, not weeks. So, the struggle doesn’t necessarily have to be long. It has to be strategic.”

Widespread condemnation

The statements made at the political party meeting have faced widespread condemnation from a wide cross-section of civil society and Government, including some Opposition members, such as Geeta Chandan-Edmond, Ganesh Mahipaul, Daniel Seeram, and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine; as well as Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and other members of the PPP/C.

Although Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton had questioned Ogunseye’s choice of words, he had defended the politician’s right to free speech and said that he supported his message.

During a recent virtual press conference, Ogunseye, with the support of the WPA members, said there is “nothing to apologise for or retreat from”, while noting that he was ready to defend any charges brought against him by the Police.

Act impartially

Meanwhile, at a recent press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo called on the Police Force to take action once it determines the law was breached. While he pointed out that the Police often get intimidated in cases that involve political players, he maintained that the Police have to act impartially.

“If they [politicians] breached the law, then the Police have to act swiftly on these matters that can cause a rift among our people. We have to fight racism with every bit of tool that we have in this country. That’s the only way this country can have a sustainable future,” he declared.

“We have to fight racism. We’ve equipped the Police with the tools: they have the Racial Hostility Act; they have a whole range of tools at their disposal. They have to move swiftly, and not be intimidated, and have to prove that they’re acting impartially or partially,” Jagdeo posited.

He went on to say that some politicians deliberately accuse the Police of being partisan so that the Force becomes cautious and would tiptoe around taking condign action against them. This way, he noted, these individuals are allowed to perpetuate their illegalities. (G1)

WPA Executive Member Tacuma Ogunseye following his arraignment

TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Aishalton historical site set on fire

Tragedy struck on Sunday at the Maokatao Petroglyph complex when a fire was set and destroyed a section of the historical site at Aishalton, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The incident was publicised by Toshao Michael Thomas on social media, who described it as “traumatic”. According to him, they were still in the process of preserving the site. Those who were responsible for the act were condemned.

“A very traumatic scene this afternoon at the Maokatao Petroglyph complex. We are still in the process of executing a project called “ Protection and Preservation of Aishalton Petroglyph” under the Amerindian Affairs Ministry. Part of this was

burnt this afternoon by a rapid fire set by irresponsible people who do not seem to see what we see,”

Thomas penned. The Toshao explained that two councillors were instrumental in

keeping the blaze under control.

Makaotao Mountain, which is situated approximately three ki-

World Court to rule Thursday on...

“This makes it clear it in 1970, Venezuela considered that it and Guyana alone were the two directly interested parties in this controversy and that the United Kingdom was not a directly interested party. And that continued to be Venezuela’s position for another 50 years,” Guyana’s counsel had told the World Court.

In examining the UK’s conduct in the six decades since Guyana attained independence, he added: “At no time, since granting Guyana independence has the United Kingdom ever asserted, claimed or even hinted that it has any possible interest in either

the question of the validity of the 1899 Award or the location of the boundary between Venezuela and Guyana or any aspect of any matter that might have to be decided in relation to the resolution of those issues.”

According to him, this is so for a simple reason—the legal instrument through which the UK gave effect to the grant of independence. “It is the Guyana Independence Act of 1966… Section One of which was enacted by the British Parliament on the eve of Guyana’s independence. It provided that on and after the 26th of May 1966, Her Majesty’s [now

His Majesty’s] Government in the UK shall have no responsibility for the government of the territory.”

From that date going forward, he had pointed out that the UK unequivocally and explicitly gave up any claim to any rights in respect of the territory, which immediately before independence, had been the territory of the British colony.

“Neither the Geneva Agreement nor the Port of Spain Protocol provides for any further action on the part of the United Kingdom after Guyanese independence. In the circumstances, it would not seem either appropriate or helpful for

His Majesty’s Government now to play an active role in the controversy,” he had noted.

Rejecting Venezuela’s preliminary objection that the process of decolonisation is somehow incomplete, encoded, or imperfect, he had stressed that Guyana has been liberated from the shackles of colonialism, and therefore it is for the governments of Guyana and Venezuela to settle this matter between themselves.

Professor Sands had told the ICJ that this preliminary objection is totally offensive against the law of state succession and the law of decolonisa-

lometres outside Aishalton village, is one of Guyana’s most wellknown archaeological sites. It is particularly well known for the numerous petroglyphs that are found on rock-formations.

In the 1970s, Guyanese anthropologist Denis Williams, undertook a detailed archaeological study of the area and his research uncovered 686 petroglyphs that are mainly representations of humans, animals and plants as well as geometric arrangements. Williams estimated the date of the petroglyphs at 3000–5000 BCE, and described them as belonging to a specific type of petroglyph—subsequently referred to as the “Aishalton type”.. Williams also discovered 84 stone tools that had been used in the carving of the petroglyphs. (G12)

FROM PAGE 7

tion. Venezuela simply alleging fraud or some other horrendous act against the former colonial power, and relying on the Monetary Gold Principle, he had contended, “is not so much of a case”.

Professor Sands, a King’s Counsel had also argued that Venezuela’s preliminary objections have ignored the fundamental precepts of state succession, equalisation, and self-determination. In light of this, he had deemed that country’s case “totally hopeless”.

In conclusion, he had declared that the “United Kingdom has no legal skin in this game. Venezuela’s preliminary objections are incoherent, legally misconceived and factually baseless. The preliminary objections ignore the realities of the 1966 Agreement and the Court’s jurisprudence on the indispensable third party.”

Then United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, in January 2018, decided that the case should be settled by the ICJ after exercising the powers vested in him to decide how the controversy should

be settled by the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Guyana, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom.

He resorted to judicial settlement after the good offices process between Guyana and Venezuela failed. Within the framework of the 1966 Geneva Agreement between the two countries, the Secretary General conducted good offices from 1990 to 2017 to find a solution to their border controversy.

The Spanish-speaking nation is laying claim to more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass in Essequibo and a portion of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in which more than nine billion barrels of oil have been discovered over the past six years.

Guyana, among other things, is asking the ICJ to declare that the 1899 Award is valid and binding upon Guyana and Venezuela and that Venezuela is internationally responsible for violations of Guyana’s sovereignty and sovereign rights, and for all injuries suffered by Guyana as a consequence. (G1)

Fire set to the Maokatao Petroglyph Complex (Michael Thomas photo)

Ministry aspiring to have “more rounded” students exit secondary schools – Manickchand

…STEAM fair returns with innovative ideas

er they want to be and the environment where that is supported so that each family is successful. Even as the buildings go up and the roads and bridges are built and the skyline changes, the President Irfaan Ali has been very clear that he believes the best investment is investment in our people, in our children, in our next generation.”

In a country where many doors are opening up for new opportunities, persons have been urged to grab them as they become available.

public. And it is an avenue, Manickchand shares, that provides children from all across the country to participate.

“Anna Regina is here. Abram Zuil is here. Golden Grove is here. Hope is here. Schools across this country are here today participating. Bring your children here to see the various innovations happening, to see how they themselves can take things in their backyard and make it into something valuable.”

Even as Guyana continues to emerge as a topper at national and regional examinations, Education Minister Priya Manickchand has positioned that well-rounded students must exit the school system in creating better citizens and future leaders.

The Education Ministry on Monday opened its national Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) fair at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).

This initiative is being held under the theme: “Transforming Education Through Innovation and STEAM” and returns after a hiatus of five years. Surrounding the idea was the expectation that projects would be relevant and sustainable to find solutions to local, regional and national

problems.

At the event, the Education Minister shared what the vision is for students in the system.

“We also want to see more rounded students. We want to make sure every child exits the secondary school academically sound but also with exposure to at least one instrument, one sport, one foreign language, one TVET subject and a strong sense of volunteerism. We have to do that together,” she told the gathering.

Moreover, she underlined that giving every person an opportunity to pursue their ambitions is high on the agenda as the country develops rapidly amid the newfound oil wealth.

“What we are building out in this country is a place where everybody gets an opportunity to be whatev-

“You will have a choice. In these kinds of developing countries, where opportunities are aplenty, there isn’t much space for people to

The Minister added that STEAM fits into the new Guyana which Government is trying to accomplish, where there is inclusivity and collaboration among citizens.

was like preparing for the fair, “It was a challenge. Time was very limited but we came together as a team. We have a large school of about 54 teachers and 800

Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), students would have adopted the concept of using trash to create sustainable fashion, raising awareness on pollution. Meanwhile, Belle West Primary from Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) came up with a method to clean up oil spills using the water hyacinth plant.

Fort Ordinance Primary School sought to introduce an entirely new public transportation system for the country using a tram system to reduce traffic congestion.

hold your hand and take you to the opportunity. You have to race to those doors to be able to access what services are behind the doors,” she charged.

The STEAM fair has provided an opportunity for students to share their innovative ideas and problem-solving skills with the

Realising that mathematics was a challenge for many at the National Grade Six Assessment level, CV Nunes Primary, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) sought to create games to promote an interactive learning experience.

Lead by Teacher Marlene Persaud, she shared what it

children so the first thing is that we came up with all these games.”

Woodley Park Primary School in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) also focused on ways to make Mathematics fun using games.

Hailing from Region

Liam Ramsarran expressed, “There’s a lot of vehicles on the roads. It also reduces vehicle congestion and air pollution. It has plenty of space and it is very cheap. Plenty of people would use it and reduce the number of vehicles on the road.”

The curtains for the national STEAM fair will come down on April 5. (G12)

Some of the projects on display (EdYou FM photos)

Minister Priya Manickchand visits one of the booths

Belle West Primary shares its invention to clean up oil spills

Motorcyclist injured after collision with Police pick-up

Amotorcyclist is now nursing injuries following a collision with a Guyana Police Force pick-up on Saturday along the De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

Reports are that the accident occurred at about 20:50h, involving motor pick-up PAC 5245 owned by the Guyana Police Force and driven by a Police Constable. The motorcycleCK 6107 - is owned by Isaac Trotz and was operated by 25-year-old by Shamiz Farook from Zeelugt New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo.

Enquiries disclosed that the vehicle was proceeding east along the northern side of the road at a normal rate of speed. The Constable alleged that the motorcycle was proceeding in the same direction in front of him.

He alleged that as he was in the process of over-

taking the motorcycle, Farook suddenly made an attempt to turn across the road from north to south. This resulted in the leftside front portion of the vehicle colliding with the right side of the motorcycle.

As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist fell onto the roadway and received injuries to his head and hands. He was picked up in a conscious state by the Police rank and escorted to Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was seen and examined by a doctor.

The injured motorcyclist was referred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he was further seen, examined and admitted a patient in the male surgical ward. His condition is regarded as stable.

A breathalyser test was conducted on the driver of the motor pick-up, and no trace of alcohol was found on his breath.

However, a test could not be carried out on the motorcyclist because of the nature of his injuries. Investigations are ongoing. (G12)

Vendor shot during Ruimveldt robbery

ARiverview, Ruimveldt vendor is currently nursing gunshot injuries after an armed man stormed his shop on Sunday night and carted off with valuables after discharging several rounds at him.

A suspect has since been arrested by Police. The alleged attempted murder and armed robbery was committed on 33-year-old Damion Allicock at about 22:30h.

According to the man’s 23-year-old wife, Allicock was sleeping in front of his shop at Riverview, and she was inside the shop selling when she heard a male voice shouting, “do not move”.

The woman looked outside and saw a man dressed in black with a black face mask. He also had a gun in his right hand, pointing at the victim.

The woman stated that she immediately ran out of the shop, leaving the victim and the perpetrator.

She related to Police

ranks that a couple of seconds after, three loud explosions were heard, which sounded like gunshots.

The 23-year-old woman claimed she returned to the scene where she saw the Allicock lying flat on the ground bleeding from his abdomen. His jewellery and money were missing.

After an alarm was raised, neighbours came and assisted the injured man to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he is

currently hospitalised in a stable condition. He is nursing two gunshot wounds –one to his abdomen and another to his right foot.

Detectives who processed the scene recovered one 9mm spent shell. A suspect, fitting the description and who was seen shortly after in the Albouystown area, with a suspected gun in his hands, was arrested and is in custody as investigations continue. (G12)

Teen remanded on robbery charge

Eighteen-year-old Martin King of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, who is facing a robbery charge, was recently remanded to prison when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

King was not required to plead the indictable charge which stated that on March 18, at Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, while in the company of others, he robbed a 17-year-old of a Samsung Galaxy A10 cell phone worth $15,000 and a gold chain valued at $120,000.

According to facts presented by the Police Prosecutor, King was in the company of 10 other males when he assaulted the teen

and his younger brother, relieving the older sibling of the items.

When asked by Principal Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus whether she would be objecting to the accused being released on bail, the Police Prosecutor replied in affirmative.

The prosecutor contended that there is a high possibility that King would tamper with the virtual complainant since they know each other from living in the same neighbourhood.

The prosecutor’s objections were upheld and the robbery accused was remanded until April 24. (G1)

Robbery accused: Martin King

Everyone has equal opportunity to bid for contracts – Walrond …as Govt launches training to help small contractors navigate system

While emphasising that everyone has an equal opportunity to bid for contracts, Minister Walrond also acknowledged that the law can be daunting for inexperienced bidders. As such, the Government has launched training on procurement practices for small businesses. Training on procurement procedures got underway at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Monday. In her opening remarks, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce

Oneidge Walrond explained why such training is necessary to ensure that citizens can benefit from the numerous opportunities.

“The opportunities are boundless. For every single project, let’s say the new Harbour Bridge that we’re going to be set up, every single one of those things. From clearing to providing the roads to contractors for painting, steel works, all of these projects, there are

law that we the Government instituted. This provides for total transparency, but it also opens the playing field for all of us. Every single Guyanese. We realise that the law can be a bit daunting. The process a bit cumbersome. It’s just being able to understand and navigate it. And that’s why we’re doing this training.”

Walrond, meanwhile, noted the steps that have been taken to be more inclu-

power plant components of the gas-to-shore project, are meanwhile expected to cost US$759.8 million and will be financed through sources that include budgets and loan financing.

The scope of Guyana’s gas-to-energy project consists of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipeline from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, where Exxon and its partners are currently

many offshoot projects that all of you can take advantage of.”

“Civil works is one, but there are also catering services for things and training and many more opportunities that we can take advantage of. Many more hotels that are coming on board. There is a myriad of opportunities.”

Minister Walrond noted that while all registered small businesses can bid for small scale contracts, not everyone is equipped with the knowledge to bid. Notwithstanding, the same laws designed to ensure accountability for public spending, can also be roadblocks for persons bidding for contracts.

“Contrary to what some may want to say, we have a public procurement law which means that contracts are not handed out to people based on what you look like, who you might have voted for,” the Minister said.

“There’s a procurement system that is open and transparent and there is a

sive of small businesses, such as removing the need for bid security for State contracts under $7 million. Monday’s training was a joint effort between Walrond’s Ministry, the Small Business Bureau (SBB) and the Public Procurement Commission (PPC).

Projects

Since its return to office, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has been able to kick off some of its flagship projects. These include the gas-to-shore project and the new bridge over the Demerara River.

In Budget 2023, the gas-to-energy project received a $43.3 billion allocation. This allocation is in addition to the $24.6 billion injected into the start-up of the transformational project, which includes the construction of an integrated Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Plant and the 300-megawatt (MW) Combined Cycle Power Plant at Wales, WBD.

The NGL and 300 MW

producing oil.

It features approximately 200 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that will run from Liza Destiny and Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the shore. Upon landing on the West Coast Demerara shore, the pipeline would continue for approximately 25 kilometres to the NGL plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The pipeline would be 12 inches wide, and is expected to transport per day some 50 million standard cubic feet (mscfpd) of dry gas to the NGL plant, but it has the capacity to push as much as 120 mscfpd.

The pipeline’s route onshore would follow the same path as the fibre optic cables, and will terminate at Hermitage, part of the Wales Development Zone (WDZ) which will house the gas-to-shore project.

Meanwhile, the new Demerara River bridge will be a fixed 2.65-kilometre four-lane high-span cable-stayed structure across the Demerara River, with the width of the driving surface being about 23.6 metres.

The bridge, which features a bicycle lane, will bring an end to closures to vehicular traffic with a 50-metre fixed high-span to cater for the free flow of vessels uninterrupted. The river will be dredged along a 13.5-kilometre stretch to accommodate large vessels.

(G3)

A section of the potential contractors

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond

Mayor Narine will not contest upcoming LGE

After serving some five years as Mayor of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine has decided against contesting in the upcoming Local Government Elections, noting that he has already given the job his “best shot”.

“I believe I gave it my best shot for five years and there’re other…young persons, who should…take up leadership,” Narine told this publication during a telephone interview on Monday.

Narine was elected to the post of Mayor in 2018 and throughout his tenure, faced immense backlash over a wide array of issues surrounding the management of the capital city.

He is, nevertheless, proud of his track record.

“[My] biggest achievement was to restore City Hall which I fought for, which the project is ongoing. The second project, the Admin Building… is not completed at this point [in] time, but I know… the next Mayor or the next Council…will complete that building. All the buildings in the city constabulary… [have also been] refurbished. Garbage contract came down from $35 million to $13.5 at this point,” Narine revealed when quizzed about his accomplishments as Mayor.

However, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall recently remarked that it was “outrageous” that after two years of construction, City Hall is still unable to complete the Administrative Building. As such, Dharmlall had said his Ministry would intervene to provide assistance in fast-tracking the project which is being financed through funds from the Central Government.

The restoration of City Hall is also being largely fund-

ed by Central Government. Dharamlall had previously expressed concerns about the Council’s inability to provide accountability for the funds being pumped into the rehabilitation project.

“Not a cent has been accounted for. Not a piece of documentation can be provided and that’s an outstanding issue which we would have to look at. We have had cases of gross incompetence and mismanagement which we will have to work to get fixed,” Dharamlall had expressed in 2020.

In addition to issues with finances, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council has come under fire for its mismanagement of the city’s drainage and irrigation infrastructure. In fact, accusations of neglect and sabotage were levelled against City Hall after the absence of workers from sluices and pumps led to flooding throughout the city after a night of heavy rainfall in 2021.

Due to this posture, Central Government has now taken on a leading role in ensuring the drainage and irrigation infrastructure are functioning during the rainy seasons, with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha remarking in 2022 that he

will not be taking his chances with City Hall.

Regret

Meanwhile, when asked what was a task he regrets not getting to achieve as Mayor, Narine said the redevelopment of the Stabroek Market.

Narine further shared that his biggest challenge faced as Mayor was the perceived lack of cooperation between the Government and the City Council.

Despite no longer serving on the City Council, Narine said he will remain active in politics.

“I’m a humble servant of the people and I will be serving the people in my own little way. But I will not remove myself…from the political arena nor my political party.

I stay committed,” Narine expressed.

LGE

Local Government Elections are scheduled for June 12. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will be contesting all Local Authority Areas (LAAs) and hopes to increase its representation in Georgetown at the level of the City Council which is currently controlled by the PNC-led APNU/AFC.

Reports are at the last Local Government Elections in 2018, APNU won a total of 21 seats, while the PPP/C gained seven seats and the Alliance for Change (AFC) was allotted two.

APNU has not indicated whether it will participate in the upcoming polls but the AFC and other new parties such as A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and The New Movement (TMN) have said that they will not contest.

Government Minister Susan Rodrigues had pre-

viously declared that, “The APNU/AFC Councillors have dominated the seating for decades; the PNC has been in charge of the city from its inception and it is time for a change.”

In making her case for persons to vote for the PPP/C, the Minister had argued that “everything in this country is built by the PPP…when you look around, it doesn’t matter where you are, which region you are…every school, every health centre, built by the PPP, every community ground. There must come a time when we have to be honest with ourselves and understand that this party, the PPP represents progress.”

Charged

Last December, Mayor Narine was placed on $200,000 bail by Chief

Magistrate Ann McLennan for allegedly attempting to excite racial hostility.

The charges stemmed from certain remarks the Mayor had made on December 12, 2022, while protesting the removal of vendors from the positions they occupied in front of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) at New Market Street in Georgetown.

Backed by the vendors, Mayor Narine lay on the roadway to prevent trucks from carrying away the vendors’ food caravans and stalls. Mayor Narine descended into making a series of serious accusations against President Dr Irfaan Ali, including that the Head of State is creating an Islamic State in Guyana.

Narine had gone to the area after the Public Works Ministry had initiated action

to remove vendors occupying spaces along New Market Street, between Thomas and East Streets, following notices that they were impeding the flow of traffic in the vicinity.

Remarks uttered by Georgetown Mayor Narine, accusing the President of creating an Islamic State, were vehemently condemned by Government, the Private Sector and civil society, among others. His comments were met with immediate backlash and calls for his immediate resignation on the ground that he was unfit to hold such office.

Narine, who is a pandit, was also rebuked for his statement by the Guyana Pandits Council and its affiliates, which vehemently condemned the utterances he had made.

Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine

Over 3000 registered nurses to be trained in 3 years

As Government invests in building the infrastructure for the health sector, emphasis is also being placed on upskilling the human resource.

The aim is to complement the seven regional hospitals that are being constructed in various parts of the country, as well as the Maternal and Paediatric Hospital that is being constructed at Ogle, East Coast Demerara. Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said the training of over 3000 nursing specialists will match the infrastructural development in the sector.

A Registered Nursing Programme is expected to be

launched soon and will cater for the first 1000 persons.

“I can assure you that everyone who is interested in doing this now, we will have a space for you on this programme… So, over a three-year period, we are hoping to attract at least 3000 persons to come and do nursing with us,” he is quoted by DPI as saying.

The enrolment process will be done online and interested persons, with a minimum of five Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects, including Mathematics and English are being urged to apply.

“When you have finished the

programme, you’re guaranteed a job with the Ministry of Health… it’s not a problem. You will get training. You’ll get a job and you will get a better salary,” Anthony assured.

The Government plans to build regional hospitals in Anna Regina, Region Two; De Kinderen, Region Three; Bath, Region Five; Number 75 Village, Region Six; and one at Diamond and another at Enmore in Region Four, to increase access to quality healthcare. There will also be one in Bartica, Region Seven.

Some $500 million was allocated to train medical personnel in 2023.

Trump arrives in New York, ahead of court appearance, opposes TV court coverage

Former US President

Donald Trump flew into New York City on his private plane on Monday to face charges stemming from a probe into hush money paid to a porn star, while his lawyers argued against letting cameras in the courtroom.

With New York taking security precautions and the mayor telling potential "rabble-rousers" to behave, Trump was due to surrender at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office on

Tuesday and will likely be fingerprinted prior to appearing before a judge for an arraignment where he will plead not guilty.

Trump, a 76-year-old Republican seeking to regain the presidency in 2024, is the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. His plane - painted in red, white and blue with "TRUMP" in big letters on the side and an image of the American flag on the tail - arrived at LaGuardia Airport in Queens after a 3-1/2 hour flight from West Palm Beach near his Florida home.

Clad in a blue suit and wearing a red tie, Trump walked deliberately and alone down a flight of stairs from the airplane and climbed into an SUV for a drive in a motorcade to Trump Tower in Manhattan.

He got out of the vehicle, waved to people behind barricades set up by police for security purposes and walked into Trump Tower while making no public comments.

Beefing up his legal team, Trump hired Todd Blanche, a prominent white-collar criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, to join his defense, two sources familiar with the matter said.

Blanche and other Trump lawyers on Monday urged the judge not to allow videography, photography

and radio coverage of the arraignment.

In a letter to the court, they argued against allowing such coverage, saying it would "exacerbate an already almost circus-like atmosphere around this case" and "detract from both the dignity and decorum of the proceedings and courtroom."

Justice Juan Merchan was expected to decide the matter on Monday.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office said it would leave it to the discretion of the judge, but noted that Merchan allowed a limited number of still photos prior to last year's criminal trial in which Trump's real estate company was convicted of tax fraud.

The Manhattan grand jury that indicted Trump heard evidence for months this year about a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Daniels has said she was paid to keep silent about a sexual encounter she had with Trump at a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2006. Trump denies having had any such relationship with her.

Blanche previously represented Paul Manafort, Trump's 2016 campaign chairman, when Manafort was hit with New York state fraud charges after being sentenced to prison for federal crimes.

The state charges were eventually dismissed and Trump pardoned Manafort before leaving office.

Blanche also previously represented Igor Fruman, who was an associate of former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani.

The specific charges in the indictment by a grand jury convened by Bragg, a Democrat, have yet to be disclosed. Trump has said he is innocent. He and his allies have portrayed the charges as politically motivated.

A motorcade of several vehicles took Trump at midday from his Mar-a-Lago estate to the airport in nearby West Palm Beach. Trump climbed out of an SUV before he and members of his entourage climbed a set of stairs to enter his plane.

"WITCH HUNT, as our once great Country is going to HELL!" Trump posted on social media right before he left Florida.

Trump said on social media he would head to the courthouse on Tuesday morning.

Trump's campaign raised $7 million in the three days after word of the indictment emerged last Thursday, senior adviser Jason Miller said. The campaign on Monday issued the latest in a series of fundraising emails, taking aim at the media's reporting on his indictment.

Remarks attributed to Trump in the email stated: "Our country has fallen. But I'm not giving up on America. We can and we will save our nation in 2024."

A court official said the arraignment was planned for 2:15 p.m. (1815 GMT) on Tuesday. Bragg will give a news conference afterwards. Trump will return to Florida and deliver remarks from Mar-a-Lago at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday (0015 GMT on Wednesday), his office said.

The New York case is one of several probes Trump faces. (Excerpted from Reuters)

Former US President Donald Trump

NGSA Science Questions NGSA S. Studies Questions

World diplomats get their fill of doubles – Trinidad and Tobago bids for UN General Assembly presidency

Former Foreign Affairs

Minister Winston Dookeran has welcomed T&T's bid to be elected President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) when the next session convenes at UN headquarters in New York in September.

In a Facebook post on April 1, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne announced T&T's bid for the UNGA presidency and also that the country's most popular street food – doubles – was introduced to diplomats.

Browne said, "We did it! Our team introduced delicious doubles to over 175 diplomats from all over the world, at our launch event for T&T's campaign for the presidency of the UN General Assembly in New York."

He added that many of the diplomats enjoyed the local street food.

"Many of them had never tasted anything like this before, and I was so proud to see them repeatedly coming back for more!"

Dookeran said, "This is

an opportunity to advance the cause of UN reform, so elusive over the years."

He hoped that should TT be elected UNGA President, it would be able to embrace reform measures that support small States and "the microlaterism that is required in this time of global flexibility in big power relations."

Dookeran said this was "an opportunity to embark on a programme of active diplomacy, rather that remain in the comfort zone of

Belize reaffirms ties with Taipei as Taiwanese President visits

The Prime Minister of Belize gave Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen a welcome diplomatic boost during her visit on Monday, underlining his nation's support for Taiwan after rival China gained a new regional ally last month.

Tsai's visit comes a week after Honduras severed diplomatic relations with Taipei in favour of Beijing amid heightened US-China tensions. China claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei strongly rejects.

joint session of the National Assembly in Belmopan, the capital of the small Central American country of some 400,000 people.

Briceno ticked off some of Taipei's largesse, thanking it for scholarships, farming programmes and a US$16.5 million grant to build a hospital in the island town and popular tourist hub of San Pedro.

As Tsai listened, Briceno applauded a declaration lawmakers passed last month reaffirming Belize's formal recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign and independent country.

constant threats from the neighbour on the other side of the Taiwan Straits," referring to China.

On Sunday, Tsai wrapped up a three-day visit to neighbouring Guatemala, Central America's largest economy, and before that made a controversial stopover in New York, angering China, which has repeatedly warned US officials not to meet her.

protest diplomacy”.

He also believed that given the plethora of challenges facing the world today, a strong case must be placed before the General Assembly for UN reform to deal effectively with those challenges.

As UNGA President, Dookeran reiterated that TT has a chance to make "a lasting contribution for the Institution and for stability in the political order in the making".(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

El Salvador committing "systematic" abuses in gang purge– Amnesty

Authorities in El Salvador have committed “systematic” human rights abuses since launching a nationwide state of emergency last year to tackle gang violence, including torture and enforced disappearances, Amnesty International said.

The rights group said on Monday that the Salvadoran government’s “state of exception” – first declared in March 2022 by President Nayib Bukele and periodically renewed since then – also has resulted in widespread violations of due process.

“The deaths of 132 people in State custody, arbitrary detention, mass criminal prosecutions, and the

indiscriminate imprisonment of tens of thousands of people are incompatible with an effective, fair and lasting public security strategy,” Erika GuevaraRosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said

in a statement.

“The systematic violation of human rights and the dismantling of the rule of law are not the answer to the problems facing the country.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Brazil envoy met Putin to push Ukraine peace talks – CNN Brasil

Brazilian President

Luiz Inácio Lula da

Silva sent his top foreign policy adviser to speak to Russian leader Vladimir Putin about potential peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, CNN Brasil reported on Monday.

"It would be an exaggeration to say the doors are open (to peace talks), but it's not true to say they are totally closed," the envoy Celso Amorim told CNN Brasil in an interview published on its website.

Amorim, who was Lula's Foreign Minister from 2003 to 2010, said he met with Putin for an hour on

Thursday at the Kremlin as part of the previously-unannounced trip.

Two Government officials told Reuters that Amorim stopped in Paris on his way back to Brazil, but they provided no details of his engagements there.

Brazil's Foreign Ministry declined to comment on Amorim's trip. The President's office did not reply to a request for comment.

Lula has proposed creating a group of countries to mediate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in a war that has raged for more than a year.

"Belize welcomes you into our home with open arms," Prime Minister John Briceno told Tsai during a

In her remarks, Tsai spoke of "expansionist threats from authoritarian regimes", adding that "the people of Taiwan face

Guatemala and Belize are two of just 13 countries that Taiwan has diplomatic relations with. Honduras was the latest in a series of Central American countries to switch allegiance to Beijing in recent years, including Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Honduras deploys hundreds of military agents to fight crime

Honduras' Government deployed soldiers across the country as part of a plan to fight criminal groups, authorities said Monday, with official images showing hundreds of soldiers being commissioned for the project.

The move comes after leftist President Xiomara Castro implemented a partial state of emergency last December in pockets of the country's largest cities, led mainly by members of the Police.

"In this new stage we have the task of ending drug trafficking, crime and also capturing the leaders of maras (violent street gangs) and gangs. We will guarantee peace for the life of the Honduran people," Defence Minister Jose Manuel Zelaya said at a ceremony.

He did not specify the numbers of troops involved in this new deployment, though hundreds were seen at the commissioning ceremony in images shared by the Government on Twitter.

The armed forces will assume security responsibilities in seven of the country's mostly semi-urban departments where drug cartels operate and cocaine leaf plantations have been discovered, according to the Government outline.

The state of emergency, which suspends some constitutional rights, is set to last until April 20.

"People and criminals respect the military more than the Police," Reinelda Lopez, a domestic worker, told

Reuters, adding that she has been the victim of assault twice and now only goes out to the streets if necessary.

The move shows a change in tact by Castro, who has previously criticised the role of the military in previous Administrations and pledged to "demilitarise citizen security" during her presidential campaign.

Honduras registers an average of 10 homicides a day, according to security authorities.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Amorim said he had lunch with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who will visit Brasilia on April 17, and was received by Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and international affairs advisor Yuri Ushakov.

"There is no magic solution. But there will come a time when, on one side or the other, a realisation will emerge that the cost of war – not just the political cost, but the human and economic cost – will be greater than the cost of the concessions needed for peace," Amorim told CNN Brasil.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Brazil creates rights medal named after Black writer, replacing princess

Brazil's leftist government on Monday abolished a human rights medal that former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro had named after the daughter of the country's last monarch, replacing it with a prize named after a Black writer and abolitionist.

The medal will now be named after Luiz Gama, who was a leader of the movement to abolish slavery in Brazil in the 19th

Century.

When slavery was finally abolished in 1888, Brazil was a monarchy ruled by the Braganca family of Portuguese origin, but the monarch was ill, so his daughter Isabel signed the abolition decree.

Bolsonaro established the Princess Isabel Order of Merit just days before he left office last year, naming it after a figure that Brazilian conservatives traditionally praise for ending slavery.

The Government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva established a Human Rights Ministry

As soon as it took office in January and has now created the prize named after Gama.

"It is not that a white person cannot be part of the anti-racist struggle, but about recognising an abolitionist Black man as a defender of human rights," Deputy Minister Rita Oliveira said in a statement. (Reuters)

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Dr Amery Browne with a True Flavors doubles in New York at the launch for TT's campaign for presidency of the UN General Assembly for the 78th Session ( Photo courtesy of Foreign And Caricom Affairs Ministry – Facebook)

Members of Honduras' DIPAMPCO (Police Anti Maras and Gangs Against Organised Crime Directorate) frisk people while doing rounds in a low-income neighbourhood (Reuters/Fredy Rodriguez file photo)

El Salvador's 'state of exception' to tackle gang violence has granted the Government sweeping powers and suspended civil liberties [File: Salvador Melendez/AP photo]

OPEC+ cuts put US$100/bbl oil back in sight

Surprise new cuts to the OPEC+ group's output targets could push oil prices towards US$100 a barrel, setting the scene for another clash with the West grappling with higher interest rates, analysts and traders said on Monday.

The decision signals unity within OPEC+ despite Washington's pressure on its Gulf allies to weaken their ties with Moscow, while also undermining the West's efforts to limit Russia's oil income.

Oil prices jumped over 6% on Monday after the Organisation of the Petroleum Ex porting Countries and their allies including Russia announced on Sunday further production target cuts of about 1.16 million barrels per day (bpd) from May through the rest of the year.

The pledges will bring the total volume of cuts by the group known as OPEC+ since November to 3.66 million bpd according to Reuters calculations, equal to 3.7% of global demand.

OPEC+ had been expected to hold output steady this year, having already cut by 2 million bpd in November 2022.

Saudi Arabia said its voluntary output cut was a precautionary measure aimed at supporting market stability.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said interference with market dynamics was one of the reasons behind the cuts.

The International Energy Agency said the cuts risk exacerbating a strained market and pushing up oil prices amid inflationary pressures.

"The new cuts are underpinning that the OPEC+ group is intact and that Russia is still an integral and important part of the group," SEB analyst Bjarne Schieldrop said.

Rystad Energy said it believed the cuts will add to tightness in the oil market and lift prices above US$100 a barrel for the rest of year, possibly taking Brent as high as US$110 this summer.

UBS also expects Brent to reach US$100 by June, while Goldman Sachs raised its December forecast by US$5 to US$95.

Goldman said strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) releases in the United States and in France, due to ongoing strikes, as well as Washington's refusal to refill its SPR in the 2023 fiscal year, may have prompted the OPEC+ action.

Higher prices will likely spell more income for Moscow to fund its expensive war in Ukraine, upsetting Saudi-US relations further, Schieldrop said.

"The US Administration may also argue that higher oil prices will counter its efforts to put out the inflation fire," he added.

While the higher oil prices will spell bad news for the European Central Bank as it tries to bring down inflation, it is unlikely to fundamentally alter the policy outlook for now.

An official at a South Korean refiner said the cut was "bad news" for oil buyers and OPEC was seeking to "protect their profit" against concerns of a global economic slowdown.

The supply cut would drive up prices just as weakening economies depress fuel demand and prices, squeezing refiners' profits, the South Korean refining official and a Chinese trader said.

Tighter OPEC+ supply will also be negative for Japan as it may further boost inflation and weaken its economy, said Takayuki Honma, chief economist at Sumitomo Corporation Global Research.

"Producing countries apparently want to see oil prices rise to US$90-US$100/bbl, but higher oil prices also mean higher risk of economic downturn and sluggish demand," he added.

Purchases by China, the world's top crude importer, are however expected to hit a record in 2023 as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, while consumption from No 3 importer India remains robust, traders said.

With higher prices and less supply of Middle East sour crude, China and India may be pushed to buy more Russian oil, boosting revenue for Moscow, said the Indian refining official, who declined to be named as he was not authorised to speak to media.

The rise in Brent prices could push Urals and other Russian oil products to levels above the caps set by the Group of Seven Nations (G7) aimed at curbing Moscow's oil revenue, he said.

Refiners in Japan and South Korea said they are not considering taking Russian barrels due to geopolitical concerns and may look for alternative supply from Africa and Latin America.

Traders are also watching for a response from the US, which called OPEC+'s move inadvisable.

"In essence, the purpose of this massive surprise production cut is mainly to regain market pricing power," the Chinese trader said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Around the World

Ukraine mocks Russian claim to have taken Bakhmut, says attacks repelled

Kyiv scorned Russian claims to have captured eastern Bakhmut on Monday, saying its foes had raised a victory flag over "some kind of toilet" and that Ukrainian forces had repelled nearly 20 attacks along the city's front line in the last 24 hours.

The battle for the mining city and logistics hub of Bakhmut has been one of the bloodiest of the conflict, now in its second year, with many casualties on both sides and the city largely destroyed by bombardments.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary force spearheading the siege, said on Sunday his troops had raised a Russian flag on the city-centre administrative building even though Ukrainian soldiers

still held some western positions.

"From a legal point of view, Bakhmut has been taken," said Prigozhin, who has previously made prema-

Finland to join NATO military alliance today

Finland will become the 31st member of NATO today, the Western military alliance's Secretary General has announced.

The application was prompted by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, with which Finland shares a long border.

Turkey had delayed the application, complaining that Finland was supporting "terrorists".

Sweden applied to join NATO at the same time last May, but Turkey is blocking it over similar complaints.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused it of embracing Kurdish militants and allowing them to demonstrate on the streets of Stockholm.

Any NATO expansion needs the support of all its members.

"We will raise the Finnish flag for the first time here at NATO headquarters. It will be a good day for Finland's security, for Nordic security and for NATO as a whole," NATO Secretary General

Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels.

"Sweden will also be safer as a result," he said.

Finland's membership is one of the most important moments in NATO's recent history.

Finland, a country with a 1340km (832 mile) border with Russia and one of the most powerful arsenals of artillery pieces in Western Europe, decided to ditch its neutrality and join the alliance in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Sweden also abandoned a longstanding commitment to neutrality in applying to join NATO, but unlike its neighbour it does not share a border with Russia.

One of NATO'S founding principles is the that of collective defence - meaning an attack on one member nation is treated as an attack on them all.

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, Finland's accession is a major strategic setback. (Excerpt from BBC News)

At least 21 killed, several missing in eastern DR Congo landslide

At least 21 people have died and several others are missing a day after a landslide in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The bodies of eight women and 13 children were discovered after the landslide hit a river in the locality of Bolowa on Sunday as people were washing clothes and cleaning kitchenware, said Voltaire Batundi, a civil society leader in the wider Masisi territory.

One person survived and has been taken to a health centre, he added.

“We think that maybe in the mud there are still other

ture claims.

But Ukraine's military said fighting was still raging around the city council building, as well as in other nearby towns.

"Bakhmut is Ukrainian and they have not captured anything and are very far from doing that," Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the eastern military command, told Reuters.

"They raised the flag over some kind of toilet. They attached it to the side of who knows what, hung their rag and said they had captured the city. Well good, let them think they've taken it," Cherevatyi added by telephone.

The Ukrainian armed forces General Staff said in an evening statement 45 enemy attacks had been repelled in total in the last 24 hours, with Bakhmut at the "epicentre of operations" along with the cities of Avdiivka and Maryinka further south.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

NASA names 1st woman and black man on Moon mission

bodies,” he told Reuters news agency by phone.

Search efforts have continued on Monday, a spokesperson for the governor of North Kivu province, which includes Masisi, said.

Fabrice Muphirwa Kubuya, head of the OssoBanyungu civil society group, said that “the landslide occurred at around midday in the village of Bulwa”, putting the provisional death toll at 30, as quoted by Anadolu Agency.

He added that the mudslide may have been triggered by days of heavy rainfall. (Al Jazeera)

The US space agency NASA has named the four astronauts who will take humanity back to the Moon, after a 50-year gap.

Christina Koch will become the first woman astronaut ever assigned to a lunar mission, while Victor Glover will be the first black astronaut on one.

They will join Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen to fly a capsule around the Moon late next year or early in 2025.

The astronauts won't land on the Moon, but their mission will pave the way for a touchdown by a subsequent crew.

The three US citizens and one Canadian were presented to the public in a ceremony in Houston, Texas.

They will now begin a period of intense training to get themselves ready.

In selecting a woman and a person of colour, NASA is keeping its prom-

ise to bring greater diversity to its exploration efforts. All the previous crewed missions to the Moon were made by white men.

The quartet are essentially repeating the 1968 mission carried out by Apollo 8, which was the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon.

The major difference this time will be the use of the 21st Century technology that NASA has developed under its Artemis programme. In Greek mythology, Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo.

Last year, the agency tested its next-generation Moon rocket, called the Space Launch System, and its associated crew capsule, known as Orion.

This Artemis-1 mission left Earth on a 25-day excursion around the Moon without anyone on board. This allowed engineers to assess the readiness of the hardware. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Members of the Ukrainian tank unit crew, call sign "Tyagach", wait for mechanics to maintain their tank after returning from a mission at the frontline, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in the region of Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 3, 2023

Koch, Glover (rear), Hansen and Wiseman (seated) were unveiled at the Johnson Space Center

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Don’t linger when time is crucial. Do things that brighten your day and enhance the lives of loved ones. Use insight and experience to help others, and you’ll gain perspective on your life.

(March 21-April 19)

A sloppy job won’t cut it; if you want to advance, give your all and tout your achievements. It’s up to you to do your best. Rely on your intuition, not on unverified information.

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Don’t be fooled by fictitious information. Go directly to the source to avoid getting caught in someone’s lies or scams. Do your research, ask questions and focus on what’s best for you.

Hone your skills to fit the application to which you want to apply them. Don’t complicate matters; a one-step solution will suffice. Trust in what you know and do best.

(June 21-July 22)

Be careful; your words and actions might influence your position or reputation. Keep your plans simple and look for opportunities for personal and professional growth.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Take the initiative and try something new. You will be inspired by the people you encounter. It’s up to you to take what’s rightfully yours. Update your image and demonstrate your skills.

Pay attention to what’s happening at home. Understanding the dynamics of a situation and the people involved will help you quell difficulties before they become hard to manage. Stick to basics and don’t overreact.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Put your energy into getting the biggest bang for your buck. A change is in store if you use your ingenuity to develop a plan that fits your style and budget and offers the desired results.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Choose a path that satisfies your needs. Let go of the past and stop following others. Look for opportunities and you’ll meet individuals who share your concerns. Do your part and pay your dues.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Put more time and effort into your home, family and finances. Set up your lifestyle to fit your budget and ease stress. Don’t try to keep up with someone; focus on your own needs.

Relationships will undergo changes that you’ll need to address. Don’t let others decide things for you. Specify what’s important to you and make it happen. Take control.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Fix up your space. The better the flow, the better your life will be. Changing how you earn your living will turn out better than anticipated. Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Trophy Stall on board Guyana, South America Undiscovered Martial Arts Championship

Trophy Stall has come on board as one of the sponsors of the Guyana, South America Undiscovered Martial Arts Championship.

Organiser Roland Eudoxie, Chief Instructor of Korean International Martial Arts Guyana (KIMAG), met with Johnathan Sunich, Director of Trophy Stall, on Sunday, April 9, 2023 at the entity’s Bourda Market location. Sunich, the son of the proprietor Ramesh Sunich and a professional overseas-based Guyanese MMA and Muay Thai fighter with numerous wins to his name, presented the trophies on behalf of the company.

“Trophy Stall in keeping

Conway, and

Agame high on entertainment ended with 35,000 boisterous fans celebrating Chennai Super Kings’ and MS Dhoni’s grand homecoming in style.

Despite piling up 217, the highest score of the season so far, the Super Kings had threatened to get outmuscled at one stage. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway had helped Super Kings set a new record for the highest powerplay score at the MA Chidambaram Stadium – 79 for no loss – only for Lucknow Super Giants to better that score by one run.

But Kyle Mayers, who had been responsible for that blazing start, fell in the sixth over to Moeen Ali, Dhoni’s trademark ‘spin it to win it’ mantra took over on a surface where dew – which Super Giants Captain KL Rahul had believed would play a part in the chase –hardly had an effect.

The spin duo of Moeen and Mitchell Santner ended up with magical combined figures of 5 for 47 off eight overs to turn the game around. Moeen, who had not been called upon to bowl in Super Kings’ tournament opener, finished with 4 for 26, with Rahul, Mayers and Marcus Stoinis among his victims.

The Moeen effect covered up for a nightmarish start for the seamers, most notably for Deepak Chahar and Impact Player Tushar Deshpande, who conceded 55 in four wicketless overs between them inside the first 10 overs.

But Deshpande redeemed himself with the key wicket of Nicholas Pooran, who threatened to pull off a coup, with Super Giants needing 62 off 25 balls. That, right there, was the game, which Super Kings closed out to eventually win by 12 runs.

Gaikwad tees off, Conway follows Gaikwad began the season with a 50-ball 92 in Ahmedabad, and his follow-up was an equally blistering knock high on aesthetic value. This half-century came off 25 balls, as Gaikwad announced himself in his very first outing at Chepauk.

The highlight was the three sixes he hit in K Gowtham’s first over, the fifth of the innings. These included a straight hit off the backfoot and an inside-out six over extra cover.

Conway was not far behind. He began with crunching off-drives off Avesh Khan and Mark Wood to get into full rhythm, and then unleashed a ferocious slogsweep off Krunal Pandya. The pair brought up a century opening stand in eight overs with that hit.

Moeen slices through LSG after Mayers’ blast

Mayers has a touch of Chris Gayle to him. His reach, his ability to pick lengths early and swing through the line brought him massive returns as he went after Super Kings’ erratic pacers. Chahar found no swing and Deshpande struggled for accuracy. Super

with its mandate to support and provide quality awards is proud to be on board the Guyana| South America Undiscovered Martial Arts Championship. Every competitor deserves the best and the best Trophies is what will be provided,” declared Ramesh Sunich, as he cited his reason for coming on board.

The younger Sunich shared, “I’m excited about this event and happy that Trophy Stall is on board. I wish every competitor well. I also would like to congratulate Instructor Roland Eudoxie on his outstanding work he’s doing with the youth within Guyana and wish him continued success. I

give CSK a happy homecoming

would like to encourage other companies to also support this venture by being a sponsor.”

Competitors from Suriname and host country Guyana will be battling for bragging rights and the champion trophy on Sunday, April 9, 2023 at the Guyana National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, starting from 09:00h.

Eudoxie stated that at this championship a category would be dedicated in memory of the late Sensei Garfield Newton. We have lost a great martial artist and his legacy must continue within us, he stated.

ACCOMMODATIONS

then brought on for his second over, delivered a telling blow, getting Pooran caught at long-off in an over that

went for just six runs. That, right there, was the game for the Super Kings. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Giants rushed to 73 for 0 in the first five overs. But Super Kings stormed back with three quick wickets from overs six to eight.

Mayers, who brought up a 21-ball half-century, and Rahul holed out to deep midwicket, while Deepak Hooda heaved one to longon. Moeen and Santner were right in the game and Dhoni was able to exercise the kind of control he loves. Pandya and Stoinis continued to attack, but the enormity of the task at hand meant they had to keep taking their chances which eventually led to their downfall.

Deshpande redeems himself

A left-arm spinner to a left-hander is a matchup not quite up Dhoni’s alley. But because the pacers had all proved expensive, and Moeen and Santner had bowled out, Dhoni had no option, but to go to Ravindra Jadeja in the 15th over. It did not help that Pooran was in sensational form.

After flat-batting Jadeja for a six over extra-cover, he followed up by reverse-sweeping a dart for a 97-metre six over the point boundary. It brought Super Giants’ equation down to 68 off 30. Deshpande, who was

Chennai Super Kings (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R B

Ruturaj Gaikwad c Wood

b Ravi Bishnoi 57 31

Devon Conway c Pandya

b Wood 47 29

Shivam Dube c Wood

b Ravi Bishnoi 27 16

Moeen Ali st †Pooran

b Ravi Bishnoi 19 13

Ben Stokes c Yash Thakur

b Avesh Khan 8 8

Ambati Rayudu not out 27 14

Ravindra Jadeja c

Ravi Bishnoi b Wood 3 6

MS Dhoni (c)†c

Ravi Bishnoi b Wood 12 3

Mitchell Santner not out 1 1

Extras (b 4, lb 4, nb 1, w 7) 16

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 10.85) 217/7

Did not bat: Deepak Chahar, Rajvardhan Hangargekar

Fall of wickets: 1-110

(Ruturaj Gaikwad, 9.1 ov), 2-118

(Devon Conway, 10.2 ov), 3-150

(Shivam Dube, 13.5 ov), 4-166

(Moeen Ali, 15.2 ov), 5-178

(Ben Stokes, 16.6 ov), 6-203

(Ravindra Jadeja, 19.1 ov), 7-215

(MS Dhoni, 19.4 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Kyle Mayers 2-0-16-0

Avesh Khan 3-0-39-1

Krunal Pandya 2-0-21-0

Krishnappa Gowtham 1-0-20-0

Mark Wood 4-0-49-3

Yash Thakur 4-0-36-0

Ravi Bishnoi 4-0-28-3

Lucknow Super Giants (T: 218 runs from 20 ovs)

BATTING R B

KL Rahul (c) c Gaikwad

b Ali 20 18

Kyle Mayers c Conway b Ali 53 22

Deepak Hooda c Stokes

b Santner 2 6

Krunal Pandya c Jadeja

b Ali 9 9

Marcus Stoinis b Ali 21 18

Nicholas Pooran †c Stokes

b Deshpande 32 18

Ayush Badoni c †Dhoni

b Deshpande 23 18

Krishnappa Gowtham not out 17 11

Mark Wood not out 10 3

Extras (lb 2, nb 3, w 13) 18

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR:

10.25) 205/7

Did not bat: Yash

Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi

Fall of wickets: 1-79

(Kyle Mayers, 5.3 ov), 2-82

(Deepak Hooda, 6.6 ov), 3-82

(KL Rahul, 7.2 ov), 4-105

(Krunal Pandya, 9.6 ov), 5-130

(Marcus Stoinis, 13.2 ov), 6-156

(Nicholas Pooran, 15.6 ov), 7-195

(Ayush Badoni, 19.3 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Deepak Chahar 4-0-55-0

Ben Stokes 1-0-18-0

Tushar Deshpande 4-0-45-2

Moeen Ali 4-0-26-4

Mitchell Santner 4-0-21 -1

Rajvardhan Hangargekar 2-0-24-0

Ravindra Jadeja 1-0-14-0

Aracari Hotel, Versailles, West Bank Demerara (between Harbor Bridge and Vreed-en-Hoop). AirConditioned Comfort. Amenities include TV, Restaurant, Bar, Swimming Pool, Gym. Free Parking, Free Wifi. Spend 7 nights and get 1 Free. Rates from US$63 Breakfast included. Long term rates available. All inclusive Honeymoon, Weekend and Overnight Packages available. Phone: 264-2946-9 www.aracariresort.com

ENTERTAINMENT

Swimming Pool Family Fun and & Picnic – Crystal Clear Pool. Kids and Adult Sections. Very Safe. Aracari Resort: West Bank Demerara (Versailles, Vreed-en-Hoop)-Every Weekend. DJ Music. Weekly Buffet Lunch on Sundays from 11 AM – 3 PM Adults $3,000 and Kids $1,000. Groups and Excursions welcome – Phone 264-2946-9.

June 30th – July 3rd, 2023. Dolphin Tours, Water Park Tours, Shopping, Site seeing, Malls, etc. Call: 639-2663 or 673-2348.

Jonathan Sunich makes the presentation to Roland Eudoxie

Gaikwad,

Moeen

MS Dhoni has a chat with his troops

Kyle Mayers hit back-to-back fifties in his first two games this season

Milo tournament completes packed weekend

Therewas all to play for at the Ministry of Education (MoE) and NIS Grounds, both on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown over the weekend as several school teams sought to seal their Roundof-16 berths in the ongoing Milo Schools’ Under-18 football tournament.

On Saturday, East Ruimveldt Secondary was the first school to pick up three points, defeating Bush Lot Secondary 4-1. Daniel Sutton opened East Ruimveldt’s account in the fifth minute, while Onesi Dunn (20th), Joshua Leitch (60th) and Tremel Jack (62nd) added to the tally. Bush Lot’s consolation goal came off the boots of Quancey Fraser in the 64th minute.

Also at NIS Ground, 8th of May Secondary thumped West Demerara Secondary 6-0. A helmet trick from Sachel Marks (11th, 14th, 26th, 38th) accounted for the majority of 8th of May’s goals, with DeAngelo Davidson adding a brace in the fifth and 18th minutes.

Mackenzie High School also overcame North Ruimveldt Multilateral by a similar margin. This time around, it was more of a team effort as Mackenzie’s Jevon Dennis (21st, 26th) and Dexter Milo (24th, 50th) both registered braces, while Azenio Benjamin and Troy Sulker netted one apiece in the 16th and 54th minutes respectively.

Over at the MoE Ground, Vergenoegen Secondary eased past Queen’s College 3-0. A double off the boots of Kevon Williams (34th,

69th) and one from Shaphan How’re (21st) accounted for Vergenoegen’s tally.

The following game was a complete slaughter as Marian Academy conceded 13 goals to Bartica Secondary. Hattricks came from Ezekiel Blades (8th, 38th, 40th) and Cyle Timmerman (19th, 45th, 47th) while Ashton Dutchin (15th, 67th) and Shondy Beaton (57th, 62nd) both found the back of the net twice. Also adding to the scoresheet were Victor Jones (10th), Reizer Reid (12th) and Shawn Bobb (24th).

Meanwhile, a penalty resulted in Marian Academy’s consolation goal, successfully taken by Nicholas Jones in the 64th minute.

On the back of one goal each from Jamil James (22nd) and Devon Gilbert (51st), Christianburg Wismar Secondary School

(CWSS) registered a comfortable 2-0 victory over Vryman’s Erven Secondary.

The final game of the day was a treat to watch as the indomitable Chase’s Academy were held to a 1-1 draw by Carmel Secondary.

Carmel took the lead first when Shem James found the back of the net in the fourth minute. However, early in the second half, Justin Alcindor (39th) found the equaliser for Chase. The goals weren’t so easy to find again, so the game resulted in a draw.

Meanwhile on Sunday, Patentia Secondary tasted victory first after edging President’s College 1-0. The winning goal came off the boots of Kobe Clarke in the 59th minute.

Another close encounter saw Charity Secondary defeating Annandale Secondary

4-3. Annandale were up first in the eighth minute thanks to Osafo Browne, but Raphael Samson levelled the scores for Charity in the 10th minute. The match would go on in this manner as Samson completed his double (21st), while Dandra Sobers (60th) and Mike Edwards (68th) scored for Charity. Swade Edwards added Annandale’s next two in the 44th and 69th minutes.

Cummings Lodge also had a close win, 2-1 over Berbice Educational Institute. Rovin Henry (50th) and Antwon Samuels (60th) netted for Cummings Lodge while T’Jon Reid was the only striker for Berbice in the 62nd.

Antwone Kelly was the lone marksman in another one-goal affair, as Westminster Secondary edged New Central High.

Dora Secondary picked up their first win, following a 4-3 encounter with Bygeval Secondary. Nkosi Morris was the star, netting a helmet trick for Dora in the 2nd, 29th, 43rd and 51st minutes. On the other hand, a Dequan Peirie (53rd, 55th) double and one from Carl Nunes (60th) accounted for Bygeval’s 3.

The largest win of the day was Dolphin Secondary’s as a Jude Charles (18th, 60th, 60th) hat-trick led them to a 9-0 win over New Amsterdam Secondary. Gerry Burnette (12th, 38th) added two to the tally while Jamal Williams (46th), Nicholas Tappin (49th), Caldwell Peters (63rd) and Jequan Cole (69th) added one each.

St Cuthbert’s Secondary narrowly overcame Charlestown Secondary 4-3. A hat-trick off the boots of

Eyon Simon (38th, 49th, 56th) and one from Dussel Jacobs (23rd) made up St Cuthbert’s 4, while one each from Mickel Andrews (10th) and Andrew Cato (32nd), in addition to a St Cuthbert’s own goal, got Charlestown to 3.

In the final game, Ann’s Grove Secondary thumped West Ruimveldt 5-2. For Ann’s Grove, Naron Jerrick (33rd, 59th) netted twice, while Shaquan David (14th), Marcus Cold (44th) and Travis Williams (60th) accounted for Ann’s Grove’s 5. Trevor Bentt (8th) and Elijah Sattaur (57th) got West Ruimveldt to two.

The Milo Round of 16 is geared to commence this Saturday, April 8, 2023. The tournament is supported by Nestle Milo, GINMIN, Genequip and MVP Sports.

Bartica Easter Regatta 2023 Junior Cycling Championship… DCB U-19 Inter- Association Tournament 2023…

Newton, Leung take lion’s share of prizes

Georgetown

championship

Sporting action for the 2023 Bartica Easter Regatta continued on Sunday with the successful staging of the inaugural Junior Cycling Championships. The sport has been gaining popularity rapidly ever since the staging

Sunday

of the first Bartica Cycling Classic in May 2019 and the 13th Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships, in August 2019.

On Sunday, the focus was once again on the development of junior cyclists who all had a fun time at

Race Placings

the event that was put on by the Bartica Easter Regatta Organising Committee, chaired by Regional Chairman Kenneth Williams.

Below are the full results:

Boys’ 13-16 years 1st – Aaron Newton; 2nd – Alexander Leung; 3rd – Torell Noel

Girls 1st – Raziah Robertson; 2nd – Tandy Noel; 3rd – Alecia Chan

Boys’ Open 1st – Aaron Newton; 2nd – Alexander Leung; 3rd – Sebastian Nathan

Boys’ 17-19 1st – Aaron Newton; 2nd – Alexander Leung; 3rd – Sebastian Nathan

Straight Sprints Race #1 1st – Adjani Cutting; 2nd – Aaron Newton; 3rd – Alexander Leung

Straight Sprints Race #2 1st – Christian Dudley; 2nd – Torell Noel; 3rd – Sebastian Nathan

Straight Sprints Race #3 1st – Zinedine Dos Santos; 2nd – Marcus Lewis; 3rd – Kocy Joseph

Straight Sprints Race #4 1st – Jerone Ghanie; 2nd – Anthony King; 3rd – Joshua Farrell

Champion of Champions

Sprint Race 1st – Adjani Cutting; 2nd – Zinedine Dos Santos; 3rd – Christian Dudley

BMX Boys’ 10-12 years 1st – Jaden John; 2nd – Aaron Sheriff; 3rd – Sammy Harrison

Girls’ BMX 6-9 years 1st – Ellie Grant; 2nd – Halli Martindale

In the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Under-19 Inter-Association Tournament sponsored by Ariel Enterprise, Trophy Stall, Ramchand’s Auto Spares and Cricket Equipment Inc, Shamar Yearwood hit a century, and Nehemiah Hohenkirk and Ravaldo Phillips claimed five-wicket hauls to steer Georgetown to victory over East Coast Demerara to secure the title.

At the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground, East Coast Demerara won the toss and elected to bowl. Georgetown took the opportunity and scored a well-constructed 255 for 8 from their allotted 50 overs. National wicket-keeper Yearwood scored a brilliant 117, hitting 6 sixes and 10 fours. West Indies

opener Mavindra Dindyal scored a well-composed 62.

Sasenarine Harricharran took 5 for 39 and was supported by Hemraj Haripersaud, who took 2 for 35, and Ajay Gainda, who claimed 1 for 21.

In reply, East Coast Demerara struggled to reach their target as they fell for 46 from 12 overs. Romel Datterdeen was the lone batter to reach double figures – 11. Hohenkirk and Phillips ripped through the

batting line-up, claiming 5 for 22 and 5 for 24, respectively.

Yearwood was named the Player of the Final, while Mavindra Dindyal made the most runs in the preliminary games, and Zahid Mohamed collected the most wickets.

This tournament saw three centurions, namely Dindyal (101); Alvin Mohabir (113 not out) and Yearwood (117) as well as one six-wicket haul by Krsna Singh.

Scenes from the Milo U-18 tournament over the weekend

Region Seven Chairman Kenneth Williams (standing right, back) with the recipients of prizes following the presentation on

lift

The DCB U-19 champions Georgetown

Player of the Final Shamar Yearwood

Safety is priority at growing Easter Swim Camp

“I’m saying this because of the fact that safety will be our number one watchword. We would leave no stone unturned to make sure that your children are safe.”

Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), Dwayne Scott highlighted the positives of the initiative, which include discovering new talents.

a successful swimmer,” the GASA President added.

According to the NSC, more than 2000 children registered for this year’s Easter Swimming Programme. This is a significant increase from last year’s Easter programme, as was highlighted by NSC Commissioner and Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) President Cristy Campbell.

at last Easter’s camp and that number has tremendously increased to over 2000 participants. That in itself signals that parents are au fait with the work we have been doing from the Commission and the Ministry. It also illustrates that parents are grasping the opportunities we are presenting to you,” Campbell reasoned.

Scores of children and parents turned up at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown on Monday morning, for what would be the official opening of the annual Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) Easter Swimming Programme.

The programme, targeting children aged 6-18 will

once again be offered at four locations across the country –the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal; the Colgrain Swimming Pool, Georgetown; the Watooka Swimming Pool, Linden and the Albion Estate Pool, East Berbice.

During Monday’s opening, Director of Sport (DoS) Steve Ninvalle, emphasised the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports’ and the National Sports Commission’s focus on

the safety of participating children.

“With such large numbers comes a large responsibility. The responsibility of the NSC is to make sure that although you have an enjoyable time learning this important life skill, we must make sure that each and every individual does that in a safe surrounding,” the Director of Sport shared.

Ninvalle went on to add,

Sampson, Barker, McGarrell at Int’l U-16 Boxing Championships

Scott told those gathered at the Aquatic Centre, “More important for us, these initiatives help to build the sport. It brings to us people with interest and desire to represent Guyana at the higher level. It exposes every single one of you to this very important life skill, we’re the Land of Many Waters and the last you would want to not be able to do is swim.”

“I would’ve charged the coaches and the national swimmers to work with you and help you guys understand the basic fundamentals which require you being able to be

“The other thing I wish to highlight is the exponential increase in numbers from last year’s swim camp. We had approximately 600 participants

Additionally, swim caps were distributed to some of the budding swimmers. The programme is set to conclude next Friday.

International Jamaica Cycling Classic 2023…

3rd

master’s

Under-16 boxers from all across the country converged on the National Gymnasium on Sunday night for what is sure to be the first of many U-16 championships hosted with a touch of international flair.

Tiquan Sampson, Tifina Barker and Jeremiah McGarrell were among some of the promising Guyanese Under-16 boxing stars on show on Sunday night, as the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) hosted its Mike Parris School Boys/Girls and Juniors championships.

There were 11 bouts on the cards at the Mandela Avenue venue on Sunday, inclusive of a female exhibition fight between the Jackman sisters, Abiola and Alesha, who are just returning from the World Championships.

The first fight saw young Roopish Balgobin of Rose Hall Jammers (RHJ) effecting a victory in only the first round of his bout against Makil Ramsarran.

The following bout saw Vergenoegen Boxing Gym’s Keyon Britton overcoming Pace and Power’s Isaiah Joyce inside two rounds of their three-round encounter.

The script was the same

as the first bout for Jayden King of Rose Hall Jammers when he defeated Stefan Allicock of Pace and Power in one round.

An all Pace and Power bout followed, where Ryan Rogers pummelled his gym mate Khumija Alexander for a victory on points.

Some fireworks were witnessed when ‘the towel was thrown in’, resulting in Pace and Power’s Oshawn Edwards abandoning his contest against Rose Hall Jammers’ Keyon Hamilton, who was later announced as the winner.

Pace and Power had another abandoned contest when their boxer Joshua Bynoe opposed Garvel Flyman of Vergenoegen Boxing Gym. As such, Flyman won that bout.

On the basis of points, Shaquan James of Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) overcame Pace and Power’s Chance Niles, while an entertaining three-round contest between Rose Hall Jammers’ Shemroy Winiz and Vergenoegen Boxing Gym’s Jeremiah McGarrell saw the latter winning by unanimous decision.

Meanwhile, Guyana won both international bouts against their Trinidadian counterparts.

Guyana’s Tifina Barker defeated Trinidad and Tobago’s Shania Nunez by way of unanimous decision. Tiquan Sampson kept the Golden Arrowhead flying high when he defeated Prince Charles also of the twin-island republic, to close off the night of youth boxing.

Briton John (28 points) made Guyana proud with another solo display of grit and determination by riding another phenomenal leg to end third overall when the second edition of the Jamaican Cycling Classic, Montego Bay Race, ended on Sunday, in the Land of Wood and Water.

The We Stand United Cycle Club duo of John and Horace Burrowes excelled despite not having the luxury of multiple team members, as the other clubs.

Burrowes, who suffered a crash in stage one and encountered other challenges in stage two, threw all of that behind him to claim second place in the third and final stage. He said that the event was good, but tough given the fact that it was his first real competitive race in months.

He complimented the robust riding by John, noting that he has ‘places to go’,

along with the many other young and talented cyclists in Guyana, but they must be the opportunities.

The overall winner in the Elite category was Hasani Hennis (50 points) of Team AVR who had virtually placed it in the bag by winning the first two stages in the points race format. Hennis’ clubmate, Akel Campbell (48 points) was the overall second-place finisher.

Team AVR took the fourth and fifth places –Jerome Forrest (21) and Andrew Ramsey (19). Team 706’s Chad Conley and last year’s overall champion, Andy Sacrano placed sixth and seventh with 19 and 16 points, respectively. Closing out the top 10 overall were Jyme Bridges (9 points) of Team AVR, Kevin Price (6 points) of Cornwall, and Nathaniel Forbes (5 points) of Team AVR.

Team Guyana also placed third in the Team

Classification with a total of 46 points, Team AVR won with 124 points followed by Fire Wheels with 53. Cayman Hat ended with 35, Ride Your Bike 30, 706 P 28, and Cornwall CC 6.

Another Guyanese, Lyn Murray, who rides for Ride Your Bike Cycle Club of the USA, finished behind Burrowes in Monday’s Masters’ third leg, which was won by a cyclist from the Cayman Islands.

Briton John, in brief comments, thanked Burrowes for affording him the opportunity to participate in the race, stating that it was a very good experience for him as he was looking forward to more such opportunities to keep the Golden Arrowhead flying high.

He also expressed gratitude to the following for their assistance in making his trip possible – Alabama Trading, Bentley’s Bike Shop, Beacon Café, and Professional Key Shop.

DoS Steve Ninvalle presents swim caps to a group of children

The youngest group of children were the first to hit the pool on Monday

…Burrowes takes

in

final leg

John caps impressive debut with 3rd overall

WSUCC’s Horace Burrowes (left) placed second in the Masters’ third stage

WSUCC’s Briton John (right) was third overall

Guyana’s Tifina Barker (blue) makes a lunge towards her opponent, Shania Nunez

Roopish Balgobin (yellow) began the night with a win for Rose Hall Jammers