Guyana Times - Tuesday, August 1, 2023

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, Aug 1 – 05:00h

– 06:30h and Wednesday, Aug 2 – 04:15h – 05:45h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, Aug 1 – 16:20h

– 17:50h and Wednesday, Aug 2 – 16:50h – 18:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 16:34h reaching a maximum height of 2.59 metres.

Low Tide: 10:04h and 22:22h reaching minimum heights of 0.5 metre and 0.62 metre.

185th Emancipation Anniversary

Pres Ali

divide

picion. As I have done in the past, I want to encourage Guyanese to continue to reject these attempts and expose the agitators of disunity and fearmongering who threaten our nation’s cohesion and progress.”

LOTTERY NUMBERS

Assuring that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government remains committed to reparations and continued development of Afro-Guyanese, President Dr Irfaan Ali in his Emancipation Day message lauded the contributions of African-Guyanese and urged persons to reject all who seek to stoke divisions.

In his Emancipation Day message, President Ali referenced recent meetings such as the European Union – Community of Latin American and Caribbean (EU-CELAC), where progress has been made in getting recognition for the fight for reparations.

“My Government remains committed to the struggle for reparation for the crime of African enslavement. We demand that those who were complicit in and profited from the trade in captive Africans and African enslavement pay just reparations.”

“It is heartening to note that the recent EU-CELAC summit took a significant step forward by acknowledging slavery as a crime against humanity. Such acknowledgement is crucial to further pressing our demands for reparations,” the President said.

President Ali also referenced the Caribbean Community (Caricom), which he noted has been at the forefront of demanding reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans.

According to the President, there has been a concerted effort within the Region to seek both an acknowledgement of and redress for slavery… the effects of which he noted did not end with emancipation in 1838.

“Emancipation in 1838 did not end oppression. Freed Africans continued to face tremendous challenges which they confronted with admirable resolve and resourcefulness.

As such, Emancipation Day also heralds the significant contributions of African Guyanese, which include the development of the peasantry, the emergence of the village movement and the pioneering

role of Africans in Local Government and education. African achievements have touched all spheres of life.”

“The greatest tribute we can pay to the struggles and sacrifices of African Guyanese is to build a free, prosperous and more inclusive nation. In this regard, I want to assure all African Guyanese that my Government is wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that they will never be politically or economically marginalised,” the President further said.

Slice of the pie

According to President Ali, African Guyanese will share in the benefits that will flow from Guyana’s transformative development, both now and in the future. He further assured that they will have a stake in national development and governance. However, he also warned of forces both within and outside of Guyana, seeking to stoke divisions.

“I am mindful that there are forces inside and outside our country who, for selfish reasons, continue to stoke division and engender fear, mistrust and sus-

“Emancipation Day was a milestone in our country’s history. As we celebrate the anniversary of this historic day, let us recommit to working to create a brighter future where resilience and achievements resonate in every corner of Guyana, inspiring generations, present and future, to unite in building a nation that embodies the spirit of freedom, prosperity and inclusivity,” the President added.

Prime Minister

Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips, meanwhile extended Emancipation greetings in his message. He noted the importance of the day and its status as a pivotal moment in history to signify the end of an era of oppression, inequality and injustice.

“It represents the resilience of the human spirit as our forebears emerged victorious, breaking free from the ominous spirit of captivity and paving the way towards enforcing the need for equal rights and respect t as freed people.”

“So, every year on this day, we pay homage to the struggles and sacrifices of those who fought for the liberation of Africans while internalising the profound lessons of resilience, courage and unity,” the Prime Minister said.

Making reference to the village movement, Phillips noted the important role that emancipation played and continues to play in Guyana, from the introduc-

tion of the ‘village movement’ to the important values handed down of saving, cooperation and independence.

“Our Guyana reflects the values of those lessons when we consider the essential contributions of Afro-Guyanese to our country. Therefore, your Government remains committed to promoting these and other important lessons and values of our people from both the past and present.”

“I wish to encourage our Afro-Guyanese community to continue to make your invaluable mark in the development and transformation of our beloved country,” he said, urging all to remember the importance of their cultural identity while working towards unity, justice and equality for all.

PNCR

Meanwhile, the People’s National Congress Reform in its message called on Guyanese to reflect “on the deep implications of Emancipation Day. In particular, we must recognise that Emancipation was not granted for enslaved Africans as an act of mercy so that they can enjoy freedom for the first time. We must recognise that liberty and autonomy were already birth rights of many Africans in Africa, but were taken away from them. We must also recognise that enslaved Africans fought to regain their stolen emancipation over centuries with immeasurable endurance, fortitude, and sacrifice. The formal abolition of slavery in 1838 therefore must be properly and justifiably recognised as acknowledging and restoring their lost freedom.” (G3)

Govt remains committed to continued

Afro-Guyanese development –

…urges citizens to continue rejecting attempts to

Prime Minister, Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Views

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Emancipation Day

Today is a historic day for all Guyanese but more so for Guyanese of African descent. It was on this day, 185 years ago that their enslaved forbears could finally cry – as Martin Luther King would do in 1963 – “Free at last; free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” While slavery was a feature of all older civilisations – the Bible, for instance, is replete with references to the practice – and in Africa from where they were bought, the form it took in the various European Empires established following Columbus’s stumbling over the Americas in 1492 was “Chattel Slavery”. Here, the slave was the personal property of the slave owner – as, say, cattle or a piece of furniture – and could be treated as such by the master or mistress.

The Spanish and Portuguese pioneered the “use” of enslaved Africans in Europe in the mid-fifteenth century in an innovation that created a new conception of what it meant to be “human” and invented the notion of “race”. Before then, it was obvious that various peoples had different physical characteristics, but for the first time these characteristics were linked with social evaluations of inferiority and superiority and indeed, a conclusion that Africans were not “fully” human. One line of thought, pioneered by a Spanish monk Bartholomew de Las Casas, suggested they were not even possessed of souls as were the Indigenous Peoples. Much of this was to justify African enslavement, which otherwise violated aspects of Christian egalitarianism. These early justifications of “race” spilled over into a notion of “purity of blood” which frowned on “miscegenation”. In the US, their “one drop” rule declared that even one drop of African “blood” made the person African and “impure”.

This pernicious notion spread across the world with the European conquests and became the normative ideal of westernisation in the minds of populations as diverse as Mongolians and Hungarians. Last week, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban proudly declared that in contrast to Western Europe’s “mixed-race world” – where people mixed with arriving nonEuropeans – Hungary was not a mixed-race country. While this has created a furore and has been denounced by several European leaders, the invidious perception of “mixing” with “lower races” remains firmly entrenched. We saw this exhibited during the evacuation of African students from Ukraine when their war with Russia started.

These incidents also illustrate the European belief called the “grand chain of being” where the universe is organised hierarchically - with God (a white grey-bearded man) on top, followed, in descending order, by his angels, the white race then the yellow, brown, red and finally black ones, with the latter just above the apes and other animals. What is ironic is that for a long while, and even today, there are many non-white persons who accept their “place” in the order once there are others “below” them, not realising that they are accepting their subordinate status, which is decided by Whites. In Guyana during times of political conflict, these racial comparisons are routinely dragged out and hurled at each other evidently without any awareness that we are using categories invented by Europeans to rule all of us.

The British “made” slavery illegal in their colonies on August 1, 1838 – after a four-year “apprenticeship” during which earned wages were saved by some and used to purchase abandoned plantations. But the planters never reconciled themselves to accepting “free” labour. Their response to Emancipation took several forms, all designed to force the newly-freed Africans to work under conditions totally favourable to themselves. This was unacceptable to the Africans who then mostly left the plantations to create their own free lives.

The planters brought in indentured labourers – Portuguese, freed West Indian Africans, “liberated” Africans, Indians and Chinese – who were contractually “bound” to work under specified conditions. As such, Emancipation Day should be a day of reflection for all Guyanese who should commit to create a One Guyana, in which all of us can share equitably in our national patrimony.

Use African ancestors' struggles as source of inspiration – PPP

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) wishes to extend warmest greetings to every Guyanese, especially our AfroGuyanese brothers and sisters on the occasion of the 185th Anniversary of Emancipation.

Slavery remains the most cruel and inhumane system of subjugation and discrimination known in human history. The celebration of its abolition is the duty of every single human being.

This occasion once again provides another opportunity for all to reflect

on the tremendous sacrifices made by our AfroGuyanese ancestors who were brought inhumanely to this land in chains to provide free labour for the sugar plantations. They were stripped of their humanity and dignity and forced to toil long hours. Many were tortured and brutally killed for simply standing up for their rights. In their long

and unyielding march for freedom, many battles were fought, including the Berbice Slave rebellion led by our nation’s National Hero, Cuffy.

When freedom finally came, the freed slaves and their descendants demonstrated an exceptional degree of industry, thrift, and financial acumen and hence, were able to acquire large portions of land, which today remains the foundation of our village movement.

Indeed, the contributions of slaves and their descendants to every facet of life in this nation is im -

possible to accurately capture in a mere statement of this nature.

As we celebrate this important historic and national occasion, we urge every Guyanese not only to reflect upon the struggles, herculean sacrifices of the slaves and their descendants, and their remarkable achievements, but also to use them as a source of inspiration and guide as we continue to work together to build a united and democratic nation.

Happy Emancipation Day to all.

recognises tremendous sacrifices, selfless contributions of African ancestors

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) once again takes this opportunity to salute our Afro-Guyanese brothers and sisters across the country and in the diaspora on the occasion of Emancipation Day.

This historic anniversary provides yet another opportune moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by our African ancestors who were brought to these shores in chains to provide free labour to the sugar planters.

Stripped of their humanity and dignity and forced to toil long hours, to say that our African

ancestors suffered at the hands of the sugar planters would be a gross understatement. During that genocidal process, many were tortured and brutally killed for standing up for their rights. In the long march to freedom, many battles were fought, including the Berbice Slave rebellion led by our National Hero, Cuffy.

In the end, the resilient spirit of resistance, demonstrated by our African ancestors, prevailed and freedom was attained in August 1838. Freed and successful in forging a society, having purchased a number of villages, there were attempts by the sug-

ar planters to sabotage the slaves’ newly won independence. However, their determination for success and peace resulted in their triumph.

Our African ancestors and their descendants have and continue to make invaluable contributions to the development of Guyana. The foundations of our society and economy were firmly laid by them through hard work

and commitment to their homeland.

As our Union once again recognises the tremendous sacrifices and the selfless contributions African ancestors made to our modern society, it wishes to reiterate the importance of the principle of racial equality, and a governance mechanism where each and every citizen regardless of race, colour or creed, be given an equal opportunity to contribute to advancement of our society.

Once again, happy Emancipation greetings to all Guyanese, in particular our Afro-Guyanese brothers and sisters.

The Ethnic Relations Commission, (ERC), joins with all Guyanese in commemorating the185th Emancipation Anniversary and in particular, to acknowledge the struggles and victory of African Guyanese against the institution of slavery. According to the Venn Commission of the late 1940s, slavery in British Guiana resulted in close to half a million deaths of enslaved Africans in the work to make Guyana’s coastland habitable.

The free labour of the enslaved Africans, “drove

back the sea and cleared, drained and reclaimed 15,000 square miles of forest and swamps. This is equivalent to 18% of Guyana’s 83,000 square miles. In the process, they installed 2.58 million miles of drainage canals, trenches and inter-bed drains;

3,500 miles of dams, roads and footpaths; and 2,176 miles of sea and river defence” (Venn Commission).

Further, enslaved Africans, “to build the coastal plantation alone, had to move 100 million tons of earth” without machinery (Venn Commission).

The ERC is resolute that despite the brutal historical circumstances, the African Guyanese community continues to contribute significantly to the progress of the multi-ethnic society and national harmony. Their contributions are evident in the critical sec-

tors of education, health, national security and sport, among others.

The arrival from Africa of chained human cargo in the early years serves as poignant reminders of the first pillars that supported the formation of the multi-ethnic Guyanese society. Looking back, we can all learn from their experiences while faced with the changing dynamics of this century.

Happy Emancipation Anniversary to all from the Chairman, Commissioners and staff of the Ethnic Relations Commission!

GAWU

African Guyanese contributions are evident in critical sectors – ERC

Several safeguards in place for use of NRF funds – Jagdeo

…in spite of

While the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) has not meaningfully contributed to either the Petroleum Activities Bill, or fulfilled their oversight role of the Natural Resource Fund, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has assured that there are safeguards in place for using the revenues from the NRF.

The Natural Resource Fund Act (2021) provides for the Opposition to nominate someone to sit on the committees overseeing the fund. However, the Opposition has shown a reluctance to nominate anyone and have even tried to overturn the Bill, albeit unsuccessfully, through the courts.

“The Natural Resource Fund Act provides for a nominee on the oversight body. And they should be there, because that body has an important role to play. Ultimately, I think they’re figuring it out. Because on many matters, they would not live up to their responsibility of a constructive Opposition to give their comments on Bills,” Jagdeo

Opposition’s unwillingness to be on committees

whether (the Opposition) is there or not. There are two reports that have to go to the National Assembly for debate. And so, whether they’re part of the Bill or not, I think they will get a chance to have their say in the National Assembly, when the reports go on the use and the state of the funds,” Jagdeo explained.

The NRF Fund Board consists of five members, while the Public Accountability

and Oversight Committee (PAOC) is comprised of nine members, and the Investment Committee, seven members. The Act which was passed by the PPP/C in 2021, provides for the Opposition to submit nominees for the Public Accountability and Oversight and the Investment Committees.

As far back as September 2022, however, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton had

said during one of his press conferences that while the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Opposition had identified persons to take up positions on the various committees to overlook the NRF, it was withholding its nominations until the court made a ruling on its challenge to the legality of the passage of the NRF Act.

said during a recent press conference.

“They would say, let’s wait on Parliament. We’re tabling the Petroleum Activities Bill. So, let’s see what amendment they will propose there, because they said they will give their comments on the floor of Parliament. We’ve been trying to get them to give comments before, so we can incorporate and assess whether their comments will add value to the draft before we table it in Parliament.”

According to the Vice President, the Opposition has chosen an approach where they stand on the

sidelines and criticise, rather than contributing to the formation of Bills such as the Petroleum Activities Bill. Despite an over two-week period where Government invited submissions from the public to strengthen the Bill, none was submitted by the Opposition.

Jagdeo noted that while the Opposition is yet to take up its seats on the committees overseeing the NRF, they will nevertheless get a chance to scrutinise the fund when Government tables reports on the fund’s management in the National Assembly.

“There are several safeguards, regardless of

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Page Foundation

Negative numbers

Negative numbers are numbers that are less than zero. You identify them by adding a minus sign to the front of a number. So – 1 is 1 less than 0. – 35.5 is 35.5 less than 0.

Example

By Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Exercises Solve

Materials:

A piece of string

Stapler

Index card

#64 sized rubber band

2 – pencil erasers

Hole puncher

Popsicle stick

Instructions:

Use the hole puncher and make a hole in one end of the popsicle stick.

Put the string through the hole and tie it securely. Use the stapler

to attach the string to the popsicle stick to prevent it from coming off.

Centre the short side of the index card on the popsicle stick. Use three staples to attach the index card to the popsicle stick.

Place a pencil eraser on each end of the popsicle stick.

Stretch the rubber band across the popsicle stick so it is wrapped around each pencil eraser.

Make sure you have a clear area to spin your bug on a leash.

Slowly spin your bug on a leash until you hear a buzzing sound. You

may need to adjust the speed of spin ning to get your bug on a leash to start buzzing. How it works:

The rubber band and index cards vibrate to produce a buzzing sound similar to that made by insect wings.

Make this a science project: What happens if you use a different sized stick? What happens if you use a larger index card or piece of paper? What happens if you use a longer or shorter piece of string? (sciencefun.org)

Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

WORD SEARCH

Vehicle smuggling via Lethem crossing an ongoing challenge – GRA Head

rently examining, had listed as much as 195 vehicle-related seizures for that year. Illegal vehicles entering Guyana continues to be a problem, according to the Commissioner General.

“We continually work to lessen that. But, for instance, it was two to three weeks ago, we found a vehicle that was smuggled through Lethem with Brazilian number plates, in Georgetown with Guyanese number plates.”

and any form of tax evasion; and, as such, offenders may face penalties as stipulated under the laws, inclusive of prosecution.

entered and registered.

Failure to comply will result in GRA and the Police collaborating to have such vehicles detained.

Notwithstanding the progress that has been made in tackling smuggling over the years, vehicle smuggling remains a challenge the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is doing its utmost to confront.

On Tuesday, GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia was asked about illegal vehicles in Guyana when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The Auditor General report of 2019, which the PAC is cur-

“And we also found not only Lethem, but that also happens from Suriname. So all we can do is keep a record of all the vehicles that are in Guyana, based on whether they come through the borders,” Statia also said.

In particular, however, Statia identified the Lethem, Region Nine

Several safeguards in...

FROM PAGE 5

The Opposition had gone to court last year challenging the legality of the NRF Bill, contending that due to the absence of the parliamentary Mace – the most significant symbol in the National Assembly and some members not being seated – the Act could not be regarded as being lawfully passed.

The mace was of course absent because on the night of December 29, 2021, members of the APNU/AFC had grabbed the Mace from its position at the House Clerk’s desk and protested in a futile attempt to prevent the Natural Resource Fund Bill from being passed.

However, in June 2023 the High Court tossed out the Opposition’s case, with Justice Navindra Singh upholding the validity of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act and ruling that the presence, absence, or use of the Mace in the National Assembly is not provided for in the Constitution or Laws of Guyana.

Since passage of that legislation, Government has gone on to establish the Natural Resource Fund Board. Following parliamentary approval, the Government has made several withdrawals from the fund, amounting to tens of billions of dollars,

which were transferred to the Consolidated Fund to finance national development priorities.

When it comes to the NRF Board, it is Chaired by Retired Major General Joe Singh. Other members of the Board are Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; Private Sector Executive Ramesh Dookhoo; former People’s National Congress (PNC) parliamentarian Dunstan Barrow; and former Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Compton Bourne. (G3)

(Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) border as a problem. He noted that once vehicles do not use legal border crossings, they become harder to track. However, the GRA is doing its utmost to address the issue.

There are some instances, he said, where vehicles come into Guyana with legal number plates, but they may have been stolen in Brazil. Even when this happens, however, Statia explained that the GRA is sometimes able to identify these vehicles.

The GRA has always made it clear that a zero-tolerance approach is being adopted against smuggling

It has also issued warnings over the use of unregistered vehicles and the misuse of trade plates on vehicles traversing the country’s roadway. There are laws governing the use of unregistered vehicles and trade plates and failure to comply will result in the tax regulatory body and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) taking action.

In notices published in the media, the GRA noted that it has observed with concern the increase in the number of unregistered motor vehicles traversing the public roadways. It has reminded importers, investors, and owners of unregistered vehicles of the terms and conditions of the release of these vehicles from the city wharves, which restrict their use until after registration.

Persons have 14 days to take corrective actions and engage the customs, excise, and trade operations and licence revenue office to have those motor vehicles duly

Regarding the use of trade plates, GRA noted further that it continues to observe with great concern, the number of motor vehicles affixed with trade plates that are using public roadways.

In some cases, the tax agency said that motor vehicles can be seen affixed with the same trade plate number assigned to a particular auto dealer.

In light of this, it had reminded in a notice earlier this year that trade plates are mainly intended for movement of vehicles cleared from the wharves, to move to premises, and to facilitate registration.

According to GRA, the use of these plates is restricted to weekdays— Monday to Friday from 06:00h (6 am) to 18:00h (6 pm) – and must not operate on weekends or public holidays. Further, it stressed that the use of trade plates beyond official hours and for an excessive amount of time is an offence. (G3)

GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia

3 men freed after 11 years in jail on murder charge

After spending more than a decade incarcerated for the capital offence of murder, three men accused of robbing and killing a 26-year-old man back in 2012 have been set free.

Ray Yokum, Steffon Campbell, and Faisal Moore had been on trial for allegedly murdering Glen Xavier, during the course/furtherance of a robbery on May 9, 2012, at the Cornbread Mini Mart at D’Urban and Lime Streets, Georgetown.

They were freed on Monday after the trial Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall concluded that the prosecution presented “absolutely no evidence of identification of the deceased”.

This, she noted, was an important element to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

While addressing the court on the evidence, the Judge said a legal issue had

arisen in relation to the identification of Xavier’s corpse on which a post-mortem examination was conducted.

This caused her to request submissions from both the defence and prosecution.

In an attempt to discharge its obligation, the Judge said the prosecution called Randolph Nedd, a friend of Xavier, who had testified to taking the now dead man to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on May 9, 2012, after he came about his injuries.

But this witness did not provide a description of his friend whether by ethnicity or otherwise, noted the trial Judge. To bolster its case, she said the prosecution also led evidence from a Police rank who told the court that he was present at the GPHC when the remains of Xavier were “pointed out” to him. However, in examining this witness’s evidence,

Justice Morris-Ramlall noted, “He did not indicate who pointed out the body to him. And even if he did so, that evidence would be hearsay.”

This Police witness did not state that he knew Xavier nor did he describe him, she added. As such, the Judge held that there was no nexus between the person Nedd took to the GPHC and the person the Police witness said was pointed out to him at the hospital.

As it relates to the post-mortem examination performed on Xavier’s body, she said that there was no evidence that the pathologist knew or was familiar with Xavier.

“The record of identification on the post-mortem report is a statement from someone else… it constitutes hearsay evidence, Justice Morris-Ramlall said, adding that that report was admissible for the truth of its con-

tents only in relation to the doctor’s observations, findings, and conclusions.

According to her, the State led no evidence that someone related to the deceased identified his body; and therefore, closed its case without proving this essential element.

She said there is only evidence to suggest that an Amerindian man was shot and that that man was taken to the GPHC for medical attention.

“To my mind, in this instant case, there is absolutely no evidence of identification of the deceased, whose body the doctor performed a post-mortem examination on. There is nothing that can properly be left to the jury for consideration on the issue,” added the Judge.

“I have concluded that it is trite [law] that where there is an absence of an essential element at the close of the prosecution’s case… the court is tasked to withdraw the case from the jury,” the Judge remarked before directing the jurors to return formal verdicts of not guilty.

Yokum, Campbell, and Moore had already led their defences. At the announcement of the verdicts of acquittal, the visibly relieved men thanked the Judge for her decision.

Overturned

Finding that their defence was insufficiently put to a jury, the Court of Appeal of Guyana in February 2021 had quashed the 2017 convictions against Yokum, Campbell, and Moore for Xavier’s murder; ordering that they face a fresh trial at the Demerara Criminal Assizes.

Justice Navindra Singh, who had presided over their trial in 2017, had sentenced each of them to 80 years’ imprisonment, ordering further that they become eligible for parole after 40 years.

Yokum, Campbell, and Moore were initially charged with the man’s murder on May 21, 2012, and were remanded to prison. They had been incarcerated since then.

Background

It was reported that on May 9, 2012, two men went to the Cornbread Mini Mart where one of them pulled out a large sum of cash while purchasing beers. They were sitting on the bridge when gunshots rang out at the location. The man who had a large sum of money was seen holding onto a man, who was wearing a helmet and who attempted to rob him.

In the end, Xavier of Harlem, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was shot in his chest and left arm and later died. His cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock due to gunshot injuries.

After the robbery, the gunmen escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash on two motorcycles. (G1)

Differences…

… more the merrier

Imagine if all we creatures in the world were the same, how dull life would be!! Heck…we wouldn’t even be able to tell the differences between us. the hyenas and tigers! We’d be like some massive, humongous undifferentiated ocean of living things!! Excepting we’d be losing body parts regularly to creatures that may look just like us, but have their own needs! And maybe that suggests why we LOOK different!!

Fact of the matter, variety ain’t just ”the spice of life” – it’s the foundation of life. Each living creature forms a part of this world and plays a part in making it go around. So, today, folks have finally accepted that diversity in the plant and animal kingdom is something we should work at to preserve – if not actually increase. “Bio-diversity” is the going thing – and we’re even getting paid for it!! We’re told the more diversity there is in any one species, their chances of survival increase. But when it comes to us humans – somehow everyone’s complaining that there are too many differences!! Take today’s Emancipation Day celebration. There’re actually folks asking why should we emphasise cultural differences. We’re supposed to be “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”, weren’t we?” they asked your Eyewitness.

Well, yes and no. “One People” doesn’t mean that all peoples have to be IDENTICAL to each other. We’re all “people”, aren’t we? Well, in that sense, we ARE “one people”. In Guyana, it should actually be seen as a blessing there are people practising so many cultures in our “One Guyana”. Like a rainbow, these cultures may be different but together what a beautiful sight it is to behold!

The real problem is that when folks talk about all of us being “one people” – and complain about differences – they want everybody to be like THEM. As such, they’ll then be in a superior position because everybody else outside of THEIR GROUP gonna be trying to imitate them as the “uniformity” brigade. The bottom line, as it usually always is, Dear Reader, comes down to the question of power and privilege.

When the Europeans dragged us from all the continents of earth – Australia ain’t REALLY no continent, innit?!! – they insisted we gotta become like them. In cricketing terms, we were automatically placed on the back foot!! No matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t never become them. When we got close, they simply moved the goalposts!! In cricket, for instance, when our fast bowlers became too good (dangerous!) for them – then they forbade more than two bouncers per over!!

Anyhow, back to our Emancipation Day in Guyana. Let’s now salute our good fortune in being the “land of six peoples”!!

…and Chinese

Some folks are getting their drawers in a knot over Prezzie visiting China. Heck!! Have they forgotten Chinese are one of our six peoples?? Well, maybe it’s because their arrival has been shoehorned with the Indians on May 5 as “Arrival Day”??! Let us be reminded on this Emancipation Day that the Chinese arrived on January 2, 1853! They ain’t no Johnny come lately!!

Now the Chinese arriving weren’t that many…but boy, did they make their mark on Guyana!! What’d we (or every Policemen asking for a raise) do without fried rice??! But seriously, very early one the Chinese showed the nation what hard work and perseverance can do. If the factors of production are land, labour and capital, the Chinese showed how to leverage their labour and time into capital!!

And because they had almost no women in the early days of their indentureship, the Chinese also intermarried with the local freed African population. Guyana’s been made far richer(and beautiful) for all descendants!

…on Haiti’s tragedy

Meanwhile, Haiti, the first Caribbean island to seize Emancipation on its own, continues its downward spiral. There are meetings on top of meetings but we’re nowhere closer to assisting our fellow Caricom citizens out of their morass. Gotta be wheels within wheels!!

GRA pushing to set up cost recovery unit, struggles to retain staff

…appeals for loyalty, patriotism in face of oil companies’ allure

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is building its capacity to monitor the oil and gas sector and while international help with training has been forthcoming from agencies like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the tax agency continues to grapple with its staff being lured away by the promise of greater pay from oil com-

panies.

GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia was called before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday, where the committee is currently examining the Auditor General’s 2018 report. During the meeting, Statia was asked for an update on GRA’s efforts to get enough qualified staff to oversee Guyana’s

rapidly growing oil and gas sector.

“The answer is no. We do not have the full complement of staff. We’re working assiduously to get the full complement of staff. We have even poached some staff from other Ministries. But as we know we have a paucity of skills in Guyana,” the Commissioner General said.

“We have even increased pay for persons in that capacity, for them not to leave. But what we have seen is that as we train staff, we lose staff. We have actual-

ly lost five staff we would have trained, within the past year. And they’re all accountants,” Statia further explained.

TURN TO PAGE 18

GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia

Outgoing Indian High Commissioner reaffirms commitment to new partnerships

As his stint as Indian High Commissioner to Guyana comes to an end, Dr KJ Srinivasa on Monday paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips and other Cabinet officials.

Highlighting the importance of the GuyanaIndian cooperation, Dr Srinivasa said Guyana remains a crucial partner, indicating his Government's commitment to cultivating and preserving its partnership with Guyana in all areas of development.

During discussions with the High Commissioner, the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for his dedication to Guyana-India relations throughout his tour

of duty.

The Prime Minister said too, that Guyana is immensely thankful to the outgoing High Commissioner's dedication to democracy and the unwavering support extended during the 2020 elections. The Prime Minister also recognised Dr Srinivasa's humanitarian efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While some may see it as a loss, I would like to reflect on the four years of your tenure in Guyana and thank you for the high level of diplomatic service to the people of Guyana,” PM Phillips identified Meanwhile, the diplomat also met with Public Works Minister Juan Edghill at his office in Kingston, Georgetown.

During their meeting, the Minister conveyed his heartfelt appreciation for the High Commissioner's unwavering dedication to fostering strong GuyanaIndia relations throughout his tenure.

Under his leadership, both countries have not only deepened ties, but the diplomat has played an important part in introducing practices such as yoga to the Guyanese populace. He has also fostered greater collaboration in the areas of trade.

Guyana and India have partnered in many projects and in recent years India has been providing both technical and financial support to Guyana.

One of the major aspects of collaboration between the two countries is that of education. Of the 6000 annual

Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships, more than 4500 are at Indian universities. The Asian country had also provided training for members of the local Police and Defence Forces.

In April, the IndiaGuyana Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) was formed, thus paving the way for the facilitation of trade, investment, and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The new organisation was an initiative between Guyana’s private sector and India through the impetus of the Indian High Commission.

It was at a business roundtable attended by Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, where former West Indies cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan was named the President of the newly established IGCC.

This organisation would pave the way for partnerships to be built through culture and commerce to serve the two nations through advocacy, economic development, connectivity, business, and education.

A Joint Business Council between the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Private Sector Commission was also announced at that time.

Moving forward, there have been talks to have an annual India-Caricom Summit to facilitate exchanges and capacity building with the entire Region by extension. (G12)

Outgoing Indian High Commissioner, Dr KJ Srinivasa and Prime Minister Mark Phillips share a photo op

Panamanian vessel that slammed into DHB sold

…company yet to pay compensation

Panamanian vessel MT Tradewind Passion, the ship that crashed into the Demerara Harbour Bridge last October causing major damages, has been sold and it is uncertain what further action Government will take to extract compensation.

General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, Wayne Watson told this publication that since the vessel left the jurisdiction, the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation is not in receipt

of any financial reparation.

“No, the vessel left the jurisdiction and thereafter, the vessel was sold to some other person. So, the previous owner is not the owner presently. I am not too certain what course of action Government will take but I rather suspect they are working on something through the lawyers,” he disclosed.

Last November, the High Court had ordered that the ship be released to its owners subject to conditions. It also granted an order for limited liability of GY$245.5 million to be underwritten.

Justice Fidela CorbinLincoln ordered that per-

mission be granted for the defendant and Canama Trading, the Panamanian company that owned the ship at that time, to argue limited liability as a defence against the property damage claims.

The October 8, 2022 collision rendered the ageing DHB structure inoperable for several days and resulted in billions of dollars in damages.

It also resulted in injuries to Shift Supervisor Andy Duke, who had to jump from the lookout tower - an act that resulted in him fracturing his leg and being hospitalised.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Identify, assist human trafficking victims – Magistrate urges public

an offence in Guyana punishable by imprisonment and is heavily hinged on the exploitation of persons through the use of force, fraud, and coercion. Victims can be any age, race, or gender… [they] are reached out, recruited, and harboured by traffickers who skilfully manipulate them by using fraudulent means. They can use things such as false and deceptive employment opportunities…,” said Magistrate Lambert.

Magistrate Christel Lambert, Second Vice President of the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers

The Second Vice President of the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL), Magistrate Christel Lambert lamented the urgency in raising awareness of Trafficking in Persons (TIP), even as she called on the general populace to report suspicious situations to the national hotline.

In observance of World Day against Trafficking in Persons, which is held annually on July 30, GAWL held a discussion on the National Communications Network (NCN) on human trafficking during which some indications that a person may be a victim of human trafficking were highlighted.

“Trafficking in Persons is modern-day slavery. It is

She went on to explain that traffickers also use coercive actions such as threatening their victims, who are undocumented immigrants, that if they do not work for them or do what they are asking, they will be arrested or deported. In Guyana, sexual and labour exploitation are very prevalent.

And according to Magistrate Lambert, men and boys are the main targets for labour trafficking.

The Magistrate informed that someone may be experiencing labour trafficking if they are “working extremely long hours, not being paid or they are being paid whenever the employer decides to pay them.” Most victims of labour exploitation, she noted, are “isolated and confined to harsh working conditions, and sometimes traffickers confiscate their

victims’ identification and other documents to restrict their movements so there is an environment of fair and trauma.”

Victims of exploitation

According to her, victims of sexual exploitation may have bruises, and scars, be very shaky, and always have someone around them, since traffickers try to “brand” their victims.

In light of the foregoing, the Magistrate emphasised

that human trafficking is a crime against humanity because it causes serious suffering to the victims.

But identifying the signs of this crime remains an issue because people do not know what to look for, she pointed out, while adding that it is very important for them to become aware so that they can identify victims and fulfil their moral obligation to report these crimes.

For the seventh consecu-

tive year, Guyana has maintained its Tier 1 ranking in the US Department of State 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report, which lauded the Government for its efforts to combat this scourge. This simply means that Guyana is fully compliant with the minimum standards for the elimination of severe forms of trafficking in persons.

Commenting on the significance of this, the GAWL member said, “It is very significant because it means that efforts are being made in the country, in all of the agencies to combat and to counteract this horrendous crime. It shows that as a democratic society, we are fulfilling those principles by not having people subjected to any form of slavery in 2023 and moving forward.”

For her part, Anna Moore from the Guyana Police Force’s Counter TIP

Unit spoke on the systems in place for victims. “Let’s say we take victims into care; we send them back to get an education. We work with them and ask them what they will like to do to help themselves. They do skills programmes because, at the end of the day, they have to be reintegrated into their families.”

These skills programmes are for them to sustain themselves, Moore noted.

This year’s United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was observed under the theme: “Reach Every Victim of Trafficking, Leave No One Behind.” The general populace can report any suspicious activities in their communities to the Trafficking in Persons 24-hour hotline (623-5030- English) or (6240079- Spanish) or the nearest Police station. (G1)

Deadly clashes between Palestinian groups in Lebanon camp for 3rd day

Three days of fighting between rival armed groups inside the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon have killed at least nine people and wounded dozens more, officials say.

Reporting from outside the camp, which is home to 55,000 refugees, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said on Monday afternoon that the intensity of the “fierce” fighting had “increased in recent hours”.

mosques, Khodr said.

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has suspended its aid operations and services in the camp, she added.

group named Mahmoud Khalil but instead fatally shot his companion.

Panamanian vessel that slammed...

The other men who were working at the bottom of the bridge, including Mechanical Maintenance Engineer Ahmad Khan, had to run for their lives.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill had said that repairs to the Demerara Harbour Bridge following Tradewind Passion’s collision, had racked up a bill of over $1 billion, which the owners of the vessel would be liable for. Government continued to stand additional costs for repairs as a result of the impact, evident from the recent span replacement – which carried a whopping price tag of $1.2 billion.

Findings

A Board of Inquiry (BoI) into the incident had recommended, among other things, that the vessel’s pilot be suspended for 24 months and the implementation of International Collision Regulations/Conventions to which Guyana is a signatory.

According to the inquiry, the probable cause of the collision was as a result of the bridge teams’ exclusive reliance on the contract pilot’s incorrect navigational di-

FROM PAGE 16

rection, and their total reliance on looking at the bridge and disregarding alarms of the electronic system on the vessel as it approached the bridge.

The BoI found that the captain failed to assume command of the vessel in a timely manner and manoeuvre it safely into the channel and through the transit, that the passage plan provided adequate information for safe navigation of the bridge zone but was not properly executed and monitored, that at the time of the collision MARAD had no oversight of river pilots; hence the safety of vessels’ operations beyond the southern limits were not guaranteed.

It was also found that there was no clear path of communication on the vessel’s bridge as the inquiry found several persons were giving commands at the same time, thereby contributing to chaos on the bridge and that the vessel was not equipped with a bow thruster which could have enhanced its manoeuvrability, thereby steering it away from the DHB or alternatively reducing the impact of the collision. (G12)

Lebanon’s army on Monday sealed off the area around the Ein el-Hilweh camp near the southern port city of Sidon as clashes continued despite Lebanese and Palestinian efforts to broker a ceasefire.

“This really has the making of a humanitarian crisis,” she added. Dozens of families have managed to escape the densely populated camp, but others are trapped inside because it is too dangerous to flee, and some have taken shelter in

Storm Doksuri: 2 dead as Beijing is battered by widespread flooding

At least two people have died in Beijing as China is battered by one of the strongest storms to hit the country in years.

Storm Doksuri has been causing widespread flooding and has led to chaos across northern China.

In the capital, at least 31,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, while subway stations have been closed.

While the storm - a former super-typhoon - is weakening, officials have urged people to remain indoors.

A red alert has been issued in the city and employers have been ordered to allow people to work from home, with the death toll from the severe flooding expected to rise in the coming days.

Rainfall in Beijing and other cities in northern China has already reached dangerously high levels, while driv-

ing rains are expected to continue for at least another 24 hours.

China's Meteorological Bureau said an average of 170.9mm of rain deluged Beijing between Saturday night and noon on Monday, the equivalent of the average rainfall for the entire month of July.

The storm made landfall in Fujian Province on Friday, causing landslides and flooding before moving north towards the capital.

In the Mentougou district, emergency officials recovered the two bodies from waterways early on Monday, state media reported. About 5000 people have been evacuated from the mountainous district.

Meanwhile, in southern China, typhoon Khanun is expected to hit the heavily populated Zhejiang Province in the coming days. (Excerpt from BBC News)

A Lebanese army spokesperson said the death toll on Monday had risen to nine, The Associated Press news agency reported. At least 37 people were reportedly wounded.

The violence began on Saturday when an unknown gunman tried to kill a member of an armed

Full-blown clashes erupted the next day when fighters in retaliation shot and killed a military general from the Fatah group, Abu Ashraf al-Armoushi, and three escorts as they were walking through a parking lot, according to a Palestinian official, who spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Afghanistan: Taliban burn ‘immoral’ musical instruments

The Taliban have burned musical instruments in Afghanistan, claiming music "causes moral corruption".

Thousands of dollars’ worth of musical equipment went up in smoke on a bonfire on Saturday in western Herat province.

Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed numerous restrictions, including on playing music in public.

Ahmad Sarmast, Afghanistan National Institute of Music founder, likened their actions to "cultural genocide and musical vandalism".

"The people of Afghanistan have been denied artistic freedom… The burning of musical instruments in Herat is just a small example of the cultural genocide that is taking place in Afghanistan under the leadership of the Taliban," Dr Sarmast, who

is now based in Portugal, told the BBC.

Some of the items set ablaze in Herat included a guitar, a harmonium and a tabla - a kind of drumas well as amplifiers and speakers, according to images online. Many of these had been seized from wedding venues in the city.

An official at the Taliban's Vice and Virtue Ministry said playing music would "cause the youth to go astray".

A similar bonfire of instruments was organised by the Taliban on July 19. Its Government posted photos of the blaze on Twitter at the time but did not say which part of the country it had taken place in.

All forms of music were banned from social gatherings, TV, and radio while the Taliban were in power in Afghanistan from the mid-90s until 2001. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Citizens Bank launches “My Time Home Mortgage” with low interest rates

Minibus driver’s death Female suspect arrested, murder weapon recovered

The woman accused of killing minibus driver Zehron Nieuenkirk also known as “Orlando" of West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, has been arrested.

Reports are that the murder weapon has also been recovered.

According to Police, the arrest was made on Friday, and the suspect was taken back to the crime scene, situated near the Linden minibus park on Water and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown. There, she reportedly cooperated with detectives and recounted the events leading to the tragic incident.

groin area. Following the assault, the suspect fled the scene.

After the incident, the minibus driver's family members expressed their grief and anguish at the tragic loss of their loved one. They shared that the suspect and the victim were friends, making the situation even more unfortunate.

Citizens Bank Guyana has launched its “My Time Home Mortgage” promotion 2023, giving Guyanese a chance to own their own homes at affordable rates.

This promotion will be valid until October 31, 2023, aimed at building on the success of last year's promotion as the bank is committed to continuing its ongoing partnership with the Government in assisting the public in realising their lifelong dream of homeownership.

According to the bank, this year will be “bigger and better”, and monthly payments will be as low as $33,320, making homeownership even more affordable. Some of the terms and conditions include interest rates as low as 3.5 per cent, reduced loan fees and insurance premiums, and a max-

imum of 30 years to repay.

“Last year, lucky customers shared a total of $2 million in cash prizes. This year, we wanted to make the winnings more attractive, hence the cash prize was increased to a total of $5 million,” the bank said on Monday.

Individuals can gain additional information and apply at www.citizensbankgy. com or any of the six branches. Government has said that Guyana has one of the lowest mortgage interest rates in the Caribbean and the wider world. Collaboration and responsiveness of the commercial banks have also contributed to improvements in the housing sector has also been observed.

Last year, Government had reduced the interest rates for mortgages to make access to homeown-

ership more affordable for Guyanese. Many people took advantage of the investment climate since banks lowered their interest rates.

In fact, the Ali-led Administration was able to negotiate with three commercial banks and the New Building Society (NBS) to allow soldiers to repay at an interest rate of 3.5 per cent for loans below $4 million and an interest rate of 3.75 per cent for loans below $8 million.

During Building Expo 2022, President Ali had announced that commercial banks had agreed that there would be no percentage requirement for loans under $6 million once persons qualify under the joint window system. Banks also agreed that the interest rates would be reduced for housing loans under $9 million to 3.8 per cent. (G12)

Security guard dies weeks after being shot by colleague

A25-year-old security guard of Paradise on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), passed away on Saturday, weeks after he was shot by his colleagues who now remain at large.

Dead is Gerald Anthony Sobers, also known as “Eddie”.

The incident originated from an argument that occurred some six weeks ago at their worksite. According to relatives, Sobers and his colleague, known only as “Killa” or “Collin,” became embroiled in a heated dispute six weeks ago, which was reportedly triggered by Sobers's attempt to borrow an electric bike from “Killa,” who vehemently refused the request.

The disagreement rapidly escalated, and “Killa” allegedly drew his service firearm, menacingly pointing it at Sobers during the

tense confrontation. At the time, “Killa” was on duty at a local supermarket. Prompted by the supermarket owner's alert, the Police were called to the scene and arrested both men, who were later charged and released on bail, awaiting their court hearing.

However, in the first week of July, Sobers and his girlfriend visited family members in the same village. Unaware of Sobers's altercation with “Killa,” they encountered him at a relative's home.

It was reported that Sobers's girlfriend went inside the house with another family member, leaving him outside.

Minutes later, the relative said a loud explosion was heard. They said they did not take it seriously because it sounded like squibs. However, within a minute

they were told by a relative in the house to lay low because Sobers was shot.

Upon checking outside, Sobers was found in the yard bleeding profusely. The suspect was later seen fleeing the scene. The shot man was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered that the bullet had hit his neck and exited through his spine, leaving him paralysed.

After being placed in the Intensive Care Unit, Sobers succumbed to his injuries on Saturday, some three weeks after he was shot.

The family is demanding justice for his death and hopes that the suspect will be arrested.

“We need justice. If they had a problem, why he wait till then to shoot he? That is wickedness is old grievance cause this…”, the relative said on Monday. (G9)

According to eyewitness accounts, the suspect, was conversing with Nieuenkirk on the Parliament Building fence when he allegedly pinched her left hand. In response, she swiftly pulled out a pointed brown-handled knife from her waist.

Nieuenkirk warned her

against using it, and in a joking manner, playfully hugged and lifted her from behind. However, moments later, he realised he had been wounded and questioned the suspect about her actions.

Police said the injured man displayed a bleeding wound on his right-side

Upon visiting the dead man's home, his cousin-inlaw recounted to Guyana Times the distressing moment when they witnessed his bus arriving at the hospital, and shortly after, Nieuenkirk succumbed to his injuries.

The family was at the hospital with a young cousin at the time, unaware of the unfolding tragedy.

Relieved that the suspect has been apprehended, the family said they hope that she will face the full weight of the law for her alleged actions. (G9)

GRA pushing to set up...

The GRA Commissioner identified oil company and Stabroek block co-venturer CNOOC as one of the companies that was able to acquire their employee. In fact, Statia said that in some instances employees are offered salaries that eclipse even his salary and the salaries of top officials in his office.

The PAC questioned whether GRA contracts employees to prevent them from leaving. According to Statia, he is reluctant to do this since it may affect workers attitude to their job. He explained that the tax body often appeals to workers’ patriotism to prevent them from leaving.

“We’re losing people at the assistant and the manager level. We nearly lost one at the Deputy Commissioner scale the other day. And what I mean, I had to call her in and talk to her about it. I’m talking about the person in charge of the cost oil. We had to appeal to her patriotism,” the Commissioner General said.

Statia, meanwhile, spoke of their efforts to attract staff for cost recovery audits, as well as the help GRA has been receiving from the IMF to train its staff. Other help, such as help from oil-producing Ghana, has not been forthcoming - though Statia did not say why.

“We were actually going to get some help from Ghana, but that has fallen through the cracks. But what has happened since we had this relationship with the IMF for a num-

ber of years since we asked them for help, they have been providing experts in the field for both customs and audits and training in these areas.”

“Most of the staff that we do not have, belong to a certain segment we are now developing. And that is the cost recovery audit section. We’re now developing that. We’ve been promised some staff for that particular area this year,” Statia explained to the committee.

The audit of cost oil claims is critical to ensuring that Guyana does not lose out on billions in oil revenue. ExxonMobil’s pre-contract costs were inherited by the current Government when it entered office in 2020. US$460 million in pre-contract costs were already written into the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement.

According to the contract, the pre-contract cost “shall include four hundred and sixty million, two hundred and thirty-sev-

en hundred thousand and nine hundred and eighteen United States Dollars in respect of all such costs incurred under the 1999 Petroleum Agreement prior to the year ended 2015.”

There is an additional sum of approximately US$400 million from 2016 to 2017, which is believed will also come under the rubric of cost oil. The previous A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government had received much criticism for agreeing to these costs without an audit being done.

The pre-contract cost audit was eventually conducted by the UK firm, IHS Markit, which was hired by the previous Administration four years after oil was first discovered offshore. When the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) PPP/C Government assumed office in 2020, it took over the shepherding of audits for ExxonMobil’s pre-contract and pre-2017 costs. (G3)

Dead: Zehron Nieuenkirk

Motorcycle bandits rob Chinese supermarket

Abrazen robbery took place at a Chineseowned business on Alexander Street in Lacytown, Bourda, Georgetown, leaving the staff stunned and shaken. The incident occurred on Saturday at about 16:17h.

Though some details surrounding the robbery remain unclear, videos seen by this publication captured two masked individuals, both riding a white CG motorcycle, as they executed the heist.

The video showed the perpetrators parking their motorcycle outside the targeted

establishment before boldly entering the supermarket. Once inside, they carried out the robbery and exited.

The bandits then escaped on motorcycle.

Only a few days ago, a Chinese supermarket owner opened fire on bandits who attempted to rob his supermarket in Grove, East Bank Demerara.

The incident occurred during the evening hours of Friday when a suspected bandit and two accomplices attempted to carry out their plan.

Emancipation Day 2023

Morgan Heritage, BET awardwinning band, to perform today in National Park

While details about that robbery are also sketchy, Guyana Times was informed that the suspects entered the business premises but as they attempted to rob the business place, the store owner, who is a licensed firearm holder, responded swiftly and opened fire.

One of the suspects was shot while the other two fled the scene. The Police were called, and they transported the wounded for medical attention. He is under Police guard at a medical facility.

(G9)

Aspiring lawyer wins Region 5 Emancipation Queen Pageant

AUniversity of Guyana law student copped the coveted Miss Region Five Emancipation Pageant Queen title.

The event, which was hosted on the lawns of Hopetown Secondary School on Saturday saw Ashana Gordon being crowned queen.

Eight young ladies representing various villages in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) participated in the pageant.

The first runner-up was won by Katima Punch from Central Mahaicony while the second runner-up is Crystal Anthony of Ithaca with the third runner-up being Delicia Bacchus – a seamstress of Calcutta Mahaicony.

The contestants were required to present themselves and indicate an outstanding African woman they wanted to emulate.

Gordon, in her appearances, highlighted the determination of Maya Angelou as a black poet, dancer, singer, activist, and world-famous author.

The contestants appeared in traditional evening and casual wear and also performed a talent piece.

Gordon, who was representing the village of Union which is also referred to as Number 30 Village, also won the best smile and best gown awards.

Her evening gown was a traditional Nigerian elegant and sophisticated dress with a lace pattern with her hair in braids.

The outfit could be considered both traditional and modern but was able to represent the unique and vibrant culture of the continent of Africa.

All of the contestants were asked questions based on

their selected platforms.

Gordon, in response to the question “How would you keep your African sister’s legacy alive in your community and be an extension, your country”, said she would utilise her platform to highlight social injustices facing the African community and provide representation in the legal system as a means to eradicate those injustices.

“Secondly, I will liaise with the Ministries of Human Services and Social Protection and the African Culture and Development Association (ACDA) to provide initiatives and policies so that our African sister’s perspectives are valued and respected. In addition to that, I will network and connect with those who share the same passion,” Gordon said.

To complete her out-

fit, Gordon carried a white Irukere in her hand which is used by women in position of power such as queens.

After being crowned queen, she told the media that the region will benefit from her advocacy during her reign as queen.

“I will do so much to promote my African culture and rich heritage so that my people can learn more about their own culture,” she said.

Organiser of the event, Emmerson Benjamin when asked said he was very pleased with the growth of the pageant over its ten years in existence.

“It has moved from where in was in 2012 to a different level now where the girls go to all levels to get original outfits and to maintain the culture and not looking at the first prize of $150,000.” (G4)

Grammy Awardwinning reggae band Morgan Heritage is set to perform today at Guyana’s 30th Emancipation Day Festival, which will be held at the National Park. The event, which starts at 10:00h will feature a lineup of local artists such as Charmaine Blackman, Big Red, Dynamic Force, among others.

Additionally, Black Entertainment Television (BET) award-winning Ghanaian Afropop, dancehall, and reggae musician ‘Stonebwoy’ will also be performing live at today’s event.

During a press conference held by the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) on Monday, a member of the renowned reggae band, Roy "Gramps" Morgan, expressed his excitement to perform at the event and be part of the celebration of African culture in Guyana.

“I’m really happy about this event and even if next year we are not booked and I have the time I would like to attend this event. We prepared a good show and we’re excited to be on the stage with our brother Stonebwoy,” Morgan remarked.

The ACDA’s Festival Coordinator, Aisha Haynes went into detail about what citizens can expect as they come out to celebrate the event. She noted that the event will feature several competitions such as the cook-up competition which is sponsored by Ansa McAL, the best-dressed competition, and more. There will also be a children’s centre open from 10:00hrs to 16:00h, which will feature storytelling, face painting, a bouncy castle, and other activities and entertainments for kids.

According to Haynes, throughout the years Guyana has been admired for the way citizens dress up in their various African prints to attend the August 1 celebration.

“A lot of times [when] our guests come, whether from Jamaica, Ghana or Nigeria they always talk about how Guyanese come out in their African wear in their numbers on Emancipation Day. Guyana is unique for that, so we can’t let them down this year, come out and represent how we do it here in Guyana,” Haynes boasted.

Haynes also highlight-

ed that there will be two stages in the park at this year’s festival, the centre stage and the tarmac stage.

Today marks 185 years since enslaved Africans were emancipated in 1838, a historic event that paved the way to freeing over 800,000 enslaved Africans and their descendants in parts of the Caribbean, Africa, Canada, and South America. Emancipation is a time when not only AfroGuyanese, but all races in Guyana reflect on the trials and tribulations faced by the once enslaved Africans.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2023

(Sign on) Inspiration Time

06:30 Cartoons

07:00 Evening News (RB)

08:00 Stay Woke

08:30 Top Chef

09:30 BBC Travel Show

10:00 Stop Suffering

11:00 Documentary: Ebony

12:00 News Break

12:05 Movie - The Rosa Parks Story (2002)

13:40 Movie - Prince Among Slaves (2007)

14:40 Movie - Belle (2013)

16:30 Zeke & Luther S2 E26

17:00 The Young & The Restless

17:45 Access Exxon Ep. 29

18:00 CNN

18:30 Teaching the Truth in Love

19:00 The Evening News

20:00 Stop Suffering

20:30 Stand-up Comedy

21:00 Dynasty S3 E12

21:45 Movie - 12 Years a Slave (2013)

00:00 Sign off

The suspects just before robbing the business

Roy "Gramps" Morgan and other members of the band

Region 5 Emancipation Queen Ashana Gordon

Around the World

Ukraine war: Russian strike on Zelensky's home city kills 6

Oil prices hit multimonth highs on tightening supply

Oil prices rallied to a fresh three-month high on Monday and recorded their steepest monthly gains since January 2022, supported by signs of tightening global supply and rising demand through the rest of this year.

More actively traded October Brent crude futures rose US$1.02, or 1.2%, to settle at US$85.43 a barrel. The September Brent contract, which expired at settlement on Monday, rose 0.7% to close at US$85.56 a barrel.

US West Texas Intermediate crude futures rallied US$1.22, or 1.5%, to US$81.80 a barrel.

Both Brent and WTI hit their highest since late April for a third consecutive session on Monday, after notching their fifth straight weekly gains on Friday.

Saudi Arabia is expected to extend a voluntary oil output cut of 1 million barrels per day (bpd) for another month to include September. Saudi output fell by 860,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July, while total production from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was 840,000 bpd lower, a Reuters survey found on Monday.

"Crude prices are finishing a solid month on a high note as demand prospects remain impressive and no one doubts that OPEC+ will keep this market tight," OANDA analyst Edward Moya said.

Oil inventories are beginning to drop elsewhere too, especially in the US, where the government has started refilling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve from its lowest level in multiple decades. Five analysts polled by Reuters on Monday estimated on average that US crude inventories fell by about 900,000 barrels in the week to July 28.

"After the end of SPR releases and recession fears and a liquidity drain due to bank stability fears, which caused the markets to ignore a looming supply squeeze, the coming supply deficits are getting too big to ignore," Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn said.

Goldman Sachs estimated that global oil demand rose to a record 102.8 million bpd in July and it revised up 2023 demand by about 550,000 bpd on stronger economic growth estimates in India and the US, offsetting a downgrade for China's consumption. (Reuters)

Bolivia launches massive manhunt for drug suspect

More than 2250

Police Officers have been deployed in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz as part of an international manhunt for a suspected drug smuggler.

Sebastián Marset, 32, is accused of trafficking tonnes of cocaine from South America to Europe.

He has also been accused of ordering the murder of an anti-drug prosecutor who was shot dead while on honeymoon in Colombia in 2022.

He is wanted by Police in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the US.

Marset, a Uruguayan national, has been on the run from Police since 2022.

Police tracked him and his family down to a luxurious home in Santa Cruz, Bolivia's most populous city and the country's economic centre on Saturday, but he managed to elude

At least six people, including a 10-year-old girl and her mother, have been killed by a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih.

Ukraine's Interior Minister said 69 others were injured when missiles slammed into a high-rise building and a university on Monday.

Regional governor Serhiy Lysak declared a day of mourning for those lost.

The home city of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kryvyi Rih has been a consistent target for Russian strikes.

In June, 11 people died and 28 others were injured in the city after Russia launched a "massive missile

UNESCO

attack" on civilian buildings.

The latest attack saw dozens of people hospitalised, including children aged from four to 17-yearsold.

President Zelensky, who grew up in the city of

600,000 people, said a pair of missiles smashed into the residential apartment block and a university building early on Monday morning.

Locals told the Reuters news agency that the attack took place shortly af-

recommends

ter 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT).

Writing on Telegram, the Ukrainian leader said more than 350 people were involved in rescue operations and Lysak said later that another 30 people were rescued from the building by the emergency workers.

President Zelensky added that "dozens of people" had been left traumatised and injured by the attack, but vowed that "this terror will not frighten us or break us". In recent weeks, Russia has again been stepping up attacks on civilian targets, and Mykhailo Podolyak - a top adviser to Zelensky - accused Moscow of launching "genocidal" attacks on Ukrainians. (Excerpt from BBC News)

adding Venice

to list of world heritage sites in danger

UNESCO experts have recommended that Venice and its lagoon be added to its list of World Heritage in Danger as Italy is not doing enough to protect the city from the impact of climate change and mass tourism.

UNESCO World Heritage Centre experts regularly review the state of the UN cultural agency's 1157 World Heritage sites, and at a meeting in Riyadh in September, a commit-

tee of 21 UNESCO member states will review more than 200 sites and decide which to add to the danger list.

For nearly 10 of these sites, the experts recommend that member states put them on the danger list, among which already are the historic centre of Odessa, Ukraine, the town of Timbuktu in Mali, and several sites in Syria, Iraq and Libya.

Other sites recommended to be put on the danger list

UN urges States in Haiti's region to join Kenya in security force

capture.

Police Commander Yumor Justo Condori said Marset's bodyguards had taken a Police Officer hostage who was trying to detain him. The officer was later released.

Marset is believed to have fled by car along with his wife and their three children to neighbouring Cochabamba province.

Thousands of officers have been deployed to catch him and eight properties in Santa Cruz were searched on Sunday, Bolivian officials say. Officers found 17 rifles, a pistol, and bulletproof vests.

Marset is accused of leading an international drugs cartel, known as PCU or First Uruguayan Cartel, which smuggles cocaine from Paraguay through Uruguay to Europe. (Excerpt from BBC News)

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres on Monday welcomed Kenya's readiness to lead an international force to help Haiti's Police combat gang violence and encouraged other countries – particularly from Haiti's region – to join the effort.

Kenya was ready to deploy 1000 Police Officers to help train and assist Haiti's Police "restore normalcy in the country and protect strategic installations", Kenyan Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua said in a statement on Saturday.

Haiti's Government last year asked for international security help. Guterres backed that request and in October proposed that one or more States send a "rapid action force" to support the Caribbean country as it struggles to combat violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital Port-au-Prince.

Guterres "values Kenya's consideration to possibly lead a non-UN multinational force," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters on Monday.

"The Secretary General reiterates his call to the Security Council to support such a nonUN international operation and encourages member states,

particularly from the region, to join forces with Kenya," Haq said.

While there has been broad support for a rapid action force with several countries expressing interest in contributing, until now none has volunteered to lead a deployment. The United States had lobbied Canada to lead, diplomats said. French is widely spoken in both Canada and Haiti.

"I'm very happy to see that many other countries are becoming involved to help," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Monday when asked about Kenya's announcement, adding that he was continuing conversations with the UN about what Canada could do for Haiti.

In March Canada pledged C$100 million (US$75 million) in aid for Haiti's Police and in October joined the United States in delivering tactical and armoured vehicles and other supplies.

Countries have been wary of supporting the unelected administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has said fair elections cannot be held with the current insecurity. Haiti has been without any elected representatives since January.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

this year are the cities of Kyiv and Lviv in Ukraine.

"Resolution of long-standing but urgent issues is hindered by a lack of overall joint strategic vision for the longterm preservation of the property and low effectiveness of integrated coordinated management at all stakeholder levels," UNESCO said.

UNESCO said corrective measures proposed by the Italian state are "currently insufficient and not detailed

enough." It added that Italy "has not been communicating in a sustained and substantive manner since its last Committee session in 2021, when UNESCO had already threatened to blacklist Venice.

The agency said it hoped that "such inscription will result in greater dedication and mobilisation" of local and national stakeholders to address long-standing issues. (Excerpt from Reuters)

“Pee-wee Herman” actor Paul Reubens dies aged 70

US actor Paul Reubens, who rose to fame in the 1980s as the character Peewee Herman, died at 70 on Sunday after a private struggle with cancer.

"Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit," said a statement released by his estate on Monday.

Reubens' iconic cult Herman character led to a TV series and multiple films.

But he put aside the role for nearly 20 years after being arrested for indecent exposure in 1991 at a movie theatre.

In a posthumously-released statement on his Instagram account the actor spoke about keeping his diagnosis private.

"Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," the statement said.

"I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you."

His estate added that he was an "iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness".

"A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit," the statement continued.

Reubens created the character when he was part of Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings.

He starred in the 1985 film “Pee-wee's Big Adventure” and in the TV series “Pee-wee's Playhouse”, which ran from 1986 to 1991.

The programme, which he created, co-wrote and codirected earned 22 Emmy Awards.

Comedians Steve Martin and Jimmy Kimmel are among the celebrities leading tributes to him online.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Some 350 people worked to rescue people trapped by the latest strikes on Kryvyi Rih

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Refuse to let what others do confuse you. Stick to your plan, take care of your responsibilities, and use your imagination and passionate attitude to knock whatever you do out of the ballpark.

(March 21-April 19)

PICKLES

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Stop worrying about others and follow through with your plans. Use your experience, knowledge and energy to help make changes. Discipline and hard work will propagate unexpected opportunities.

Don’t rely on or trust others to address your concerns. Keep an open mind, and don’t allow someone’s negativity to stop you from reaching for the stars. Don’t let anger set in when action is required.

Forge into the future with optimism and faith in your ability to get things done to your specifications. A change will turn out better than anticipated if you are hands-on and oversee every detail.

(June 21-July 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

(July 23-Aug. 22)

To ensure everything is up to code, monitor investments and expenses. A partnership is only as good as the people involved. Get in sync with anyone with whom you share your money, space or time.

Call on experts to fill in any missing pieces you cannot do yourself, and run a tight ship that will help you gain respect and the chance to expand your interests and gain momentum.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Do what you can, even if it means spending more time or diminishing your plans. A reunion or event will give you access to someone of value. Use your charm to extract information.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Don’t share your feelings prematurely. Find out where others stand and process the consequences of your actions before you act. Choose your words wisely and counter negativity with opportunity.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Don’t battle over something irrelevant. You cannot change or waste your time trying to convince others to see things your way. Put your best foot forward, do your own thing and don’t look back.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Move forward full force to get results leading to bigger and better opportunities. Emotional spending will be your downfall. You can’t buy love or happiness. Explore possibilities.

How you present your intentions to others will determine who helps. A force play will not work, but offering incentives will be a game-changer. A change of heart is apparent.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Lay out a foolproof plan, and the offers that surface will change how you move forward. Consider partnering with someone well-connected, but be sure to establish who is responsible for what.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

RHTY&SC Busta/Bakewell Cricket Academy 2023

Ramnarace, Manns cop top awards

…close to $1M in prizes distributed

The Rose Hall Town

Youth and Sports

Club’s 34th Annual Busta/Bakewell Cricket Academy concluded on Friday with an impressive closing ceremony at the Area H Ground with close to 80 youths present.

The Academy in 2023 was sponsored by RHTY&SC’s official sponsors Bakewell and the Guyana Beverage Company (Busta) with the support of numerous other club friends and supporters. The two-week academy started on Monday, July 17 and was conducted by a battery of coaches headed by Winston Smith. Other coaches included former national player Eon Hopper, Erva Giddings, Tremayne Smarty, Ryan Algu, Floyd Benjamin, and Davindra Ramdihal.

RHTY&SC Secretary/

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hilbert Foster described the academy as a resounding success and hailed the hard work of all the coaches. The main objectives of the academy are to identify promising talent for the future, to improve the standard of play for the players and to improve their knowledge of the game. Special emphasis was placed on batting with grip, foot movement and stance being highlighted. The players were

also involved in several classroom sessions on topics of importance including discipline, education, field placement, history and rules of the game, public speaking, danger of drug abuse, and the role of a sports ambassador. Foster disclosed that since 1991, the RHTY&SC cricket academy has produced over 120 players for Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies. The players include Assad Fudadin, Delbert Hicks, Neil Williams,

Shawn Grant, Khemraj Mahadeo, Renwick Batson, Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Clinton Pestano, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Sheneeta Grimmond, Shabika Gajnabi, Akshay Homraj, Dominic Rikhi, Jonathan Rampersaud, Jeremy Sandia, Matthew Pottaya, Mahendra Gopilall, Slyus Tyndall,

and Pluffina Millington.

Six of the RHTY&SC members will participate in the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) male and female tournaments, while Rampersaud and Sandia have been outstanding with the ball for the national Under-19 team currently in St Vincent.

Foster, along with Head Coach Smith, urged the youths to continue working on their game at home while developing a formula of discipline, hard work, and respect.

Under-15 player Komalchan Ramnarace

– Deeraj Ramjit

Most Disciplined – Jordon Frank

Most Dedicated –Derwin McKenzie

Ten junior cricketers: Cleon Mariano, Jousha Brijraj, Anthony Shirkissoon, Aden Moore, Dharvesh Narine, Sohail Sirkissoon, Jonathan Hicks, Justin Hicks, Khemraj Bharrat, and Joel Barry – all received a pair of batting gloves after being selected as promising players of the future. Leon Balkarran also received a junior bat as a committed member of the RHTY&SC. Six young cricketers each

was named Cricketer of the Academy and received more than $200,000 worth of prizes including a King’s Jewellery World Cricket Medallion, a cycle, electronic tablet, designer watch, head phone, food hampers, cosmetic hampers, lazy boy, cricket bat and kitchen utensils.

Fifteen-year-old Denelle Manns took home the female Player of the Academy Award which included several prizes, including a bicycle, designer watch, hampers, and kitchen utensils.

Other awardees at the Academy were:

Best Batsman –

Munesh Rampersaud

Best Bowler –

Khemraj Tika

Best Fielder –Dave Prettipaul

Most Improved

received a designer watch. Every member of the academy carried home coloured T-shirts and a food hamper along with a school bag with educational materials. All the coaches at the academy also received special gifts from the academy.

The Cricketer of the Academy expressed gratitude to the RHTY&SC and the coaches for hosting such an important programme for youths. On behalf of his fellow academy members, he committed to continuing the high standards of Guyana’s leading youth and sports club.

Special thanks were extended to the management of Bakewell and the Guyana Beverage Company for their support along with dozens of donors for the gifts.

The awardees of the cricket academy

Cricketer of the Academy, Komalchan Ramnarace receives his prizes from the coaches

Female Cricketer of the Academy Denelle Manns

Spotlight on Tarouba as India face confident West Indies in series decider

Big picture

After India's loss in the second One-Day International (ODI), their head coach Rahul Dravid said: "With the Asia Cup and World Cup coming up, we have to look at the bigger picture. We cannot get worried about every single game and every single series. If we do that, it will be a mistake."

If India walk the talk, today's series decider could be another rest day for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Even in the first ODI, Rohit batted at number seven and Kohli never came out.

Ishan Kishan has made good use of these World Cup auditions, scoring a fifty in each ODI. However, two other candidates – Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson – have failed to impress. Suryakumar got starts in both games, but could not convert them into something substantial. Samson played only the second match and scored 9. But today could present

them with another opportunity.

West Indies will not be going to the World Cup, but they have a chance to register a rare ODI series win against India in recent times. Since 2006, the two teams have played 12 bilateral ODI series against each other with India winning every time.

Batters from both sides – barring Kishan and Shai Hope – found it difficult to score in Bridgetown as the pitch helped fast bowlers and spinners alike. Hope said after the first ODI that a 9.30am start was the main reason behind that. It will be another 9.30am start in Tarouba, where the third ODI will be held, and while the pitch may not be as conducive for seamers, spinners could once again prove to be difficult to score off.

In the spotlight

Until the start of 2023, Shai Hope was primarily a top-order batter who doubled up as an anchor. He averaged 48.95 with a strike rate of 74.68. But since then, despite moving down the order, he has struck at an average of 69.66 and a strike rate of 96.75. The main contributing factor towards that elevated strike rate is his improved six-hitting skills. He is now hitting a six every 33 balls as opposed to one every 93 balls prior to that. With scores of 43 and 63 not out so far in the series, he will once again be a key batter for West Indies.

Few can do what Suryakumar Yadav does in T20 cricket, but he is finding it difficult to adjust to the rhythm of the 50-over game. While he has a strike rate of

over 100 in ODIs, he has managed just 476 runs in 23 innings, at an average of 23.80. After the second ODI, Coach Dravid said that the team management wanted to give him as many opportunities as they can. With the ODI World Cup roughly two months away, Suryakumar better grab these chances soon.

Team news

After a win in the second ODI, West Indies are unlikely to make any changes.

West Indies (probable):

1) Brandon King; 2) Kyle

Mayers; 3) Alick Athanaze;

4) Shai Hope (Captain & wicketkeeper); 5) Shimron Hetmyer; 6) Keacy Carty; 7) Romario Shepherd; 8) Yannic Cariah: 9) Alzarri Joseph; 10) Gudakesh Motie and 11) Jayden Seales.

India, too, could field an unchanged XI, resting Rohit and Kohli again.

India (probable): 1) Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper); 2) Shubman Gill; 3) Sanju Samson; 4) Hardik Pandya (Captain); 5) Suryakumar Yadav; 6) Axar Patel; 7) Ravindra Jadeja; 8) Shardul

Thakur; 9) Kuldeep Yadav; 10) Umran Malik and 11) Mukesh Kumar.

Pitch and conditions

This will be the first ODI at the Brian Lara Stadium. The venue has hosted only one men's international game to date: a T20I between West Indies and India last year. In 23 List A matches there, teams batting first have breached 250 only seven times. Today, the weather is expected to be cloudy, but the rain should stay away. (ESPNcricinfo)

Shai Hope has batted at a strike rate of 96.75 this year

Ravindra Jadeja is close to becoming only the second Indian to 2000 runs and 200 wickets in ODIs

Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel on Monday afternoon announced the provisional squad for the five-match Kuhl Stylish Fans T20 International Series powered by Black and White against India

as CWI names T20 squad

…Hetmyer, Shepherd featured

earned recalls to this format.

Thomas played his last match in this format in Pakistan in December 2021 while Hope played his last T20 match in India in February 2022.

Lead Selector, Dr Desmond Haynes said: “The squad is selected with the next ICC [International Cricket Council] Men’s T20 World Cup in mind. We are looking at various plans as we try to find the right combinations. As we prepare, we are looking to build a unit which we believe can do the job when we host the global event in just under a year. We have some match-winners in our line-up and we will look to have the right kind of preparation, starting here in Trinidad on Thursday.”

the blockbuster weekend at the Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida for the final matches on Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 13. All matches start at 10:30am local time (9:30am Jamaica Time).

Tickets for the matches are available from box offices at Queen’s Park Oval, Portof-Spain; the National Cricket Centre in Couva, Trinidad and the Guyana Cricket Board headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. Additionally, tickets are available online in advance from the Windies Tickets service, presented by Mastercard at tickets.windiescricket.com

which starts on Thursday, August 3 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad.

All 15 members of the provisional squad will travel to all matches. There will then be a 13-member squad for each match from which the final XI will be selected.

Wicketkeeper-batsman

Shai Hope and fast bowler Oshane Thomas have

Haynes added: “We also have other players who could come into consideration going forward, with the Caribbean Premier League starting next month, others will come into the reckoning.”

The Brian Lara Cricket Academy will host the opening match on Thursday.

The teams then move to the Guyana National Stadium for the second and third fixtures on Sunday, August and Tuesday, August 8.

The series will climax with

Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20 per cent discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best and shaded views in each stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.

Tickets are also available for the Tribe Party Stand in Trinidad with all-inclusive drinks and light food options.

CWI has also announced that West Indies hospitality by the Red Stand will be on sale for the first time with tickets for the hospitality suites. This is a premium all-inclusive experience in air-conditioned suites, with outdoor viewing and fully-inclusive premium food and

Digicel Schools’ Football Championships…

drink options. For the matches at the Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida, there will be VVIP and VIP hospitality packages available providing patrons with a great experience.

Full Squad

Rovman Powell (Captain)

Kyle Mayers (Vice Captain)

Johnson Charles Roston Chase Shimron Hetmyer

Jason Holder

Shai Hope

Akeal Hosein

Alzarri Joseph

Brandon King

Obed McCoy

Nicholas Pooran

Romario Shepherd

Odean Smith

Oshane Thomas

Match Schedule

Kuhl Stylish Fans T20I

August 3: 1st T20I, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad

August 6: 2nd T20I, National Stadium, Guyana

August 8: 3rd T20I, National Stadium Guyana

August 12: 4th T20I, Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida August 13: 5th T20I, Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida • start time at: 10:30am (9:30am Jamaica)

Waramadong, Santa Rosa, Mackenzie into Round of 16

The Digicel Schools’ Football Championships Round of 32 continued on Sunday in Linden and Georgetown, with several entertaining games.

DC Caesar Fox Secondary’s (Waramadong’s) Bevon Jones was undeniably one of the stars on show last weekend, netting 10 goals in his team’s 18-0 victory over West Demerara Secondary at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Jones netted in the 5th, 20th, 26th, 37th, 43rd, 55th, 70th, 73rd, 77th and 89th minutes, while his teammate, Corrington Isaacs netted five in the 15th, 24th, 42nd, 83rd and 85th. Bruce Williams secured a brace in the 51st and 81st for the massive win.

At the same venue, Excelsior Academy dismantled Buxton Secondary in an 8-2 affair. Jamal Collins

(29th); Dwayne James (30th); Rukquan Alexander (39th); Tyrece Lyle (49th); Nivek Boyce (55th); Omalie Vieira (72nd); Shaquille Sargeant (83rd) and Adriano Wharton (89th) netted one apiece for Excelsior’s 8, while Aqueni Lucas (10th) and Treon Hatton (64th) were the scorers

for Buxton.

Later in the evening, Region One champions Santa Rosa Secondary eased past Richard Ishmael Secondary, 2-0, with a brace off the boots of Nelson Lucas in the 58th and 80th minutes.

In Linden, Kwakwani Secondary overcame Soesdyke

Secondary in a nailbiting 5-3 encounter that went into extra time. Kelon Phillips netted 4 for Kwakwani in the 59th, 61st, 97th and 99th minutes, while Shamar Gomes netted one in the 55th. For Soesdyke, Anderson Webber (69th, 73rd) had a brace while Jermin Lewis (63rd) netted their third.

At the same Wisburg venue in Linden, Mackenzie High thumped East Ruimveldt Secondary 6-0. Another helmet trick in the mining town saw Dexter Milo leading the charge for the Region 10 champions Mackenzie, with goals in the 4th, 65th, 66th and 70th minutes. One goal

uled to conclude on Monday with games in Berbice and the West Coast of Demerara (WCD). The Round of 16 will kick off on Wednesday, August 2 at the MoE Ground.

CWI on Wednesday named a 15-man provisional squad for the 5 t20Is against India

each from Jevon Dennis (75th)

A look at the action on Sunday at the MoE Ground