Guyana Times - Tuesday, January 3, 2023

President Ali to receive prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is among 27 persons of Indian origin who will be bestowed in 2023 with the highest honour conferred on persons in the Diaspora – the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA).

This award is conferred on persons who have been recognised by the Indian Government for their outstanding achievements both in India and abroad.

The Guyanese Head of State will be awarded for his work in politics/community welfare.

The 17th PBSAs will be conferred by the President of India as part of the upcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention (Indian Diaspora Day) to be held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, from January 8-10, 2023.

President Ali has been invited as the Chief Guest for the upcoming convention and will be travelling

to India with a high-level delegation comprising both official and Private Sector representatives.

Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr KJ Srinivasa has officially congratulated President Ali on being the recipient of the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, calling it a recognition of the outstanding contributions to the country and his efforts to bring about the rapid and equitable development of Guyana.

The High Commissioner also expressed hope that the upcoming visit of President Ali to India for the PBD 2023 and subsequent interactions with the top political hierarchy and Private Sector in terms of agriculture, agro-processing, health, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, information technology and energy sectors will provide the necessary impetus for fur -

ther strengthening bilateral partnership between India and Guyana.

A Jury-cum-Awards Committee, with the Vice

President of India as the Chairman, the External Affairs Minister of India as the Vice Chair and other distinguished members from various walks of life considered the nominations for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2023 and unanimously selected the

awardees. The awardees represent the excellence achieved by the Indian Diaspora in various fields.

Other awardees include Professor Jagadish Chennupati of Australia; Professor Sanjeev Mehta of Bhutan; Professor Dilip Loundo of Brazil; Dr Alexander Maliakel John of Brunei Darussalam; Dr Vaikuntam Iyer Lakshmanan of Canada; Joginder Singh Nijjar of Croatia; Professor Ramjee Prasad of Denmark; Dr Kannan Ambalam of Ethiopia; Dr Amal Kumar Mukhopadhyay of Germany; Reena Vinod Pushkarna of Israel; Dr Maqsooda Sarfi Shiotani of Japan; Dr Rajagopal of Mexico; Amit Kailash Chandra Lath of Poland; Parmanand Sukhumal Daswani of the Republic of Congo; Piyush Gupta of Singapore; Mohanlal Hira of South Africa; Sanjaykumar Shivabhai Patel of South Sudan; Sivakumar Nadesan of Sri Lanka; Dr Dewanchandrebhose Sharman of Suriname; Dr Archana Sharma of Switzerland; Justice

Frank Arthur Seepersad of Trinidad and Tobago; Siddharth Balachandran of the United Arab Emirates; Chandrakant Babubhai Patel of the United Kingdom; Darshan Singh Dhaliwal of the USA; Rajesh Subramaniam of the USA and Ashok Kumar Tiwary of Uzbekistan.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas commemorates the day when Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa to India in 1915.

To mark this day, the tradition of celebrating the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas started in 2003. The first Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention was organised on January 9, 2003 to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.

Former Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar were Chief Guests of previous Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conventions and were bestowed with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards in 2004 and 2015, respectively.

File photo: President Dr Irfaan Ali during a previous meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

FERRY SCHEDULE

Dredging completed for US$300M Vreed-en-Hoop shore base

Work is continuing apace on the historic US$300 million Vreed-en-Hoop (West Coast Demerara) shore base, with dredging and widening of the Demerara River channel and removal of wreckages completed and land reclamation commencing.

This was explained in a statement from NRG Holdings Incorporated, after one of its Directors, Azruddin Mohamed, toured the facility to inspect the ongoing land reclamation works. With dredging, widening and deepening of the Demerara River channel completed, it can for the first time cater for larger vessels.

“With the initial deadline for completion of the first phase of the project set for December 2023, the Guyanese-owned consortium, and Jan De Nul, is ensuring that work progresses smoothly to meet the target,” NRG in the statement.

“Phase one of the project included the deepening, widening and dredging of the access channel as well as the removal of wreckage. These have all completed and the process of the land reclamation has commenced.”

It was further explained that a total of 30 kilometres of the river, at a depth of nine metres, was dredged starting from the shore base at Vreed-en-Hoop.

Previously, the channel had a five-metre depth at

the lowest tide compared to the nine metres it now has.

“Further, the width of the channel was dredged to a whopping 100 metres, which will now accommodate two vessels – one coming out and one going in. Phase two of the project is set to commence in 2024.”

“The multimillion-dollar port when completed will feature an offshore terminal; fabrication, umbilical and spooling yards; a drydock facility; a wharf and berths, and administrative buildings, among other facilities spanning 65 hectares,” NRG said.

In April 2022, ExxonMobil Guyana and the Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase Incorporated (VEHSI) signed a 20-year agreement for shore base services to be provided at the port of Vreed-en-Hoop facility to support the US oil giant’s operations offshore Guyana. The sod was subsequently turned in June on the US$300 million facility.

The sod-turning ceremony was held within the vicinity of the project site at Plantation Best, West Bank Demerara (WBD). It featured executives from the consortium, as well as

ing the project that specialises in offshore, marine, civil, environment, and project development.

The consortium includes Hadi’s World Inc, owned by businessmen Nazar “Shell” Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed, Nicholas Boyer and Eddie Boyer of National Hardware Guyana Limited, and Andron Alphonso of ZRN Investments Inc. NRG holds a majority stake of 85 per cent in VEHSI, while the remaining 15 per cent is owned by Jan De Nul –the company that will construct the facility.

At the signing, ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge stated that this shore base facility would al-

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, who hails from the area. Also in attendance was Opposition parliamentarian Ganesh Mahipaul.

VEHSI is a joint venture between a fully-owned Guyanese consortium – NRG Holdings Incorporated, and Jan De Nul Group, the Belgiumbased company undertak-

low the company to do more construction-related works, such as fabrication, right here in Guyana to support its offshore operations.

He had explained that Exxon has already invested in the Guyana Shore Base Inc (GYSBI) which has enabled them to bring the supply chain for drilling operations and production operations into Guyana almost completely out of Trinidad. (G3)

Editor: Tusika Martin

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New year, old ways

The new year began with a woman killing her partner after he slapped her several times on different occasions during celebrations on Sunday.

This comes on the heels of the Human Services Ministry announcing, on December 31, 2022, that some 900 cases of domestic violence were recorded in the year 2022. Human Services Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud, also announced that this represented an increase in reports when compared to the cases in 2021.

This issue of domestic violence, its trickle effects and impact on society have on numerous occasions been reported in Guyanese media, but, unfortunately, this continues despite awareness efforts.

One of the astonishing points that were brought to the fore in Sunday’s killing of 25-year-old labourer Jason Bownath was that relatives did not want to intervene in what they called “man and wife” dispute. It is not uncommon to hear this term being peddled by many persons who fail to intervene in domestic disputes among couples. However, it is sad that, even with all the empowerment and awareness campaigns, families are still taking this archaic position on such a serious issue.

Domestic violence has been described as “behaviour which causes one partner in a relationship to be afraid of the other. Domestic violence can take the form of physical or sexual abuse, and forced social isolation away from friends and family members.”

However, not many women admit to being victims of violence. The Human Services Minister had, some time ago, said, “Domestic violence remains a taboo, shuttered behind closed doors, and only emerging as bloody faces, bruised limbs, broken spirits and dead bodies. Fear of societal judgement, insecurities about children and finances, family pressure, and manipulation keep this a hushed conversation, or results in an overwhelming silence”.

The magnitude of the impact cannot be underestimated.

While it is always heartening to hear that surviving victims and witnesses to such horrific incidents would be counselled, it would be very informative for all to know the extent of what is available and offered. While expectations would be for what obtains in the developed nations, realistically, there must be something tangible in keeping with available resources, with upgrades foremost in planning.

This is not, in any way, suggesting that there is not an effective mechanism. However, counselling can be an extensive process for some, depending upon the circumstances. Given the plethora of incidents that unfortunately continue, and which would make added demands on the system, the question of adequacy of trained staff, needed facilities, and support systems becomes more pertinent.

We had previously called for urgent action to be taken by the Government and other partners to end violence against women. We are pleased that some steps are being taken in this regard, including the ‘914 emergency hotline’ which was launched in December 2020. Since its launch, the 24-hour hotline operators have been seeking to offer support, referral to victims and survivors, family, friends and professionals via an integration of the services available at both the Domestic Violence Unit and the Childcare and Protection Agency.

As a matter of fact, the Ministry has reported that more persons are using the 914 hotlines to report cases. This is good news, as it demonstrates that persons are aware of avenues available to help themselves and/or those who are victims.

Dr Vindhya Persaud, on the final day of 2022, said: “A number of calls (that) came in via the 914 hotline were directly related to domestic violence; at least 40% of those calls were related to domestic violence of all different forms…there are people who see it, they get into a habit of reporting it, and we also have been training the Police Force in the top squad initiative. We’ve trained over 4800 of those persons, so next we’ll be able to have a graduation for them…”

We once again echo the call that better can and must be done. Everyone must work in every home, school, office, community in every part of our country to expose domestic violence where it exists.

That said, we again urge the Government to reconvene a stakeholders’ engagement to tackle the issue of domestic violence. The aim should be to reassess and modify current strategies, taking into account the lessons learnt from past experiences.

President Dr Irfaan Ali, First Lady Arya Ali and

Mignon-Bowen Phillips,

Elon Musk, the social media autocrat

By Khalid alBaih

Like millions of people around the world, I have been closely following the debacle at Twitter since Elon Musk took the company over. Not only do I fear the loss of a space for free debate and access to information – especially valuable for those of us from not-so-free places. But as a political cartoonist, I am also afraid of losing the platform where I and many of my peers started our activism during the Arab Spring, which made Twitter what it is today.

Perhaps this turn of events was inevitable. For a while now, the tech industry has been cultivating personality cults. It started with Steve Jobs and his carefully constructed image of an open, curious innovator who in reality presided over “one of the tightest-controlled corporations” in the world. While Jobs stayed away from politics, the tech bros that have come after him, pursuing iconic status, have not.

Their fervent quests to grow their fortunes and their egos have pushed them onto the political scene and exposed their self-serving agendas. Musk made his political intentions for the Twitter takeover quite apparent, tweeting in May –while the deal was still not concluded – a painting of Louis XIV, the “Sun King”. A self-declared “free-speech absolutist”, he crowned himself the new “enlightened” king of social media and declared that he will set Twitter “free”.

But watching him act and react over the past two months, I see him much less as a “Sun King reigning over a flourishing kingdom, and much more as a little modern-day dictator presiding over a crumbling regime.

Just like an ambitious power usurper, he started his takeover of Twitter by talking about “democracy” and the “will of the people”, but made a mockery out of them. He quickly transformed what he himself

called “the digital town square” into his own private backyard, where he rules supreme.

Just like a classic dictator, Musk has also shown no tolerance for dissent and criticism. He has reportedly fired employees for daring to speak up against his decisions within the company or on social media.

Just like a standard authoritarian, he hates the press and does not hesitate to censor it (albeit presenting himself as a freedom of speech advocate). In mid-December, he suspended the accounts of several Journalists who had been critical of him.

Just like a wannabe autocrat, Musk is seeking to extract as much wealth as possible by merciless exploitation. He has cancelled benefits, forced employees into endless working days and even installed beds in the Twitter headquarters to squeeze any living energy out of them for the benefit of his company.

And like a good tyrant, he has overseen an exodus of people from his domain, some leaving voluntarily, others being forced into “exile”.

Indeed, I feel for the former Twitter employees. I also know too well what it feels like to have to leave the place you love because of a dictator’s whim. The man responsible for my and my family’s exile is Omar al-Bashir, who came to power in Sudan in 1989. He had no tolerance for dissent – or talent for that matter – and pushed out anyone who was not a hardline loyalist, causing a massive brain drain out of the country.

In the three decades he ruled, he oversaw a bloody civil war, multiple ethnic conflicts, a genocide, a deadly famine, and an economic collapse. He brought the country to its knees and deservedly won the hatred of the majority of the Sudanese population.

He pushed the people to their limit and was eventually toppled by a peaceful popular revolution in 2019.

Musk makes me think of al-

Bashir. What the tech tycoon seems to have in common with the Sudanese dictator is that just like him, he is holding on to power even in the face of growing popular anger and protest.

Musk’s decisions since he came to power have been extremely unpopular. He has faced criticism not only from users, IT experts and business commentators, but has also received warnings from Government officials, including Thierry Breton, the EU’s digital chief.

He appears to be widely disliked off Twitter as well. In December, he made an appearance at Dave Chappelle’s stand-up comedy show in San Francisco only to be booed into silence. As videos of his unfortunate encounter with reality made it online, Musk still claimed, “it was 90% cheers & 10% boos” in a tweet which he later deleted.

Musk appears to be so in denial about his unpopularity that he promised to resign as Twitter CEO if people voted for it in a Twitter poll. And they did. Some 57.5 per cent said “yes” to him stepping down. But he did not.

It took him more than 40 hours to acknowledge the result and when he did, he said he would resign only when he finds someone else to take the job. This is such an old dictator’s trick – pretending like there is no one better for the job to stay in power indefinitely.

But what Musk does not have in common with al-Bashir is regime loyalists – people willing to prop him up even when the ship is sinking.

Musk derives his power from his wealth, but that is dependent on market forces he cannot fully control. Big investors who have enabled his various tech adventures are much fickler than regime loyalists. They would jump ship at the slightest sign of distress which could cause them monetary losses.

That has already been happening with Twitter: many big

brands put on hold advertising on the platform, causing a major slump in advertising revenue. It could also happen with electric car company Tesla, Musk’s other large business venture, whose shares have gone down almost 40 per cent since the end of October, causing large investors to openly criticise the CEO.

Musk seems to be making the same mistake as al-Bashir and other fallen dictators. He seems to be underestimating people’s power.

Twitter, like other social media networks, is nothing without us, its users. In fact, it was the Arab Spring’s people-led uprisings that made the then-mundane microblogging site into the global platform it is today.

And just like in the Arab Spring – when people rose against incompetent autocracy – popular resistance is emerging against Musk’s dictatorial vagaries. Former employees have filed multiple court cases against the company, and have already scored an early victory. Users have also risen up. Some are arguing that the best way to resist Musk’s policies is from within the platform; others are leaving and encouraging others to move to competitor apps.

Musk tried to thwart the latter by imposing strict new rules on promoting or referring to other social media platforms. That quickly created a backlash and the change in policy had to be scrapped.

The end of Musk’s digital autocracy will come – sooner or later. But his troubled rule should stand as a warning to other tech bros who aspire to be tech dictators. The Internet – and by extension, social media – is a space built upon people’s natural affinity for freedom. Any attempt to usurp and control it is doomed to fail. (Al Jazeera)

(Khalid Albaih is a Romanian-born Sudanese political cartoonist and cultural producer currently living in Denmark.)

their son, Zayd, along with Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips and his wife

ushered in the New Year by witnessing the colourful and vibrant annual fireworks’ display at Camp Ayanganna (Office of the President photo)

In embracing dictatorial tactics, Musk is making the same mistakes many tyrants made before him

Cop, fisherman killed in New Year’s Day shooting incident

The Guyana Police Force has launched an investigation into the deaths of a cop and a civilian, who were killed during a shooting incident which occurred at Huntley, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara on New Year’s Day: Sunday, January 1, 2023.

This shooting incident occurred during the wee hours of New Year’s Day at Huntley Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, and involved 31-year-old Detective Corporal Dwayne McPherson, who had been stationed at the Mahaicony Police Station, and 20-yearold fisherman Kishan Budburgh of Grove, Huntley, Mahaicony. Reports are that the Policeman was shot twice, and the fisherman was shot some four times.

According to the 23-year-old, he and his 14-year-old brother were at home with the late Kishan prior to the shooting.

He said five of the Budburgh brothers were at a bar in the village when

old brother had managed to run away from the scene.

"We come home here, and my brother lie down and I did not know that he was bleeding from the fight. I help him, and then I go upstairs,” Anthony Budburgh related.

He said that shortly after

Anthony Budburgh has claimed that another Police rank fired shots from his firearm in the direction that he was standing. “My other

have get shoot too!” Anthony Budburgh is contending.

When this publication visited the scene, there were holes in both wooden and concrete walls of the Budburgh home. Family members are contending that those holes were made by bullets fired by the Police rank. One of those bullets penetrated a concrete wall and made its way into the kitchen of the Budburghs’ home.

The Guyana Police Force did not reveal details surrounding the incident, other than to say that at least two cops have since been arrested and have been placed in custody to assist with the investigations.

The late Kishan Budburg’s brother, Anthony Budburgh, has said he witnessed the shooting.

an issue developed over the throwing of ‘explosives’. One of his brothers was injured in that incident, and a fight ensued. The brothers left for home, but two of the five were arrested by Police before they got there.

According to Anthony, the Police were trying to arrest everyone involved, and they had threatened to shoot, but he, Kishan, and his 14-year-

he went into the house, the Police arrived. “They come and start knocking up on the wall, and they call out everybody. We come outside. The Police come and hold on (to) me brother and hunching him with the gun and lashing and boxing me brother. My brother hold on to him (Police), and all two of them fall down.”

brother duck, and the shot miss he too. When he (Police rank) see the two of them (Kishan and the Police rank he was holding on to) on the ground, he start firing shots on the two of them. The other Police saying to shoot between the two of them.

“After he finish shooting them, he still come and firing shots on we; we had to run. If we didn’t run, we would

Anthony Budburgh has said he and his 14-yearold brother hid in the bushes and saw when the Police ranks removed the body of the injured cop moments after they had fired shots at the cop and his brother Kishan.

"We deh in the bush watching from deh – hiding. We can’t come out; we frighten that they could shoot we,” Anthony Budburgh has said. According to him, three Police ranks had gone to their premises, and two were armed with rifles.

At that time, no one knew that Kishan Budburgh had been shot. Their mother returned home at about 01:30h and heard groaning, and upon investigating, she discovered that it was her son who was groaning. She hurried to get a taxi to take him to the hospital, but none was available. The woman reportedly went to the Police station, and left after receiving no help. Efforts to get an ambulance proved futile, as the hospital reportedly did not have anyone to drive it. Eventually she got a taxi, but by that time her son Kishan Budburgh had passed away.

This shooting incident reportedly occurred at about 12:30h, and the injured Policeman was removed shortly after, while Kishan Budburgh's body was removed at about 17:00h, family members have said.

Kishan Budburgh leaves to mourn eleven siblings and his parents. (G4)

Dead: Detective Corporal Dwayne McPherson, 31

Dead: 20-year-old fisherman Kishan Budburgh

The shooting took place in the front of the Budburghs’ yard

Bullet holes in the concrete-and-wooden structure of the Budburghs’ home

In this fun and easy science experiment, we’re going to make a cool-looking cup of “lava” and explore density.

Materials:

Clear plastic cup or glass Vegetable oil Salt Water

Red food colouring

Instructions:

Fill up the clear plastic cup about three quarters of the way full with water.

Now add about five drops of the red food colouring to the water.

Slowly add one quarter of a cup of the vegetable oil into the glass.

Sprinkle the salt on top of the oil.

Now observe as the oil moves up and down in the cup.

Feel free to add more salt to keep the vegetable oil moving!

How it works:

The vegetable oil is less dense than water and floats on the water. The salt is heavier than water. When the salt is sprinkled

across the vegetable oil, it sinks carrying a little blob of vegetable oil with it. Once the salt reaches the water, it dissolves, releasing the vegetable oil which rises back towards the surface. This action creates the cool bubbling lava effect in a cup.

Make this a science project:

Try different types of oil such as baby oil. Try sugar as a substitute for salt. Try different temperatures of water. (sciencefun.org)

Clever Gretel

By the Grimm Brothers CONTINUED

Meanwhile the master saw that the table was set, and he picked up the large knife that he wanted to carve the chickens with, and stood in the hallway sharpening it.

The guest arrived and knocked politely on the door. Gretel ran to see who it was, and when she saw that it was the guest, she held a finger before her mouth, and said, "Be quiet! Be quiet! Hurry and get away from here. If my master catches you, you'll be sorry. Yes, he invited you for an evening meal, but all he really wants is to cut off both of your ears. Listen, he's sharpening his knife for it right now."

The guest heard the whetting and ran back down the steps as fast as he could.

Then Gretel, who was not a bit lazy, ran to her master, crying, "Just what kind

of a guest did you invite?"

"Why, Gretel? What do you mean by that?"

"Well," she said, "he took both of the chickens off the platter, just as I was about to carry them out, and then ran away with them."

"Now that's a fine tune!" said the master, feeling sorry about the loss of the good chickens. "At the least, he could have left one of them, so I would have something to eat."

He called out to him to stop, but the guest pretended not to hear. Then he ran after him, the knife still in his hand, shouting, "Just one! Just one!" But the guest could only think that he wanted him to give up one of his ears, so he ran as though there were a fire burning beneath him, in order to get home with both ears. (The end)

Bonus points: In a drawing, depict the passage above

WORD SEARCH

Racial hostility became overbearing – former Treasurer on racial discrimination in PNCR

leader

was seen by Guyana Times . In it, Mursalin contended that he faced racial discrimination during his time as Treasurer, including from a named wellknown figure in the party.

“Firstly, from the time I took office as the elected Treasurer of this great party, I was signing blank cheques with no supporting documents. I am always called to sign cheques and whenever I share an opinion of dislike towards this, I am met with hostility. In the month of November, it got worse.”

Weeks after two high-ranking officials within the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) resigned, one of them has revealed that racial discrimination and an unhealthy working environment in the party pushed him to resign within one year of ascending to his position.

Faaiz Mursalin, who has been affiliated with the PNCR for close to a decade, was elected Treasurer of the party in December of 2021. But in December of last year, he as well as General Secretary Geeta ChandanEdmond resigned from their respective positions.

Mursalin’s reason for resigning came to light in a letter he addressed to the PNCR Central Executive Committee (CEC), which

“I was told by the confidential secretary to the General Secretary that all I am needed for is to sign the cheques and in that month, I signed about 20 blank cheques. I do not know what are the amounts of money written on any of those cheques and I don’t know for what reasons the money, if any, were spent on,” Mursalin said in his letter.

Mursalin also detailed other transgressions, such as when he submitted a workplan for the party to attract more finances and made suggestions that a financial audit of Congress Place be done. According to the former executive, PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton did not take any action on either of these matters.

But even worse, Mursalin alleged that a

particularly well-known figure within the PNCR demonstrated constant racial hostility. According to him, the party leadership seemed not to care about addressing this behaviour.

One bad apple

In an interview with this publication, Mursalin emphasised that change was necessary for the party to regain the trust of the electorate and to be a more tenable environment for him to operate in.

“I think things need to change and change rapidly. The party executive needs to take that action on how they want to see things change, maybe with new leader, maybe with a no confidence motion to make this leader call a biennial delegates confer -

ence as soon as possible.”

“The PNC is not a bad party or a racial party, but it’s people within it. One bad apple can make the whole basket get bad. The party is the bigger picture now. It’s about talking about what they are doing and saving the party integrity and face… I’m not the old party official… where I won’t talk about what is wrong and right. I’m one of the young politicians, when you’re wrong, I’ll say that you’re wrong. And the current leadership is wrong and I couldn’t continue with them.”

Mursalin noted that Norton was like a “oneman show” in the party, and said if the PNCR made drastic changes, it could regain the confidence of the voting population. Asked about the blank cheques, Mursalin admitted that he was worried about them in light of the fact that he still did not know how much money was written on these cheques or how the money was used.

“I’m worried and saddened. I kinda knock myself up, because I couldn’t speak out earlier. It came to a point where the racial hostility came in and it be -

came overbearing… to regain confidence, we have to bite the bullet and say what is wrong, is wrong and what is right, is right.”

Chandan-Edmond and Mursalin, both of whom are of East Indian descent, had only been serving in their respective positions for roughly a year. Chandan-Edmond was appointed in January of

2022. Prior to her resignation, she was on leave of absence from the party.

Meanwhile, Mursalin won 404 votes in the PNCR’s internal elections in December of 2021, to become Treasurer. In a social media post, he had declared that he would “discharge my last and final duties as National treasurer of the P.N.C.R. on December 23, 2022…A formal letter will be prepared and be sent to the Leader’s office, thank you all who supported me.”

Soon after the resignations, Norton at a press conference had claimed to have good relations with both Chandan-Edmond and Mursalin. Asked about this, Mursalin noted that while this was so at a personal level, their relations were anything but good on a working basis. (G3)

…says forced to sign blank cheques, Aubrey Norton an “aloof”

Former PNCR Treasurer Faaiz Mursalin

PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton

Former PNCR General Secretary Geeta ChandanEdmond

Enmore housewife jailed, fined for cocaine trafficking

$10,000.

Police have said that ranks were on a mobile patrol at ‘Phase 2', Good Hope, ECD last Thursday, December 29, 2022, when they observed Hussain standing at a corner of the road acting in a suspicious manner. As such, she was arrested and searched, and Police found on her person a yellow-and-black plastic bag in which was contained several small, transparent Ziplock bags which each had a quantity of cocaine.

Changes…

…in Brazil

The New Year certainly started with a bang in Brazil!! The indomitable Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sworn in as President of Brazil - our giant neighbour over our southern border – for the third time. In his first two iterations, between 2003 and 2011, he’d become almost as famous as the footballers who’d distinguished their country for decades. The most famous of them all – Pele –has unfortunately just passed.

Surujdai Hussain, a 30-year-old housewife of Lot 633 Foulis, Enmore, East Coast Demerara, will be spending the next six months in jail on a conviction of pos-

session of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Hussain, c/d “Latchmie”, was arraigned on the charge before Vigilance Magistrate Alisha George last Friday,

and has pleaded guilty to trafficking 5.3 grams of cocaine. Consequent to her guilty plea, she has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and fined

According to reports, Hussain was arrested early last year on a similar charge, and had been placed on $75,000 bail pending the determination of her trial. (G1)

13 cases completed at Berbice, Essequibo Criminal Assizes

Unfortunately, Lula faltered after he’d been convicted of corruption charges, and saw most of his glitter disappear after being sentenced to a 12-year jail term. He was vindicated when the courts quashed the convictions in 2021, leaving him free to run again for office, even though by then he was in his mid-seventies. But he was facing a different Brazil from the one that he’d placed on the global top tier in his early years - on a solid economic performance for the largest economy in South America. However, the collapse of the Developed World’s economies in 2008 hit Brazil hard, and much of the gains for the poor which he’d implemented were wiped out by the time he left office.

The floundering economy was the main reason why the foaming-at-the-mouth, far-right, former Army officer, candidate Bolsonaro, was able to get elected in 2019. He presented a diametrically opposite vision for resuscitating Brazil, with his neo-liberal policies that mirrored his hero Trump’s in the US. He spat in the face of the climate change world that looked to preservation of the Amazonian forests as a main weapon in preventing global warming by sequestering carbon!! A huge swath of the forest –amounting to the entire Netherlands! - was converted to agriculture. But most alarmingly was the polarisation he brought into Brazilian politics, mirroring that of the US.

The October 2022

Criminal Assizes of the Berbice High Court commenced on October 18, 2022, and as at December 31, 2022, seven matters have been completed: four for murder, two for sexual offences, and one for manslaughter. This Assizes continues in January 2023.

State Counsel Nafeeza Baig prosecuted five of these matters before Justice Navindra Singh, while Attorney-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat appeared as a Special

Prosecutor for the State in two of the murder cases.

In the two sexual offences matters, the complainants testified in court that they did not wish to testify, and the trial Judge accordingly directed the juries to return formal verdicts of not guilty.

In one of the four murder matters, the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, and was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment.

Another murder matter involved three accused who were indicted together,

and they were all acquitted by jury verdicts of not guilty. The other two separate murder trials were high-profile matters with a combined seven accused.

In one of these cases, there were five accused indicted together, and in the other matter, two accused were indicted together. All seven of them were found unanimously guilty by jury verdicts. Their sentences have been deferred until later this month.

In the matter of the offence of manslaughter, the trial judge upheld a nocase submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

Essequibo Criminal Assizes

The October 2022 Criminal Assizes of the High Court in Essequibo commenced on October 25, 2022, and will continue until February 2023.

As at December 31, 2022, Senior State Counsel Tiffany Lyken had completed six matters before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow: two for sexual offences, and four for the capital offence of murder.

In one of the two sexual offences cases, a jury found the accused guilty of two counts of rape of a child under 16 years old, and the offender has been

sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment on each count. These sentences will, however, run concurrently.

In the other sexual offences matter, the jury returned majority verdicts of not guilty in favour of the accused, who had been charged with three counts of sexual activity with a child family member.

In the four separate murder cases, each of the accused pleaded guilty. In one of these matters, the accused, who had been a juvenile when he committed the offence, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced at the court’s pleasure. He has been ordered to serve a minimum of eight years in custody.

In the three other cases, each of the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, and were respectively sentenced to eight years; seven years and seven months; and eight years, three months and 28 days’ imprisonment.

Two matters for sexual offences were nolle prosequi by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)

because the complainants submitted written statements indicating that they did not wish to proceed with their matters. (G1)

However, the economy didn’t recover as he’d promised, and no one accepted his excuse of the COVID pandemic that swept the world from 2020, especially since his mismanagement caused almost 700,000 deaths – the second highest in the world, after the 1,000,000+ in the US! In fact, the line that got Lula a huge round of applause at his inauguration was, “The responsibilities for this genocide must be investigated, and must not go unpunished. It is up to us now to show solidarity with the relatives of the 700,000 victims”!!

The expectations on Lula are extremely high, and he ain’t gonna be getting no slack from Bolsonaro’s supporters, who’re just a wafer-thin 2% less than his!! In fact, the right-wing ideologue flew to the States just two days before Lula’s inauguration in order to avoid being seen as offering legitimacy to the Lula Administration.

Brazil’s stability is important to us, since they have always been a counterweight to Venezuela’s territorial and political ambitions. It was good President Ali went to the ceremony!! Good Luck, Lula!!

…in Venezuela

Talking about Venezuela’s ambitions, the ambitions of Maduro’s Opposition have caused some interesting developments. They’ve dumped Guido, who was anointed as Venezuela’s “real” Government by the US and its allies!! Cold!! Here’s the man - who was controlling Venezuelan Embassies, and almost got his hands on billions of his country’s foreign assets on the strength of his friends –now out in the cold!! What gives?? Geopolitics of oil is what gives!!

As we know, the US wants to hedge its bets on the dwindling global oil supply, and has eased its sanctions on the Maduro Government to allow Chevron to start pumping the black gold up North!! Now, a new policy needs a new team to execute – and Guido’s too much part of the old regime-change game plan to be credible in the new dispensation!! This new plan needs a kinder, gentler face, but whoever it’ll be?! Don’t expect any change in the one issue that both Maduro and his Opposition ABSOLUTELY agree on – that Venezuela is theirs!!

…Church pederasty

The former Pope Benedict has passed on. Aside from whatever good deeds he might’ve done, he must be complimented for finally lifting the veil – so to speak –on the widespread pederasty practised in the Catholic Church by high officials!! RIP.

The cocaine Police found on the person of Surujdai Hussain Jailed: Surujdai Hussain, c/d “Latchmie”

The Essequibo High Court at Suddie, Essequibo Coast

The Berbice High Court in New Amsterdam

Police have no power to blacklist persons charged with indictable offences

High Court rules

Nandlall, the Government’s principal legal advisor, had denied that Senior Superintendent Washington was “blacklisted” from travelling, but rather asserted that the Immigration Department would formulate an “administrative list” of persons charged with indictable offences as a protocol and guidance to that department, and if such persons attempted to travel at the borders, they would be advised to seek permission from the court.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) placing persons charged with indictable offences on a travel blacklist is now a thing of the past. High Court Justice Navindra Singh has ruled that that law enforcement agency has no power to so do.

After being “blacklisted” by the Guyana Police Force, Senior Police Superintendent Marcelene Washington, a naturalised citizen of the United States of America (USA), moved to have her name removed from that list, which is compiled by the GPF’s Immigration Department.

Nandlall had also contended that Article 139 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana restricts this senior Police officer’s right to travel, pursuant to a bail order made by the court.

However, Justice Singh rejected this position, and noted that by creating such a list, the GPF/State has determined that the law authorises the Police to limit the movement of such persons solely because they have been charged with indictable offences.

“No such authority is reposed in the Guyana Police Force under any written law in Guyana,” Justice Navindra Singh has declared.

Justice Singh has consequently declared that the Guyana Police Force cannot restrict the movement of any person around or outside of Guyana, unless such restriction is provided for in the laws of Guyana, or are pursuant to an Order of Court.

Cost has been awarded to

this Police officer in the sum of $150,000.

Senior Superintendent Marcelene Washington is among several serving and retired Police officials who have been charged with defrauding the Guyana Police Force of $10M. Those charges were filed in 2021. According to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), those charged Police officials conspired with each other and with persons unknown to defraud the GPF of more than $10 million, which they were paid to revise the entire GPF’s raft of Standing Orders, but they failed to present the revised document.

SOCU — an arm of the GPF —revealed that the GPF has a raft of Standing Order which comprises 104 such Orders. The entire raft of 104 Standing Orders of the GPF was completely revised by civilian Police Analysts who worked at the GPF Strategic

been done.

SOCU therefore contends that these past and pres-

ent officers conspired together and gave themselves a job that clearly should have gone to the Tender Board by law, because of the sum of money involved.

Senior Superintendent Washington, who previously served as the GPF’s Finance Officer, is also facing three charges of allegedly falsifying bills for food provided to Police ranks. She is jointly charged in this respect with Deputy Assistant Police Superintendent Frank Jackman-Wilburg, Superintendent Lorraine Saul, and Assistant Superintendent Roxanne Griffith-Adams.

These charges have stemmed from a massive investigation conducted by SOCU into a $300M fraud allegedly committed at the Police Finance Office by several high-ranking officers of the GPF. (G1)

Washington has been charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to commit a felony, contrary to Section 34 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act.

According to a constitutional action filed by this senior Police official, after the indictable charges were read to her in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, and she was released on cash bail, she was informed that she was “blacklisted” from travelling beyond the borders of Guyana. As such, through Attorneys-at-Law Dexter Todd, Dexter Smartt and Jevon Cox, Senior Superintendent Washington challenged the State’s decision to restrict her movement.

In her arguments in this regard, she contended, among other things, that to maintain her citizenship in the USA, she needed to travel there half-yearly; and, as such, needed her name to be removed from the blacklist.

No such authority

In her application, filed at the Demerara High Court, she listed Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC; Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, and acting Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken as the respondents.

According to Justice Singh, the respondents clearly “misdirected” themselves with respect to their contention that Article 139 (1) restricts this Police official’s right to travel pursuant to bail order made by the court. Justice Singh pointed out that that constitutional provision does not restrict the movement of an individual who has been granted bail by a court of law. He explained that bail, as defined by the Black’s Law Dictionary, is to obtain the release of (oneself or another) by providing security for a future appearance in court.

“Should the court granting bail determine that other conditions should be imposed, and impose such conditions - such as restriction of the movement of the bailed persons - only then does that become a condition attached to the bail,” Justice Singh has said in his written ruling.

In fact, Justice Singh has reasoned that the recently passed Bail Act of 2022, particularly Section 11, is most instructive in this case.

“Section 11 makes it very clear that conditions, including restricting a bailed person’s ability to travel, may be imposed by the court granting bail. Logically, if such conditions are not imposed, then they do not exist," he added.

Planning Unit between July 2018 and March 2019, SOCU has said; but former Police Commissioner Leslie James had hired and paid these charged Police officials to do the same revision when it had already

Senior Police Superintendent Marcelene Washington

Acting Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken

High Court Justice Navindra Singh

Shooting at MovieTowne leaves guard, mechanic injured

Police are investigating a shooting incident that occurred in front of the Outside Bar at MovieTowne in Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara in the wee hours of New Year’s Morning: Sunday, January 1, 2023, which has left both a security guard and a mechanic injured.

Investigations have revealed that the incident involved 30-year-old Olofie De Santos, a mechanic of Bagotville, West Bank Demerara; and brothers Erron and Errol Baptist, 29-year-old licensed firearm holders and residents of Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown. Errol Baptist is also a businessman.

The Guyana Police Force has said that Erron and Errol Baptist and Olofie De Santos arrived at the

MovieTowne location in a black Crown motorcar with luminous trade plates, and they parked the vehicle in front of the Outside Bar’s entrance in such a way as to block the entrance. As a result, Sheldon Adams, a 41-year-old security guard employed at the said bar, went to the driver of the car and advised him that he could not park the car there, because it was blocking the entrance.

The Baptist brothers and Olofie De Santos, however, exited the car and refused to move the vehicle, the Police have said. According to Police, one of the Baptist brothers, who had a Hennessy bottle in his hand, then dealt the security guard one lash to the left side of his face, causing him to collapse injured to the ground. At time of

this incident, there were more than 200 persons at the bar.

Olofie De Santos then

allegedly pulled out a handgun from his pants waist and discharged several rounds in the area. This resulted in persons unknown,

who were around, also discharging rounds at him. De Santos was consequently shot three times - to his lower abdomen, to right side chest, and to his left forearm.

He fell to the ground still clutching the firearm, and someone took the weapon away from him. The Baptist brothers, meanwhile, quickly entered their vehicle and beat a hasty retreat from the area.

Olofie De Santos was picked up by persons unknown and taken to the Woodlands Hospital. The security guard Sheldon Adams was also picked up by one of his co-workers and taken to the said hospital. Both men have received treatment at that medical institution.

Ranks from CID Headquarters subsequent-

ly processed the scene and recovered four .40 spent shells, six 9mm spent shells, two .32 spent shells, and two warheads.

Police have said that the two Baptist brothers were later arrested, and their firearms, along with two magazines - one containing 12 rounds and the other holding eight - along with their firearm licences, have been seized and lodged. They were also swabbed for gunpowder residue.

The motor car they had been using was examined, and what appeared to be two bullet holes, one to the right-side back door and one to the right-side trunk, were seen. The car has also been lodged.

Several persons have been questioned, statements have been taken, and investigations are in progress. (G12)

The shooting incident occurred in the MovieTowne compound at Turkeyen, ECD

6-month-old baby dies in accident after driver falls asleep

Chinese national stabbed in critical condition

Afatal accident that occurred along the Unity Public Road in Mahaica, East Coast Demerara at approximately 01:30h on Monday, January 2, 2023 has tragically claimed the life of six-month-old Devine Khan of Lot 61 West Road, Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara.

Enquiries have disclosed that, at approximately 01:30h on Monday, January 2, 2023, 27-yearold Dequan Khan and the late six-month-old Devine

Khan were travelling in motorcar PNN 8403, being driven by Ackeem Jerrick, a resident of Sparendaam Housing Scheme, ECD, in a westerly direction along the southern drive lane of the public road at Unity, Mahaica.

Motorcar PVV 2649, being driven by 31-year-old Davin Butts of Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, was proceeding east along the northern drive lane of that road at the same time.

Butts has reportedly told investigators that he

fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of his vehicle.

As a result, motorcar PVV 2649 collided with the front portion of motor car PNN 8403.

The drivers and occupants of both vehicles were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where the child Devine Khan was pronounced dead on arrival. Davin Butts has received injuries to his head; Ackeem Jerrick has received injuries to his right leg, and Dequan Khan has received injuries

about his body. They are all presently being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The matter was reported to the Police at about 01:43h, and within two minutes, Police officers arrived on the scene. Both vehicles have been lodged, to be examined as investigations continue. (G12)

Chinese national Xia Jun Zhang, a 36-year-old male whose address is unknown, is in critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital after being stabbed in an incident that occurred at La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara at about 21:15h on Sunday, January 1, 2023, the Police have said.

The Police have said that ranks, acting on information received from a 911 call, went to Lot 25 Onion Field, La Bonne Intention, and a 66-yearold pensioner of the said address claimed that he was in his living room watching television when he heard his gate rocking.

He said he looked

through his window and saw a Chinese male running into his yard screaming for help. The pensioner said he then went to his back stairway, situated south of his building, and was able to see the injured man lying on the ground in a bloodied state. There were stab wounds to the left side of his upper body.

The EMT was summoned, and the injured man was picked up in a conscious state and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Emergency Unit, where he underwent surgery. His condition is listed as critical.

The police have launched an investigation into the matter. (G12)

The two vehicles involved in the fatal accident

Woman stabs reputed husband to death

Top Cop promises transparency in fatal shooting of Corporal, fisherman

25-year-old labourer Jason Bownath of Middle Street, Princetown, Corriverton, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) is now dead after allegedly being stabbed to his chest by his reputed wife in an incident that occurred at the couple’s home at around 23:50hrs on Sunday, January 1, 2023.

Police have said that, earlier in the day, these two persons had been at a family function at the suspect’s mother’s home when an argument erupted between them, during which the victim slapped the suspect twice to her face.

The woman subsequent-

ly left for home, and her reputed husband followed shortly after. The couple continued to argue at their home, and the victim again reportedly slapped the suspect. According to the Police, the woman then picked up a knife and stabbed Bownath once to his chest.

Bownath was rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital, from whence he was transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he died while receiving treatment.

This couple is said to have also been cousins, and have parented two children, aged five and six.

Adrian Garnett, brother-in-law of the late Jason Bownath, has said he was inside the house playing music when he heard the couple arguing. He said he heard the suspect screaming, and by the time he ran outside, he saw Jason lying on the ground bleeding.

“She tell me that he slap she and she stab he,” Garnett related. “He lie down there and bleed out, because he didn’t have much leff back when he reach at the hospital. I don’t know what transpired, or what transpired to push it to that,” he said.

Garnett described Bownath as a committed father and husband, noting that he would leave home for lengthy periods as he went working ‘far away’ from home.

“He is not a violent person. The two of them would get issues, but small things; it don’t meet to this extent. When I say ‘small things’, I mean like argument, and sometimes somebody hand get fast and they knock… but we don’t go into dem story, because they is husband and wife,” Garnett explained.

The suspect has been taken into custody as investigations continue. (G4)

Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken has promised full transparency in investigating the fatal shooting on New Year’s morning, whereby 31-year-old Detective Corporal Dwayne McPherson and 20-yearold fisherman Kishan Budburgh lost their lives.

The shooting incident occurred around 00:30h at Huntley, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The Top Cop, along with senior officials of the Guyana Police Force, engaged both families who were engulfed in grief following the incident,.

During his interaction with the mother of Budburgh, Beverley Dundas, he expressed his condolences and assured her that a comprehensive investigation was currently underway.

"I am transparent, and I want to be transparent with you, and whatever happens will be revealed at a later stage, and whichever di-

rection the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) advises, so shall it be," said Commissioner Hicken during his visit to the Mahaicony Police Station.

Hicken told the grieving woman that he would visit her at a later date to avoid any interruption to the current investigation.

Accompanying Commissioner Hicken were Assistant Commissioner and Commander of Regional Division Five, Kurleigh Simon; Head of the Office of Professional Responsibility, Elston Baird and several other ranks.

Within the course of Sunday, the acting Police Commissioner also expressed condolences to Detective Corporal McPherson's mother, his pregnant wife, four-yearold child and other family members at their Parfaite Harmonie home on the West Bank of Demerara.

Commissioner Hicken assured the family that a comprehensive probe was

currently ongoing in relation to the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of Detective Corporal McPherson, who was stationed at Mahaicony Police Station.

Accompanying Commissioner Hicken during his visit to McPherson's family were Assistant Commissioner and Commander of Regional Division Three, Mahendra Siwnarine; Superintendent Allison Moore; Head of the Force's Communications Department, Mark Ramotar; Superintendent Kevin Das, along with several other ranks.

The Police Force will take care of all funeral expenses and counselling support for the family. Further, Commissioner Hicken assured McPherson's wife that additional support would be given to the family by the Force's Community Relations Department, including towards the educational needs of the fouryear-old child. (G12)

Dead: Jason Bownath

“…she tell me that he slap she and she stab he” – cousin

Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken speaking with the mother of the deceased fisherman Kishan Budburgh

The Top Cop consoling a relative of Detective Corporal Dwayne McPherson

President Dr Irfaan Ali joined more than 60 regional and global leaders on Sunday, January 1, 2023 for the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasília, Brazil. President Lula, who has been sworn in as the 39th President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, had previously served as the neighbouring country’s Head of State from January 2003 to December 2010

STEM Guyana appoints 2 new Board members …pushing through despite challenges, disappointments in 2022

Immediate Past Chair), of the Guyana National Steering Committee for the Global Environment Fund Small Grants Programme and mentorship of young adults.

In 2021, she founded the social entrepreneurial movement called “This is YOUR Life”, to promote the concept of intentional living and to provide services geared towards creating positive social change.

ness and fundraising initiative and manages the grant application process for cancer-related funding for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Guyana.

The STEM Guyana team has appointed two new Board members, both of whom are women.

The new members are Diana Gittens and Elsie Harry.

Elsie Harry is a Community Development and Planning Professional, part-time lecturer, social entrepreneur, and spoken word artist. Harry believes in making full use of her many skills and talents to effect positive change.

The 30-year-old woman holds a Master of Engineering Degree in Urban and Rural Planning from Beijing Jiaotong

University in China and a Bachelor of Social Science Degree in International Relations from the University of Guyana, where she was named Valedictorian back in 2017.

For the past eight years, she has worked simultaneously in the fields of community development and advocacy, holding various positions across three countries: St Kitts & Nevis, China, and Guyana.

She currently works in the Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Public Works, while her voluntary service includes serving as the Vice Chair (and

Excellence is her motto and way of life. Harry, who was a Commonwealth Youth Worker of the Year Finalist in 2016 and one of the 25 Influential Women Leaders of 2021, has won several awards, including the Republic Bank Power to Make a Difference Award 2018, and various literary awards.

She is also a One Young World Ambassador and a Royal Commonwealth Society Associate Fellow. She is development-minded and wants to see every sector in Guyana thrive and every citizen become productive.

Gittens, the second new Board member, is also a woman with an exceptional track record. Gittens is the Product Manager for Mobile Money Guyana (mmg+), a subsidiary of GTT.

In addition to her role as Product Manager, Gittens serves as coordinator for GTT's largest cancer aware-

Before her current position at GTT, she worked as Business Partner for Health and Wellness and served on the Board of Directors of the Dominica Cancer Society for five years, holding the positions of Secretary and President. Her work includes advocating for access to treatment, diagnostic screening, and psychosocial support for individuals affected by cancer. Gittens is a cervical cancer survivor and a member of the NCDA Our Views Our Voices Advocacy Committee and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition PLWNCDs Advisory Committee. She holds an MSc in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Technology in Jamaica and a BSc in Biology from the University of Guyana. She is also a trained teacher, with an Associate Degree in Secondary Education. Gittens is passionate about using health promotion and advocacy to combat non-communicable diseases in the Caribbean and beyond.

Challenges

Meanwhile, STEM Guyana, in a statement, said that it has been faced with many disappointments during 2022. In its monthly newsletter, STEMGuyana Chronicles, it was revealed that the organisation has been unable to secure a space for students to work. This is a result of the National Sports Hall being under reconstruction.

The Sports Hall had

housed STEM Guyana for seven years.

“Another significant disappointment was our inability to secure visas for our eight young engineers and mentors to participate in the first global robotics championship in Geneva, Switzerland. This was the first time in six years that Team Guyana robotics was unable to compete and a crushing disappointment for our young people, who will play a crucial role in Guyana's future development. It is important that we invest in our youth,” the statement said.

Despite the challenges faced, the team at STEM Guyana said it still has a lot to look forward to this year, including the renewal of its distribution partnership with the Guyana Learning Channel, the production of 10 additional episodes for its “Robin the Robot” show in 2023 and the expansion of the reading and robotics programme to four addition-

al libraries.

Additionally, STEM Guyana and its partners will be hosting a qualifying event in April 2023 to select the top 10 teams from all regions in the country to represent Guyana at the International Youth Robotics Competition (IYRC) in August 2023. All schools, clubs, and individuals are welcome to participate in the qualifying event by organising teams of five members each.

IYRC is an annual event organized by the International Youth Robot Association (IYRA) that brings together youth from around the world to compete in robotics, programming, and digital technologies. In the past, the competition has been held in countries such as Korea, Thailand, China, and Malaysia.

Last year, STEM Guyana sent 16 teams to participate in the IYRC, this year; over 100 teams have expressed interest in entering the competition.

Diana Gittens

Elsie Harry

Cost of living would have been worse without Govt’s intervention – GAWU

…hails steps Govt took in 2022 to

Much has been said about the rise in cost of living in Guyana last year and what the Government should have done. According to the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), however, the steps the Government did take went a far way in preventing a cost-of-living crisis.

In its end-of-year message, GAWU noted that the cost of living consumed the attention of many workers. It acknowledged the Government’s efforts last year to bring down the cost of living. These efforts have included slashing the price of fuel and spending over $1 billion to purchase fertilisers which it then distributed to farmers.

“We recognise the efforts of the Government to mitigate the price rises through several initiatives. Indeed, these are welcomed and we believe without the proactive approach of the Administration, the bad situation could have indeed been worse,” GAWU said.

“While pleased by such developments, we recognise too that it appears savings realised through Government initiatives were not being passed on to the consumer. It is unfortunate that there may be some who rather than seeking to share the relief offered by public policies were seeking to profiteer.”

According to GAWU, such behaviour is yet an-

other form of exploitation perpetuated against the people, especially the workers it represents.

Condemning such behaviour, GAWU expressed the belief that a re-evaluation of policies may be necessary in order to provide greater support to the people directly. This is necessary support, since the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food is reported to have nearly doubled.

“The Bureau of Statistics recorded that the Consumer Price Index increased by 6.5 per cent for the year up to October 2022. Notably, the Food CPI was nearly double at 12.3 per cent over the same period. Some may express doubt over the figures given the situation in the markets, supermarkets, and shops.

“It is acknowledged, however, that prices grew greater than the usual during (2022). We are mindful that to a large extent, the price increases have their origins in occurrences taking place far

mitigate inflation

billion in fertilisers for free distribution to farmers.

The third measure announced by the Government was the setting-up of a special unit to help landowners of both private and Governmentowned lots build their houses.

ued at $7 million, $9 million, or $12 million, for the Government to help them build.

beyond our borders and of which we are an unwitting victim,” GAWU explained.

Back in May 2022, President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced a series of ground-breaking measures, ranging from cash grants to households in hinterland and riverine communities to the provision of free fertiliser for farmers, which are aimed at improving the lives of citizens.

The first initiative he had announced was the distribution of a one-off $25,000 cash grant to every household in the riverine and hinterland communities of the country. This measure would result in $800 million being pumped into the economy and would cushion the impacts of the rising cost of living, Ali said.

He had also announced fertiliser support to farmers in order to cushion the impact of the rising cost of fertiliser on farmers and to limit the trickle-down effect on food prices, by the Government purchasing $1

President Ali had said the unit would support applicants with the process of applying to banks for financing and with the initial phase of construction by releasing the necessary resources. Persons would also have the option of choosing house models val-

Since taking office in 2020, the Ali-led Administration has introduced several measures to put more disposable income in the pockets of Guyanese. From the onset, VAT was removed from water and electricity.

There has also been an increase in old-age pension and public assistance, putting $2.3 billion and $432 million, respectively, into the pockets of Guyanese. (G3)

Doctor injured in accident outside RDC compound

Adoctor was on Monday evening injured in an accident which occurred in front of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region Number Five Compound, Fort Wellington, West

Coast Berbice (WCB).

Injured is Dr Michelle Paul. According to the RDC Region No. Five social media page, Dr Paul is attached to the Fort Wellington Hospital. The doctor was picked up in

an unconscious state and was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital, but was later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital for further medical treatment.

GAWU President Seepaul Narine

Free UG education closer to realisation – VP

(GOAL).

The 20,000 online scholarships programme is also the fulfilment of a pledge made to provide opportunities for educational development nationwide. Within the first year of its launch over 8000 citizens applied for the free online programme.

The Vice President said the Administration had intended to make 20,000 of the online scholarships available. However, the accommodation mark was revised owing to the over-

construction, and information security sectors .

GOAL is set to offer 187 programmes that can be accessed from 15 reputable academic institutions across the world, including in India, Africa, the United Kingdom and Germany. The programmes, which are being financed by the Government, range from certificate to PhD level.

The sum of $1.3 billion

was approved for GOAL in Budget 2022.

Meanwhile, Jagdeo highlighted a number of major projects for the Diamond community, including a new 60,000 square foot hospital outfitted with a stateof-the-art CT scan and other amenities.

That project, he stated, will commence next year and is expected to be completed within two years.

The move to establish such a high-class health facility in the area is part of the Government’s overarching strategy to modernise the health sector, ensuring that it matches international standards. Jagdeo also spoke about several infrastructural projects along the East Bank corridor that would be implemented to ease travelling time and traffic congestion.

Vice President

Bharrat Jagdeo has made it clear that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration will ensure education is free at the University of Guyana (UG) before the Administration’s first term in office ends.

The Vice President said the move to remove fees at the nation’s tertiary institution was in keeping with the Government’s manifesto promise.

Jagdeo was at the time addressing a large gathering at the launch of Government’s parttime jobs initiative at the Diamond Secondary School on Friday.

“We promised free education in our manifesto, free university education in the five years. So…before the end of the five years,

UG will become free,” the VP is quoted as saying by the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The Government has already distributed some 14,000 online scholarships through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning

whelming interest shown by citizens.

The Government through GOAL, partnered with new institutions to meet the challenges and demands of various sectors in Guyana, including the oil and gas, engineering and

Financing agreement finalised for progression of new Demerara River crossing

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill announced that the financing agreement for the progression of the new Demerara River crossing was finalised.

The Minister made the announcement on the sidelines of a small staff gathering on Friday at the Harbour Bridge.

“In the wee hours this morning (Friday) we concluded the financing agree-

ment, so very soon Guyanese will see work moving apace. You will be seeing this happening: modernisation taking place and all the rest of it. We got to continue to bring development and progress to Guyana,” he is quoted as saying by the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The Public Works Ministry on May 25, 2022 signed a $52 billion (US$260 million) contract for the construction of the long-awaited

new Demerara River bridge.

The move falls under the Government’s plans to expand and modernise Guyana’s transport infrastructure and significantly reduce the incessant traffic woes on the East Bank of Demerara.

The project, which has been long in the making by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, was awarded to China Railway Construction Corporation Limited. Work is expected to commence immediately and be completed within two years.

The hybrid-design bridge will feature a modern fourlane structure (two carriageways), a cycle lane, and be 2.65 kilometres long, with a driving surface of about 23.6 metres or 77.8 feet, with a lifespan of some 100 years.

The new crossing will replace the current bridge, which has already outlived its lifespan by some 40-plus years. With its mechanical and other issues, the current structure costs hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs each year.

The new bridge will provide better connectivity to the East Bank Demerara (EBD) road, the Diamondto-Ogle bypass road on the eastern side of the river, as well as the West Bank Demerara (WBD) roads, including the Parika-toSchoonord road on the western side of the river.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

An artist's impression of the new Demerara River Bridge

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill

Dr. Tariq Jagnarine Family meDicine, enDocrinology/DiabeTes

We are in the year 2023 for just a few days now; and just like that, it’s that time of the year again, when we make (and this time hopefully keep) some New Year’s resolutions, especially related to health.

Persons may have “the usual suspects” in mind, including a vow to lose weight, eat healthily, sleep more, and exercise every day; all from January 1st, 2023. Right?

This time, what if, instead of using the very heavy term “new year’s resolution”, we could start small, with "healthy habits" that are easier to keep up with?

Let’s look at some tips that can help us to bring a shift in our lives, and improve our overall health and well-being in 2023.

1. MAKE YOUR WELLBEING A PRIORITY

Think of health first, and not as the last thing - only when something goes wrong. Remember, good health is our most valuable asset for

a meaningful and complete life.

Work, relationships, finances, future, and quality of life depend on how healthy we are. So, our health should always be a priority.

Some ways to take care of one’s physical health include watching what one eats, bringing movement into one’s life, getting enough sleep, and making time for regular health checkups.

For a healthy life, focus on mental health too. Spend time with family and friends, deal with stress in healthy ways; and do not shy away from seeking professional help if it gets overwhelming.

2. BUILD A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

Think of food positively. Food provides nourishment and sustenance. Our body needs food to be able to develop, grow, move, play, and work.

This new year, instead of labelling foods as good or bad, replace processed foods with whole, natural foods whenever possible, and eat a wide variety of foods in moderation. Remember, healthy eating is not an overnight change; it should be a way of life.

Make small, sustainable changes to your diet, such as adding a salad to one meal in a day. Speak to a dietitian or nutritionist, who can help to make informed food choices as per one’s bodily needs.

3. MOVE MORE EVERYDAY

Instead of a resolution about losing weight, make a habit of incorporating more movement and physical activity in your daily routine.

HEALTH TIPS

Start with 10 minutes a day, and move up to 30 when comfortable. It can be any activity that is enjoyable. Take walks, dance, go for a swim, or join a Zumba or yoga class. Focus on the activity and the feeling it creates.

By making time for a joyful physical activity every day, people would soon be able to see its effects on their physical and mental health. Any weight loss that happens is only a bonus!

4. TRY BREAKING WITH AN UNHEALTHY HABIT

Almost everyone has a habit they are trying to kick, however unsuccessfully they are trying to do that.

Be it endless scrolling on the phone, burning up countless cigarettes, loading up on sugary treats, or whatever.

Start with taking tiny steps away from the habit.

Make an hour before bedtime screen-free, cut back on the number of cigarettes smoked every day, or choose

fruit as the after-meal sweet fix.

Identifying the triggers that lead to the unhealthy habit can help to devise a plan to avoid the habit. Try to kick the habit every day, even if some days are missed. With persistence and patience, the new healthy habit will be as easy a part of your routine as the old one.

5. BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS

This may seem like the easiest one on the list, but it is not. How many years’ ends have we sat wondering about tasks left unaccom-

plished, goals unmet, or simply for just not doing or being enough?

Pause, take a deep breath, and provide reassurance that it is okay to fail, and learn from your experiences. Physical and mental health is an ongoing journey. It is best to start fresh every day. Start again tomorrow with a healthy meal, some movement, and some “me” time.

Remember to be kind to others on their health journey, as well. Everyone has their struggles and stories that others know nothing about.

6. CONNECT WITH OTHERS

More than 90% of people with high vitality report making time for relationships

7. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR YOUR ANNUAL CHECKUP

People with higher vitality routinely check their health to track how they are doing. And more than 90% report having a primary healthcare provider.

8. IDENTIFY ONE HELPFUL RESOURCE

Sometimes we need help from others to boost our vitality – and many resources are available through websites, community groups, etc.

9. GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY

Altruism is a powerful tool for self-growth, and research has shown that acts of kindness or service can improve your health and well-being

Note: You do not have to be a “New You” in the New Year. The same old you can choose whole foods, movement, health, and kindness to make 2023 a great year!

Regional Brazil markets tumble on Lula's

1st full day in

Brazilian markets delivered a withering verdict on leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's first full day in office on Monday, after he pledged to prioritise social issues and ordered a budget-busting extension to a fuel tax exemption.

Lula's decision to extend the fuel tax exemption, which will deprive the Treasury of 52.9 billion reais (US$9.9 billion) a year in fiscal income, was a stinging rebuke of his Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, a Workers Party (PT) loyalist who had said it would not be extended.

Haddad, who is seeking to dispel market fears that he might not maintain fiscal dis-

cipline, took office on Monday, pledging to control spending. "We are not here for adventures," he said.

Markets seemed unconvinced.

The real currency lost 1.5 per cent in value against the dollar in afternoon trading, while the benchmark São Paulo stock market index ended 3.06 per cent down.

Shares of State-run oil company Petrobras retreated nearly 6.45 per cent.

In speeches delivered at his inauguration in Brasilia on Sunday, Lula promised that tackling hunger and poverty would be "the hallmark" of his third presidency after two previous stints running

office

the country from 2003 to 2010.

Financial analysts said the start of Lula's third presidency was in line with his campaign promises, and looked similar to earlier PT policies that led to a deep recession.

Lula narrowly defeated far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in October, swinging South America's largest nation back on a left-wing track.

On Monday, Lula instructed Ministers to revoke steps to privatise state companies taken by the previous Administration, including studies to sell Petrobras, the Post Office, and State broadcasting company EBC. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Commonwealth C'bean urged to speak out against British press attacks on Duchess of Sussex

Respected BritishJamaican writer and poet Dr Velma McClymont is calling on members of the Commonwealth Caribbean to defend Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle against outright racist attacks being meted out to her in some sections of the British media.

McClymont, in a strongly-worded article obtained by the Jamaica Observer, said members of the Caribbean Community in Britain are "traumatised" by recent vile comments made in the British press about Markle, but bemoan being powerless to tackle the issue, and therefore need the support of their counterparts in the region to raise their voices in

support of this woman of African descent.

It is felt that Markle is treated harshly especially by the British tabloid press primarily because of her ethnic background. Ever since her relationship with the Duke of Sussex Prince Harry became public – from their courtship to marriage and throughout their stay in the royal family — Markle, the first known mixed-race member of the modern British royal family, has been vilified by sections of the British media, subjecting her to numerous unsavoury articles rife with racial undertones.

The latest attack came from British broadcaster and journalist Jeremy Clarkson who wrote in a column in December that

he hated Meghan Markle "on a cellular level".

In the article, Clarkson said he was "dreaming of the day when she [Markle] is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, 'Shame!' and throw lumps of excrement at her," eerily reflective of a scene featuring Queen Cersei from the popular Game of Thrones series.

It has since been removed from The Sun's website and the newspaper has issued an apology for publishing the piece. There was also public outcry, including from British Members of Parliament and Clarkson's own daughter, following the publication. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Former calypso monarch drowns in Dominica

The calypso community in Dominica is mourning the death of four-time calypso monarch Melvin “Solo” Constant ,who died on Sunday by drowning.

Police said that the 75-year-old, who resided in the United States, was on vacation, when he got into distress, while swimming in an area known as Tibay in

Portsmouth.

The authorities said that efforts were made to resuscitate the singer, who was in the company of his family at the time of the incident, but that proved futile. He was subsequently transported to the Reginald Fitzgerald Armour Hospital in Portsmouth where he was officially pronounced dead.

Solo was well known

for his calypsos including “Mass in the Cemetery”. He first won the monarch title in 1973 and regained the title in 1975, 1976 and 1977, after failing to repeat in 1974.

Although he was based in the US, he continued to be active in the music industry performing in competitions abroad. (Excerpt from CMC)

Bolivian farm region blocks borders, grain transport as protests lead to clashes

Protesters in Bolivia's farming region of Santa Cruz are blocking highways out of the province, threatening to snarl the domestic transport of grains and food, as anger simmers following the arrest of local governor Luis Camacho.

The region, a stronghold of the conservative Opposition to socialist President Luis Arce, is in its sixth day of protests that have seen thousands of people take to the streets and nights of clashes with weaponised fireworks and cars burning.

On Tuesday hundreds of women marched to the city Police headquarters in support of Camacho, demanding his release.

On the nearby streets were burnt-out vehicles, smouldering fires and blockades from the overnight clashes.

The protests, sparked by the December 28 arrest of Camacho over an alleged coup in 2019, are deepening divides between lowland Santa Cruz and the highland, more Indigenous political capital La Paz, which have long butted heads over politics and State funds.

Camacho was seized by special police forces, taken out of the province by helicopter and is now in a maximum security jail in the highland city El Alto. He denies all charges that relate to the divisive removal of former socialist leader Evo Morales in 2019.

Santa Cruz leaders pledge to fight until Camacho is released, picketing Government buildings and stopping transport of grains. There are also calls for a federal system giving the city more autonomy and State funds. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Jamaican Government sends US agencies list of people supporting crime

The Andrew Holnessled Administration has provided law enforcement agencies in the United States with a list of names of people overseas who are supporting criminal activities there.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the disclosure as he spoke during a recent press briefing.

“I think it is important for criminals to understand that Jamaica does have very strong respected political and diplomatic links, and we have legal treaties and frameworks in which we can interdict and prosecute them in foreign jurisdiction.”

“We provided the agencies and entities with a list of names that we have been tracking here, which we have certain intelligence on, and the entities are doing their work… . I don’t want to say much, but you will see the results of our efforts very shortly,” he said.

Holness, along with Commissioner of Police

Major General Antony Anderson, recently met with senior officials of the United States Justice Department, which hosted a high-level meeting of law-enforcement and security agencies to discuss the growing threat of transnational criminal gangs, organised criminal violence, and the trafficking of illegal guns into Jamaica.

“The Commissioner said it very well in our meeting with the Justice Department, the FBI and

several other law enforcement agencies that were there… that we must show the criminals that their criminal links are not stronger than our government and diplomatic links,” Holness said.

A press release from the Office of the Prime Minister stated that the meeting reviewed existing programmes and partnerships, identified gaps to be closed and explored new opportunities to advance collaboration. (Excerpt from CMC)

Mexico elects 1st female Supreme Court President

Mexico's Supreme Court on Monday elected its first female President, who has pushed back against the Government's nationalist energy agenda, amid a succession process clouded by allegations of plagiarism against another Justice competing for the job.

By a 6-5 majority vote, the Justices chose Norma Pina to head Mexico's highest court, putting in place a member appointed to the tribunal under the previous administration.

Pina has defended Mexico's transition to renewable energy, setting her against parts of a conten -

tious electricity law championed by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that favours the country's State-run, fossil-fuel dependent energy firms.

She takes over from Arturo Zaldivar amid a charged debate about who should lead the court fuelled by a December media report alleging that another contender for the top job, Justice Yasmin Esquivel, had plagiarised her undergraduate thesis.

Esquivel vehemently denied the accusation, which triggered an investigation by her alma mater, the National Autonomous University of Mexico

(UNAM).

Lopez Obrador, who nominated Esquivel to sit on the 11-member court in 2019, had blasted the plagiarism report by media outlet Latinus as an attempt to discredit the Government and what he calls his transformation of Mexico.

The President has pressured the court to back his policies, in particular his drive to give control of the energy sector to national power utility Comision Nacional de Electricidad (CFE) and State oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex).

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, his wife Rosangela "Janja" da Silva and Chief Raoni walk along the ramp of the Planalto Palace after Lula's swearing-in ceremony, in Brasilia, Brazil, January 1, 2023 (Reuters/Ricardo Moraes)

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness

Reuters poll highlights lower oil prices amid recession fears

Oil prices will only gain slightly in 2023 thanks to a worsening global economic outlook as well as the latest COVID-19 outbreak in China, which will take a hit on oil demand.

A survey of 30 economists and analysts have predicted for Reuters that Brent crude will average US$89.37 a barrel in 2023, just four per cent higher than the current price of US$85.91 per barrel and -4.6 per cent lower than the US$93.65 consensus in a November survey.

Brent averaged US$99 per barrel in 2022. Meanwhile, the experts have predicted that US crude will average US$84.84 per barrel in 2023, lower than the previous month's US$87.80 consensus.

"We expect the world to slip into recession in early 2023 as the effects of high inflation and rising interest rates are felt," Bradley Saunders, assistant economist at Capital Economics, has told Reuters.

Another oil bear, Credit Suisse, says the selloff is not yet over.

“The market remains well below its 55-Day Moving Average and 200DMA at 89.01 and 100.67, and with mediumterm momentum declining and global growth concerns looming, we think further weakness is likely to follow. Brent is likely in due course to see further downside towards the 61.8 per cent retracement at 63.02, where we would have higher confidence of a more stable floor and for a consolidation phase to emerge.”

The Reuters poll contradicts a string of bullish analysis on oil in the past couple of weeks, including a US$90/barrel prediction from Bank of America and a US$100/barrel prediction from Ninepoint Partners LP.

Oil markets have gone back and forth with recession fears. While inflationary pressures seem to have eased, leading to optimism for lower rate hikes by the Fed in the future, concerns linger that rates could remain high for the first half of this year. (Oilprice.com)

Republican McCarthy struggles for support ahead of Speaker vote

Republican Kevin McCarthy is struggling to secure enough support to ensure he wins a vote to become the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Californian congressman must win a majority vote in the House today to get the role.

But a group of Republicans are refusing to back him, despite him making a number of last-minute concessions.

McCarthy cannot afford to lose more than a handful of votes from his party if he is to win the vote.

The role of Speaker of the House is one of the most important jobs in US politics.

They control the legislative agenda and timetable in the House, as well as who sits on various committees.

Failure to win the speakership on the first attempt could, therefore, weak-

en both McCarthy and the Republicans' credibility, hampering House Republicans' plans of acting quickly to investigate the Biden Administration as well as President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden.

In November's mid-term elections, the Republican Party narrowly secured control of the House of Representatives (the lower chamber of the US Congress) from the Democrats, winning 222 of the 435 seats.

Following the result, the Republican Party's leader, McCarthy, ran to be the party's candidate for the new Speaker, and won with 188 votes.

Since then, he has been working to gain the support of Republicans ahead of the opening of the new Congress. Thirty-five new US Senators will also be sworn into the Senate.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Around the World

Russia plans to “exhaust” Ukraine with prolonged attacks – Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is planning a protracted campaign of drone attacks in a bid to demoralise Ukraine.

Zelensky said he had received intelligence reports suggesting that Moscow would launch the attacks using Iran-made Shahed drones.

It comes after Ukraine carried out a strike that it said killed hundreds of Russian troops in the Donbas region.

In a rare admission of battlefield losses, Russia said the attack killed 63 of its troops.

Speaking from Kyiv in his nightly address, Zelensky said Russia

planned to "exhaust" Ukraine with a prolonged wave of drone attacks.

"We must ensure –and we will do everything for this – that this goal of terrorists fails like all the others," he said. "Now is the time when everyone involved in the protection of

the sky should be especially attentive."

Russian drone strikes on Ukraine appear to have increased in recent days, with Moscow launching attacks on cities and power stations across the country over the past three nights.

Zelensky said

Ukrainian air defences had already shot down over 80 Iran-made drones in the opening days of 2023.

Russia has been targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure for several months, destroying power stations and plunging millions into darkness during the country's freezing winter.

Elsewhere, Ukraine has confirmed it carried out a strike in the occupied region of Donetsk, which it earlier claimed killed 400 Russian troops.

Russian officials contested the figure, saying only 63 troops were killed. Neither claim has been verified, and access to the site is restricted. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White dies aged 67 Australia helicopter collision: 4 dead in mid-air incident over Gold Coast

Fred

has died aged 67.

A child drumming prodigy, Chicago-born White was one of the early members to join the group founded by his other brother Maurice.

Bassist Verdine White said his "amazing and talented" brother was now "drumming with the angels".

Among the tributes to White, singer Lenny Kravitz called him a "true king" and said he was "blessed" to have been influenced by him.

White began drumming at nine years old, and featured on his first gold record, Donny Hathaway's “Live”, at just 16.

In 1974, he joined Earth Wind & Fire, the band founded by brother Maurice and known for hit songs including “September” and “Boogie Wonderland”.

A year later, the group

shot to fame with its triple platinum album “That's the Way of the World”.

It became one of the best-selling bands of all time, with over 90 million records sold worldwide.

Over the years the group won six Grammys and four American Music Awards, as well as entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, and gained a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The death was announced on Instagram by Verdine White, who did not give a cause.

"Our family is saddened today with the loss of an amazing and talented family member, our beloved brother Frederick Eugene "Freddie" White," he wrote.

As well as his drumming success, White was a wonderful brother who was "always entertaining and delightfully mischievous" he added. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Four people have died after a mid-air collision between two helicopters near Sea World on Australia's Gold Coast.

Queensland Police say initial investigations suggest the crash happened as one aircraft was taking off and the other was landing.

Those who died were travelling in the same helicopter. Three other passengers are in a critical condition.

Two United Kingdom citizens were among those killed in the crash, a foreign office spokesperson told the BBC.

They added that officials were supporting the families of the two victims – who have not been named – and would remain "in contact with the local authorities".

Five of the six people on

the other aircraft, which made an emergency landing, suffered minor injuries.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the country had been left shocked by the "terrible and tragic incident".

"My thoughts are with all those affected, including first responders, and my deepest sympathies are with those who are grieving," he said.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is investigating the collision, which happened about 14:00 local time (04:00 GMT).

The two aircraft came down near a tourist strip known as Main Beach, about 75 kilometres (47 miles) south of Brisbane.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

White, former drummer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire,

Images from the site show debris strewn around the area and a mangled helicopter apparently lying upside down opposite the Sea World resort

Former Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White

DAILY HOROSCOPES

By participating in something, you'll make a valuable connection. Put more effort into presenting who you are, what you can do and what you expect. Take control instead of being controlled.

(March 21-April 19)

(April 20-May 20)

Take a moment to clarify what you want and the approach you plan to take to reach your objective. Verify information and make the necessary changes as you progress. Make things happen.

A tight schedule will help you avoid trouble while accomplishing your goal. Listen attentively, or you'll misinterpret something crucial. Hard work will pay off. Get moving!

(May 21-June 20)

(June 21-July 22)

Simplify how you do things and free up enough time to relax with someone you want to get to know better. Sharing ideas will change your plans and the outcome of a work-related situation.

Check in with people who share your likes and dislikes. The conversations you have will encourage you to participate in something that promotes networking. An energetic approach will pay off.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Don't get angry; get moving. Look at your options and do something that sparks your interest or that can change your outlook. Flaunt what you have to offer, and you'll attract interest.

Refuse to lose sight of your objective. Don't bend the rules to suit someone else's needs. Work on maintaining good health and protect yourself from being taken for granted.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Consider what will make the most significant difference in your life. Refuse to let others limit what you can accomplish. Speak up and present the changes you plan to make.

Your enthusiasm will encourage others to accommodate you. Paint a vivid picture, and doors will open. Selfimprovement will boost your chance to make a statement and seal a deal.

Pay attention to detail and make personal changes that add to your convenience and ease stress. Plan a trip or sign up for an event that helps you expand your horizons and improve your life.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Dress up, implement plans with someone you enjoy spending time with and ask questions that will clear up any misunderstanding or uncertainty you face. Do something nice for a loved one.

Self-improvement projects will pay off. Someone will scrutinize how you take care of yourself. Do what you can, but don't let what others say deter you from following your heart. Romance is favored.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

ARCHIE PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

DILBERT

Brazil legend Pele lying in state in the Santos stadium

Thousands of mourners have gathered to pay their respects to Brazil legend Pele, who is lying in state at the ground of his former club, Santos.

Pele's coffin was placed in the centre of the pitch at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Sao Paulo, with fans lining the streets to get inside the ground. The three-time World Cup winner died at the age of 82 on 29 December.

There will be a procession through the streets of Santos to a private family burial on Tuesday.

"We're going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele," said Fifa President Gianni Infantino, who attended the memorial.

The Brazilian Government has declared

three days of national mourning after Pele's death. Pele, arguably the world's greatest player ever, had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer since 2021.

Thousands of fans gathered on the streets as the hearse arrived at the stadium on Monday morning, with some queuing overnight to see the coffin.

Former Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto and Pele's son Edinho helped carry his coffin, while floral wreaths were sent by Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Real Madrid.

"We are talking about a global icon, so this is going to be a huge global occasion," South American football journalist Tim Vickery told BBC 5 Live.

India’s Rishabh Pant out of ICU

– but extent of leg injuries unclear

ist

be an "intense" day. "It is the people of the streets, the public, who are making this

day so

he

Venus Williams starts 30th year on WTA Tour with win

Rishabh Pant is out of the ICU, but the extent of injuries on his knee, toe and ankle is not yet known, as he is still not in shape to go through MRI scans.

Pant was on his way from Delhi to see his mother in Roorkee, in Uttarakhand, when his car crashed into a road divider on December 30. He miraculously escaped without life-threatening injuries, but the car went up in flames.

After immediate emergency care in Roorkee, Pant was moved to Max Hospital in Dehradun, where he currently awaits discharge in a private ward. The BCCI has formed a panel of its own doctors, and they are in touch with the doctors at

the Dehradun hospital; the line of treatment is being determined by both panels in unison.

Preliminary scans were done on December 30 to eliminate brain and spine injuries, but the scans on the knee and foot were held back because of the pain and swelling.

Plastic surgery was also performed to treat lacerative and abrasive wounds and facial injuries he sustained. However, the pending MRI has not yet been performed.

The BCCI is hoping that Pant gets discharged and is fit to travel in the coming two to three days, so that its panel of doctors could start determining the extent of the two suspected ligament

tears as early as possible. It is not yet known if the injuries would require surgery, or just rehab.

It is too early to think of a timeframe in which he could return to athletic activity first, and then top-flight cricket later. He hasn't yet started walking.

Pant 'would have made a big difference' against Sri Lanka, says Hardik Pandya

"What happened is very unfortunate, no one has control over it. As a team, we wish him all the best. Our love and prayers are always with him," said Hardik Pandya, India's captain for the T20I series against Sri Lanka, which starts on Tuesday (today), January 3.

Pandya told reporters, "Wish him a speedy recovery. Obviously, he was a very important part of the team. Now everyone knows the situation, and lots of other people can get opportunities.

"Yes, Pant, if he was also there, he would have made a big difference because of the player he is. But now he is not there, so we can't control it. We will see what the future holds for us."

India's three big assignments in 2023 are the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Tests against Australia) in India in FebruaryMarch, a possible World Test Championship final in England in their summer, and the ODI World Cup in India's early winter. Pant's chances of making it to the first of these are slim, although it can't quite be ruled out. The other big event for Pant will be the IPL, where he captains Delhi Capitals.

(ESPNCricinfo)

The 42-year-old Williams beat Volynets, who is half her age, 7-6 (7-4) 6-2, and will play China's Lin Zhu next.

Williams, a former world number one, who made her Tour debut in October 1994, entered four tournaments as a wildcard in 2021, the only year since 1994 in which she did not win a singles match.

Her victory over Volynets - who turned 21 on New Year's Evewas interrupted by rain during the first-set tiebreak, which her opponent was leading. But Volynets faded as the match stretched into the

evening, and Williams wrapped up her first singles win since Wimbledon in 2021.

"It's hard when you're all fired up and just suddenly you have to stop," said Williams, who is now ranked 1,003 in the world. "I was so mad on the rain break. My coach could barely talk to me, so I'm going to try to improve my attitude."

Williams has been awarded a wildcard to compete in the Australian Open 25 years after first playing at the tournament.

A seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, Williams has never won the singles title in Melbourne, losing to now-retired younger sister Serena in the 2003 and 2017 finals.

The Australian Open starts on 16 January.

(BBC Sport)

"Pele is a source of huge pride for Brazil. He is not from Santos, but it is a city that he made his home, and he is theirs; but he also belongs to the world."

Brazilian journal-

Ricardo Seyton, who worked closely with Pele during his career, said it was going to

beautiful,"

told BBC 5 Live. "It is amazing to see people in football shirts from all around the world. That is the legend of Pele." (BBC Sport)

Hundreds of fireworks were set off on Monday as the body of Pele arrived at the Santos stadium

Pele's body will lie in state at the Santos stadium for 24 hours, for the public to pay their respects

Photo: Venus Caption: Venus Williams’ win was her first in singles since Wimbledon in 2021

Venus Williams started her 30th year on the WTA Tour with a victory over fellow American Katie Volynets at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.

Venus Williams's win was her first in singles since Wimbledon in 2021

Indian batsman Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant's car was severely damaged in a crash

Keron Sandiford dominates U20 Year-end Rapid Chess Championship

Nineteen-year-old Keron Sandiford ended 2022 on a high note when he secured the top prize in the Under-20 End-of-Year Rapid Chess Championship sponsored by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF). Notably, Sandiford has long excelled in the fastpaced format of the game;

– Ricardo Narine, Ethan Lee, Pooja Lam

he even finished as the top Guyanese player at the FIDE Online Rapid World Cup in 2020. He ended the recent U20 Rapid Championship on 8.5 points after nine rounds, with his only draw resulting from his clash with Oluwadare Oyeyipo.

In second place in that U20 Rapid Championship

Early T20 World Cup exit was “a tough pill to swallow”

– says West Indies batsman Evin Lewis

one who is playing cricket like him at the moment. It's difficult to pick when you're batting [against] him, but I try my best to pick his mind at times; probably try to analyse which ball he's going to bowl when. These guys [Rashid and Dananjaya] are professionals, and they go about their games very seriously, and I respect them for that."

ILT20 “can open the way” for UAE players, says Lewis

secure prizes

Evin Lewis has called West Indies' first-round exit from the T20 World Cup in 2022 "a tough pill to swallow", but says he has moved on, and is ready for the inaugural ILT20, where he will represent Sharjah Warriors.

During that T20 World Cup, Lewis had sustained a hamstring injury which sidelined him from the Super50, West Indies' premier domestic oneday competition, but he says he is good to go now.

"Yeah, it [the T20 World Cup] was a tough pill to swallow, to be honest," Lewis told ESPNcricinfo. "I had the help of my family, which was the most important thing. When I came home, I tried not to dwell on it too much. These things can actually hurt you a lot if you go too deep into it. So, I had to give that responsibility to my family, and the support that they've

"I'm looking forward to batting with him [Gurbaz]," Lewis has said. "He's actually a great guy, and as everyone knows, he's a very aggressive batsman and probably someone who can take a bit of pressure off you [while] opening the batting. So, I'm looking forward to opening with him.

"I see a bit of myself in him, as he's a guy who looks to get on with the game, and tries to score as fast as possible in the powerplay to give the team a good start. So, I think that's something teams look forward to as an opening batsman."

Lewis has played just 12 T20s in the UAE, and has returned 260 runs at a strike

In a T20 World Cup warmup game last year at Junction Oval in Melbourne, UAE made West Indies sweat for victory. Fast bowler Zahoor Khan, who picked up two wickets in that game, turned out for Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League last December. Legspinner Karthik Meiyappan, who bagged a hattrick in the T20 World Cup proper, will now be Lewis's team-mate at Warriors. Lewis reckons that impactful performances in the ILT20 would open up more opportunities for UAE's local players in franchise cricket.

"It would be great for cricket for these guys (to) play in a huge tournament like this," Lewis has said. "People all around the world will see what these guys can do, and (it) probably can open the way for them in terms of different franchises. So, I think they should use this competition as a stepping stone more or less, and just go out there and perform."

Earlier, Lewis was vulnerable to the incoming delivery, with his head often falling over, but he has recently tweaked his stance, which could serve him well on his return to the Emirates.

is reigning National Junior Champion Ricardo Narine, who ended the tournament on 7 points. Narine lost to U14 and U16 Rapid Chess Champion Kyle Couchman, and to eventual winner Keron Sandiford.

Ethan Lee finished in third place on 7 points, just a half-point ahead of Couchman, who came in fourth place in the tournament. Lee was ranked in third place due to a roundthree loss against Narine, resulting in a tie-break by direct encounter. His only other loss came in round four against Sandiford.

Taking home the prize for “best female” was the 2022 National Women’s

Champion, 14-year-old Pooja Lam, who also finished in fifth place overall among 24 participants in the event. She ended the tournament on five points; losing only to Kishan Puran, Ricardo Narine, Ethan Lee and Keron Sandiford.

Also on five points were Emmanuel Primus, Nicholas Zhang, 2022 U12 Champion Alexander Zhang, Kishan Puran, Rolex Alexander, Italy Ton-Chung and Micaiah Enoe.

Winners received cash prizes of $30,000, $20,000 and $10,000 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places respectively, and the “best female” received $10,000. FM Anthony Drayton was tournament

organizer and chief arbiter for the tournament.

Drayton recently took up the post of head of the Youth Committee within the federation.

The next one-day Rapid Tournament was played on January 2nd, 2023, and was open to players of all ages. Players again competed in nine rounds under a time-control of 10 minutes per player with a one-second increment after each move.

The top player in the event received $50,000 cash. Second prize was worth $30,000 cash, while third prize was worth $20,000. The “best female” in the tournament was awarded $20,000.

Reggae Girlz to contest FFA Cup of Nations in Australia in February

been giving me since I reached home…I'm very thankful for that,” Lewis has said.

"I think I'm in a good space now, both fitness-wise and mentally. I'm happy with the way I'm going about my cricket at the moment. I think Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah - all these are pretty good wickets for batsmen. I think, as batsmen, we have to make the best use of it," he has said

Lewis: “I see a bit of myself in Gurbaz”

Lewis is particularly excited at the prospect of combining with Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top of the order for Warriors. Having watched him from close quarters at the

rate of 142.07, but he believes that his most recent T10 stint with Bangla Tigers in Abu Dhabi and the experience of having faced unorthodox spinners like Rashid Khan and Akila Dananjaya at the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots’ nets in CPL 2022 will hold him in good stead.

"I haven't played much T20 cricket in UAE, but I think the T10 has actually helped me a lot [to get used to conditions] and how to go about my innings," he said. "You don't have much time in T10, like in T20, but you always need to get a good start for the team, which is important.

"Rashid is someone different when it comes to bowling legspin. I don't think there's any-

"Yeah, I've worked on that," he said. "Sometimes we, as batsmen, tend to focus more on strengths than weaknesses; and it's something we have to learn to do. I made a slight change in my batting stance, and (am) not trying to shuffle as much. I try to stay as still as possible, and I think that has been going quite well for me thus far,” he explained.

"I haven't worked specifically with anyone on this. I just have a couple of friends - supportive friends who will go with me when I want to hit balls. Throw balls at me, use bowling machines - these guys have been very supportive in this aspect."

Warriors will open their ILT20 campaign against MI Emirates in Abu Dhabi on January 14. (ESPNCricinfo)

Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz have been confirmed as participants in the 2023 FFA Cup of Nations, to be played in Australia from February 13-25.

Ranked 44th, the Girlz will battle Spain, Czech Republic and the hosts in the four-team tournament.

The teams will play a round-robin tournament in which the winner would be determined by who finishes with the most points after their three games.

The event was last held in 2019, when Australia came out on top, ahead of

South Korea, New Zealand and Argentina.

The FFA Cup of Nations is an invitational women's soccer tournament held early in the year in Australia. In the first edition (in 2019), it was contested by Australia, Argentina, South Korea, and New Zealand.[1]

The Jamaica Football Federation has confirmed the attendance of Jamaica in the 2023 edition, alongside hosts Australia, Spain, and a yet to be announced South American nation. Australia are reigning champions of the

tournament, which was last held in 2019.

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CPL - Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Gurbaz played for Guyana Amazon Warriors last season – Lewis has said that he saw shades of his own attacking style in Gurbaz.

Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz

Junior Rapid Champion, Keron Sandiford

(L-R) Ethan Lee, Keron Sandiford, Arbiter Anthony Drayton, Ricardo Narine and Pooja Lam

Evin Lewis and Rashid Khan were team-mates at St Kitts & Nevis Patriots last season

Resilient Region 4 clinch President’s Cup title in thrilling final fuelled by Ferrol

Story and PhotoS by Jemima holmeS

With $2M on the line, all it took was a red card, a free kick, and the restoration of confidence for the Region 4 team, under sponsorship of the New GPC Inc and Ferrol Compound, to come from behind and upset the Region 3 team, under sponsorship of Caribbean Airlines, in the ultimate match of the “One Guyana” President’s Cup on New Year’s Day.

And that upset of the Region Three took place on their home turf on the West Side, reputed to be “The Best Side”.

For a while, it appeared as though the star-studded New GPC Inc/Ferrol Compound Region 4 Team would suffer an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Caribbean Airlines’ Region 3 Team, who were buoyed by a boisterous and energetic crowd at the National Track and Field Center (NTFC) at Leonora, on the West Side.

Lovell handed his team the lead pretty early, in the 13th minute, his well-placed strike across the face of the goal brought spectators to their feet, and Region 4, having briefly slumped into despair, went on to miss several key chances in the first half.

have been read The Riot Act at the break, because the New GPC- sponsored troops, probably fortified by liberal doses of Ferrol Compound, came out with fresh vigour, and it was not long before they evened the scores.

Upon resumption of the

minutes later, when Kelsey Benjamin sent a Nicholas Mc Arthur assist flying into the corner of the goal, much to the dismay of the once- animated Region 3 crowd.

With the lead in hand, Region 4 doubled down on their defenses, and the 2-1 score saw them to the end of regulation time and into being owners of the inaugural “One Guyana” President’s Cup championship.

The ‘Comeback’ Region 4’s head Coach Wayne Dover did not shy away from admitting that his team needed the motivation for a ‘comeback’ in order to topple Region 3 in the final. In fact, during a post-match interview with media operatives, Dover was outright in his praise of the home team’s fortitude.

I think Region 3 played well. They had their game plan: they came out and try to play and stifle us; but we play into their hands and we concede an early goal from a mistake, and then that took the confidence away from one of the players, and he continued to make mistakes and the team

from behind,” he declared.

Earlier, the Region 5 Team thumped the Region 7 Team 6-3 to clinch third place in the competition. Abumuchi Benjamin led the charge for Region 5, scoring in the 7th, 30th and 66th minutes for a hat trick for Region 5.

Delroy Fraser (53rd),

The ebb and flow of the fast-paced One Guyana President’s Cup final was so unpredictable that when Region 3 captain Leo Orion

The Region 4 shots went over the crossbar; into the hands of the keeper; and, most notably, a foolproof chance in front of the goal, being converted from a set piece, went abegging when Colin

second 45 minutes, Ryan Hackett came to the fore as a substitute for Marcus Wilson, and immediately came within inches of scoring goal.

However, Kobi Alexander’s cardinal sin of literally pulling Nicholas Mc Arthur to the ground made a way for the eventual champions to turn things around.

After Region Three defender Alexander was sent off because of this red card infraction, Region 4 started to take multiple shots at goal; and a free-kick expertly converted by Captain Daniel Wilson eventually levelled the scores for the visitors in the 73rd.

“Region 3, at home, they had the home fans with them, and they came out to defend their territory, and they made it a bit difficult for us to oper-

continued to search to find a rhythm.

“We literally saw a way we

Marc Galloway (58th) and Olvis Mitchell (88th) added one each to the Region 5 (Mahaica Berbice) tally.

A brace from Andrew Simmons (11th, 36th) and one from Whitney Welcome (90+2) accounted for the three goals scored by Region 7.

Abumuchi Benjamin from Region 5 and Kelsey Benjamin from Region 4 shared the highest goal-scorer’s accolade, each having scored ten goals.

Nelson’s soft touch into the goal received a bit of foot on it from a Region 3 defender and was steered inches outside of the goalpost.

The Region 4 Team must

Wilson kept it flat, positioning it perfectly between the wall and the other players, and it flew into the corner of the goal, out of the reach of goalkeeper Osaffo Chapman.

Another shot from that same corner exposed the Region Three goalie’s proverbial Achilles’ heel just two

ate as free as we wanted to,” Coach Dover declared.

But continuing, he said, “Well, I don’t want to take anything away from Region 3,

could actually take control of the game, and we made the substitution at the half; and bringing back Daniel, the captain, that gave us some kind of comfort to operate, coming

Region 3’s Leo Orion Lovell was adjudged the tournament’s MVP, and received a house lot, compliments of the Government of Guyana.

The President’s Cup team winner, Region 4, took home $2M in addition to other incentives for winning group games and semifinal games, while second-placed team Region 3 pocketed $1M plus similar incentives.

Prime Minister Brigadier (ret/d) Mark Phillips making the official kick off before the OGPC final Leo Orion Lovell (10) was adjudged the tournament’s MVP

Kelsey Benjamin (11) and Omari Glasgow (10) were ecstatic in their celebration of the Region 4 second goal

Abumuchi Benjamin (blue) netted a hat trick in the 3rd place playoff to end up being tied for the ‘most goals’ award with Kelsey Benjamin

Action in full flow in the President’s Cup final

Osaffo Chapman dived valiantly, but was unable to stop Daniel Wilson’s free kick from entering the nets