Guyana Times - Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Tourism will be key sector in Guyana’s economic transformation – Pres Ali …says country has natural leverage from oil and gas sector

of closer collaboration with Guyana and St Lucia and Ecuador, when it comes to tourism. A new Ambassador from Ecuador was recently accredited, with President Ali noting the importance of ties between Guyana and Ecuador and the potential for further collaboration in tourism and other areas.

2018 report

bond

The tourism sector has been on a rebound in recent years, and according to President Dr Irfaan Ali, the Government will be leveraging Guyana’s oil and gas status to ensure it plays a key role in Guyana’s economic transformation.

Last week, President Ali spoke of the importance the Government places on tourism as an economic sector. According to President Ali, tourism will have a massive role to play in Guyana’s economic growth.

The President further noted that with the country’s natural advantages as an oil and gas producer, they can leverage that success to promote Guyana’s tourism product. Nor is this limited to tourism, as according to the President, his Government will also be doing same for the agriculture sector.

“We’re looking at health tourism. And tourism is going to be a massive asset for Guyana. And trust me. In maybe five to ten years, you will see tourism as one of the key sectors in our economic pillar of transformation. And that will come because of the natural leverage that Guyana is enjoying, with being in the

spotlight.”

“There was a time, to get the economist magazine to come here, they didn’t even know where Guyana was. But today, because of one sector, oil and gas, we’re able to project the opportunities in many other sectors, including tourism and agriculture,” President Ali said.

Guyana is currently collaborating with a number of countries on sectors such as tourism. Just recently, Guyana signed an agreement with Costa Rica to further partnerships between the two countries in tourism.

Signing the Letter of Intent and Collaboration was Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond and the Costa Rican Minister of Tourism, William Rodriguez Lopez, at the Minister’s office at the Costa Rican Tourism Board Building in San Jose.

The agreement is aimed at strengthening tourism partnerships between the two countries and covers institutional arrangements and an action plan for knowledge sharing, technical support and other areas of collaboration.

There has also been talk

In a statement, it was announced that President Ali accepted the Letters of Credence from Carlos Alberto Velastegui, Ecuador's Non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

According to the statement, President Ali updated the Ambassador on Guyana's development path and its leadership effort in climate, environmental services, energy, and food security. President Ali also emphasised the importance of further cooperation between the two countries, particularly in tourism and education.

Guyana is already working in collaboration with Barbados to twin the two countries’ tourism products and to share best practices for the sector. Last year, an agreement was signed by President Ali and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados to further facilitate relations between Guyana and Barbados, and collaboration in a number of areas, including tourism.

The agreement, called the Saint Barnabas Accord, was signed on the sidelines of the 43rd Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government meeting, and it paved the way for the two countries to further dialogue in nine specific areas. It was an updated agreement, since a previous Saint Barnabas Accord was signed between the two leaders. (G3)

During Monday’s sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), an engineer who was attached to the Region One Regional Democratic Council (RDC) implicated the regional administration when probed on the Auditor General’s findings that a cheque was cut and held for a contractor that never submitted a performance bond.

The PAC met to discuss the findings of the Auditor General’s 2018 report, concerning Region One (BarimaWaini). One of the findings dealt with a contract for the construction of an X-ray lab at the Pakera District Hospital.

The PAC demanded explanations from engineer Rawle Boyer on why $13.4 million was paid and a $4.7 million cheque cut, held and rolled over for a contractor that did not submit a bond security. However, the engineer would go on to implicate the regional administration, at the time led by Leslie Wilburg.

“In order for a cheque to be prepared, to be held for next year, the signatories to that cheque including the accounting officer [and others] who participated in the process? Was this a decision of the regional management?” PAC Member and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill questioned.

“Through the chair, I did not act alone. Cause most of [those] who make the final call on whether or not a cheque will be cut or payments will be made [is] the Regional Executive Officer. In 2018 it was Mr Wilburg,” the engineer said.

When it comes to the contractor being paid 60 per cent of the contract sum even though a bond was not provided, the engineer said that certain factors were considered. These factors included the contractor not collecting a mobilisation advance.

“In this project, normally in Region One we pay for up to 30 per cent mobilisation with the security bond. In this case the contractor did not request mobilisation payment. He started work. And that’s why we paid a first part payment and not mobilisation,” Boyer said.

Training accounting officers

Finance Secretary Sukrishnalall Pasha said that starting next month, the Finance Ministry will be training accounting officers. While PAC Chairman Jermaine Figueira welcomed the move, he noted that it may take prosecution before accounting officers toe the line.

“The reality is we have accounting officers who are irresponsible in the execution of their duties. And all of the training your office will provide may not be the

solution to the delinquent accounting officers and their support staff.”

“What may be required is some additional punishment, reprimand, something that will compel them to do what is required. If we have to start jailing some of these accounting officers, probably that might be the solution. But let’s start with the training first,” Figueira said, expressing hope that those participating in the training will appreciate the seriousness of their role.

In the AG’s report on the Pakera District Hospital, Matthew’s Ridge, Region One, it had stated that a physical verification of the project revealed that the works were to be completed by January 23, 2019 based on the contract duration.

However, at May 23, 2019, four months beyond the completion date, the works have been abandoned and were incomplete with no materials onsite. It was also noted that despite the fact that the works were abandoned, payments were approved and processed by the RDC in excess of the works completed at the time. (G3)

The recent signing of the agreement between Tourism Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond and her Costa Rican counterpart, William Rodriguez Lopez

AG

Contractor collected $13M advance despite no security

…engineer implicates regional administration in cutting, holding cheque

Engineer Rawle Boyer and Region One Accounting Officer Tikaram Bissesar

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, June 20 – 04:15h –05:45h and Wednesday, June 21 – 04:15h – 05:45h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, June 20 – 05:05h –06:35h and Wednesday, June 21 – 05:40h – 07:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers and sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South South-Westerly to Easterly between 0.89 metre and 2.23 metres.

High Tide: 17:56h reaching a maximum height of 2.37 metres.

Low Tide: 11:30h and 23:39h reaching minimum heights of 0.69 metre and 0.86 metre.

Govt will find way to help UG students with student loan debts – VP

…free university education still on agenda by 2025

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has given assurances that not only will the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government keep its promise of a free University of Guyana (UG), but that UG students with existing student loan debt will be assisted in some way by the State.

The Vice President made these assurances during an appearance on a radio programme on Monday, where he spoke about how the Government will be using the oil revenues to make the lives of Guyanese better. He reminded that even when they were in Opposition, the PPP/C had identified spending on health and education as priority areas.

“We defined what we wanted to do in the oil and gas sector in Opposition. We said here are the things we will change. Clearly, even before we got into office. We were not convenient about it. We said we will spend a lot of our money in healthcare. Because we believe investing in people’s health is a good expenditure.”

into the operations of the UG Student Loan Agency had revealed that over a 21-year period, successive PPP/C Governments made available to the agency over $9 billion for loans.

During the period 1994 to May 2015, the Government of Guyana approved $9,489,453,973 through the National Budget or US$45.5 million (using the current rate of exchange of G$210 to US$1), the 77-page audit report, which was made public on Tuesday by the Finance Ministry stated.

The report stated that during the period April 2011 to December 2014, $1.8 billion was received through a process whereby the Agency’s head was informed by the Budget

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

masses. The Government has already distributed some 14,000 online scholarships through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).

The 20,000 online schol-

LOTTERY NUMBERS

“Secondly, education. We promised scholarships, we promised free education. That will be done before the first five years. And we want to assure all those who are going to university and who have completed university and still have outstanding loans, that we will find a way of assisting you too. I want to assure them of that,” Jagdeo said.

In 2016, a forensic audit

Department that funds have been approved to be released to the Agency.

Meanwhile, the PPP/C Government has also pursued other avenues of making post-secondary education available to the

arships 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 pro-

gramme. Jagdeo had previously said the Administration intended to make 20,000 of the online scholarships available. However, the accommodation mark was revised owing to the overwhelming 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 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. (G1)

The University of Guyana

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Traffic violations

There is always an element of risk whenever someone uses the roadways, be they a motorist, passenger, cyclist or pedestrian. This is somewhat inherent, since it is believed that accidents will happen. Often, the fault is not with the one being cautious.

The risks may manifest in various forms, such as a lack of street lighting while driving at nights; potholes which, when swerved from, could place a vehicle in the direct path of another; absence, or non-functioning, of traffic lights, which can create uncertainty among drivers; roaming animals; speeding; drinking and driving; narrow streets and lack of traffic signage. In addition, disregard of basic traffic etiquette and other rules exacerbate the risks.

Seemingly common now is the disrespect for designated major roads. Many drivers, including some within the public transportation system, refuse to adhere to what is mandatory. As a result, a number of accidents occur frequently at some of these points. Similarly, the practice of running red lights and the green signal that allows pedestrians to cross continues unabated, predominantly by minibus drivers. The danger that poses needs no explanation.

While a plethora of traffic violations are committed on a daily basis, some appear more prominent. Undertaking and cutting in front of a vehicle, and the sticking out of a minibus conductor’s arm to do likewise from the other side, seem the new norm of driving. Aside from the obvious danger, especially to young and inexperienced drivers, and apart from being an irritant, it is blatant bullyism and a potent source for road rage.

It appears that those who engage in such practices do not see themselves as being errant, or what they do as a traffic violation. Lanes that allow for turning-on-red are abused and used as if they are the right-of-way. In the city, many roads other than what are authorised for minibus routes are used as thoroughfares. Speeding is foremost, causing areas that are supposed to be free of minibuses to become dangerous.

In addition, some drivers seemingly take pride in having an alcoholic beverage in their possession while transporting passengers. Adding to the woes of those who abide by traffic rules, they are verbally abused when trying to stave off a potential transgressor. These practices are not unknown to the Police, and while the Police cannot be at all points where violations occur, there is the expectation for more and sustained intervention in the interest of safety for all road users.

This does not take away from the valiant efforts of a few dedicated traffic officers, who do their best to curb the situation – one which has reached alarming proportions.

What is desperately needed is a sustained campaign to reduce traffic violations, and let the law take its course on the errant ones, regardless of who they are. The carelessness exhibited puts all road users at risk. This is where the National Road Safety Council would need to be supported, and probably empowered to have a more visible presence and increased influence all year round.

It must be noted that drivers are not the only violators of traffic rules, for some pedestrians are equally guilty. Aside from the common jaywalking, they cross busy intersections when not authorised, and refuse to use the overhead pedestrian walkways, thereby bringing danger to themselves and others. Like errant drivers, they seem empowered to not observe basic traffic rules. This will change only when there is a constant stream of violators up the stairs of the courts across the country.

Food banks can help tackle East Africa’s hunger crises

By Dr Wanjiru KamaurutenBerg

Facing a sixth consecutive failed rainy season, countries in the Horn of Africa are staring at the region’s worst drought in at least 70 years. This, research shows, would not have happened without climate change.

As crops fail and livestock dies out, families are being forced to go without food. More than 20 million people now face severe levels of food insecurity in the region, with the onset of flash flooding in Somalia now further complicating the crisis situation. Several East African nations appeared in the recent UN report “Hunger Hotspots”, which identifies countries where food insecurity is particularly severe and likely to deteriorate.

It is imperative to find ways to connect these struggling families to food supplies, both as an urgent response to the current crisis and to build long-term resilience. Food banking is not only one of the most efficient ways to respond to hunger, but it is also a natural extension of the history and culture of giving and support across Africa.

For instance, in the 2022 World Giving Index, Kenya is the second-most generous country in the world, where the cultural tradition of harambee – meaning “all pull together” in Swahili – has long provided a sense of togetherness.

Many other African countries, like Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Nigeria, were also found to be notably generous. According to the

index data, people across the continent are especially likely to help out strangers in need of assistance; in Kenya, 77 per cent of respondents have helped someone they did not know in the previous year.

Food banking is a natural progression of this tradition where families support those facing difficulties or crises, and they can serve an invaluable role in responding to hunger crises.

First, as nonprofit food distribution organisations, food banks connect highly vulnerable and marginalised communities to much-needed wholesome surplus food. Food Banking Kenya, which was established in 2017, operates a mobile food banking service that has provided food assistance to the communities hit hardest during the drought.

It has not only provided emergency assistance to communities who rely on livestock, but it has also supported them in adopting drought-resistant crop farming practices, which can strengthen their resilience in the face of mounting climate challenges.

Similarly, It Rains Food Bank of Ethiopia – the first formal food bank in the country – is supporting the humanitarian response to the continuing drought by buying and distributing basic food items to support hundreds of Ethiopian households.

Second, food banks help recover food that would otherwise be lost. In Kenya, for example, roughly 40 per cent of food produced on farms goes to waste due to poor storage and difficulties getting produce to markets.

Food recovery helps the region’s small-scale farmers, whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the drought. Food banks are based in communities and are locally led, which means that food bankers understand where the needs are greatest and how to get food to people.

Under normal circumstances, food banks act as a much-needed point of connection to get available food to communities facing hunger. Yet, the drought has reversed the situation. Rather than facing high levels of waste, many farmers are now struggling to eke out a living amid total crop failure, loss of livestock, and a lack of water.

Food depots that previously acted as collection centres for the communities are now being used to get food to the farmers whose harvests have been decimated by drought.

Finally, food banks are also helping to build more resilient and food-secure societies for the longer term. For instance, food banks provide support to communities through school feeding programmes, which help children, especially girls, stay in school, where a lack of food would otherwise prevent their attendance.

In Kenya, food bank-led school feeding programmes in Nairobi’s informal settlements are providing meals to nearly 2000 children daily, giving them access to nutrition and education.

Tied to a tradition of lifting up those who are struggling in communities across Africa, food banks clearly already serve an important role across the continent.

In 2020, members of

The Global FoodBanking Network in Africa helped distribute 8.1 million kilograms of food, an increase of 80 per cent over the previous year. They also served approximately 1.4 million people.

But the concept of food banking is just beginning to take hold in many parts of Africa. There is a great opportunity to expand the presence of food banks to more communities.

In order to reach more people, food banks need far greater investment, from both the Private Sector and governmental entities, to help them expand their infrastructure and support better food processing and preservation methods to minimise food waste.

Governments and the Private Sector can also support food banks by working more closely with them, helping build community awareness of their value and their role in reducing food loss and waste, particularly as food banks rely on local businesses and other partners to procure food.

With more investment, food banks can reach more people facing the current drought as well as other sudden disasters. Over time, leveraging the deep tradition of mutual assistance in the region, they can also become a crucial pillar in building a more food-secure future for all of Africa.

(Al Jazeera)

(Dr Wanjiru KamauRutenberg is a member of the Board of Directors at The Global FoodBanking Network, which supports community-led solutions to alleviate hunger in nearly 50 countries)

French aircraft patrol “Patrouille de France” planes fly over the Cuauhtemoc ship during the Grand Parade during the Armada of old vessels and tall ships in Rouen, June 18, 2023 (AFP)

Pensioners can choose MMG for old age pension payments

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry has further enhanced its delivery of old age pensions by offering beneficiaries this service through Mobile Money Guyana (MMG).

During the ceremony to launch the service on Monday, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud detailed how this new service will complement the plethora of avenues to access pension by the beneficiaries.

According to Minister Persaud, this partnership will ensure that pension payments are easily accessible to senior citizens countrywide. She noted that since taking office in 2020 the Ministry has implemented significant steps to ease the situation of pensioners standing long hours in lines to access their pensions.

“The mission is to continuously improve the old age pension delivery system and with the addition of multiple locations of MMG across Guyana, senior citizens now have another alternate pathway system that reduces long lines, wait times is closer to home and facilitates convenient transactions. As the life expectancy increases the number of pensioners, we are offering more tech-savvy methods of improving access and increasing safety. As we launch this new [alternative] payment method, I thank MMG for their partnership with Human Services,” the Minister remarked.

“Pensioners, your options to access your pensions range from the post office to MoneyGram,

Western Union, Sure Pay, to direct bank deposits, and now MMG easily providing pension payments every day. We will continue to work to create more effective and efficient systems for our valued senior citizens,” Persaud added.

Meanwhile, the General Manager of MMG, Bobita Ram, shared that this partnership marks a significant milestone in the county and is a testament to MMG and the Ministry’s shared vision to enhance the lives of pensioners.

“At MMG, we have always believed in the power of innovation to transform lives. By providing

pensioners with the option to receive their pension through our secure and reliable payment platform, we are giving them the tools to manage their finances with ease and convenience. Whether they prefer to make bill payments, purchase goods and services, or transfer funds, MMG allows them to do so from the comfort of their own homes.”

“Furthermore, MMG collaboration with the Ministry is a testament to our shared vision of improving the lives of pensioners and ensuring that they have the resources they need to live with independence. By combining our

expertise with the Ministry’s dedication to social welfare, we are creating a stronger and more inclusive financial ecosystem,” Ram continued.

One pensioner, 76-year-old Donald Nurse, commended the initiative by the Ministry to make pension payments easier for senior citizens.

“This is a very good initiative, I endorse this, I have already signed up for this and I think it will be very successful, we don’t have to go to the post office anymore to collect pension and pensioners can do it from the comfort of their home, especially those persons who are

shut-ins because they can access this service and pay bills, I support this initiative by MMG and the Ministry of Human Services,” Nurse told the media.

Another pensioner, 77-year-old Reginald Sampson reckoned, “I think it will be beneficial to pensioners, you know the long lines and uncertain weather, sometimes you can’t make it to cash your voucher and if you get this assistance with technology why not use it? You can find something else to do with the time you would take to join the lines. It’s a good thing the Ministry has so many alternatives for pension because it is less headache for the pensioners.”

With the rolling out of this new delivery system, pensioners will now be able to cash out their pension at over 1000 agents nationwide across all 10 administrative regions. This will ensure a reliable system that allows for the receipt of this service as scheduled, avoiding long lines to cash their pension. The beneficiary will also have 24/7 access to their MMG wallet. To date, over 1200 pensioners are already registered with MMG accounts.

Pensioners who are desirous of utilising this service can register at the Ministry’s office or through the many registration campaigns to be rolled out. When visiting, persons must walk with a form of identification before completing the application.

For pensioners wanting to set up an MMG account, they would be required to visit any of the agents nationwide, the MMG office at 69 Brickdam or online.

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2023

From left: Pensioner Reginald Simpson; MMG General Manager Bobita Ram; Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud and pensioner Donald Nurse at the launch of the additional old age pension delivery system

Page Foundation

Understanding percent

Notice the term per cent has the smaller word cent in it. You know cents from dealing with money. Every dollar can be divided into 100 cents, that is 100 hundredths. Therefore, it probably will not surprise you that cent means hundredth. Per means by. A percent is a particular kind of ratio that is used to compare numbers to hundredths. The % sign is used to identify percents. However, a percent is really a decimal that goes to the hundredths place. A percent can also be expressed as a fraction, with 100 as the denominator.

Remember: Every percentage can be displayed as a percentage, a decimal, or a fraction with a denominator of 100.

Exercises: Express the following as decimals and fractions

By Martin Carter

The light oppresses and the darkness frees a man like me, who never cared at all: Imagine it, the childhood of a voice and voice of childhood telling me my name. But if only the rain would fall, and the sky we have not seen so long come blue again. The familiar white street is tired of always running east. The sky, of always arching over. The tree, of always reaching up. Even the round earth is tired of being round and spinning round the sun.

WORD SEARCH

Opposition loses case as High Court upholds validity of NRF Act

Singh noted that the presence, absence, or use of the Mace in the National Assembly is not provided for in the Constitution or Laws of Guyana.

“It is clear from the evidence that the Mace is nothing more than a relic intended only to be symbolic existence in the National Assembly. It is illogical to believe that the presence or absence of a length of metal can determine the legitimacy of acts done by persons elected by the citizens of the country pursuant to their elected duties,” Justice Singh said.

Guyana’s High Court on Monday upheld the validity of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act, which was the subject of litigation brought against the Government by the main parliamentary Opposition. The law was passed in December 2021 to ensure the effective and efficient management of the country’s oil wealth, amid much protest from the Opposition.

On the night of December 29, 2021, Opposition Members of Parliament dislodged the Parliamentary Mace from its position at the desk of the Clerk of the National Assembly, and protested in an attempt to prevent the Natural Resource Fund Bill from being passed.

Notwithstanding, the Bill was passed in the House and assented by President Dr Irfaan Ali; it, therefore, became a law that can be enforced by the Government.

As a result, Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones and Trade Unionist Norris Witter filed legal proceedings against the Government in April 2022, contending that due to the absence of the Parliamentary Mace –the most significant symbol in the National Assembly –and because some members of the House had not been seated, the NRF Act cannot be regarded as being lawfully passed.

Nothing more than a relic

However, in his ruling on Monday, Justice Navindra

It is preposterous to contend that the legislative power of the nation can be halted by the abhorrent and deplorable actions of a few miscreants,” he added.

The first-named respondent, Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s argument that whether or not the Mace is in place, or whether an instrument can be used as a Mace, the purpose of the Mace and matters connected to Parliament are matters over which the High Court has no jurisdiction, as those matters constitute procedural matters of Parliament, over which the Parliament has exclusive jurisdiction under Article 165 of the Constitution, was upheld by the High Court.

House Speaker Manzoor Nadir, the third-named respondent, had contended that the Bill was lawfully passed since a replica Mace was in place. He had said that almost all Parliaments in the Westminster System have two Maces present, in case one is not found, or has been stolen.

Free from judicial intervention

On the issue of whether the holding and/or continuation of the National Assembly on December 29, 2021, beyond the stipulated time without a motion to do so invalidates the passage of the legislation passed during such continuation, Justice Singh reasoned that the National Assembly is one of the three independent arms of the State, the Judiciary and Executive being the other two, and as such,

enjoys the right to not have its authority to regulate its own procedure/s impeached or questioned by another arm of the State, in this case, by the Judiciary.

To this end, he pointed out that the National Assembly can, and must be able to conduct its business free from judicial intervention or inquiry so long as its conduct does not run counter to any provisions of the Constitution of the Laws of Guyana.

The Opposition’s argument that civil society bodies were excluded from consultations on the Bill was also rejected. Witter had argued that under Article 154A of the Constitution and Article 25 of the Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, he has a fundamental right to political participation in the conduct of public affairs; and that right was violated with the passage of the Bill.

He and Jones had submitted that Article 13 of the Constitution gave members of the public a constitutional right to engage in consultation on the NRF Bill before it was enacted.

But the Judge concluded that it is “illogical to believe that the same Constitution that set up a system of governance which provides for a Legislature to debate and enact laws, which Legislature is to comprise of elected representatives, would at the same time demand that each citizen essentially become a representative”, finding that Articles 13 and 154A do not require

the National Assembly to consult with stakeholders and every citizen before enacting laws.

During the trial, Nandlall had contended that the debates among the elected representatives of the people in the National Assembly, which is a component of the legislative process, constitute consultation. He had said the Natural Resource Fund Bill received widespread national consultation, and to support his argument, he reminded that the legislation was a promise contained in his party’s manifesto for the 2020 National Elections which was exhibited in court.

He had said, too, that the manifesto itself was a product of five years of public consultation, from 2015 to 2020; across all 10 regions, including a grand public consultation held at New Thriving Restaurant at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), on February 17, 2019.

In the circumstances, Justice Singh dismissed Jones’ and Witter’s application “in its entirety” and ordered each of them to pay $250,000 in costs to each of the respondents: Nandlall; Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh; Nadir; Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs; and the Parliament Office. Included on the legal team for the respondents were the

Attorney General; Solicitor General Nigel Hawke; Deputy Solicitor General Deborah Kumar; Assistant Solicitor General Shoshanna Lall and Attorneys-at-Law Sase Gunraj and Kamal Ramkarran.

Jones and Witter were represented by Oppositionaligned lawyer Roysdale Forde, SC, and Canada-based Guyanese attorney, Selwyn Pieters.

Reactions

Nandlall, while speaking with reporters on the corridor of the Demerara High Court, said that such a ruling was expected given the frivolous and vexatious application mounted by the Opposition. In applauding Monday’s ruling, the Attorney General noted that this case is just one of the many times the Opposition has gone and asked a court of law to endorse its wrongs.

“I expected the ruling to go this way. This is another demonstration that the Opposition is living in an alternate reality. They [the Opposition] asked the court to confirm their vulgarity. Of course, they did not advance many legal arguments because hardly there exist any. The court rejected all their arguments and upheld our submissions…”

Meanwhile, Forde expressed disappointment with

the ruling and signalled that an appeal might be forthcoming after he consults with his clients. He shared, “We are disappointed with the judgement. This case deals with a number of very important constitutional issues and I will consult with my clients, with possibly their consent, with a view of appealing…”

The Government has said that the NRF Act will ensure the security, transparency, and accountability that Guyanese need in order to benefit from the oil and gas revenues.

That law provides for a governance structure on how money in the Natural Resource Fund would be used, with continuous public disclosures, audits, and parliamentary approvals.

Since passage of that legislation, Government has gone on to establish the Natural Resource Fund Board. Following parliamentary approval, the Government has made several withdrawals from the fund, amounting to tens of billions of dollars, which were transferred to the Consolidated Fund to finance national development priorities.

Jones and Witter were seeking a number of reliefs, including an order that the Natural Resource Fund be replenished to the extent of all sums disbursed from it. (G1)

High Court Judge, Justice Navindra Singh

Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones

Trade Unionist Norris Witter

Roysdale Forde, SC

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

Second suspect remanded for GDF Lieutenant’s murder

A new… …Africa??

Randy Clairmont

Wrights is the second person to be charged with the murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant Rondel Douglas. He appeared before

acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and was not required to plead to the indictable charge for the capital offence of murder.

Last Thursday, Joshua Parris, called “Stewie”,

25, of Sophia, Greater Georgetown, the prime suspect in Lieutenant Douglas’ murder, was remanded to prison on a similar charge.

Both Parris and Wrights were remanded

until July 14.

The GDF rank was shot and killed on June 7 while trying to fight off carjackers at Cul-de-Sac Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Your Eyewitness was pleased to see a group of leaders from seven countries in Africa – South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, Comoros, Egypt, Republic of Congo, and Uganda -- fly up to Europe to try to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. The first four were represented by their Presidents while high-level officials represented the last three. Not so incidentally, Comoros’ President is the head of the African Union and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa’s gonna be hosting the BRICS leaders this August in his country. Russia at least – being a member of the latter grouping that has heavyweights India and China at the table – would’ve understood the African leaders had some heft.

Unfortunately, while they were received respectfully, in the end both Zelensky (Ukraine) and Putin (Russia) refused to budge. But China and India have also attempted to broker a peace accord to no avail – so the African leaders shouldn’t be too disheartened. What they’ve done is signal that African leaders are beginning to realise they have the legitimacy to intervene in matters affecting their countries. The Ukraine war has severely affected Africa’s wheat supply and they have an interest in having those supplies resumed. And they have enough raw materials that the big boys need that they can use this to get their attention!!

Some may say the African leaders would’ve been more credible if they’d been able to stop the wars being waged in Africa right now – in Mali, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya, Congo, etc. But those are all internal conflicts waged by domestic players and the UN has strict rules about members interfering in domestic conflicts of other States. Rwanda’s being accused of “interfering” in Congo and Mali’s just asked the UN to remove its peacekeeping troops – even though most everyone think that’s gonna lead to a greater bloodbath.

And let’s face it, the great symbolic value in being seen as trying to broker peace between European nations isn’t to be sneered at. For centuries it was the Europeans who came to Africa and exploited local conflicts for their own benefit – while pretending to be the only adults in the room as they pushed for “peace”!! It’s high time the roles were reversed!! While they weren’t able to come away with owning some land or such! – this is just their first foray. And the Europeans did take centuries to colonise Africa!!

Africa is poised to become the next China – if the leaders can get their act together. In 1945, their aspiring leaders gathered in Manchester along with leaders of the African Diaspora – and coordinated their activities which led to their independence.

Perhaps they should host a Pan African Congress to plot their role in the 21st Century??

… stance

There are some subjects that just turn your Eyewitness’s stomach – and grown men diddling with children’s right up there on that list. On the said list, that’s about as lowdown and dirty anyone can get –and he believes that once convicted, the most severe punishment ought to be inflicted on the perpetrators. Castration – or its chemical equivalent – should be mandatory since from the much-publicised case of Jeffrey Epstein – these fellas are incorrigible.

Now in the present case of the Minister who’s accused of doing some real dirty stuff with a kid, as has been pointed out by the President, the rule of law must take priority. The rule of law insists that all be treated equally before the law and their innocence presumed–no matter what we think of the accused. So here we have it, the fella’s on administrative leave to facilitate a proper investigation.

And with an accusation of statutory rape – because of the child’s age – this must be conducted by the Police. …first baby

All Guyana’s gotten used to Prezzie’s son Zayd – who’s been quite in the limelight – as he grew from a baby to a schoolboy during the last three years.

Well, he now faces some competition from his new brother Ilan!!

Thirty-seven-year-old

Dead: Lieutenant Rondel Douglas

Wanted: Jamie Ghanie

Murder accused: Randy Clairmont Wrights and Joshua Parris

AG moving to recover unpaid costs in litigation lost by Opposition

The Attorney General’s Chambers is in the process of moving to recover costs awarded in litigation lost by the main parliamentary Opposition, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC,

said on Monday

Speaking with reporters at the Demerara High Court where a Judge ordered Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones and Trade Unionist Norris Witter to

each pay $1,250,000 in costs after dismissing their case, Nandlall noted that this and other costs orders will be enforced. The $1.2M has to be paid on or before July 19.

Second suspect remanded for...

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that Parris provided detectives with a confession statement. He reportedly told detectives that on Wednesday, June 7, he received a telephone call from a friend, “Fox”, who informed him that he had a ‘wuk’ for him; that is, to steal a car, since he already had a buyer willing to pay $700,000.

Without hesitation, he said, he agreed, and a plan was concocted. As such, he went to ‘B Field’ Sophia, where he met “Fox” and waited for another accomplice, Randy Wright, to pick them up. At the time, “Fox” was armed with a black gun.

Parris explained that Wright collected them at about 20:00h, after which they drove to ‘Benjie’s Taxi Service’ at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, (EBD) where they solicited a taxi to take them to Farm, EBD, but the driver refused the job.

This plan having failed, Wright suggested that they travel to the ‘West Side’, to which they agreed. Upon reaching La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD), “Fox” exited the car and walked a short distance to ‘Alladin Taxi Service’, where he requested Lieutenant Douglas to transport him to Georgetown. The soldier had only been in the employ of the base as a part-time taxi driver for less than two weeks.

The plan was for Wright and Parris to follow the taxi, but they lost track of the car. A panicked Wright called “Fox”, and they started to speak in code to get Lieutenant Douglas to slow down.

In fact, “Fox” derived a plan and asked Lieutenant Douglas to stop so that he

can purchase some Superbet credit.

Eventually, “Fox” reportedly requested Lieutenant Douglas to drive at a dead-end at Col-de-Sac Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where Parris walked through a shortcut to reach the car while Wright waited in his car one street away.

Parris confessed that he attempted to pull Lieutenant Douglas out of the wagon, but the he put up some resistance. “Fox” reportedly got involved in the scuffle, and started to choke Lieutenant Douglas, but Douglas continued to fight back.

In retaliation, “Fox” handed Parris the gun, but Lieutenant Douglas managed to exit the car and rushed behind him. Parris then discharged one round, which hit Lieutenant Douglas and resulted in him falling to the ground.

By that time, “Fox” was already in the driver’s seat, and was soon joined by Parris, as they fled the scene leaving the injured GDF officer behind. The entire episode was caught on CCTV footage, which was subsequently handed over to detectives.

Soon after, the trio met up, and another plan was put into action. “Fox” drove the hijacked car in front while Wright followed. Both cars reportedly drove to Bel Air Road along the Railway Embankment, where they parked the stolen car next to an unfinished concrete structure.

“Fox” and Parris then boarded Wright’s car, and they drove to Pattensen Railway Embankment, where they were supposed to meet the buyer.

Parris told the Police

FROM PAGE 8

that upon arrival there, he observed a burgundy motorcar parked in a street with two occupants. He said those occupants refused to buy the car after learning that the trio had killed Lieutenant Douglas.

When those buyers went away, the stolen car was collected from where it was parked, and driven to ‘B Field’ Sophia, where the blood was washed off.

It was then driven to Stone Avenue, Campbellville, Georgetown, and parked, while the trio went back to Sophia.

The following morning, the car was discovered by Police with its registration plates missing.

Following Parris’s confession, the Police arrested Wright as investigations continue.

Police are on the hunt for “Fox”.

Another man, 25-yearold Jamie Ghanie of 59 Pattensen-Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown is wanted by the Police for questioning in relation to the Lieutenant’s murder.

Lieutenant Douglas, 32, resided at Bagotsville, WBD with his wife and young daughter. He enlisted in the GDF on February 15, 2012, and was a graduate of the Standard Officer Course 44.

At the time of his demise, he was a full-time student at the University of Guyana, pursuing a degree in computer science.

In a statement, the GDF described him as a committed and dedicated officer who last served as Aide-deCamp to former Chief-ofStaff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess.

The Joint Services rank was laid to rest on Monday at the La Grange Cemetery.

(G1)

“I now have a pile of them [costs orders] because it is a series of cases that have been filed by the Opposition, all [they have] lost,” he said while highlighting that the Opposition has unpaid costs orders dating back to its 2020 election-related cases, at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

“I have already asked my staff to accumulate the matters and let us begin the enforcement process of getting these monies. When you file these frivolous, vexatious matters and the court expresses its displeasure in order for costs, they must be paid,” he emphasised.

When asked to explain the enforcement process, he said that while there are many ways to enforce a court judgement, his chambers will be exploring three options.

Personal assets/prison time

First, Nandlall said the court can seize the personal assets, both movable and immovable, of the losing party. Another option, he said, is that “You can go to imprison them if you establish that they have the means to pay and they are deliberating not paying.”

The Opposition deliberating not paying the costs can be established because its Members of Parliament, who are the applicants/claimants, are salaried employees, he reasoned.

The third option, he disclosed, is going to their employers to garnish wages/ salaries due to them monthly, or depending on their pay frequency. Nandlall assured that these processes will be examined and that he will “move swiftly” to recover the owed monies.

In March, Nandlall wrote to eight Opposition parliamentarians, demanding that they settle the costs awarded by the court after their case to overturn their suspension was dismissed.

In those legal proceedings filed against Nandlall, House Speaker Manzoor Nadir, and Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, the MPs were each ordered to pay costs to the tune of $350,000 to each of the three defendants on or before February 6, 2023.

The MPs are: Christopher

Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Annette Ferguson, Vinceroy Jordan, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, and Maureen Philadelphia.

These monies are still outstanding, and as such, Nandlall has written letters of demand to them. But the letters, according to him, “have been ignored”.

In relation to the series of cases filed by the then APNU/AFC Opposition to block the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from declaring the PPP/C the winner of the March 2020 election which was tossed out by the CCJ, Nandlall had estimated costs being several millions of dollars.

He had explained that costs to be taxed fit for two counsel will require an elaborate bill of costs to be submitted to the court which would include all of the expenses associated with the two appeals, including preparation of written submissions, preparation of pleadings, preparation for oral argument, appearances in the court, stationery, photocopying, and filing fees.

He had estimated the photocopying cost for one case alone to be $500,000.

According to him, the charge rate for one counsel runs into several hundred US dollars per hour. In short, he had said that several millions of dollars would have to be paid in costs. (G1)

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

Sexual assault probe Minister Nigel Dharamlall arrested, questioned by Police

Local Government

Minister Nigel Dharamlall, who had allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against him last week, has retained the services of Hughes Fields & Stoby to represent him.

The allegations, which first surfaced on social media, have attracted the attention of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA).

On Monday, the Guyana Police Force confirmed that an investigation has been launched in relation to an allegation of rape against Dharamlall.

In a statement, the GPF said that “…on Monday the 19th day of June, 2023, Mr Dharamlall presented himself at the Brickdam Police Station in the company of his attorney, where he was

told of the allegation and subsequently arrested. The probe is ongoing.”

A statement from the law firm informed on Monday that Dharamlall remains willing and disposed to assist in a full investigation of the matter. All the allegations have been denied, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes indicated.

“In the interest of a fair investigation and the necessity to protect the interests of all parties concerned, we urge that speculation, wild accusations, pre mature judgements and unsupported conclusions be avoided,” the law firm stated.

The Minister has since made a request to proceed on administrative leave as investigations continue, which was confirmed by President Irfaan Ali.

Protocol

This publication understands that the 16-yearold in question is in the care of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA), and that a full probe has been launched.

Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud added on Monday that this investigation is still ongoing and every protocol is being followed in the case of such allegations.

She told media operatives, “The Child Care and Protection Agency, which falls under the Ministry of Human Services, has embarked on an investigation as I had committed to. That investigation is ongoing. To date, a statement has been given and a forensic interview report has been compiled and will be submitted.

We’re following every protocol like we usually do whenever any such allegation is made.”

Following the circulation of news that the Minister at the centre of the allegation was proceeding on leave, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Geeta ChandanEdmond released a statement in which she urged that a full and impartial investigation be conducted.

“While this must be seen as an important step forward, like all Guyanese, we trust that this will result in a full, fair, unbiased and impartial investigation, and that there will be compliance with the rule of law. We continue to advocate strongly for the rights of women and children. I will also continue to be an unrelenting advocate for the protection of our Indigenous sisters. We must all remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure that no one is above the law. We trust

that justice will prevail,” Chandan-Edmond said.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand also commented on the incident via a statement in which she indicated that allegations of rape, sexual assault, and gender-based violence are not usually made lightly, and must always be taken seriously.

“I begin by believing complainants. Always. Every time. Because the statistics are clear. Despite the myths, victims of rape and sexual assault do not lie about their experiences any more than victims of any other crime. When the complainant is a child, the complaint must take on even more urgent dimensions. I have always treated complaints of rape and sex assault urgently. Even more so when a child is involved,” Manickchand disclosed.

Support

Meanwhile, the Amerindian People’s

Association (APA) in a statement on Monday called for an unimpeded investigation, while offering support to the victim.

The organisation has positioned that the issue of alleged sexual abuse of Indigenous women and girls by persons in positions of power is not a new one.

In addition to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Guyana is also signatory to Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the United Nations has passed a resolution for the General Recommendation 39, which speaks to the rights of Indigenous women and girls, to be implemented. That call was reiterated at the recently concluded United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

The Association also reminded that Article 62, subsection 1 of the Sexual Offences Act of Guyana states that the publication in any document, the broadcasting, or transmission in any way, of any information that could identify the complainant or witness to such offences under this Act is prohibited. Any person who is found doing so commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of two million dollars.

(G12)

…lawyers up as ‘every protocol’ being followed

Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes

Murder accused jailed for illegal gun, ammo

around 17:50h while the young man was hanging out with a group of people at B Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

According to Police, Leow was with a female shopkeeper and several other mechanics at the woman’s house when they were approached by two suspects – identified only as “Big John” or “Double Clip” and “Brainer” at the time.

Leow as he was walking into the yard, and discharged two rounds which struck him to his upper back.

The young man fell to the ground and the gunman discharged two more rounds, which hit him in his upper chest.

side. However, the bullet just grazed him on his right upper hand.

The shooter and his accomplice then mounted their bicycles and made good their escape.

Aman who was wanted for the 2021 murder of a Campbellville, Georgetown mechanic, was on Monday remanded to prison for the capital offence and also slapped with a three-year jail sentence for illegal possession of a firearm and several rounds of ammunition.

John Kennedy called “Big John”, a 40-yearold farmer of Field 8, Section B Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was arrested on June 13 by Police on mobile patrol.

Before acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts,

Kennedy was not required to plead to the indictable charge for the offence of murder committed on Jaleel Leow, 21, on August 2, 2021.

He was remanded until July 13.

According to reports, Police ranks in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), were on patrol duty when they stopped Kennedy at about 10:00h in the vicinity of Main and Church Street, New Amsterdam, and conducted a search on him.

During the search, officers found a 9mm pistol with no serial number along with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition. As such, he was taken into custody.

However, this publication was told that at the time of his arrest, he told the Police that his name was “Mark Brown” and gave his address as Lot 80 Rose Hall, Corentyne, Berbice.

It was not until after he was processed for the offence of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition that it was discovered that he is already wanted by the Police for Leow’s murder.

Days after the killing, a wanted bulletin was issued for him.

Leow was gunned down on August 2, 2021.

Police had reported that the incident occurred at

Sophia man allegedly killed by son on Father’s Day

was raised by the victim’s wife and when EMT from Alberttown Fire Service responded to the scene, and the victim was pronounced dead.

One stab wound was observed to the back left thigh. No other wounds

were observed on his body, and as such, the body was taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting post-mortem. As investigations continue, the suspect has been detained and the knife was lodged as evidence. (G12)

The group was heading into the woman’s yard when one of the men, “Big John”, reportedly pulled out a handgun from the waist of his pants, walked up to the

The injured Leow got up and ran to the back of the yard where he collapsed. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The shooter then fired another shot at another man from the group, who was standing by the road-

Meanwhile, Kennedy also appeared at the No 51 Village Magistrate’s Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

On each of the two charges, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

The prison terms are to run concurrently. (G1)

AFather’s Day stabbing has left a 47-year-old labourer dead while his son has been arrested for the gruesome crime.

Dead is Eyone Hernandez, a labourer of Lot 509 C Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown. His 20-year-old son is in Police custody.

Information reaching this publication detailed that the incident occurred on Sunday at 23:30h. At the time, Hernandez, who is a Venezuelan, and his son, who allegedly suffers from a mental illness, were involved in an argument.

Reports are that the two were arguing at home over food when the suspect armed himself with a knife and allegedly dealt his father a stab to the back of his left thigh. An alarm

Dead: Eyone Hernandez

Remanded: John Kennedy

Dead: Jaleel Leow

Expansion of small businesses one of Govt’s major focuses – Walrond

Giving small businesses the tools to expand has been a focal point under the Irfaan Aliled Government, having recognised the domino effect in creating sustainable livelihoods and employment opportunities for the common man.

Minister of Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond explained during a Small Business Management training over the weekend that Government recognises the value of small businesses.

As such, the intention is for these enterprises to ex-

pand beyond their restrictions. During the event, several small businesses benefitted from the training – an initiative under the Small Business Bureau.

“What we want to do is to give you the tools so that the particular enterprise that you are engaged in can grow and employ even more people and be beneficial. We want to give you that vision for larger and to see yourself not only as an entrepreneur for a snackette or a small business where only you are employed. Small businesses and small enterprises like yours are the ones

that fuels that kind of growth because it puts disposable income in your hands,” Walrond disclosed.

With the grants given, the Minister said guidance is given by the Bureau on how best it can be utilised. In some cases, businesses have grown to a point where a loan was needed to expand further.

“The idea is for this not be a one and done thing but for you to be in a place where you can expand. At the Small Business Bureau, we have a loan guarantee programme so when your business has come to a stage, we could help

you with the business proposal that can hold muster at a bank and you can go for a loan at very competitive interest rates.”

For 2022, the Small Business Bureau had surpassed its 2022 grant distribution target by 631. The agency had a budgetary allocation for the sum of $300 million for the distribution of 800 small business grants. However, by the end of 2022, the agency had distributed a total of 1431 grants.

The Bureau had also trained more than 2000 business owners across the country in small business management, financial management, digital marketing, and business plan writing.

The SBB Fund has grown significantly since 2020. In the 2020 and 2021 budgets, the respective sums of $100 million and $250 million were approved. In December 2022, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

of the Small Business Bureau, Muhammed Abraham, had called on persons not to wait on promotions to become eligible for grants from the agency.

The Bureau last year went on a countrywide out-

reach, encouraging entrepreneurs to become compliant and have their businesses registered. Those who registered got their compliance certificates and became eligible for business grants. (G12)

Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond

$35M carbon credit grant

Aishalton to establish daycare centre, will provide jobs for single mothers

ed from the daycare will be used to pay a stipend to the single mothers operating the facility.

The Amerindian village of Aishalton, located in South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) will invest a portion of its $35 million carbon credit grant to establish a daycare centre that will provide jobs for single mothers

“One of the things we are pushing through right now is to have a daycare centre which is under what we call social upliftment. This daycare centre will be the first in the district of Region Nine, where we are targeting single mothers. We will be training single mothers in daycare services or healthcare services…before they are employed at the daycare centre. Our plan is to have them on shift base, every month maybe. We will be targeting those workers like teachers, health workers, office workers, and those who are able to pay a monthly fee for the services that will be provided at the daycare centre. The funds that are generated will be used...to pay a

fencing, planting materials [or] farming equipment, whatever they may need assistance with. We already had one meeting where they were given the chance to tell us what assistance they need really. We are working on that and by this weekend we will be distributing to them...based on the request they would have made,” the Toshao explained.

Expanding Aishalton’s tourism product

Aishalton is also looking to expand its tourism products by offering pottery and hammock weaving training. Thomas informed that the village is currently working with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Visit Rupununi to develop a tourism package.

"One of the things under culture and tradition that

"We are presently executing a project with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs (MOAA) under culture where we received some funding to build an information centre for tourism and to protect and preserve the petroglyphs that we have because over the years we have noticed that it is continuously being defaced by our own people...our younger generation who would

normally go there on a weekend without supervision. So, they would just write on those rocks and change up the paintings that we have there,” Thomas added.

Aishalton has a population of approximately 12,000 people. The Toshao shared that a committee of five persons was established to monitor and oversee all of the projects which will be executed under the funding

through the grant.

$4.7B distribution

In February this year, a total of 241 Amerindian communities across the country each received grants ranging from $10M to $35 million. This initiative followed the historic agreement signed with Hess Corporation for Guyana’s carbon credits in 2022, which will see the country earning US$750 million for its forest. A total of $4.7 billion (US$22.5 million), which represents 15 per cent of Hess’s payment for Guyana’s carbon credits, was disbursed in the various communities.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo explained that a strict mechanism would be followed to ensure accountability and transparency regarding how the funds would be expended. Each community is required to create a separate bank account so the spending of the funds could be properly monitored.

Moreover, the community cannot utilise the funds until a finance committee is named and the village development plan is completed and endorsed by the village. Jagdeo had expressed that the plans should be focused on either empowerment projects in the social sector, job creation, and/or on food security efforts.

within the community.

This was revealed by Toshao of Aishalton, Michael Thomas, who stated during a telephone interview with this publication on Monday that the project is expected to be executed by November after the village acquires the second tranche of money from the grant.

“It will be from November or as soon as we finish the first set of projects, presently we are doing five projects with the $12.5 million, and as soon as we are able to expend [that] money, we're going to a second request for funding and then we will have the daycare centre set up. By that time, we will have already identified the single parents and where... we will seek training opportunities from.”

According to Thomas, they will train single mothers in the areas of daycare and healthcare services so they can efficiently work in the daycare centre. He added that the funds generat-

stipend to these single mothers,” Thomas explained.

He added that they are hoping to have the daycare operate on a monthly shift system.

Farming assistance

The community was given its first tranche of $12.5 million from the grant which will be used to help farmers within the community to get planting materials and equipment upon their request.

Thomas told this publication that they recently held a meeting with farmers who were given the chance to request specific things they need for their farms.

"We already received a cheque to the value of $12.5 million and what we are doing presently is assisting farmers with support. We have over 40 households [that] we were able to help plough a large amount of savannah and we are assisting them with whatever support they need [whether it be],

we are bringing up back is pottery which we will use as a tourism product, and hammock weaving. We will have the training programme being done right here in the village by our own people who are knowledgeable of hammock weaving. So those are part of our tourism project that we have already initiated with Visit Rupununi and the Guyana Tourism Authority,” Thomas explained.

He shared that as of right now, the only tourism products the village has to offer are petroglyphs. Thomas added that through funding from the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, the village will build an information centre for tourism as well as use some of the funds to protect its historical infrastructure.

"We only have the Aishalton petroglyphs. That is the only product we have presently. We don't have an organised package as yet but that is what we are presently organising.”

Aishalton Toshao Michael Thomas

Aishalton Village

A petroglyph in Aishalton

Months later

Probe still ongoing into murder of Canada-based Guyanese woman

Over three months later, the investigation into the murder of Roma Dookeran, the 68-year-old Canada-based Guyanese woman, is still ongoing following the discovery of her partially nude body on March 17, 2023, at Uniform Beach, Leguan Island. This was revealed by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum during a telephone interview with this publication on Monday.

“The probe is still ongoing, that’s all I can say at this point in time,” the

Crime Chief told Guyana Times

According to previous reports, Dookeran, formerly of Pert Village, Essequibo Coast, reportedly arrived in Guyana to finalise several business transactions a week prior to the discovery of her body in Leguan.

CCTV footage showed that the woman was dropped off at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) by her nephew, at about 22:45h on March 14, 2023. However, instead of boarding her flight back to

Canada, the woman took a taxi and departed the CJIA, heading to Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara and subsequently to the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.

Subsequent to the discovery of her body, a taxi driver was arrested in connection with the murder. Despite the arrest of a taxi driver for questioning, no substantial information has been released to the public regarding the case, leaving many questions unanswered.

To date, it remains unclear how she ended up dead on the Region Three island.

The body of Dookeran was found clad only in a black brassiere, with what appeared to be a silver wedding ring on a finger and a silver chain around the neck. The body was inspected by officials for marks of violence, and there were black and blue marks between the legs and on the side of her body.

A post-mortem examination conducted on Dookeran determined that she died

from blunt trauma to the head and compression to the neck.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn had previously told the media that the investigation into this murder was complex and time-consuming.

“Usually, these cases will require quite an amount of forensic examinations, checks, and identifying the persons who may have had engagements with her to come to a definitive position on it,” Benn formerly explained.

Corentyne farmer dies at Skeldon Hospital, family questions treatment

…given wrong medical report to take to NA Hospital

ACorentyne cattle farmer is now dead and his family is calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Dead is 58-year-old Udishjeer Jairam, a cattle farmer of Number

57 Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

He died at the New Amsterdam Hospital on Saturday, hours after being taken there.

Jairam was admitted as a patient at the

Skeldon Hospital on June 9, but was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital on June 17, after his condition worsened and family members experienced difficulty getting information from medical personnel at the facility on what may have

been wrong with Jairam.

His wife, Chandrawattie Jairam, said she was initially told that the doctor had prescribed three different medications for her husband but only two were available and that she would have to purchase the third.

“They never give me the paper onto now to buy none,” she said.

Meanwhile, the now dead man’s daughter-in-

tion.

As a result of that, they decided to take the patient to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

“When we sign to take him out and take him to New Amsterdam, they give us somebody else report.”

That report was seen by this publication and it was for a patient of Albert Street, Number 79 Village, Corentyne, who was being observed for suspected malaria.

law of Number 57 Village, Christene Saroop said her father-in-law was having difficulty breathing and was taken to the Skeldon Hospital where he was admitted.

“For the couple days we tried to reach the doctors and we never got to reach none. When we asked the nurse on Friday to reach the doctor, she said the doctor would be there until Saturday afternoon.”

She said efforts to ascertain from the staff what was wrong with her father-inlaw were futile, noting that no one was able to provide any information.

Saroop was eventually told that her father-in-law had kidney failure and a blockage of his heart.

On Saturday morning she was informed that the man had a stroke and there was nothing that could be done to remedy the condi-

The man died shortly after being taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

The woman explained that on June 9, Jairam was able to walk to go to the hospital but on June 17, they had to lift him out.

The family is calling on authorities to provide them with answers and for the matter to be investigated. Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Regional Health Officer for a comment on the matter proved futile. (G4)

Dead: Udishjeer Jairam

Dead: Roma Dookeran

Cutlass-toting bandits jailed for 35 months

Two men who used a cutlass as a weapon in robbing a 55-yearold West Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) man last Wednesday, were on Monday jailed for 35 months each.

The sentences were handed down by Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court.

Balram Latchman called “Chris” of Lot 13A Bath Settlement and Marcus Marcel called “Buckman” of Estate Road Experiment, Bath Settlement, also on the West Coast of Berbice, pleaded guilty to robbing the 55-year-old man at his Lot 196 Experiment Bath

Settlement home at about 23:00h on June 14.

They both pledged guilty to the charge and were sentenced.

After the incident was reported, Police were able

Drugs in barrels

Republic Park resident slapped with narco trafficking charge

to arrest Latchman the following day, and on Friday, based on the information received, Marcel was arrested.

They were charged with robbery under arms.

Government must act swiftly to save Trinidad and Tobago from Trafficking-In-Persons downgrade

and was upgraded to Tier2 after a three-year consecutive Tier 2 Watch List ranking.

The only Caribbean country listed in Tier 3 is Cuba. Haiti was also given a waiver this year.

She said it was concerning that the report showed inconsistencies between what the Government reported and what observers reported.

“One of the main things we have to deal with is securing convictions, having a faster judicial process, and dealing with complicit officers and officials.”

A53-year-old Republic Park, East Bank Demerara man who was reportedly caught with $18 million worth of drugs was on Monday remanded to prison.

According to police, Ken Benjamin of Lot 457 Hopkinson Street, Republic Park, EBD was arrested June 14.

On Monday he was charged with the offence of Possession of Narcotic for the Purpose of Trafficking

Contrary to Section 5 (1) (a) (i) of the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substance (Control) Act Chapter 10:10.

It is alleged that he had 51,650 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on June 14. He appeared at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrate’s Court before Principal Magistrate Sunil Scarce and pleaded not guilty. He was remanded to prison

and the case was adjourned to August 14.

Last week, it was reported that Police in Regional Division 4 (B) unearthed a large quantity of drugs during an intelligence-led operation at Republic Park, East Bank Demerara.

Reports were that the drugs were found stashed away in four 45-gallon barrels.

According Police June 14, at about 17:30h, the operation was led by a senior superintendent to the house where a search was conducted in a storage room of the property.

Police said that in the presence of two men, who were at the property, four 45-gallon barrels which contained several bulky plastic bags wrapped with transparent scotch tape were found. The parcels were examined

and found to contain a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems. The men, however, remained silent and were both arrested.

In a statement, Police said that they observed a motorcar, which was parked on the bridge in front of the property, and it was also subjected to a search and a bulky plastic bag containing a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis was found.

Both men were escorted to the Diamond Police Station where the narcotics found in the motor car were weighted and amounted to 2900 grams while the narcotics found in the storage room were weighed and amounted to 48,750 grams.

According to Police, the total street value of the narcotics is $18.7M.

Mexican President taps Labour Minister to be next Interior Minister

Former Head of the Counter-Trafficking

Unit of Trinidad and Tobago, Alana Wheeler says the Government will have to work harder to move the country from the grasp of a downgrade in the Trafficking In Persons report for the next reporting period.

The 2023 report was published on Thursday and ranked TT at Tier 2 Watch List for a third consecutive year, which normally means an automatic downgrade to Tier 3. However, T&T was spared the downgrade thanks to a waiver.

The waiver was given as the country, in its detailed plans, showed how it intends to improve its handling of human trafficking.

Countries ranked at Tier 3 are those that fail to meet the minimum standards of the UN TIP Protocol and the US Trafficking Victims

Protection (2000 ) Act (TVPA), and are not making efforts to do so.

A downgrade would have seen T&T being banned from getting some financial assistance from the US and being ineligible to access some loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). If T&T does not improve, it will be downgraded, as a waiver can only be given once. T&T was last downgraded in 2021, when it went from Tier 2 to Tier 2 Watch List.

“Countries on Tier 3 may be subject to certain restrictions on foreign assistance whereby the President may determine not to provide US Government non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance as defined in the TVPA.”

Speaking to Newsday, Wheeler said there is hope for TT, as Belize was in a similar position in 2021

She remained optimistic that the country would see convictions in the next reporting period, thanks to specialised human-trafficking courts which will help in taking it back to its 2020 standing of Tier 2.

One of the prioritised recommendations given in the report was to increase efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers, including officials and staff allegedly complicit in trafficking crimes; and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms.

Reducing judicial backlog and increasing proactive victim identification, screening, and protection among vulnerable communities, including children in children’s homes and schools; and migrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees, especially Venezuelans, were other recommendations. (Trinidad Newsday)

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday he was naming current Labour Minister Luisa Maria Alcalde to replace the previous interior minister, who recently resigned to run for the ruling party's presidential nomination.

Alcalde, 35, will become one of the youngest people to hold the post, which has traditionally been one of the most powerful positions in the Mexican Cabinet.

Lopez Obrador praised her record, including see -

ing through several minimum wage hikes, and said it was important to give opportunities to up-andcoming politicians.

"She is young, it's very important to think about the generational transition, give the youth a chance," Lopez Obrador told his daily news conference.

Alcalde has led the Labor Ministry since Lopez Obrador took office in late 2018. In that time, she oversaw historic changes to Mexican labour law, underpinning tougher worker protections in

a new trade deal with the United States and Canada.

Lopez Obrador said her appointment would maintain a strong presence of women in the Cabinet, and that she would this week meet with Alejandro Encinas, the interim head of the Interior Ministry, to discuss the transition to the new post.

Mexico's last Interior Minister, Adan Augusto Lopez, stepped down last week to campaign for the presidential nomination of Lopez Obrador's National Regeneration Movement (MORENA). (Reuters)

Massy worker dies after accident at NiQuan plant

Injured worker Allanlane Ramkissoon has died, three days after being burnt in an accident at the NiQuan Energy Gas-ToLiquids (GTL) plant at the former Petrotrin compound at Pointe-a-Pierre. His employer issued a statement on Sunday titled: “Incident at NiQuan Energy Services

Ltd Facility”.

It said: "Massy Energy Engineered Solutions Ltd is deeply saddened by the passing of our employee Allanlane Ramkissoon who was involved in an incident at NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd on Thursday, June 15.

"Mr Ramkissoon was being treated at a specialist fa-

cility, but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries and passed away on Sunday, June 18."

The Massy Group extended its condolences to Ramkissoon's family and loved ones and said it continued to support his family during this difficult time.

(Trinidad Newsday)

Jailed: Marcus Marcel Jailed: Balram Latchman

Former Head of the Counter-Trafficking Unit of Trinidad and Tobago, Alana Wheeler

Charged: Ken Benjamin

Teen girl killed in Brazil school shooting, authorities say

A16-year-old girl has been killed and another teen wounded in a school shooting in the southern Brazilian state of Parana, according to local officials in the city of Cambe.

The gunman, a former student believed to be approximately 20 or 21 years old, entered the Professora Helena Kolody state school on Monday purportedly to retrieve some documents, spokesperson Thiago Mossini told The Associated Press.

Once inside the building, the man fired at least a dozen shots before being restrained by a school employee, Mossini said. The alleged attacker was later arrested by Police.

The wounded student, a 17-year-old, remains in critical condition, the University Hospital of Londrina said in a statement on Monday evening. The medical team said that, while it was necessary to place a catheter, the patient’s critical state did not

allow for him to be transported to the surgery room at the moment.

The young man’s father, Rodrigo Augusto, told TV network Globo News earlier on Monday that a bullet was still lodged in his son’s head.

“It’s my birthday today. We usually stay together all day on my birthday, and then… today I couldn’t in the morning,” Augusto said.

Images circulating on

Anti-corruption advocate flees Honduras after receiving threats

Aprominent anti-corruption activist in Honduras has filed a complaint with the Honduran human rights commissioner, claiming that threats forced her and her family to flee the country at the weekend.

Gabriela Castellanos, director of the National Anti-Corruption Council (CNA) non-profit group, left Honduras at the recommendation of her security team after a “series of indications in recent days” signalled she was in danger, the Council said.

on Monday. “This battle belongs to everyone; they will not stop us.”

She also spoke to Honduran media about the threats, telling HCH Television on Monday that her departure came “even sooner” than she expected. “I think the responsibility of our work is to act in a responsible manner, with truth, no matter the cost,” Castellanos said.

“Concentration of Power”, traces evidence of nepotism in the Government.

The wife of former President Manuel Zelaya, the left-wing Castro became Honduras’s first female President after she led a broad coalition to victory in the 2021 presidential elections. Her win ended the 12-year rule of Honduras’s conservative National Party.

TV and social media showed dozens of students gathered outside the school, some crying, as an ambulance approached the gate.

“Yet another young life taken away by the hatred and violence we can no longer tolerate within our schools and society,” President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on his official Twitter account on Monday.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Warner to sue Farley over damning allegations

Keon Warner, son of Tobago businessman Allan Warner, has admitted that Warner Construction and Sanitation Ltd (WCSL) made a verbal request for TT$60 million from Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Farley Augustine for outstanding payments from construction projects. Warner also admitted their company had been facing financial issues, and they made the request for the millions owed through Augustine, who,

on his own accord, went to the Central Government for help.

Last Friday, at a press briefing, Augustine alleged the leak of a tape which is now under Police probe, was part of an extortion plot to get the THA to pay money to Warner Construction and Sanitation Ltd.

Augustine said that the company had been paid TT$25.2 million by his Administration for a series of projects, some of which had questions about them.

Augustine has alleged that the TT$100 million was sent to Tobago “because two senior members” of the Government called “and asked that I find a way to give Warner’s TT$60 million out of the TT$100 million….”

The contractor has been in the news recently, as Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley is personal friends with its chief executive, Allan Warner.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Mottley to share vision

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley was scheduled to address a gathering of primarily African nations on Monday as part of the 30th Afreximbank Annual Meeting in Accra, Ghana. The Barbados leader was to join some of her counterparts in the African continent as the prestigious institution welcomed, for the first time to its annual meeting, Caribbean States which have joined the Afreximbank partner states. The bank is set to open a branch in Barbados soon.

Mottley was scheduled to speak on the issue “Towards A Unified

Vision For The Prosperity Of Africans” in the morning and in the afternoon, during the plenary session, she will deliver the keynote address.

There are 4610 people

“We will continue to fight corruption,” Castellanos tweeted early

Lula

to

Her accusations arrive in the wake of a CNA investigation, published in May, that took aim at the Administration of Honduran President Xiomara Castro.

The report, titled

discuss

But the CNA alleges Castro has since used her position to concentrate power within her family, naming her husband and close relatives to key governmental positions. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Mercosur-EU deal,

'tough' French stance with Macron

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Monday he expects to discuss the trade deal between Mercosur and the European Union with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron as they meet this week, including "tough" stances by France on it.

Lula, who was scheduled to travel to Europe on Monday and was scheduled to meet with Macron in Paris, has been criticising the French National Assembly for passing a resolution against the approval of deal last week.

French lawmakers have said the EU agreement with the Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay could lead to increased deforestation in South America and hurt French and European farmers.

"I'm having lunch with Macron and I want to raise the issue of the French Parliament toughening the trade deal," Lula said in a weekly live broadcast on social media. "If we are

strategic partners, then one cannot threaten the other."

The long overdue trade deal was struck in 2019, but still needs to be finalised, being put on hold since then largely due to European concerns over Amazon deforestation.

Meanwhile, Brazilian authorities said on Monday they had seized 28.7 metric tonnes of illegally-obtained shark fins that would be exported to Asia, in what they called the world's largest confiscation of its kind at the source.

Environment protection agency Ibama estimated the consignment represented the death of some 10,000 sharks of two different species, the blue shark and the shortfin mako shark, which entered Brazil's national list of endangered species last month.

Fighting destruction of Brazil's fauna and flora is a major goal of President Lula's Administration, after his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, weakened environmental agencies and oversight powers. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Jamaican student severely burnt in kitchen explosion

Burn victim Ackalia Dunkley is battling for life at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

from 110 countries registered for the event and Mottley will follow on from other high-profile speakers who have put the case for Africa to manage its own affairs. (Excerpt from Nation News)

Observer Online understands that burn victim Dunkley, a Seventh Grade student of the Black River High School in St Elizabeth, is in need of urgent assistance to raise US$45,000 for air ambulance services to get to the United States for surgery.

She is currently battling for life at the University

Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) in St Andrew, suffering from complications associated with third-degree burns she is said to have received from an explosion which occurred inside a kitchen at her house in St Elizabeth on Friday morning.

Sources told Observer Online that the incident occurred while Dunkley was attempting to prepare a meal around 05:00h ahead of school. A gas cylinder allegedly exploded

and fire burnt her school uniform off her body.

Her family has set up a GoFundMe account and is appealing for the public's urgent assistance in flying the child out of Jamaica as well as help to cover medical expenses in the United States.

For further details, people interested in assisting may call the child's father Rupema Dunkley at 876-383-5089 for further information. (Jamaica Observer)

Military Police Officers stand in front of the Professora Helena Kolody Public School where at least one student has died after a former student opened fire [Rei Santos/Reuters]

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley

Around The World OIL NEWS

Ukraine says 8 villages retaken from Russian forces

Oil falls on uncertainty about Chinese economic growth

Oil prices fell on Monday as questions over China's economy outweighed OPEC+ output cuts and the seventh straight drop in the number of oil and gas rigs operating in the United States.

Brent crude settled down 48 cents, or 0.6%, to US$76.13 a barrel while U. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 49 cents, or 0.7%, to US$71.29 at 1935 GMT. Trading volumes were thin due to a US holiday.

Both contracts ended last week with gains of more than 2%.

A number of large banks have cut their forecasts for China's 2023 growth in gross domestic product after May data last week showed the post-COVID recovery in the world's second-largest economy was faltering.

China is widely expected to cut its benchmark loan rates today after a similar reduction in medium-term policy loans last week to shore up a shaky economic recovery.

The oil market is watching for further signs of whether the global economy will pick up, said Jorge Leon, Rystad Energy's senior Vice President.

"Much will depend on China's economic performance in the second half of this year and the effectiveness of the country's recently announced stimulus measures, and on the ability of the US and Europe to avoid an economic slowdown amid interest rates hikes," Leon wrote in a research note.

However, China's refinery throughput rose in May to its second-highest total on record, helping to boost last week's gains, and US energy firms cut the number of working oil and natural gas rigs for a seventh week in a row for the first time since July 2020.

Rising Iranian oil exports also weighed on prices. Iran's crude exports and oil output have hit record highs in 2023 despite US sanctions, according to consultants, shipping data and a source close to the matter, adding to global supply when other producers are limiting output.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia this month agreed on a new oil output deal and the group's biggest producer, Saudi Arabia, also pledged to make a deep cut to its output in July.

"Sentiment-wise in the crude oil market, traders are fairly bearish," said Daniel Ghali, a commodity strategist at TD Bank. "But from a broader perspective, the analyst community is still looking for pretty significant deficits in coming months." (Reuters)

Rome to open ancient square where Julius

Caesar was killed

History buffs will be able to stroll close to the spot where legend says Julius Caesar met his bloody end, when Rome authorities open a new walkway on the ancient site today.

Accounts, embellished by William Shakespeare, tell how the Roman dictator was stabbed to death by a group of aggrieved senators on the Ides of MarchMarch 15 - in 44 BC.

According to tradition, he died in the capital's central Largo Argentina square - home to the remains of four temples.

They are all currently below street level and up until recently could only be viewed from behind bar -

Ukraine said on Monday it had driven Russian forces out of an eighth village in its two-week-old counteroffensive, a settlement on a heavily fortified part of the front line near the most direct route to the country's Azov Sea coast.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian forces had retaken Piatykhatky and advanced by up to seven km (4.3 miles) into Russian lines in two weeks, capturing 113 square km (44 square miles) of land.

"In the course of two weeks of offensive operations in the Berdiansk and Melitopol directions, eight settlements were liberated," Maliar said on the Telegram messaging app, referring to two cities on the Russian-occupied coastline.

In a later statement she

said Russia had concentrated its units in the east, including air assault troops, but that Ukrainian forces were preventing their advance.

Two slick videos released on Telegram by the Ukrainian armed forces

showed what they said were attacks and advances by their forces in recapturing the village of Piatykhatky, including several strikes on Russian positions and a convoy. The video shows thick smoke rising from the area. Columns of Ukrainian

armoured vehicles are seen advancing down a country road.

The video concludes with soldiers of the 128th separate assault brigade standing in front of a colonnaded building with Ukrainian flags and saying they have liberated the village.

Reuters was able to confirm the location of the video but could not independently verify the date.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces wrote on Facebook that anti-aircraft units had shot down four cruise missiles and four Iranian-made drones in the last 24 hours.

It said Russia had shelled more than a dozen towns and villages in the Zaporizhzhia region, including Piatykhatky.

Reuters could not verify the battlefield claims.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Titanic tourist submersible goes missing with search under way

Asubmersible craft used to take people to see the wreck of the Titanic has been missing in the Atlantic Ocean with its crew on board since Sunday, sparking a major search and rescue.

Contact with the submersible was lost about one hour and 45 minutes into the vessel's dive, the US coast guard said.

Tour firm OceanGate said it was exploring all options to get the crew back safely.

Government agencies and deep-sea firms are

helping the rescue operation.

OceanGate charges US$250,000 (£195,612) a seat for expeditions to the Titanic, which lies some 3800m (12,500ft) beneath the waves about 435 miles (700km) south of St John's, Newfoundland.

The missing craft is believed to be OceanGate's Titan submersible, a trucksized sub that holds five people and usually dives with a four-day supply of oxygen.

Hamish Harding, a 58-year-old British billion -

aire businessman and explorer, is among those on the missing submarine, his family said.

On social media at the weekend, Harding said he was "proud to finally announce" that he would be aboard the mission to the wreck of the Titanic - but added that due to the "worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years, this mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023".

OceanGate said in a statement that its "entire focus is on the crewmem-

bers in the submersible and their families".

The company bills the eight-day trip on its carbon-fibre submersible as a "chance to step outside of everyday life and discover something truly extraordinary".

The trip sets sail from St John's in Newfoundland, which is around 370 miles (600km) from the wreckage site. Each full dive to the wreck, including the descent and ascent, reportedly takes around eight hours. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Defence, critical tech on agenda as India's Modi heads to US for landmark visit

riers close to a busy road junction.

From today, visitors will be able to move through the site at ground level on the walkway and see the structures up close.

Italian fashion house Bulgari funded the work at a site that was first discovered and excavated during building work in Rome in the 1920s.

The area - close to where Caesar is supposed to have exclaimed "Et tu, Brute?" as he saw his friend Brutus among his murderers - is these days also home to a sanctuary for stray cats.

Non-residents will pay 5 euros (US$5.50) to visit it. (Reuters)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to the United States this week for a visit billed as a turning point for bilateral relations, with deeper cooperation in defence industry and sharing high technology in sharp focus.

The visit is expected to give India access to critical American technologies Washington rarely shares with non-allies, strengthening a new bond that is underpinned by not just global politics but also business and economics.

Washington and New Delhi, whose relationship was marked by mutual suspicion during the Cold War, have been moving closer for over two decades now with successive US Presidents

displaying bipartisan support for stronger ties with the emerging Asian economy and regional power.

President Joe Biden has built on that legacy and expanded cooperation as the

United States sees India as a vital partner in its efforts to push back against China's expanding influence worldwide and strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific.

Washington also wants

to wean India away from its traditional defence partner Russia. New Delhi continues to do business with Moscow and has increased its purchases of cheap Russian oil in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, much to the frustration of the West.

India too has overcome its "hesitations of history"as Modi put it in a 2016 address to US Congress - and looked West amid its own military tensions and fraying ties with China.

Though Modi has made several previous visits to the United States, this will be his first with the full diplomatic status of an official state visit, just the third of Biden's presidency and third by any Indian leader. (Excerpt from Reuters)

A view shows a residential building destroyed in the course of Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, April 14, 2022 (Picture taken with a drone)

US President Joe Biden meets with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US, September 24, 2021

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Keep gaining knowledge and experience, and participate in events that offer unique networking opportunities. Refuse to let your emotions take the reins and cost you a chance to get ahead.

(March 21-April 19)

Let your instincts take over, and you'll find the path you want to pursue. Don't let anyone lead you astray or tempt you to overreact. Bide your time and nurture what you've worked so hard to achieve.

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Let your intelligence guide you and your strength and courage help you implement changes that make your world a better place. Choose peace and love over discord and chaos.

Use your imagination and discipline to make a difference for yourself and the people you love. Stand up for your rights and be passionate about the changes you want. Keep life simple.

(June 21-July 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(July 23-Aug. 22)

Don't be too eager to take on responsibilities that don't belong to you. Concentrate on how you want to make a difference. Personal growth is apparent, but it will require putting yourself first.

Make changes that help you get ahead, but don't share your plans with anyone who may sabotage you. If you are too accommodating, someone will take advantage of you.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Don't expect something in return. Be aware of what others expect from you before joining a group venture. Listen to your inner voice, and back away from anyone trying to manipulate you.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Getting what you want will take a unique approach. Refuse to give anyone the upper hand when negotiating. Remain current with technology and whatever is trending.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Take a closer look at your financial, medical or legal issues. Don't make changes that aren't necessary or that are suggested by someone who doesn't have your best interests at heart.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Don't let anyone interfere with your plans. An opportunity is only worthwhile if it's affordable. Be creative, and you'll devise a plan that helps you bring in more cash.

Make a point to be transparent regarding your intentions, or someone will twist your words and make you look bad. Go directly to the source for facts. Truth matters.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Address issues with a friend, relative or colleague. It's essential to keep your message accurate to avoid misrepresentation. Speak from your heart. A creative outlet will ease stress.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

CONCACAF Gold Cup…

Bailey, Gray, Antonio headline Reggae Boyz 23-man squad

Forwards Leon Bailey, Michail Antonio and newcomer Demarai Gray headline Jamaica’s 23-man squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup beginning on Saturday in the USA.

The squad was unveiled during a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) press conference on Monday.

Aston Villa’s Bailey will be participating in his third Gold Cup while West Ham United’s Antonio, who helped his club win the Europa Conference League earlier this month, and Everton’s Gray will be participating in the Gold Cup for the first time.

On the other hand, Captain Andre Blake and left

back Kemar Lawrence will each be appearing in their fifth Gold Cup for the Reggae Boyz.

Also selected was Chelseabound 17-year-old attacker Dujuan “Whisper” Richards.

The Reggae Boyz will open their campaign against the USA at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday.

The full squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union); Jamali Waite (Pittsburgh Riverhounds); Coniah BoyceClarke (Reading)

Defenders: Amari’i Bell (Luton Town); Ethan Pinnock (Brentford); Di’shon Bernard; Adrian Mariappa

(Salford City); Dexter Lembikisa (Wolves); Damion Lowe (Philadelphia Union); Javain Brown (Vancouver Whitecaps); Kemar Lawrence (Minnesota United)

Midfielders: Kevon Lambert (Phoenix Rising); (Jonathan Russell (Barnsley); Joel Latibeaudiere (Swansea); Bobby Reid (Fulham); Daniel Johnson (Preston North End); Kaheem Parris (Dynamo Kyiv)

Forwards: Michail Antonio (West Ham); Shamar Nicholson (Spartak Moscow); Leon Bailey (Aston Villa); Cory Burke (New York Red Bulls); Dujuan Richards (Phoenix Academy); Demarai Gray (Everton) (Sportsmax)

Edgbaston Ashes classic brewing as Broad breaks game open

An Edgbaston Ashes classic is brewing.

England batted frantically for two sessions on the fourth day to set Australia a target of 281 to win the first Test, and Stuart Broad took two late wickets to remove Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith and leave the game in the balance overnight.

Australia's pursuit started with the biggest partnership of the day as David Warner and Usman Khawaja added 61. But then Ollie Robinson cracked the game open, inducing a thin outside edge from Warner to bring Labuschagne to the crease on a king pair and give the raucous Hollies Stand an early-evening pick-me-up.

The stage was set for Broad, who became the game's protagonist as he bounded in from the Pavilion End. Labuschagne, who had reached 13, was beaten by his first ball and dismissed by his fourth, unable to avoid the temptation of chasing a wide one in the channel outside his off stump which nipped away to take his outside edge.

When Smith walked out, the field was up; so too the volume, as Broad stood at the top of his mark and revved the crowd up once more. Smith swung him away for four, but then

edged through to Jonny Bairstow on the bounce and Broad sensed another moment. As Smith shaped to drive through cover, the ball swung in and shaped away off the seam. Bairstow took the catch, Broad peeled away and England had the foothold they were after.

Khawaja walked off unscathed at the close – for the third evening out of four –with nightwatchman Scott Boland for company and 174 more required on Tuesday to put Australia one-nil up; England are seven wickets away. With showers forecast in the morning, a tight finish looms in the golden glow of the late-afternoon sunshine.

Joe Root had fought to survive eight balls un-

der thick, dark clouds on Sunday afternoon and decided to free his arms under blue skies on Monday. He attempted to reverse-scoop the first ball of the day over the slip cordon and missed it entirely; he connected with the sixth and seventh, picking up six and then four with the same audacious shot.

Pat Cummins spread the field in a bid to stem the flow as Root and Ollie Pope traded boundaries, but he produced a ball that made his team-mates redundant. From wide on the crease, he sent down a booming inswinger that snuck underneath Pope's bat and ripped his off stump out the ground.

Harry Brook joined Root and made a fast start, picking length early and tak-

ing 13 runs from Nathan Lyon's first over of the day. Root himself continued at a quick tempo and by drinks, England had scored at 6.88 runs an over in the morning, adding 93 in 13.3 overs.

But four runs short of his half-century, Root ran past one. He skipped down to a sharply-spun offbreak, looking to heave Lyon up and over the leg side, but was beaten by the turn. Alex Carey whipped the bails off, and for the first time in his 131-match career, Root was stumped in a Test match.

Josh Hazlewood and Lyon dried England up as Ben Stokes looked to play himself into some kind of rhythm. He survived a convincing lbw shout off Lyon which Australia reviewed unsuccessfully, but Brook fell while trying to force the initiative with a pull off the same bowler, straight to short midwicket.

Bairstow was given out in the over before lunch, struck on the pad by a Boland in-ducker, but successfully overturned the decision and tried to push on after the interval, taking Cummins for back-to-back boundaries. His innings proved to be England's latest cameo: trying to reverse-sweep Lyon, he was trapped leg-before.

Australia were on top and tried to turn the screw,

appealing in every other over. Labuschagne was convinced he had taken a blinding catch at short leg to dismiss Robinson, only for replays to confirm he had grounded it, and then convinced Cummins into burning their final review when Robinson played-andmissed at a short one.

Moeen Ali slashed Cummins for four then slog-swept Lyon for six, but gloved a pull behind as Hazlewood returned for his second spell to expose the tail. Robinson added 27 useful runs, surviving a shortball barrage before lofting Lyon straight to Cameron Green at long-on, and James Anderson managed a couple of boundaries then steered Cummins into a sprawling Carey's left hand.

Cummins and Lyon shared eight wickets and

struck regularly, with England's batting in a state of hyperactivity. Ten of their 11 batters reached double figures, but nobody made a half-century, and the most substantial partnership –between Root and Brook –was worth just 52.

After Khawaja edged Anderson through the gap between Bairstow and Root to pick up a streaky boundary through the slips, Australia's progress was serene. They were aided in no small part by Moeen's struggles with a blistered spinning finger and the seamers' difficulty in finding movement on a slow, dry surface.

That was, at least, until Warner's dismissal prompted that enthralling halfhour passage. If the weather allows, this clash of styles and cultures should go down to the wire. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

Australia 2nd Innings (T: 281 runs)

Usman Khawaja not out 34

David Warner c †

Bairstow b Robinson 36

Marnus Labuschagne c †

Bairstow b Broad 13

Steven Smith c †Bairstow

b Broad 6

Scott Boland not out 13

Extras (nb 5) 5

TOTAL 30 Ov (RR: 3.56) 107/3

Yet to bat: Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey

†, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Fall of wickets: 1-61 (David Warner, 17.4 ov), 2-78 (Marnus Labuschagne, 21.3 ov), 3-89 (Steven Smith, 25.3 ov) •

DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

James Anderson 7-0-32-0

Stuart Broad 9-0-28-2

Ollie Robinson 6-2-22-1

Moeen Ali 7-2-24-0

Joe Root 1-0-1-0

Forwards Leon Bailey, Michail Antonio and newcomer Demarai Gray

Usman Khawaja yorked himself trying to attack Ollie Robinson

NA Secondary triumphs in 1st GCF/ MoE Special Education Chess Meet

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, hosted a ground-breaking chess tournament for students in special needs schools. This event marked the first opportunity for these dedicated students to showcase their skills following the introduction of chess in special needs schools in 2022.

The primary objectives of the tournament were to expose the students to a competitive tournament format and to fuel their passion for the game by nurturing their competitive spirit. Participants from St Barnabas Special School, Linden Centre for Special Needs Children, New Amsterdam Special Needs School, David Rose Special School, and the Diamond Special Needs School engaged in three untimed rounds of gameplay.

The David Rose Special School served as the venue for this memorable event, which took place on Friday, June 16.

Samuel Foo, a 13-year-old student from New Amsterdam Special Needs School, emerged as the victor from among the 18 participants, clinching the first-place medal with an impressive score of 2.5 points.

Meanwhile, the five students representing New Amsterdam earned nine points, securing them the trophy for the best-performing school.

Troy Scott, a 14-year-old from the Linden Centre for Special Needs Children, secured second place while Deon Smith, also 14 years old, representing David Rose Special Needs School, claimed the

third-place spot. Additionally, Therisa Anthony (16 years old); Smith; Foo; Scott, and Kezy Sandford (14 years old) were recognised as top performers for their respective schools – St Barnabas, David Rose, New Amsterdam, Linden, and Diamond.

The success of this chess event can be credited in part to the hardworking teachers from Special Needs Schools across Guyana who go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure their students are given the same opportunity as any other student across the GCF’s chess in schools programme to play the game. It is only with their support that the GCF can grant equal access to the game. Some teachers were trained by the GCF and they in turn taught their students.

GCF President Anand Raghunauth was impressed with the performances, stating that the event showed promise for talent emerging from the special needs programme. The GCF's initiative in training the teachers to teach the students will continue to expand over the coming months, not only in the special needs programme, but in

VMFA to host 2-day outreach at Buxton

The Vurlon Mills Football Academy (VMFA) will be hosting the SISKIN GROUP OUTREACH 2023 on July 22 and 23 at the Buxton commu nity for boys and girls.

VMFA has partnered with the SISKIN Group for annual outreach activities in underserved commu nities. This programme will assist children from East Coast Demerara (ECD) communities this year.

According to organisers, the programme will be free for youths between the ages of eight and 13, and will com mence at 09:00h and conclude at midday daily.

Gender-based violence, foot ball and social activity will be some of the topics on which the youngsters are expected to be engaged as they partake in the outreach.

This upcoming outreach will be suc cessful due to sponsorship from MVP Sports, the SISKIN Group, Urban Life, Topco, and the Food For The Poor.

the teachers competed in their chess meet, also hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, in February of this year.

schools across the country.

It is worth noting that

Supervising the tournament were FIDE Arbiter and GCF Head of Development, John Lee; GCF Company Secretary, Marcia Lee; Senior Special Education Needs (SEN) Officer Nikoya Alleyne; and teachers from the participating schools. Notably, renowned national chess players Woman

Candidate Master (WCM) Sheriffa Ali, Anaya Lall, and Jessica Callender lent their support and expertise to the event. Certificates of participation and trophies for the winners were presented.

The organiser of this exceptional tournament was Sabine McIntosh, the Managing Director of the Guyana Deaf Association, who leads the committee responsible for promoting chess in special needs schools within the

Federation.

The GCF expressed thanks to the Ministry of Education for its support and sponsorship, and the management of David Rose Special School for the tournament venue.

"In the history of Guyana cricket, no cricket board has invested as the Berbice Cricket Board has done for the last five years. We have not only organised cricket at all levels and developmental programmes, but we have assisted every single club in the county to fulfil their mandate to produce players for the county and country. This donation today is another major red-letter day for the county as we move on into the 2023 First Division season.”

Those were the words of BCB President Hilbert Foster as he addressed a simple presentation ceremony at the Board’s office on Thursday to hand over $1 million worth

from $1 million in white balls while the Second Division would shortly receive another million dollars’ worth of red balls under another project.

Foster urged the clubs to use the balls for the intended purpose and to support the Board as much as possible. He also disclosed that as part of the Board’s assistance to clubs, it has managed to obtain six bowling machines, over 24 practice nets, five batting cages, and 20 catching cribs.

Clubs, over the past five years, have also received cricket gear, educational grants, scorebooks, water pitchers, grass cutters, cricket uniforms, bicycles, and protective gear among others. Foster, who has been the board President since 2018, expressed thanks to the BCB Patron for his assistance under the Fund. The BCB President stated that his administration understood the financial burden that clubs endure to play the game and was delighted to assist as much as possible. Foster noted that as BCB President, he has been working very hard to make a positive difference as he was determined to lift the game higher.

He recalled that on his election in February 2018, he committed to making sure that the Ancient County produce 10 West Indies players at all levels in five years. The county has since produced 12 players at the junior and senior levels, including Isai Thorne, Sheneeta Grimmond, Shakabi Gajnabi, Rampertab Ramnauth, Romario Shepherd, Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair, and Kevlon Anderson. Additionally, several exciting talents have

burst on to the scene including Shamar Joseph, Ashmini Munisar, Junior Sinclair, and Jonathan Rampersaud.

The BCB has invested heavily in a massive coaching programme which has seen the presence of Sir Curtly Ambrose, Sir Andy Roberts, Courtney Walsh, Roland Butcher, Jimmy Adams, Dr Desmond Haynes, Reon King, Sheik Mohamed, Nolan Mckenzie and Clyde Butts working with youths in the county.

Foster also unveiled plans for the hosting of several tournaments at the First-Division level along with cricket at the Second Division and female level over the next six months as part of a massive development effort. Clubs in the county would also be allowed one non-Berbician to play at the First- Division level while plans for three academies were also announced for West Berbice, Upper Corentyne and Berbice. Clubs expressed their gratitude to the BCB and the Patron for the cricket balls.

The Board also used the opportunity to distribute $300,000 worth of coloured uniforms to the 20 Coaches attached to its developmental programme.

The Coaches are based in the West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne areas. Foster urged the coaches to redouble their efforts to accomplish the task at hand and to work hard to make sure that every talent is given the opportunity to grow. He stated that his administration would not tolerate indiscipline and laziness from people who only

want to use the system for their own benefit. The BCB boss expressed thanks to former national player Sheik Mohamed for his donation of the uniforms.

BCB distributes $1M in white balls to 1st-Division clubs

BCB Coaches pose with Board President Hilbert Foster after receiving their coloured uniforms and caps

Representatives of the clubs pose with the cricket balls after the presentation

First Place SEN chess meet 2023 – Samuel Foo (New Amsterdam)

CONCACAF Gold Cup Prelims…

Guyana’s senior men’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars, will today lock horns with Guadeloupe’s Les Gwada Boys for a chance to compete in their second-ever CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage.

Following a thrilling victory over Grenada on Saturday last, the Golden Jags are now one win away from sealing a spot in Group D of the Gold Cup’s main draw.

Without a doubt, a victory today for the national team would mean a lot to the players and the nation, as described by the team’s Assistant Coach, Wayne Dover after their opening win against the Spice Boys.

Dover reasoned, “Well, I think this means a lot for the group and the country by extension, because we have been knocking on the

door for the last two years to get into the final stage of the Gold Cup and we take one step closer. We gotta ensure we keep our foot on the ground; ensure we keep the guys them on earth so that we could go back to the second game, get a victory and go through to the second stage of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.”

Guadeloupe, in their first qualifier match last Friday, defeated Antigua and Barbuda 4-0. While the Gwada Boys were intended to face Trinidad and Tobago in that match, the twin-island republic were promoted to the main draw after Nicaragua were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player during the Nations League.

Probed about how he saw their opponents and today’s must-win game against Guadeloupe, Dover shared that he expected a tough game.

Dover said, “The fact that Trinidad is not in this phase of the tournament and Guadeloupe prevailed over Antigua, it’s not going to be an easy game, because we as a Caribbean nation played Guadeloupe before and had some very serious battle over two legs of foot-

Shepherd renews sponsorship of BCB U13 tournament

Fund to provide 2 more bowling machines

The remarkable relationship between the progressive Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and its players continues to expand, with another player renewing his support of the Board.

West Indies white-ball player Romario Shepherd, a product of the Tucber Park Cricket Club has renewed his sponsorship of the BCB Under-13 tournament for 2023 after sponsoring the team last year.

BCB President Hilbert Foster, who leads a massive marketing effort from the Board, stated that the tournament was expected to start soon as the county began preparations for the inter-county Under-13 season. The tournament would be for players born on or after the first of September 2009 and is expected to start this weekend. A total of 12 teams have registered to take part and they are Bath, Bush Lot United, Achievers, Cotton Tree, Tucber Park, Guymine, Mt Sinai, Edinburgh/East Bank, Rose Hall Canje, Albion, RHT Poonai Pharmacy, and Port Mourant.

Foster stated that the tournament would be played under a round-robin format in three zones and the top two teams advance to the second round. It would be played 30 overs per side, with bowlers allowed a maximum of six overs. The first eight overs of the innings shall be bowled by fast bowlers. The winning team would take home $60,000 and the runners-up $40,000. Trophies would also be distributed

to the top two teams while the Man of the Finals would also carry home a prize and medal.

The BCB President stated that the Under-13 tournament would be followed by the historic Rickey Moore Under-11 tournament. The BCB in 2023 has hosted tournaments at the Under 15, 17 and 19 age group at both the club and zone level in addition to school tournaments at the primary and secondary level. He hailed the sponsorship as another red-letter day for Berbice cricket as the Board continues to attract sponsorship from former and current players, who are willing to give back to the game. Shepherd, who made his international debut in 2019, has represented the West Indies in a combined 44 One-Day International (ODI) and T20 matches.

He is also a senior member of the Amazon Warriors team in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament, and also plays in the popular Indian Premier League (IPL). He is one of several players whose sup-

ball. “So, we’re expecting a tough game, but we’ll do our homework and ensure that we come out to fight again tonight and win that game.”

The Assistant Coach went on to expound on the areas the Golden Jaguars would have been focusing on: “No doubt, we want to improve on our goal scoring, because I think that is something that plagued us for the last couple of games, we haven’t scored a lot of goals and tonight (Saturday) we had a few chances that we did not convert and you know, the next couple of days we’ll try to see how best we could visit our finishing drills so that we can improve on our goal scoring going forward.”

If Guyana emerge successful this evening, they will be drawn into Group D of the Gold Cup group stage, alongside Canada, Guatemala, and Cuba. The national team would begin the group stage play against Nations League Play-offs runners-up Canada on Tuesday, June

27 at the BMO Field in Toronto. Next, they would oppose Cuba on Saturday, July 1, at the Shell Energy Stadium in Texas after which they would take on Guatemala on Tuesday, July 4 at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

Guyana would need a top-two finish in that Group

in order to move on to the Gold Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the team’s history.

Kick-off time for the must-win game against Guadeloupe is set for 16:30h this afternoon.

(Jemima Holmes)

KFC Elite League… Another double-header on today

The KFC Elite League is set to resume today at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Training Centre (NTC) at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) with another exciting double-header.

port the Board has received over the past six years under the presidency of Foster. Other players who have assisted included Shimron Hetmyer, Clayton Lambert, Kevin Bramble, Anthony Bramble, Gudakesh Motie, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Leslaine Lambert, Vishal Nagamootoo, Hemnarine Chattergoon, and Arjune Nandu.

Meanwhile, the BCB would soon benefit from a donation of two bowling machines from the Patron Fund, which is financed by Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat.

The machines would be given to the Port Mourant and Cotton Tree Cricket Clubs, which have very active youth sections at all levels. Foster stated that Berbice at the end of next month would have six bowling machines and five batting cages across the county as part of its cricket developmental programme. He expressed thanks to the BCB Patron for his continued assistance to Berbice cricket.

The first match will kick off at 19:00h and will see a battle between Santos FC and Buxton United FC. Then at 21:00h, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) FC and Milerock FC will lock horns.

While the other three teams will be looking to recover from losses in their last outings, the GDF unit will be hoping to stay unbeaten, having registered

four wins and a draw thus far. When the KFC Elite League was last contested on Saturday, Ann’s Grove United FC and Den Amstel FC picked up some valuable points through victories.

In the first game of the night, Ann’s Grove United narrowly got past Milerock FC 3-2. It was a fiercely contested first half, as Milerock FC took the lead first, by way of a Rodensio Tudor strike in the 14th minute. It was only until added time at the end of the half that Ann’s Grove were able to level the scores, owing to an Andel Gulliver goal

in the 45th+2.

In the second half, Ann’s Grove took the lead early as Antwon Williams found the back of the net in the 48th minute. Spectators were kept on the edge of their seats as Tudor struck again in the 73rd to equalise the scores for a second time.

However, six minutes later, Justin Herod beat the goal’s custodian to register the game winner for Ann’s Grove.

The following game was a single-goal thriller between Den Amstel FC and Victoria Kings FC. After witnessing deadlocked scores for much of the encounter, Den Amstel’s Ryan Lewis struck in the 85th minute to hand Den Amstel their second victory of the competition.

As previously mentioned, GDF FC and Western Tigers currently lead the league with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) FC also remaining unbeaten thus far.

Action from the KFC Elite League thus far (file photos)

The Patron Fund is financed by Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat

…Patron

Assistant Coach Wayne Dover

Goalkeeper Kai McKenzie Lyly (black) will need to ‘show up’ again, as he did against Grenada