Guyana Times - Wednesday, December 7, 2022

PPP/C, Opposition have no objections to another Claims and Objections exercise

…as GECOM CEO writes Chair on 14-day proposal

By Jarryl Bryan

Following the dispatch of an internal memo by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, both of the main po litical parties have indicated their no objections to an ex tended period of Claims and Objections.

Persaud’s missive, a copy of which was seen by this publication, proposes that GECOM should have an extended “Correction of Registers” period of 14 days, before the holding of the Local Government Elections (LGE) which were scheduled for March 13, 2023.

In this exercise, GECOM would facilitate the submis sion of claims for admis sion to the voters’ register, correcting incorrect list ings, applications for name changes and transfers, ob jections and verifications of address. Notably, Persaud indicated in his letter that this proposal, if accepted, "would cause the conduct of Local Government Elections to be further delayed.”

A previous Claims and Objections exercise was conducted between August and September, 2022. Notwithstanding this, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) in a statement on Tuesday noted that they are not opposed to another such exercise.

“The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will not be opposed to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) embarking upon another round of Claims and

Objections in respect of the Register of Voters for the up coming Local Government Elections proposed to be held in 2023,” PPP said in their statement.

Meanwhile, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) also welcomed this development.

Last week, Chief Scrutineer of APNU/ AFC, Carol Smith Joseph filed legal actions against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), challenging the process used to compile the List of Electors, or voters’ list, for the upcoming LGE.

The Fixed Date Application, which was filed on Friday last at the High Court in Georgetown, lists GECOM, the Chief Elections Officer, the Commissioner of Registration, and the Attorney General as respon dents.

In October, GECOM had completed its Claims and Objections period, captur ing more than 3000 new ap plicants who will be eligible to vote by October 31, 2022, as well as a total of 18 ob jections to names on the Preliminary List of Electors

(PLE).

In an interview with Guyana Times at the time, GECOM Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward had said that all 18 objections went through hearings where evidence was pre sented and the objections upheld. These hearings, she said, are in various stages of being completed.

“It’s mandatory… so af ter you make an objection, you have a period for hear ing where you must provide the authentic documents to prove your case. And based on that, the respective offi cers make a determination

in terms of whether they’re upheld or not,” the PRO has said.

She explained that claims came to an end on

September 21, while objec tions ended on September 25. According to Ward, the exercise had run with little to no hiccups and the exten sions allowed for maximum participation of the popula tion.

At the time the claims and objections exercise had been extended, GECOM had explained that the decision to do so by a week was for persons to have further op portunities to make changes to the voters’ list.

LGE, which are usually due every two years, were last held in 2018. At the last LGE in November 2018, the

then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, during which the PPP/C also claimed the ma jority of the LAAs.

In October, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall had set Monday, March 13, 2023, as the date for hosting the long-overdue Local Government polls in Guyana. This was the earli est date that GECOM indi cated the elections could be held.

$1.7M in losses after fire destroys Berbice grocery

Afire, which is believed to have been deliber ately set, on Tuesday morning destroyed a grocery at Edinburgh, East Bank Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The building was owned by Bibi Bhudoo of Rotterdam Village, East Bank of Berbice.

Reports are that fire was seen in the vicinity of the back door of the Edinburgh grocery store shortly before 02:00h on Tuesday. Losses are estimated at $1.7 million.

Neighbours formed a bucket brigade in an at tempt to put out the blaze. However, because of the time of the fire, not many persons were present.

They were unsuccess ful in their attempts with the bucket brigade and as

such, opted to use a hose and sourced water from a nearby pipe. However, as that pro cess commenced, the water supply was cut off from the pump station.

Bhudoo said when she arrived, persons had their buckets in hand but heat pre vented them from going close to the burning building.

When the Fire Service arrived, the officers quickly

doused the flames.

Evidence of a bag of gar bage that was used to start the fire was seen by the back door.

Divisional Fire Officer Clive McDonald said the fire was maliciously started.

Bhudoo said she has been operating the business for the past ten years and only last week stocked for the an ticipated increase in sales for

the holidays.

The woman had left the store at around 21:30h on Monday.

“But I didn’t sell yester day whole day but I go and collect a bottle of water and I come back out, but I checked the building and then after 01:30 I get a call saying that the shop on fire,” she told this publication.

Sources said that a fe male was seen in a near by bus shed sometime after midnight.

The incident took place on the morning of Bhudoo’s 34th birthday.

There are reports that a close family member had ex pressed interest in the land the grocery story was on and there was some dispute over the matter. Police are inves tigating. (G4)

GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

GECOM CEO Vishnu Persaud

The debris of the grocery

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The

Wednesday, Dec 7 – 04:15h – 05:45h and Thursday, Dec 8 – 04:15h – 05:45h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, Dec 7 – 15:30h – 17:00h and Thursday, Dec 8 – 16:05h – 17:35h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There

Winds:

High

Guyana committed to being an active developmental partner – Pres Ali tells RSS …attends Caricom-Cuba Summit

n

phasised that Guyana remains commit ted to offering its unwaver ing support to the Regional Security System (RSS), during a breakfast meeting at Ilaro Court, Bridgetown, Barbados, where he is at tending the Caribbean Community (Caricom)-Cuba Summit.

He made these remarks following the handing over of the document of ascension to the Chair of the Ministerial Council of the RSS, Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell. According to the President, Guyana’s de cision to join the regional body is closely linked to its policies and developmental strategies.

“Guyana has always been, and continues to be, a regional player - we be lieve strongly in the Region. Even before this morning, we have demonstrated our full trust and confidence in the RSS.”

“I assure you that you can depend on our full sup port, and the Region can depend on us on being an active partner for develop ment,” the President said at the event. Among Guyana’s delegation joining him were Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd; Guyana’s Ambassador to Caricom, George Talbot; Director of National Intelligence and Security Administration, Colonel Omar Khan; Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit Head James Singh and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum.

President Ali, mean while, was also praised by Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley and Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, who lauded him for joining the regional or ganisation and for his un wavering support towards regional integration.

In September of this year, Guyana became a member of the RSS. The RSS is based in Barbados at the Paragon Centre, headed by many regional army chiefs. It mainly serves as a defence system for the Caribbean Sea, conducting many op erations by detecting and combating cross-Atlantic and intra-Caribbean drug

smuggling, protecting the sovereignty of the nations of the Caribbean, provid ing assistance to Caribbean countries at the request of governments and are usu ally the first to respond af ter natural disasters occur, such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes.

The RSS was created in 1982 to counter threats to the stability of the Region in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The body cooperates with the Caricom Regional Task Force on Crime and Security (CRTFCS).

Summit

While in Barbados for the summit, President Ali also joined several Caribbean Heads of Government on Tuesday for the open ing of the 8th CaricomCuba Summit at the Lloyd Erksine Sandiford Centre, Bridgetown, Barbados.

The leaders who at tended the opening are Prime Minister Mottley, President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel; the President of the Republic of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokie; Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceño; Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell and Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves.

The President also took part in a reception at Ilaro Court in Bridgetown, Barbados, in honour of par ticipants at the 8th CaricomCuba Summit. The event was also attended by several other Heads of Government.

The Caricom-Cuba Summit is in its eighth itera tion. Additionally, it was ex plained that this December marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of dip lomatic relations between Caricom and Cuba.

In a joint statement on the eve of the summit, Mottley had spoken highly of cooperation and collabo ration between her country and Cuba, which includes in areas such as the medical field and the sugar industry.

It was only in July that an agreement was signed by President Ali and Prime Minister Mottley, to further facilitate relations between Guyana and Barbados, and collaboration in a number of areas, including agriculture and food security.

The agreement, called the Saint Barnabas Accord, was signed on the side lines of the 43rd Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government meet ing, and it paves the way for the two countries to further dialogue in nine specific ar eas. It is an updated agree ment, since a previous Saint Barnabas Accord was signed between the two leaders. (G3)

Tuesday, President Dr Irfaan Ali em

President Dr Irfaan Ali shares a light moment with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel at the reception held in honour of the CaricomCuba Summit leaders

President Ali (right) at the handing over of the document of ascension to the Chair of the Ministerial Council of the RSS, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Cash flow for micro-enterprises

Earlier this year, the Government had announced that it was exploring ways to create more opportunities for small businesses, which is crucial, as persons with this type of businesses and those who want to start businesses often have neither the cash flow nor collateral.

To quote President Ali: “We have to have a discussion on the apportionment of that risk, and how we can minimise or remove the collateral requirement and take the contract at face value, and then work out a mechanism through which a contract at face value is used to support those business operations.”

The issue of cash flow for micro-enterprises has been a topic of interest over the years, not only in Guyana, but in other countries around the world, especially as it relates to women. Debates have centred around the challenges many women face in getting access to equal opportunities, and, in a general sense, programmes and policies that could be implemented to ensure their economic and social advancement.

Women, over the years, have made tremendous progress, not only in terms of their own advancement, but by playing a key role in the development of their own communities, and by extension, allowing other women opportunities to develop themselves. However, many challenges remain, which must be tackled to ensure that women have access to the resources needed to allow them to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

We believe that when women are allowed to develop their full potential, it is not only women who gain, but the entire society.

Women make enormous contributions to economies, whether in businesses, on farms, as entrepreneurs or employees, or by doing unpaid care work at home. According to the United Nations, investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth.

Here, in Guyana, women have made tremendous progress at every level of the society. This country deserves commendation for the advances it has made in ensuring that in addition to women being protected under the law, they are given the relevant opportunities for their personal and professional advancement.

However, there is still a far way to go before we can safely say that women have access to the resources and opportunities, they need to fully develop themselves. For example, our single-parent mothers have, over the years, found it very difficult to make ends meet. Many of them have found themselves in a position where they work from month to month and there seems to be no end to the financial hardships they experience. For some, who would like to venture out into establishing their own small business etc, the strict criteria set by banks and other lending institutions make it difficult to access the necessary loans. There are a few institutions which give grants and other forms of support, but they are on a limited scale, and most of them are Georgetown-based, making it a bit difficult for rural women to have easy access to them. The COVID-19 pandemic has also worsened the situation, as it continues to have serious socio-economic repercussions on the lives of citizens.

Many women-owned small businesses are no longer operational.

Certainly, the economic and social advancement of all women, including those in hinterland and rural communities, should remain a priority for this Government. Focus must continue to be placed on providing jobs, access to skills training, access to financial resources, and protection from domestic and other forms of violence.

An apology is necessary

Dear Editor, I write with reference to an article captioned “Concerns grow over al leged one-sided distribu tion of Public Works con tracts”. While the article assumes the form of impar tial news reporting, it is actually a highly-partisan and inflammatory piece that is intended to dissem inate injurious claims and propositions that are tan tamount to race-baiting.

The central point of the article was first present ed in another article un der the title “PPP policies weakening competition, growth in business, other sectors – accountant”. The “accountant” in the lat ter title referred to Nigel Hinds. Both of the articles noted above relied on a document titled “Economy and Justice in Guyana”, authored by Attorney-atLaw Nigel Hughes.

Readers should consid er the following points in their assessment of the allegations that the cur rent administration fa vours party supporters and foreign entities over other groups in award ing Government contracts. Let us begin with the ba sics. The Procurement Act stipulates how tenders are to be advertised and ad ministered. It is a trans parent process adminis tered through the National Procurement and Tender

Administration Board (NPTAB). Any faulty de cision could be challenged by any aggrieved individu al or company at the level of the Public Procurement Commission.

This is a constitution al body under the direction and control of no one. If Afro-Guyanese individuals and companies have griev ances, they have redress at the PPC. If they feel they are discriminated against, they have recourse to the Courts under the AntiDiscrimination Act.

Readers should know that, by law, all tenders must be publicly adver tised and evaluated by a transparent team of eval uators. Within the Act, there are provisions for any technically justifiable deviation; for example, purchasing of items that are specialised and highly complex in nature, where only one supplier or pro ducer can meet the speci fied requirements.

The evaluators are a team of professional pub lic servants, not politi cians, who are tasked with the responsibility of over seeing a very transparent process.

Note that APNU-AFC have two nominated mem bers on a five-person PPC. The Chair of the PPC is no less than Attorney Pauline Chase, who is also the President of the Guyana

Bar Association.

Now, let us consider the postulate that African Guyanese contractors are systemically excluded. If this is correct, it means that in addition to Pauline Chase (who incidental ly is the daughter of the famed Labour Attorney and Trade Unionist Ashton Chase), the follow ing Cabinet Ministers who are of African descent all gang up against African contractors – Bishop Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works; Oneidge Walrond, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce; Robeson Benn, Minister of Home Affairs; Kwame Mc Coy, Minister with in the Office of the Prime Minister; Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour; Hugh Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and, not least, Brigadier (r’td) Mark Phillips, who is the Prime Minister of Guyana. Add to this list at least four oth er Cabinet Ministers who are not of Indian ances try, but who you are asked to believe gang up against African contractors.

It is imperative that readers know Cabinet has no role in the determina tion of the awarding of any contract. The awards are made by NPTAB, and merely go to Cabinet for its no objection. As all of us know, and that in cludes Mr Hughes and Mr

Hinds, the civil service in Guyana is predominantly populated by non-Indians. I note this to underscore the scale of betrayal that would have to be in place for African contractors to be systemically excluded from contract awards to which they are rightfully entitled.

Might I also remind both Messrs Hughes and Hinds that thousands of Indians also voted for the APNU-AFC, and that a sig nificant number of estab lished Indian contractors are “big-time” supporters of the same APNU-AFC.

In fact, this same coali tion is on record giving out humongous contracts to Indian businesses; most of it well-deserved, I am sure.

Editor, I greatly urge the learned Attorney Mr Hughes to use his enor mous skills, expertise and reputation to advance the causes of those whom he feels are victims of favou ritism or racism, or are otherwise being discrim inated against in the pro curement process. He has nothing less than an obli gation to protect and de fend the rights of those whom he claims are dis criminated against. In the meantime, an apology is necessary. He should know to whom.

Sincerely, Dr Randolph Persaud

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips on Tuesday afternoon signed the Book of Condolences for the late former Chinese President Jiang Zemin, who died last week at the age of 96. Also in photo is Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan (Office of the Prime Minister photo)

Norway, World Conservation Society congratulate Guyana on issuance of high-quality carbon credits

Norway’s Climate and Environment Minister, Espen Barth-Eide, has congratu lated Guyana on being the first country in the world to get issued carbon cred its under the high- integ rity carbon standard ART (Architecture for REDD+ Transactions).

Barth-Eide described the move for Guyana as a “historic breakthrough”.

“I congratulate Guyana on being the first country to issue forest carbon cred its certified by ART, paving the way for many others to come. This marks a break through for the emergence of a high-quality global car bon market to protect trop ical forests,” Espen BarthEide said.

Guyana was issued 33.47 million forest carbon credits for preventing and reducing deforestation and forest degradation in the period 2016-2020.

The credits have been verified by a third-par ty against ART’s robust environmental and so cial requirements. The an nouncement, the Norway Government said on Monday, marks an import ant step for how tropical forest countries can sell high-integrity carbon cred its for preventing and re ducing deforestation and forest degradation.

Guyana is the first country to conclude the ART process out of 15 ju risdictions that have so far entered the ART pipeline.

World Conservation Society

Meanwhile, Norway’s congratulations were echoed by the World Conversation Society (WSC), Executive Vice President for Global Conservation, Joe Walston.

Walston in a statement said that “This is huge. Guyana's issuance of the world's first market-orient ed jurisdictional REDD+ credits through the ART TREES standard is a tes tament to its commit ment to pursuing equita ble economic development through the safeguarding its forests. We must pri oritise global support for countries and jurisdictions that follow this approach”.

These credits, the WSC said, also represent the first time that a jurisdic tion with high forest cover and low rates of deforesta tion, also known as High Forest Low Deforestation (HFLD), has the potential to access carbon market fi nance at scale.

Guyana is one of the most forested countries in the world, with around 85 per cent of the coun

try covered by vast ex panses of high integrity or intact forests. Guyana’s credits are the culmina tion of over a decade of commitments and collab orative efforts to pursue a Low Carbon Development Strategy through incen tives from jurisdictional REDD+. Its TREES cred its, independently validat ed and verified against the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) TREES standard and conforming with rigorous environmen tal and social safeguards, can help enable Guyana to strengthen stewardship of its forests and contribute to meeting global climate goals while pursuing eco nomic security and pros perity for all Guyanese.

In a separate announce ment, the Government of Guyana announced that it has entered into a multiyear agreement worth US$750 million with Hess Corporation for the pur chase of 37.5 million cred its. This translates into 2.5 million credits per year from 2016 to 2030, roughly a third of Guyana’s current and projected credit issu ance.

Architecture

for REDD+ Transactions (ART)

On Monday, the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) in a statement said that it has issued the world’s first TREES credits to Guyana. This also marks a mile stone as the first time a country has been issued carbon credits specifically designed for the voluntary and compliance carbon markets for successfully preventing forest loss and degradation — a process known as jurisdictional REDD+.

According to ART, fol lowing completion of an independent validation and verification process and approval by the ART Board of Directors, ART has issued 33.47 million TREES credits to Guyana for the five-year period from 2016 to 2020. These serialised credits, listed

on ART’s public registry, are available to buyers on the global carbon market, including for use by air lines for compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s global emission reduction programme, CORSIA, as well as for use toward vol untary corporate climate commitments.

Guyana’s completion of the ART process paves the way for other governments that are looking to receive carbon market finance for success in protect ing and restoring forests. Currently, 14 other coun tries and large sub-nation al jurisdictions are working toward their own issuances of TREES credits.

Chair of the ART Board, Frances Seymour congrat ulated the Government of Guyana and the many do mestic stakeholder groups who contributed to this achievement, which recog nises the success the coun try has had in protect ing its forests. “Guyana is the first to complete the ART process for generat ing high-integrity, Paris Agreement-aligned car bon credits that will allow the country to access mar ket-based finance to con tinue to implement forest stewardship strategies. ART, other governments, and important stake holder groups, especial ly Indigenous peoples and local communities, around

the world can now build on Guyana’s experience to ac celerate progress towards meeting global forest and climate goals in ways that ensure environmental and social integrity.”

Additionally, Executive Director of the ART Secretariat, Mary Grady said, “Our planet’s last intact forests are under mounting threat of irre versible, permanent loss if new approaches to protect them are not urgently sup ported. Without the proper financial incentives to val ue forests and the actions that protect them, there is no guarantee that forests in HFLD areas will remain standing in the long run. Providing a pathway that incentivises jurisdictions to keep their forests stand ing will create a more ef fective and equitable global system for forest protection and restoration.”

Wednesday, December 07, 2022

WSC Executive Vice President for Global Conservation, Joe Walston

Norway’s Climate and Environment Minister, Espen Barth-Eide

Page Foundation

Materials:

3 containers

Pipettes (you can also use squirt bottles or straws to transfer)

Baking soda Oranges or any kind of aci dic fruit Small cups 1/4 teaspoon 1/2 cup

Make your own pH Indicator by boiling red cab bage and extracting the pig ment or even cranberry juice. Pour equal amounts of the pH Indicator in the 3 diffe

One jar will be labelled as your control. Since it will only contain water, it should ideal

Mix approximately ¼ tsp of baking soda with ½ cup wa

Use your pipette or straw to transfer your baking soda mixture into one of the pH in dicator jars. Notice and obser

Use your fruit and mash it

up to extract some juice. Pour the juice into the last indi cator jar and notice a colour change.

Compare the jars and have a discussion about the diffe rence between acids and ba ses and the pH scale.

As a fun way to conclu de, use some of the fresh aci dic fruit juice and mix it with some baking soda and notice a reaction occur. You should no tice bubbles. After you obser ve, you can dip a piece of the fruit in a small amount of ba

king soda and eat it. You will be able to notice the bubbles forming in your mouth. (This is one of the coolest parts of this whole experiment).

How it works:

◄ Question 1: TO BE CONTINUED

In the presence of wa ter, citric acid [C6H8O7] and sodium bicarbonate [NaHCO3] (aka baking soda) react to form sodium citra te [Na3C6H5O7], water, and carbon dioxide [CO2]. (sci encefun.org)

Electoral reform laws passed in National Assembly

…as APNU/AFC fails in attempts to delay Bill

The Government on Tuesday passed long-awaited amend ments to the Representation of the People Act (RoPA), af ter impassioned debates on both sides of the House and arguments for and against the electoral reforms, which ran past midnight.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who presented the Bill, emphasised why it was necessary and what the Bill seeks to do. Not only does the Bill increase the num ber of polling places, it also mandates the Registrar of Deaths to submit the names of the deceased so they can be removed from the list.

“We agree, Mr Speaker,

that dead people ought not to be on the list. Under the Constitution they are dis qualified and must be re moved. Unfortunately, it would appear that they have not been removed at period ic intervals from the list. That’s the report out there.”

“What we’re doing now, is to make it manda tory for the Registrar of Deaths to furnish to the Chief Registration Officer, a list of dead people every four months, and the requi site information confirming those deaths,” Nandlall ex plained.

His Bill received sup port from his colleagues on the Government side, in

cluding Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, who also responded to the Opposition’s call for biomet rics to be included in the re forms. Bharrat noted that while the Government is not against biometrics, they must complement, not re place the system.

“We heard from the Member that spoke from the Opposition benches, about the list. Let us remind them, that this is the very list that they claimed to have won the 2015 elections with. But when they won in 2015, the list was good. The list was clean. It was perfect. But when they lost in 2020, it’s a bloated list. It’s padded.

Minibus passenger nabbed with gun, ammo

Police ranks acting on information nabbed a 37-year-old passenger sitting in the front seat of a minibus with a gun along with matching ammunition.

Reports are that at about 14:30h on Monday, acting on information received, ranks went to Barnwell Public Road, East Bank Essequibo, where contact was made with the 47-year-old driver of a red and white minibus.

The ranks then request ed a search and the pas senger agreed, but noth ing was found. However, a bulky blue rag was lying at his feet and when a Police rank picked up the item, he found a silver and black .38 revolver along with six live matching rounds of ammu nition.

A black plastic bag con

taining seventeen rounds of suspected live .38 rounds of ammunition was also found.

Searches were conducted on the other two occupants

of the said minibus. They were all arrested, and es corted to the Leonora Police Station. An investigation has been launched. (G9)

Dead people voted. And all sorts of excuses.”

“We hear about election petition, court cases, bloat ed list. We hear the PPP is not interested in biomet rics. The PPP has never said that. What we’ve said is that it must be used to comple ment the existing system. To put further safeguards to our electoral process. It should not replace the exist ing system,” Bharrat said.

Delay

The Opposition made re peated calls for the passage of the Bill to be delayed until a Special Select Committee could examine it. Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Khemraj Ramjattan hinted that while parts of the Bill could even get Opposition sup port, other parts are hur dles to bipartisan support. For instance, despite the Government’s efforts to clar ify the residency require ment in the amendments, Ramjattan argued for this section of the principal act to be left intact.

“You should have put in back that which is not clear and that is the resi dency requirement. Because we are going to have a sce nario where so many people can take advantage of the bloat,” he said.

“A lot of these amend ments, you carry them to the select committee, a lot of them will be supported. But this one here is the big set

up for a lot of nasty things that can happen in future elections by impersonation.”

The Opposition’s shadow Attorney General, Roysdale Forde, also stressed that the Bill must go to a Special Select Committee. However, Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag made it clear that they were long past time to send the Bill to a Special Select Committee.

“This is the second read ing. We’re debating this Bill. This Bill has been laid in this Parliament many moons ago. There was enough time for that to be raised. Not only that… this Bill and all its amendments, were placed on the websites of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and you know what’s worse? I sit on a committee of the IRI, just like the Honourable Member and I have brought it to their attention many times, that it is on the web site,” Parag said.

No contribution

Parag also recalled a re cent consultation that was held on the Bill at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC). During the consul tation, several members of the Opposition walked out of the session without mak ing any contributions.

“So, for the Honourable Member to come here and pretend as if this Bill is now coming and rammed down their throats? I don’t think so. Because I have been

through the process from be ginning as well. And many others, who do not belong to the (main political par ties) came along as well and made their contributions,” the Minister added.

The 68-page Bill to re form Guyana’s electoral laws was eventually passed, with Deputy Speaker and Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) Leader Lenox Shuman the lone Opposition member supporting it.

Among the provisions of the Bill is the increase in polling places, the cap ping of the number of elec tors that can be assigned to a particular polling station to cut down on the long lines and the subdivision of the regions.

According to Section 6 (A) of the Bill, the polling districts of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) will be divided.

The Bill also provides that the Statements of Poll (SoPs), among other certi fied forms, be distributed to the Chief Election Officer, and the Chairman of the Commission. Additionally, it provides for the Returning Officer to post an electron ic copy of the SoP on the Commission’s website to be publicly viewed. Strict fines and penalties are attached for breach of these princi ples in the amended Bill. (G3)

The gun that was found in the bus by Police

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat Public Service Minister Sonia Parag AFC MP Khemraj Ramjattan

Pay import taxes on motor vessels – GRA to persons dodging agency

…threatens to take action to enforce compliance

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Tuesday said that it is aware of several instanc es where motor vessels are being imported, registered and operating in Guyana without the payment of the applicable taxes.

In a warning to all such importers, the GRA said these persons must have themselves “fully regular ised, by submitting the rel evant documents pertain ing to the importation and registration of these vessels to the Revenue Authority’s, Law Enforcement and Investigations Division on or before January 31, 2023, to have the said motor ves

Ending...

…ethnic voting??

If you ask most folks what’s wrong with Guyana – and everyone concedes there’s PLENTY wrong! – they’ll tell you we’re a “divided” nation. Now, while every country has its fissures and schisms, ours cause that dreaded “ethnic voting”, which splits us down the middle whenever we go out to vote; which is every five years or so!! And sometimes it spills out into the streets, where blood can be spilled. Not good at all!

sels deemed entered in ac cordance with the provi sions of Section 2 of the Customs Act, Chapter 82:01”.

According to the tax agency, failure to do so will

allow the GRA to take the necessary actions to enforce compliance.

“Be reminded that the Authority faithfully re mains your partner in de velopment of Guyana and is

committed to working with all such persons to ensure compliance with the na tion’s tax, trade and border laws administered,” GRA said in its statement.

But ethnic voting isn’t just a Guyanese thing; so, right off the block, when we think about ending “our” scourge, we gotta accept that if something’s found in almost every other country, the fault, dear readers, may lie in something other than our Atlantic breeze!! But what’s that “thing”?? We can’t fix the problem if we don’t know what’s causing it, can we?

Now, your Eyewitness isn’t gonna pretend he has a silver bullet - much less where to aim it, if he were to think of one!! But for sure he knows what AIN’T the solution!! And it ain’t the solution to bury our heads in our mud and pretend we don’t have an “ethnic” or “race” problem! Your humble Eyewitness isn’t any kinda “social scientist” or such like (God forbid!!), but he starts with a simple observation. After voting in umpteenth elections, he’s never seen Guyanese going to vote with persons holding guns at their heads!! But lo and behold, after they vote, we invariably find, in EVERY constituency, the breakdown in votes for the PPP and PNC matches the ethnic breakdown in that constituency!!

And - as he’s been saying forever - when it comes to explaining observable facts like the above, his rule of thumb is to follow Arthur Conan Doyle’s dictum: “When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” And the “truth” is that most of the people who vote for one or the other of the “big parties” identify with those parties. Not based on what they promise to make – they both promise voters the sun and the moon – with the stars thrown in for good measure!

What it boils down to is folks see one or the other party as identifying with THEM – and our divisions ain’t gonna end until that identification is ended. And that’s our dilemma. This thing called “democracy” needs to have as many people identify with a particular PARTY. Which comes from the word “PART”!! So, until we Guyanese start identifying as ONE, politicians - who want to get their hands on power and money – will keep using all sortsa signals – including ethnicity – to encourage us to place our Xs for them. The fault, dear reader, lies in us!!

…NDC’s lassitude

Now, whatever divisions we may have at the national level – ethnic or otherwise - at the local level of the “National Democratic Councils” (NDCs), that shouldn’t matter; should it?!! Here, we’ve elected persons who live in our neighbourhoods!! So, we’re talking about taking care of matters that literally hit them where it hurts!! Take the problem we’re all facing here and now: dealing with the floods that are threatening to transform us into a nasty, swampy version of Venice. Aren’t the NDCs responsible for unclogging our drains at critical points, to ensure the water gets into the drainage canals??

Your Eyewitness religiously pays his rates and taxes, and then there are those annual Government subventions - so he knows these NDCs are funded. What in the world are they doing? That aren’t collecting garbage, that’s for sure!! Every year, the private contractor who does that job raises his rates – which is now up to $700/weekly – coming in at a whopping $36,400 annually!!

If the NDCs need money, why don’t they pick up that lucrative business?

…elderly neglect

It’s a tautology to say this country was built by the elderly. We gotta do better by them. Shouldn’t those agencies of Government from which they have to collect pensions etc deliver it to their homes??

Ow, man!!

Election CoI

GECOM staff remain silent amid pending criminal charges

The testimonies of per sons employed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) could not be pursued on Tuesday during the Commission of Inquiry, owing to pending investigations and criminal charges instituted against them.

GECOM employees, Denise Babb-Cummings, Shefern February, Michelle Miller and Carolyn Duncan were summoned to ap pear before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the March 2020 General and

Regional Elections.

They initiated proceed ings in the form of an in junction one day prior, on Monday, citing that the sum mons amount to a breach of their constitutional rights against self-incrimination under Article 144 of the Constitution of Guyana. Respondents were named as the Commission of Inquiry and the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.

Their application called for a declaration that the State has breached its duty to ensure that every per

son charged with a crimi nal offence is given a fair trial; a declaration that the Commission has no power to compel the attendance of any witness charged with a crim inal offence; and damages in excess of $50 million each for the breach of their constitu tional right.

They also asked for an or der quashing the summons and a permanent injunc tion preventing the CoI from compelling the attendance of anyone charged with a crimi nal offence.

However, Babb-

2 money changers robbed, 1 shot

Two money chang ers were on Monday robbed of an undis closed sum of local and for eign currency, at about 13:45h on Water Street, Georgetown, by motorcycle bandits.

The duo is a 66-yearold man of Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, and a 41-year-old man of Sophia, Georgetown. They usual ly ply their trade daily on Water Street, Georgetown.

Reports are that at about 13:45h on Monday, the duo was confronted by the two suspects, one of whom was armed with a gun.

During the confrontation, the armed perpetrator re lieved one of the victims of his money.

While attempting to rob the other victim, who pulled out a knife from the waist of his pants to defend himself, the armed suspect discharged a round from the gun, which hit the second victim on his

right-lower forearm and his right-side abdomen.

After relieving the shot victim of the cash, the sus pects escaped on a motorcycle parked along Water Street.

The shot victim was picked up and taken to Georgetown

Public Hospital Corporation, where he is presently receiv ing treatment and is in stable condition.

A .32 spent shell was re covered from the scene. Police have since launched an investigation.

Cummings, February and Duncan appeared before the CoI with Attorney Eusi Anderson on Tuesday morn ing where Chairman, Retired Justice Stanley John reiter ated that neither were grant ed by the High Court.

In 2020, Registration Officers Shefern February, Michelle Miller and Denise Babb-Cummings were facing charges in relation to elec toral fraud. They were ac cused of inflating the results of Region Four – the coun try’s largest voting district – to give the APNU/AFC co alition a majority win at the polls.

Assistant Registration Officer, Carolyn Duncan is still being investigated by the Guyana Police Force and is on station bail. It is alleged that she, along with others, conspired to rig the elections.

Anderson told the CoI,

“On that basis, it is my re spectful view that their at tendance here as witnesses to speak to issues for which Duncan is to be potential ly criminally prosecuted and the others, actually criminal ly prosecuted, I am asking that their biometric data or anything that is in the pub lic information be that data enlisted.”

In a correspondence also addressed to the CoI Chairman on Tuesday, Anderson also penned that any question outside of the strictly delineated parame ter “will be met with an in vocation of the constitutional right to silence and against self-incrimination.”

“My clients are before the criminal courts of Guyana. We are firm in our conviction that compulsion to attend, and testify as witnesses at the March 2020 General and

Regional Elections Inquiry is diametrically opposed to their constitutional right to silence while being prosecut ed by the State for rigging the very March 2020 General and Regional Elections,” the letter stated.

Nevertheless, they were given a chance to make any statements before the Commission, to which they all chose to remain silent.

Stemming from the March 2, 2020 elections, some 32 electoral fraud cases have been filed in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts against several political activists in cluding APNU/AFC’s Volda Lawrence and GECOM offi cials including former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, his Deputy Roxanne Myers and embat tled Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo. (G12)

A screenshot of CCTV footage of the robbery

Shefern February

Carolyn Duncan

Denise Babb-Cummings

Miner chopped to death, brother critical after mining camp attack

A32-year-old gold miner was on Tuesday morning chopped to death and his brother is left battling for his life after they came un der attack by another miner at the Aurora mining camp in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

Dead is Raphael Cadogan, while his injured brother is Klive Cadogon, both from the mining town of Linden.

While details on the in cident remain sketchy, Guyana Times was in

Fisherman nabbed with gun, ammo

eration.

According reports, at about 16:30h on Monday, Police ranks in Regional Division Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), acted on information re ceived and went to West Vybz Sports Bar where con tact was made with the 30-year-old fisherman of Anna Catherina, WCD.

Afisherman is now in custody after he was found with an illegal firearm and matching am munition during a Police op

“The ranks identified themselves as Policemen dressed in plain clothes and requested to carry out a search on his person. During the search, the Police found a black metal object suspect ed to be a firearm which was found in the right-side pants pocket of the fisherman,” the Police said in a statement.

The Police took posses sion of the firearm which

contained five .38 matching rounds and the fisherman was arrested and taken to

formed that the brothers and another miner had got ten into a heated argument at the Hopkinson Mining Camp in Aurora on Monday, which later led to a fight.

Klive Cadogon was al legedly the first to get in volved in a fight with the miner, and in a bid to rep resent his brother, Raphael Cadogon intervened.

Raphael Cadogon al legedly told the attacker to desist from hitting his brother, and in response, the man turned his atten tion to him and they got into an argument. This led to Raphael also joining the

fight.

Following the alterca tion, the two brothers re portedly left the area and went to their camp where they fell asleep. However, while asleep, they were at tacked by the miner with whom they had the confron tation earlier in the day.

The suspect brutally chopped the brothers about their bodies, but Raphael’s chops were fatal.

Klive, on the other hand, was rushed to the hospital, where he remains hospital ised in critical condition. Police have since launched an investigation. (G9)

the Leonora Police Station. He remains in custody pend ing charges. (G9)

Arrested: Chavez Watson

The gun that was found in the fisherman’s possession

Dead: Raphael Cadogan

Injured: Klive Cadogon

Betty” murder

Neighbour confesses to bashing woman’s head with piece of wood

hired as the “hit man”.

In his confession state ment, the suspect claimed that he met Basdeo just over a week prior to the incident, who told him that she was being put out of the house she was living in at the time and she wanted to go and live in “Aunty Betty’s” house but she has to, “get rid of Aunty Betty first”.

He confessed to inves tigators that he agreed to take the job providing that he was going to be paid.

The man who was ar rested on Saturday in relation to the mur der of 85-year-old Sumintra Sawh called “Aunty Betty” has confessed to killing her.

Mohammed Ramzan Shaheed, the 47-year-old suspect called “Bhagee”, who is a neighbour of the now dead woman, had become a person of interest after murder accused 37-year-old Roshnie Basdeo also called “Mala”, a mother of three, implicated him. Basdeo al legedly told investigators that it was he who killed her great-aunt while detailing her role in the murder.

The suspect was arrested on Saturday and on Monday, exactly one week after, the pensioner’s great niece told investigators that he was

In his confession state ment, the suspect told in vestigators that he instruct ed Basdeo to leave the door open on Sunday night.

He said that he took a couple of shots of rum on his veranda at his house and at midnight on November 28 he went over to “Aunty Betty’s” house after picking up a piece of wood from her yard.

He detailed that after en tering the house, he went to the back room where Basdeo was and asked her to check to see if “Aunty Betty” was asleep and after checking, she told him “yes”.

In his shocking confes sion statement, the suspect claimed that he went into the pensioner’s room, took the piece of wood he was car rying and hit her four times to her head while she was asleep. Investigators were

also told that the woman started to groan as she was receiving the lashes.

In the alleged confession statement, Shaheed said he then walked out of the room, threw the wood in the hall way and told Basdeo to give him the money, having com pleted his task but was told that she did not have the money at the time.

According to the confes sion statement, Shaheed then went to his home and had a few more shots of rum and then fell asleep.

He said at about 04:00h he was awoken by the loud sounds of Basdeo shouting “thief man!”

Shaheed reportedly told investigators that he imme diately went and picked up his bicycle which he had left

in “Aunty Betty’s” yard and fled.

He said he went to the house of a cousin on the Corentyne in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) where he continued his rum consumption.

After two nights on the Corentyne and different homes and consuming al cohol, Shaheed returned to Bush Lot, where he met a friend who told him that the Police were looking for him in relation to the murder of “Aunty Betty”.

“Aunty

...says he did not stab her, someone else did

Charged: Roshnie Basdeo also called “Mala”

Suspect: Mohammed Ramzan Shaheed

Murdered: Sumintra Sawh, called “Aunty Betty” TURN TO PAGE 14

New, upgraded facilities will get adequate staff – Health Minister assures

With plans already rolling to upgrade and add new re gional hospitals to the cur rent complement, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has assured that these facil ities will be supported with adequate human resources and equipment.

A few weeks ago, con tracts were signed for six new regional facilities to be built at Anna Regina in Region Two; De Kinderen in Region Three; Diamond and Enmore in Region Four; Bath in Region Five, and Skeldon in Region Six. A Paediatric and Maternal Hospital is also in the works at Ogle.

Within the next years,

the Health Minister said Guyanese can expect more such projects to come on stream.

“The Government is now upgrading a number of facil

ities and we are going to up grade regional facilities. In that upgrade, it is not just about the physical hospi tal itself, but also the equip ment that we have and en suring we have adequate staff to manage these facili ties. Over the next three to four years, you would see that happen,” he outlined on Tuesday.

In the coming year, the National Budget will also provide for additional facil ities and equipment. The Health Minister, however, highlighted that such under takings require significant funding.

“These things take time. It takes a lot of investment to make sure we’re compa

rable with other countries and this Government is com mitted to doing so. That is why the Government has placed so much emphasis on health.”

Over the years, the Ministry has enhanced the number of ultrasound equip ment in the facilities, as well as switched to digital X-ray machines. Efforts are being made to have CT scans read ily available. The Ministry is currently working with sev eral partners to develop a strategy as it relates to med

ical imaging.

“Imaging in this country was basically X-rays. Even with the X-rays, the quali ty was not as good. We have pivot from analogue X-rays to now digital X-rays. Now, we are going to make sure that CT scans are readi ly available…We are also in the process of procuring MRIs so you would see a to tal change in terms of medi cal imaging,” he pointed out.

The Health Minister clarified that since his Administration took office in

2020, equipment have been replaced and added to sever al health facilities across the country. In instances such as the Linden Hospital Complex, four biochemistry analysers are active when compared to zero two years ago.

“In distributing health assets, we have worked very hard to make sure that all our regional hospitals can have all the necessary equip ment so that we can perform whatever test imaging or op eration that is necessary for patients’ safety.” (G12)

Neighbour confesses to...

Shaheed said he was ar rested by the Police shortly afterwards.

He said Basdeo did not give him any money and he became afraid when he heard that “Aunty Betty” died.

He said he did not see what Basdeo did to Sumintra Sawh after he left the house.

Shaheed also took inves tigators back to the scene and explained what he did. He also told investigators that he never stabbed the woman and if she had stab wounds then someone else inflected those wounds.

The post-mortem ex amination of Sawh’s body showed that she died from multiple injuries includ ing suffocation, seven stab wounds to the head and face, and bleeding from a fractured skull.

Meanwhile, Basdeo had initially told investigators that Sawh had died in a rob bery after two men had en tered the house while she was spending the night. She reportedly initially told in vestigators that after the men left and she was able to untie herself, she saw her great-aunt lying motionless ly in a pool of blood on her bed.

However, she changed that story under interroga tion and confessed, telling investigators that she and her aunt’s neighbour had an agreement in which he was going to kill her and take $350,000 that the aunt had in a bag in her room. Under the agreement, Basdeo was going to inherit her greataunt’s estate.

In that story, Basdeo re portedly told investigators that the neighbour did not

FROM PAGE 13

stick to the arrangement but took the bag, inflicted some marks on her body and threatened to kill her if she revealed what transpired.

Notwithstanding that, Basdeo while still in Police custody said that she did not tell them the truth and her dead aunt visited her in the Police lock-ups and told her to tell the truth.

In yet another confes sion statement, the wom an allegedly told investiga tors that the neighbour had nothing to do with the in cident and it was she who killed “Aunty Betty” after the woman found out that she had stolen her money. In that statement, she alleged ly claimed to have spent the money.

Basdeo, who has been remanded, is expected to make her next court appear ance on December 14. (G4)

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

Visionary leader – 2009 LCDS, 2010 Champion of the Earth, 2022 1st Global Carbon Credit

In 2009, he launched Guyana’s LCDS, Guyana becoming the very first developing country in the world to embark on a low carbon development strategy (LCDS). In 2010, he was named the first-ever Caricom citizen to be honoured as a Champion of the Earth by the UN. In 2010, he negotiated one of the first carbon credit compensation programmes, pushing the idea that our forests could earn millions of dollars by being kept, rather than by being cut down. Norway agreed with him when they signed an agreement to compensate Guyana up to US$250M for carbon credit. In 2022, Guyana became the first country ever to be awarded formal carbon credits under the REDD+ programme. Also, in 2022, Guyana became one of the first countries to formally sell carbon credits, when HESS Corporation procured over $US750M worth of carbon credits from Guyana. Carbon credits have suddenly become one of the largest export products for Guyana.

The leader who made this all happen is Bharrat Jagdeo. For those who did not appreciate why he was named Champion of the Earth, it has suddenly dawned on them that he knew all along what he was doing. This is what visionary leaders do. It was a bold move in 2007 when he invited an international group to help craft the developing world’s first low carbon development strategy, and one of the first ever national economic strategies based on a low-carbon development trajectory.

It is safe to say that without Bharrat Jagdeo’s leadership, Guyana would not have embarked on this pathway. That decision forever changed Guyana’s economic and social development trajectory. The Opposition deemed the LCDS a crazy scheme. One economist, Dr Clive Thomas, bemoaned that the claims made about our forests were fake. The Opposition laughed at the then Jagdeo-led PPP Government. Who is laughing now?

Last week, the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) issued the world’s first REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard (TREES) credits to Guyana, marking the first time a country has been issued carbon credits specifically designed for the voluntary and compliant carbon markets, for successfully preventing forest loss and degradation – a process known as jurisdictional REDD+. When Bharrat Jagdeo spoke of this in 2009, asserting that Guyana’s forests are worth more alive than dead, few believed him. But now the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions has credited Guyana for 33.5M TREES. While many countries have applied for certification, Guyana has blazed the path as the first to have been granted certification for TREES.

This has resulted already in a windfall. Hess Corporation has purchased $US750M worth of Guyana’s carbon credits for a period of ten years. EXXON has also indicated interest. In the ten years to 2032, Guyana can earn a minimum of $US2.5B, or about $US250M per year. In 2009, the naysayers screamed that Bharrat Jagdeo and those who supported him are not just dreamers, but crazy dreamers. Well, the world now wants to pay Guyana because of the visionary leadership of Bharrat Jagdeo. Had the Constitution not prevented Bharrat Jagdeo from continuing as President in 2011, other big things would have happened in Guyana. For certain, Guyana would have had hydroelectricity today, and cheaper electricity. We often forget certain things. Without his leadership, we would still be talking about a bridge across the Berbice River. We would still be talking about a UG campus in Berbice. A visionary leader makes bold moves like these, which change the lives of people forever; which transform a country. It was Bharrat Jagdeo who made a deal with Hugo Chavez that immediately transformed Guyana’s rice industry. In 2010, Guyana’s rice production was struggling to stay above 200,000 tons annually. After signing a deal with Hugo Chavez, Guyana’s rice production began to climb. Between 2012 and 2014, Guyana’s production went from about 300,000 tons to more than 698,000. Just as he signed a deal with Hugo Chavez, he signed a deal with Fidel Castro in 2006 that saw more than 1,200 young Guyanese going to Cuba to become doctors. Children of poor families, who could not even dream that they would be afforded to go to a university, had a chance to become doctors, not only improving health in our country, but changing the fortunes of their families. These are the myriad ways that a visionary leader changes a country.

But a visionary leader is one who nurtures others. Today, in less than three years as President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali has become a lead Head-of-State in Caricom. Together with Mia Mottley, Irfaan Ali is one of the Caricom leaders who have become world renowned. He has continued in the tradition of Bharrat Jagdeo, making bold moves to - not slowly, but at break-neck speed - transform our country. There was a time when even some of our supporters believed our boast that Guyana would be a high-middle income country by 2030 was just idle words of crazy dreamers. Now we are talking about Guyana becoming a developed country in our lifetime. Leaders do matter.

Bharrat Jagdeo was Finance Minister when Janet Jagan signed the EXXON exploration deal. He was President when the LCDS was launched in 2009. Today, like a twin economic ship, these platforms are projecting Guyana into an unbelievable journey towards a developed country status. This is visionary leadership.

Essequibo Coast pump attendant calls for justice after brutally chopped by "customer"

A27-year-old pump at tendant is calling for a proper Police inves tigation after he was brutal ly chopped to his head and beaten, allegedly by an an gry customer on October 30.

Injured is Kemraj Ramcharran, also known as “Keron”, of Cotton Field, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam). He is a father of one and was employed at Rif’s Gas Station for over eight years.

The incident occurred around 20:00h at Henrietta, Region Two.

During an interview with this publication, Ramcharran explained that he had concluded his first shift, and returned home around 08:00h.

“I returned to work at 17:00h and was sitting when a motor car with vague de scription drove into the gas station and stopped at the pump. I got up and ap proached the vehicle which was tinted so I had a diffi culty seeing who were in the vehicle,” he explained.

Ramcharran said he stood at the pump for about five minutes, waiting for the driver to open the vehicle’s gas tank. The man said he then saw the front passen ger window go down and heard a male voice shouting “yuh have me like a clown waiting hay”.

He recalled that the driver – a slim Amerindian man – exited the vehicle and shouted “yuh want ah jook yuh up”. Then a known woman exited the vehicle.

“When I saw that, I said ‘sir if you are going to be have like this then you will have to leave’. The man then become annoyed and began to verbally abuse me saying a set of flurry languages,” Ramcharran noted.

The driver, the pump at tendant explained, shouted,

“I coming back” and then departed the gas station.

At around 22:00h as he was closing the pump, Ramcharran said he felt an impact to his head and then he fell to the ground.

“When I fell to the

ground, I was unconscious and didn’t know anything after and when I regain con sciousness, I was lying on a bed at the Georgetown Public Hospital with sever al injuries to my head and my hand. [My] right hand

was broken,” Ramcharran said.

The man believes his at tacker was the same driver from earlier and he is call ing on the Police to launch a proper investigation so he can get justice. (G14)

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

Kemraj Ramcharran

Tropical Shipping makes donation to St John’s College, Kingston Secondary

Country Manager of Tropical Shipping, Glenis Hodge, has donated sums of money by way of cheques to St John’s College and Kingston Secondary School re spectively, in aid of purchasing ma terials these schools need.

These donations were made at the company’s Barrack and High Streets offices in Kingston, Georgetown, and among the items the money would purchase are a new printer and photocopier.

According to the company ––which has over 50 years of ser vice in the business industry, and serves several countries, includ ing Guyana –– it is expected that these donations would contribute to a comfortable, conducive, and re warding learning experience for the children to make a positive impact in the community.

During the handing-over cere mony, Hodge said the company has been donating to several schools over the past few years, and she is hoping the company would be able to keep up this philanthropy, so that schools that are unable to purchase materials due to a lack of resources would receive the company’s help.

“Every year, we try to give back to our corporate citizens, but our heart is really with schools, with youths, with education as a whole,” the country manager has said.

She noted that these two schools were this year chosen to be recipi ents of donations after the company had conducted investigations that determined not only the high stan dards of these schools, but that the students’ works were very creative and admirable.

“We saw your motto, and your

value is very close to what we (are) trying to accomplish; and after vis iting the schools, not only were they welcoming, but the work they had on display was beautiful,” she ex plained.

Hodge added that the focus of Tropical Shipping’s community do nation programme is geared to ward youth and educational ini tiatives that are impactful, unique and sustainable.

Head of the Department of Business Studies at Kingston Secondary, Everton Stephens, said the school is elated to have the com pany’s support through the dona tion; and

acting Deputy Head-teacher of St. John’s College, Suana Hamer, said the donation would go towards purchasing a printer for the school. (G9)

Country Manager of Tropical Shipping, Glenis Hodge, handing over the monetary donations to teachers and students of Kingston Secondary School and St John’s College respectively

Regional

Argentina court sentences Kirchner to 6 years in prison

Afederal court in Argentina has found Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner guilty in a high-profile corruption case, sentencing the influential politician to six years in prison and disqualifying her from holding public office.

The decision on Tuesday is expected to be appealed by Fernandez de Kirchner, who has rejected the allegations against her as a “staged fa ble” and is unlikely to soon serve any prison time due to governmental immunity.

The three-judge pan el declared her guilty of “fraudulent administration” over irregular public works contracts that were awarded during her time as President between 2007 and 2015, but rejected a charge of running a criminal organisation.

In August, Prosecutors had requested a 12-year prison sentence and a life time ban from politics.

Earlier this week, Fernandez de Kirchner said a guilty verdict was a fore

gone conclusion.

“Obviously, there will be a conviction,” the 69-yearold told Brazilian newspa per Folha de Sao Paulo in an interview published on Monday, alleging that con stitutional guarantees were violated during the judicial process.

After the verdict, she de scribed herself as the victim of a “parallel state and judi cial mafia”.

Prosecutors allege public works contracts were grant

ed to a businessman ally of Fernandez de Kirchner, who then channelled money back to her and her late husband Nestor Kirchner, also a for mer President.

The lead prosecutor on the case had described the alleged scheme as “probably the largest corruption opera tion” in the country.

But Fernandez de Kirchner’s backers have said the case is an example of political and judicial per secution. (Al Jazeera)

Barbados, Cuba sign MoU on health

Barbados and Cuba have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will pave the way for cooperation between the two Caribbean nations in areas of health and phar maceuticals.

The signing, which took place at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Monday by representa tives of Export Barbados and Cuban company BioCuba Farma, was wit nessed by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley; Cuban

President

system as a result.

Mottley also said the two nations would move “as a matter of urgency” in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers for which Cuba has made great strides.

“There are simply too many Barbadians who lose limbs because of the dia betic condition and there really is simply too much pressure on our health care

“The Cubans have de veloped medication that can effectively work to re duce diabetic ulcers. We have, therefore, agreed that our appropriate regu latory agencies should be in discussion with theirs to see as a matter of urgency how Barbadians, too, may benefit and to reduce the number of our own fami lies who are regrettably ex posed to this condition.”

The two countries also agreed on other areas of training. (Nation News)

THA Chief Sec dismisses calls for fresh elections: We represent the people

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine believes there is no need for fresh Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections.

Augustine was speak ing on the Tobago Updates morning show on Tuesday, the day after he and 15 oth er THA members announced their resignations from the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP).

Their resignations were made via a signed letter and were effective from December 1.

In an accompanying statement, Augustine told Tobagonians he and his col leagues remained focused on serving them.

The resignations came approximately three months after Augustine and PDP leader Watson Duke had a public feud, which saw Augustine and two others stripped of their PDP dep uty-leader positions and Duke resigning as Deputy

Chief Secretary.

Augustine and the oth er Executive Council mem bers' split with the PDP has sparked calls from the pub lic and political rivals for a fresh mandate.

Augustine dismissed those calls on Monday and said their work in the THA continues.

The PDP defeated the PNM 14-1 in the December 6, 2021 THA elections.

Augustine said cur rently in the House, there

are 13 independents, one PDP (Duke) and one PNM (Kelvon Morris).

He said his and his col leagues' move is “extreme ly legal, extremely constitu tional”.

Referring to the late ANR Robinson, he said when the THA Act of 1996 was being drafted, Robinson insisted it should not reflect what happens in the House of Representatives, which he said is often undemocratic.

“He wanted a House of elected members with just four appointed councillors, but he did not want a House that was run by the poli tics of the party – he want ed a House run by the peo ple who are elected, so that people have more allegiance to the people who elected them than to the political party under whose umbrel la (they) would have cam paigned.”

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Honduras enters partial state of emergency amid gang crackdown

The Honduran Government mobil ised thousands of Police Officers on Tuesday to areas controlled by crim inal groups, marking the be ginning of a partial state of emergency across parts of two of the country's largest cities.

The decision is part of leftist President Xiomara Castro's crackdown on gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18. Some cities have been struggling in re cent months with a so-called "war tax", in which gangs extort individuals or busi nesses.

Gangs have torched bus es and killed drivers who did

not pay up.

The measure, announced last week, suspends some constitutional rights in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula and is set to last un til January 6, according to the country's Police Chief, Gustavo Sanchez.

The national police are deploying 1000 officers in each city, Sanchez said in a press conference Tuesday.

Sanchez claimed the par tial suspension of constitu tional rights would not af fect the vast majority of Hondurans, only those that authorities "determine and consider responsible" for links to crime.

The measure gives au

thorities the ability to arrest those deemed suspicious, along with "previously iden tified criminal individuals or groups", without needing a warrant.

Human rights defend er and Jesuit priest Ismael Moreno slammed the move on Twitter, saying "emer gency measures give more power to those who act out side the law, and put the defenceless population at risk".

The President of Honduras' Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (Codeh) said the group would be monitoring the measure's roll-out.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Uruguay's free-trade deal ambitions rattle South American trade bloc

South America's major Mercosur trade bloc, which includes region al powerhouses Brazil and Argentina, has been rattled by one of its smaller mem bers, Uruguay, seeking to strike its own free-trade deals, leaders said at a sum mit on Tuesday.

At the meeting in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo, the leaders sought to pressure their host over plans for go-italone trade deals with China and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

"The solution is not for each one of us just to do our own thing," said Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, chiding Uruguay.

One of the smallest econ omies in South America, Uruguay has been trying for years to conclude unilat eral trade agreements that it considers more beneficial than Mercosur.

"Uruguay needs to and has the ambition to open up to the world. Of course, if we go in a group it is much better," said Uruguayan

President Luis Lacalle Pou. "We are going to have more negotiating power."

In July, Uruguay entered into formal negotiations on a free-trade agreement with China, a decision criticised by Mercosur members, and recently advanced in negoti ations to join the TPP.

In late November, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina formally warned Uruguay that they could take "mea sures" against if it forged ahead with its plans.

Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez said Mercosur integration was "fundamental and strategic",

but indicated flexibility on a demand Uruguay not move forward on trade deals with out informing the others.

"What I heard from Lacalle satisfies me. That they can advance in a dia logue, but before completing any type of process, they will share it with the bloc. That is an acceptable path,” Abdo said.

The Montevideo meeting, in which Uruguay trans ferred the pro-tempore pres idency to Argentina, ended without a joint declaration on agreements reached over the two-day talks.

(Reuters)

Peru's Castillo says opponents trying to “blow up” democracy with impeachment trial

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo came out fighting on Tuesday ahead of an im peachment trial in Congress, accusing his opponents of trying to "blow up" democra cy in the copper-rich South American nation.

Peru's congress sum moned Castillo last week to respond to accusations of "moral incapacity" to govern, which will precede a con gressional vote on whether to oust him.

This is the third attempt to impeach the embattled President since he started his five-year term in July 2021.

"They intend to blow up democracy and disregard

our people's right to choose," Castillo said in a ceremony celebrating the creation of the national police.

Castillo qualified the al legations against him as "slander" by certain groups seeking "to take advantage and seize the power that the people took from them at the polls."

"I reiterate that I am not corrupt," Castillo said.

The prosecutor's office in October filed a constitution al complaint against Castillo before Congress for alleged ly leading "a criminal organ isation" to profit from state contracts and obstructing investigations.

In addition to the October case, Castillo and his fam

ily face several corruption investigations. Congress is also accusing Castillo of in competence to govern af ter appointing five Cabinets and at least 80 Ministers since taking office.

Castillo, a former teach er from a rural area of Peru, has already survived two im peachment attempts. Both attempts, one last December and the second in March, have failed.

A total of 87 votes, twothirds of the 130-member body, are needed to remove Castillo. The motion to start impeachment required less votes and passed last week with week 73 votes, most from mostly right-wing par ties. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Miguel DíazCanel, who is in Barbados on a State Visit; Foreign Affairs Minister Kerrie Symmonds and other offi cials.

Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has denounced the case as politically motivated and a “staged fable” [File: Agustin Marcarian/Reuters]

Presidents and delegates of the member countries of the South American Mercosur bloc attend a summit, in Luque, Paraguay, July 21, 2022 (Reuters/Cesar Olmedo file photo)

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine (Photo courtesy of THA)

Around the World

Ukraine appears to expose Russian air defence gaps with long-range strikes

Oil prices slump to pre-Ukraine crisis levels on economic jitters

US oil prices fell in frenzied trading on Tuesday to their lowest settlement levels this year, with Brent finishing below US$80 per barrel for the second time in 2022, as investors fled the volatile market in an uncertain economy.

Brent crude futures fell US$3.33, or 4 per cent, to settle at US$79.35 a barrel. WTI crude futures fell US$2.68, or 3.5 per cent, to settle at US$74.25 a barrel, their lowest settlement this year.

Prices have dropped by more than 1 per cent for three straight sessions, giving up most of their gains for the year. A string of bearish news has unnerved investors despite an ongoing war in Ukraine and one of the worst energy crises in recent decades.

"It's been quite the three days - with OPEC+ deciding not to further cut production on Sunday, the toothless start of the Russian price cap and sanctions yesterday, and a rout in equity markets today, oil speculators are charging for the exits amid a flight from risk assets," said Matt Smith, lead oil analyst at Kpler.

Service-sector activity in China has hit a six-month low, and European economies have slowed due to the high cost of energy and rising interest rates. Wall Street benchmarks also tumbled on Tuesday on uncertainty around the direction of Federal Reserve rate hikes and further talk of a looming recession.

Tuesday's slump was the largest daily decline in Brent prices since late September, which have traded in a US$62 range this year - their widest swing in a single year since the 2008 financial meltdown.

"We could be looking at US$60-a-barrel WTI the way that things are going," Eli Tesfaye, senior market strategist at RJO Futures said. "I think US$80s are going to be the new high, and I would be very surprised to see any higher than that."

The oil market has also largely overlooked threats to supply, such as the one from a G7 price cap of US$60 on Russian seaborne crude oil exports, which is likely to make the country cut its oil output.

Russia has said it will not sell oil to anyone who signs up to the price cap. Russia's January-November oil and gas condensate production rose 2.2 per cent from a year ago, according to Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who expects a slight output decline following the latest sanctions.

In China, more cities are easing COVID-19-related curbs, prompting expectations of increased demand in the world's top oil importer, although that has not been enough to stop the bleed in oil futures.

"Oil markets will likely stay volatile in the near term, driven by COVID headlines in China and central bank policies in the US and Europe," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.

Meanwhile, US crude oil stocks are forecast to have fallen last week. The American Petroleum Institute's weekly report is due later on Tuesday, followed by Government data today. (Reuters)

Athird Russian air field was ablaze on Tuesday from a drone strike, a day af ter Ukraine demonstrated an apparent new ability to penetrate hundreds of ki lometres deep into Russian air space with attacks on two Russian air bases.

Officials in the Russian city of Kursk, around 90 km (60 miles) north of the Ukraine border, re leased pictures of black smoke above an airfield in Tuesday's early hours after the latest strike. The gover nor said an oil storage tank had gone up in flames but there were no casualties.

It came a day after Russia confirmed it had been hit hundreds of kilo metres from Ukraine by what it said were Sovietera drones - at Engels air base, home to Russia's stra tegic bomber fleet, and in

Ryazan, a few hours' drive from Moscow.

Kyiv did not directly claim responsibility for the strikes, but nonetheless cel ebrated them.

"If Russia assesses the incidents were deliber ate attacks, it will proba

bly consider them as some of the most strategically significant failures of force protection since its inva sion of Ukraine," Britain's Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday.

Russia's Defence Ministry said three service

members were killed in the attack at Ryazan. Although the attacks struck military targets, it characterised them as terrorism and said the aim was to disable its long-range aircraft.

The New York Times, citing a senior Ukrainian official, said the drones in volved in Monday's at tacks were launched from Ukrainian territory, and at least one of the strikes was carried out with the help of special forces close to the base.

Ukraine never publicly acknowledges responsibili ty for attacks inside Russia. Asked about the strikes, Defence Minister Oleskiy Reznikov repeated a long standing joke blaming care lessness with cigarettes.

"Very often Russians smoke in places where it's for bidden to smoke," he said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Indonesia passes criminal code banning sex outside marriage

Indonesia's Parliament has approved a new crim inal code that bans any one in the country from hav ing extramarital sex and restricts political freedoms.

Sex outside marriage will carry a jail term of up to a year under the new laws, which take effect in three years.

The raft of changes come after a rise in religious con servatism in the Muslim-

majority country.

Critics see the laws as a "disaster" for human rights, and a potential blow to tour ism and investment.

Several groups of main ly young people protested against the legislation out side Parliament in Jakarta this week. It is expected the new laws will be challenged in court.

They apply equally to lo cals and to foreigners living

in Indonesia, or visiting holi day destinations such as Bali. Under the laws, unmarried couples caught having sex can be jailed for up to a year.

They are also banned from living together - an act for which people could be jailed for up to six months. Adultery will also be an of fence for which people can be jailed.

Sex before marriage was already banned prior to the

approval of this new criminal code, but the law was often not enforced.

The old law defined adul tery as sex between a married man and someone who was not his wife, while the new law bans all sex outside of marriage, including between unmarried couples. The sen tencing for those caught has also been increased from nine months to a year. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Protests erupt in Greece over teenager’s shooting in Police chase

Violent protests have broken out in Greece’s sec ond-largest city over the Police shooting of a Roma boy after he allegedly filled his vehicle at a petrol sta

Club Q shooting: Colorado suspect faces 305 criminal counts

The suspect accused of killing five people in side an LGBT night club in Colorado has been charged with 305 criminal counts, including murder, hate crimes and assault.

The attacker, armed with a rifle and wearing body armour, opened fire in the Colorado Springs club last month.

Two men in Club Q were able to subdue the suspect until police arrived.

The victims were Daniel Aston, Derrick Rump, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh and Raymond Vance.

About 20 others were in jured in the attack.

On Tuesday, the 22-yearold suspect appeared in a Colorado court where all of the charges were read.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, who lawyers say identi fies as non-binary and uses they and them pronouns, has been held without bond since the shooting. They have not entered a plea.

The charges against the suspect include multiple counts of first-degree mur der and attempted mur der, as well as hate crime charges.

Michael Allen, the District Attorney for El Paso County in Colorado, said in a press conference

on Tuesday that, if convict ed, the suspect "will serve the remainder of their life in prison without breathing free air again".

He added his office's fil ing of 305 charges, including for hate crimes, indicates that prosecutors are taking the case seriously.

"We're not going to toler ate actions against commu nity members based on their sexual identity," Allen said.

Club Q has been de scribed as the heart of the LGBT community in Colorado Springs, a city 70 miles (110km) south of Denver. (Excerpt from BBC News)

tion and drove off without paying.

The 16-year-old was be ing treated in critical con dition at a Thessaloniki hospital. The officer who allegedly shot him in the head was arrested and sus pended from duty, Police in the northern city said.

The Greek Police Department said the youth had tried to ram officers in pursuit on motorbikes in his attempt to evade ar rest.

About 1500 people took part in a protest march or ganised by left-wing and anarchist groups in central Thessaloniki on Monday night.

Some smashed shops and threw Molotov cock tails at Police, who re sponded with tear gas and stun grenades.

Police detained six peo ple after the end of the march. Before that pro test, about 100 Roma men set up barricades, blocking the main road outside the hospital where the boy was

being treated, and set fire to rubbish cans.

Police had used stun grenades and tear gas ear lier to disperse protesters throwing bottles at them outside the hospital.

Several hundred people also took part in a peace ful protest march in cen tral Athens over the teen’s shooting as well as a past

incident in which a Roma man also was shot during a Police chase.

The demonstrators in Greece’s capital had a ban ner reading: “They shot them because they were Roma.”

Brief clashes broke out with Police after the pro test ended. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A satellite image shows a bomber in flight northeast of Engels Air Base in Saratov, Russia, December 3, 2022 (Satellite image 2022 Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters)

Protesters hold a banner, reading in Greek: “They shot them because they were Roma” [Michael Varaklas/AP]

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Consider how you earn your living and what options you have that can bring in extra cash. Don’t act prema turely; get everything in order before you change direction.

(March 21-April 19)

(April 20-May 20)

Changes that occur will cause confu sion and uncertainty. When in doubt, take a step back and observe. Don’t overreact or give the wrong impression to someone who can influence your life, position or fu ture. Don’t spend or indulge foolishly.

Stick to what and who you know best. Trusting someone you barely know will put you in a vulnerable position. Be ob servant, but don’t make promises that might jeopardize your status.

(May 21-June 20)

(June 21-July 22) (July 23-Aug. 22)

Times are changing and so are you. Let your intuition lead the way. The ideas you come up with will allow you to help yourself and others. A plan to save money will work well.

Plan to have fun and get things done. Surround yourself with like-minded people, and you’ll find a way to protect what’s important to you. Set the stan dard instead of adopting a plan you don’t condone.

Stick to your original plan, regard less of what others decide to do. Be cre ative, use your imagination and seek out exciting experiences that lead to personal growth and new beginnings.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

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

Work alone and control whatever situation you face, or someone else will step in and take charge. Don’t believe everything you hear, trust someone pushy or fall prey to temptation.

Pay attention to detail when negoti ating or investing. Listen to your inner voice, not to a fast-talking salesperson, and you’ll avoid buying things you don’t need. Make saving money your goal.

Trust yourself and you won’t be dis appointed. Be aware of individuals who try to take advantage of you. Take the initiative to run the show instead of be ing an onlooker. Practice moderation.

Open your doors to people who make you think and offer ideas that can help you bring about positive change. Show enthusiasm; your input will boost mo rale and encourage others.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Make home improvements that add to your comfort or encourage you to live a healthy lifestyle. Pay attention to what others do or say, and associate with people who tend to pep you up.

Size up situations, see who is on your side and head in a direction that draws like-minded people. Don’t trust anyone who uses niceties to persuade you to do things you shouldn’t.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

ARCHIE PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

DILBERT

FIFA World Cup: Qatar 2022…

Ronaldo replacement Ramos stars as Portugal advance

Portugal coach Fernando Santos dropped Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench for the last-16 meeting with Switzerland, and was re warded with a hat-trick from replacement Goncalo Ramos and a stunning team display.

Santos expressed dis pleasure at gestures made by Ronaldo when he was substituted in the last group game against South Korea, and it was the first time in 31 games stretching back to 2008 that Ronaldo had not started in a major tournament.

Portugal made light of the 37-year-old’s absence, to put it mildly, as 21-year-old Benfica striker Ramos hit the first treble of this tour nament on his first interna tional start, to help set up a quarter-final game against surprise package Morocco, after their win against Spain on penalties.

Ramos started the rout after 17 minutes when he drilled a finish past Swiss

keeper Jan Sommer at the near post, before veteran 39-year-old defender Pepe doubled Portugal’s lead when he headed home a cor ner from Bruno Fernandes in the 33rd minute. The dream full debut contin ued when Ramos effective ly ended the contest with a near-post swoop on Diogo Dalot’s cross six minutes after the break, the striker turning provider to set up Raphael Guerriero to round

off a sweeping move with a powerful strike four min utes later.

Manchester City defend er Manuel Akanji pulled one back for Switzerland, but Ramos swiftly got his third with a clever chip, which was the signal for the crowd at Lusail Stadium to noisily demand Ronaldo’s introduction.

With the game won, Portugal coach Ramos obliged, and Ronaldo en

tered to rapturous applause, but his team-mates deserve all the acclaim for a highclass performance. Ronaldo had the ball in the net but was ruled offside, so it was another young pretender to his crown, 23-year-old Rafael Leao, who crowned a dazzling display when he curled in the sixth.

Portugal shrugs off Ronaldo’s sub-plot Cristiano Ronaldo’s ab sence did not remove the spotlight and attention from the fading superstar, but actually made it shine even more brightly in his di rection at Lusail Stadium.

Ronaldo was swarmed by photographers in the dug-out after the nation al anthems, then received a pop star’s welcome when he came on as substitute after 73 minutes, follow ing prolonged and noisy de mands for his introduction, particularly from the locals who had come to see him in the flesh. The focus should not be on Ronaldo though.

The credit must go to a Portugal team who looked more mobile, fluid, and uni fied without the man who is currently searching for his next club, having left Manchester United.

Portugal is a team full of talent even without Ronaldo, and Ramos made an instant impact, not just with his goals, but also his movement and team play. And the sweet late strike from Rafael Leao was an other demonstration of Portugal’s bright future, one that hardly looked in jeopardy without Ronaldo, as they swept Switzerland aside.

Portugal coach Santos is a stern-faced individual, but a shrewd operator with a Euro 2016 triumph on his CV. He would be fully jus tified in allowing himself a smile after his brave but ultimately correct decision to leave Ronaldo out of his team’s towering presence.

This was such a complete performance from Portugal that there is surely no start

ing place for Ronaldo in the upcoming World Cup quar ter-final against Morocco.

Switzerland bow out with a whimper Switzerland made their way into the World Cup’s last 16 with a reputation as a stubborn, well-organised, and hard-to-beat team un der the direction of experi enced coach Murat Yakin.

If so, this was a pale imi tation of their true quality, as they were picked apart by Portugal, and bare ly threatened goalkeeper Diogo Costa, with Xherdan Shaqiri - their main hope of inspiration - rendered anon ymous throughout.

Switzerland may re gard reaching the knock out phase as par for the course at this tournament, but there must still be huge disappointment at the meek and mediocre manner in which they have left Qatar, because previous evidence suggests they are a much better side than the one thrashed here. (BBC Sport)

Morocco make history at the penalty of Spain

Achraf Hakimi has made himself a hero with a chipped win ning penalty, as Morocco stunned Spain to reach the World Cup quarter-finals in a shootout after a goalless draw.

The two teams couldn't be separated after 120 min utes’ play, and Spain had failed to convert any of their three penalties al though Moroccan goalkeep er Yaccine Bounou had bril liantly saved two. That left Morocco’s Paris St-Germain player Hakimi -- born and raised in Madrid, no less -to win it with his nerveless spot-kick, and spark jubi lant scenes.

tritional battle on the pitch. Spain had hogged the ball, and Morocco had sat back plugging the gaps, with very few clear-cut chances being created.

had pushed it away, and Bounou had also done bril liantly well to keep out Olmo's dangerous free-kick later on.

Morocco were playing on the counter, and should have scored in the opening peri od, but Nayef Aguerd sent his unmarked header over, while their only shot on tar get had come via Noussair Mazraoui's long-range drive, which was gathered by Unai Simon.

However, with the sides not being separated, the game went into extra time, and substitute Walid Cheddira had Morocco's best chance, but scuffed his shot straight at Simon from eight yards out.

the far post.

Education City Stadium was filled mostly by Morocco fans, who went wild at the fi nal whistle, as their side had reached the last eight for the first time, and will face Portugal or Switzerland on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Morocco fly the flag for Africa

The North African side's fans had been making themselves heard all game, but the atmosphere in the stands did not match the at

Spain had notched over 1,000 passes in the contest, and had almost won it in the 123rd minute, but Pablo Sarabia's volley had agonis ingly flicked the outside of

It was a cacophony of noise inside the stadium from kick-off, as Morocco fans had vastly outnum bered their Spanish coun terparts, and it was the 'Maghreb' who were left cel ebrating at the final whis tle. Their supporters sang, chanted, and banged their drums for the entire 120 minutes, with loud piercing whistles ringing around ev ery time Spain were on the ball.

And Morocco’s Sevilla goalkeeper Bounou seemed to feed off that energy, sav ing efforts from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets, while Sarabia struck the post. Star player Hakimi stepped up, and was the coolest man under the most intense pressure, dinking his pen alty - a 'Panenka' - straight down the middle as Morocco surged into the quarters.

Players ran around the pitch in a daze, and manag er Walid Regragui had his head in his hands in disbe lief at what he had just wit nessed, before they lay pros trate on the turf, and then jumped up and down in front of supporters.

Morocco's only previous appearance in the last 16 came in 1986, but they have now extended their unbeat

en run in the World Cup to five games, and have kept a clean sheet in six out of their last seven in all com petitions.

For 2010 winners Spain, their campaign has ended in misery after such an op timistic start, when they hammered Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening game. They tried to pass Morocco into submission, but the opposi tion held firm, the favourites having just one shot on tar get from their 1,019 passes.

Enrique had said his Spanish side needed to do their homework on penal ties, and they had practised over 1,000 in training in the lead-up to the match, but they would need to go back to the drawing board after missing all of their spotkicks. (BBC)

Luis Enrique's side had come closest to breaking the deadlock when Dani Olmo had struck an arrowed drive from the angle, but Bounou

Goncalo Ramos

KFC Goodwill Schools’ Football tourney…

Tiger Rentals return for second outing with tournament

The start of the KFC Goodwill Schools

Football tournament is just one week away, and Tiger Rentals (Guyana) have found it timely to so lidify their support today, during a simple ceremo ny at their Middle Street, Georgetown office.

The KFC Goodwill tour nament will feature six schools: two from the Coast, two from hinterland regions, and one each from Caricom sister states Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname. Tiger Rentals’ Manager Shane Singh, in expressing elation at ensuring the company is back with the tournament for a second time, reiterated the company’s commitment to sports and youth develop ment in Guyana.

“We know that the COVID pandemic had a sig nificant impact on the en tire sporting fraternity, and we’re happy to see that these groups and organi

zations are putting a lot of work in to get these back on the ground. And for those of you who know, Tiger Rentals is a big advocator for sport in Guyana, in par ticular youth development,”

the Tiger Rentals Manager shared.

He added, “We do have a couple other sport events that we’re collaborating on, and we’re happy to be on board with the Petra team

and KFC Group, and I just want to wish the youth foot ballers a successful tourna ment.”

Alongside Guyoil/ Tradewind Tankers’ first and second place finishers

Christianburg Wismar and Golden Grove Secondary, defending champions Annai Secondary and D.C Caesar Fox (Waramadong) Secondary will be tak ing on Suriname’s SVB Academy and Trinidad’s St. Benedict’s.

Sharing his thoughts on the level of competition to expect, Petra Co-Director Troy Mendonca had all con fidence in the local teams ex celling. Mendonca related, “At the back end of what we done over the past couple of months is to really measure where we’re at. And we, as an organization, we look at development, and we would be very happy for them to put up a good showing. I think that, coming out of the recent league tournament, it put us in good stead to give a good representation of our selves.”

With the overseas teams expected to arrive next Monday and Tuesday, the

KFC tournament would get underway next Wednesday, December 14, 2022. The teams have been sorted into groups for a round-robin stage before the knockouts.

In Group A, St. Benedict’s, champions of the twin-is land Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, would do battle with Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers’ League runners-up Golden Grove Secondary and the D.C Caesar Fox Secondary School from Waramadong in Region 7.

In Group B, Annai Secondary out of Region 9 would begin their title de fence with tests from Milo and Guyoil 2022 Champs Christianburg Wismar Secondary out of Linden in Region 10, and Suriname’s SVB Academy.

Two games will be played each day at 17:00hrs and 19:00hrs at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, while the final is scheduled for December 23rd, 2022.

YBG to culminate 2022 with year-end tournaments commencing from today

By TimoThy Jaikarran

Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) will culminate its 2022 calendar with two tour naments being played si multaneously. Starting to day, there will be a sequel in the ExxonMobil Tertiary Knockout tournament scheduled for December 7th, 10th, and 11th. This

will be organized simulta neously with the Titan Bowl XI, which brings together the best high school teams in a knockout format from December 8th to 11th.

The run-off of the Tertiary and Titan Bowl XI Finals will bring down the curtains on YBG activ ities for 2022 on December 11th at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on

Homestretch Avenue.

YBG Cofounder Chris Bowman has said he is grateful the YBG can end 2022 ‘in such a big way’, as it shows how commit ted YBG is to basketball in Guyana. “Just the fact that we are able to culmi nate the year in such a big way: with the student/ ath lete conference on Friday, a Tertiary Knockout star

ing on Wednesday, and the Titan Bowl on Thursday, shows how committed YBG is to basketball in Guyana. We are serious about cre

der renovation.

Bowman has also di vulged that had the Ministry of Sport not intervened, the programmes would not have been run, and this would have resulted in disappoint ment for a lot of young ath letes. Bowman has showered much praise on ExxonMobil, GBoat, Banks DIH, and all other partners for their in volvement, not only for YBG, but for youth develop ment in Guyana.

“What people can expect for the tournament? It will be a great tournament; it will be a replay of the tertia ry tournament; and (it will be) a shorter version, which will be exciting, as people

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ating a platform for bas ketball, youths and school players. It really stretches us, it is hard work, it is not easy to do this; but we are committed, and we make it happen,” Bowman posited.

The YBG cofounder has also declared the organiza tion grateful to the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, more so Minister Charles Ramson Jr, who had exerted some influence in ensuring the YBG com pletes its year-end calen dar of events, as the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall is un

would have to win from day one. We’re talking (about) the Titan Bowl bringing to gether the best high school teams, who most likely would have improved be tween July and now. So, it is going to be highly competi tive,” he shared.

Bowman also clarified that the YBG is very excit ed because the competitions would give students the op portunity to have informa tion and interaction for their own personal development, which makes the organiza tion ecstatic, as it can end 2022 on a high note.

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Shane Singh, Manager of Tiger Rentals Guyana, making a presentation to Petra’s Troy Mendonca in the presence of Aveeka Naraine and Oma Shivbaran

…“we are serious about creating a platform for basketball,” says Chris Bowman

Junior & senior hockey teams for test series against Barbados

After a four-year hi atus from interna tional hockey that was mainly due to the

COVID-19 pandemic, the Guyana Junior and Senior men’s teams will be taking on Barbados in a four-match

WI vs Aus: end of 1ST Test…

test series from December 8th to 11th at the Wildey Hockey Turf in Barbados. Both teams are pre

Wounded West Indies 'want to go one step further'

- after showing fight in Perth

West Indies will as sess their walk ing wounded over the next couple of days be fore trying to pull together a side they hope can chal lenge Australia in the sec ond day-night Test, but have been buoyed by the fight ing spirit shown by the bat ters in Perth, and the hostile burst from Alzarri Joseph that briefly ruffled Marnus Labuschagne.

There remain doubts over Kemar Roach (hamstring) and Nkrumah Bonner (con cussion), while Kyle Mayers (shoulder) will only be avail able as a batter, and Jayden Seales has an ongoing issue with his left knee. It's under stood that Bonner is unlike ly to play - this is the second concussion he has suffered in Test cricket - but there re mains some confidence that Roach may yet be available, although there is the risk of his problem flaring up again during the match.

Anderson Phillip would be first in line as a replace ment quick, but there is the possibility that uncapped Marquino Mindley could also play despite arriving in Adelaide from Jamaica only on Tuesday morning.

The West Indies bowlers managed only six wickets in Perth, of which three went to the seamers, and the bot tom line is that Labuschagne scored 308 runs, but one of the more enthralling pas sages of the match came on the fourth morning, when Joseph, who had been disap pointing in the first innings, cranked up the speed and gave him a working over. He should have claimed him, too, on 19, but overstepped.

Labuschagne's Test fig ures, with an average ap proaching 60, make clear the outstanding start he has enjoyed, but Joseph's spell wasn't the first time he had looked discomfort ed by high pace, after Mark Wood had created some un easy moments in an other wise one-sided Ashes series

last season.

"You obviously have your plans," West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick said. "I'm not here to give away plans; but we'll have a look, we will see his uncomfortable areas, his uncomfortable mo ments, and we'll try and tar get them as much as possi ble.

"We were impressed (with) the way [Joseph] bowled with the new ball in the second innings… I per sonally think a big haul is just around the corner, a five-for [is] waiting. We know he's bowling at 140kph, he just has to get it in the right area, [then] you can keep your slips in [and] you have a better chance of four or five wickets."

Estwick suggested that Joseph's spell was the type that would get noticed around the world, and even gave a little nod towards his protégé Jofra Archer, whom he had mentored during Archer’s younger days, and who would have his sights set on next year's Ashes, af ter a lengthy spell sidelined by injuries.

It was Archer's Test de but at Lord's in 2019 when Labuschagne was subbed in as Steven Smith's con cussion replacement, after Smith had been felled by Archer. Labuschagne was then quickly struck by an other searing delivery from Archer.

"The cricket world is so small you can't hide, and once

any team exposes a weak ness, the other teams will be having a look," Estwick said. "I'm sure Jofra Archer, wherever he's sitting, will be having a look, ticking some boxes; that's the way cricket goes. But I'm sure if Marnus thinks he has a weakness, he'll go away and work on it.”

The day-night factor will bring another dynamic to this match (Australia have won all their pink-ball Tests) although West Indies did play the Prime Minister's XI under the same conditions in Canberra before heading to Perth. The visitors will again look to their openers, Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul, to set the tone after the pair had put on 78 and 116 at Optus Stadium with the aim of taking the match as deep as possible.

"You are playing the best side in the world, no doubt about that," Estwick said. "You can't go gung-ho. I know everyone has seen how England are playing and think that's the way to go. Well, that's the way they want to go. Fine by them, but with us, we know we have to be as patient as possible. We are playing the best team in the world, and we just want to grind and fight and stay in the fight as long as possi ble. We did that [in Perth], we want to go one step fur ther. It's all about improving, learning and getting better. You've just got to keep fight ing and scrapping with the Australians." (Cricinfo)

paring for the Junior Pan American Championships scheduled for April 2023 in Barbados, and the CAC Games in June/July 2023.

The Guyana team is scheduled to depart today, Wednesday December 7th, and will have two training sessions to adapt to the ar tificial turf prior to the start of the series. The matches of the Under-21 team are scheduled for 1:30pm, while the matches of the Senior men’s team start at 3:30pm on all four days.

The Guyana contingent of 29 players is comprised of 18 Under-21 players and 11 Seniors, with 8 of the ju niors pulling double-duty on both the junior and Senior teams. This new-look squad includes only 4 players with international experience, National Captain Robert France, Midfield Maestro Jamarj Assanah, Meshach Sargeant, and defensive stalwart Kareem McKenzie.

Although inexperienced, the new members of the squad are not short of tal

ent, with much expected from the likes of Shaquon Favorite, Shakeem Fausette, Warren Williams, Samuel Woodroffe and Paul D’Andrade.

The team will be man aged by former national women’s captain Marisha Fernandes and coached by John Abrahams & Robert Fernandes. Commenting on his expectations for the series, Robert Fernandes stated, “We’re excited to see how this new group adapts to international competi tion. We have a very tal ented, hard working group of youngsters who possess a high hockey IQ, the only thing we’re short of is in ternational experience. I view this series as an op portunity to see where we are in our preparation for the Junior Pan Ams and the CAC games next year. It also gives us an opportu nity to experiment with dif ferent systems, formations and personnel to see what works and what doesn’t.

“I expect us to give a

good account of ourselves, but the main purpose of this series is to learn and get better for next year.”

The Under-21 national team is comprised of Baraka Garnett, Darious Alleyne, Donnel Alleyne, Frederico Cush, Jabari Lovell, Javid Hussain, Leroy Geer, Nkrumah Hutson, Oshazay Savory, Quinn Tobin, Raoul Whittaker, Samuel Woodroffe, Shakeem Fausette, Shaquon Favorite, Simeon Moore, Tahrea Garnett, Vladimir Woodroffe & Warren Williams.

The Senior national team is comprised of Deheron Wilkinson, Dominic Alleyne, Frederico Cush, Jamarj Assanah, Kareem McKenzie, Meshach Sargeant, Oshazay Savory, Paul D'Andrade, Raoul Whittaker, Robert France, Samuel Woodroffe, Shaka Gill, Shakeem Fausette, Shaquon Favorite, Shomere Garnett, Tahrea Garnett, Tivesarid Garnett, Troy Hodge & Warren Williams.

Guyana’s National Senior Men’s Hockey Team

Guyana’s National Under-21 Hockey Team

Roddy Estwick supervising bowlers going through their paces

One

Guyana President’s Cup…

Groups decided for GFF’s National Championships

The One Guyana President’s Cup in ter-ward tournament is heading into the exciting stages, with the draw for the National Championships having been conduct ed on Tuesday afternoon by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) at the National Cultural Centre on Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown.

With three of the coun try’s administrative regions yet to complete their re spective inter-ward stage, the national leg, wherein a group of 25 players would be selected to represent each of Guyana’s 10 administrative Regions, is tentatively set to commence this weekend.

Stakeholders are eager to witness this stage of the tournament. One such per son is GFF President Wayne Forde, who underscored the benefits this new format presents.

“I am expecting that, as we’re seeing with the 2022 FIFA World Cup, there’re going to be many surpris es, and I believe that those surprises will add a special flavour to the One Guyana President’s Cup,” Forde

shared during a press brief ing after the draw was con ducted.

“I know that young play ers who have been off of the football grid because of the communities and the regions that they’re from have now been given a chance to par ticipate in a national tour nament under the gaze of

Forde has emphasised, “And when one considers the fact that, for many years, the narrative across our football spectrum (has been) that we’re only selecting players from Region 4; Region 10; those regions that are re nowned for playing a lot of football; to me, this tourna ment here balances out this

Commission (NSC) Chairman Kashif Muhammad, speaking about his years of organizing year end tournaments with the Kashif and Shanghai organ isation, has opined that the K&S have finally been able to execute their vision. This renowned football organiz er remarked, “I applaud the

about 32 years ago, got start ed with this, we had never envisioned this situation. As we came along, we tried to do many, many things, one was to try to see how best we could’ve gotten players in the ‘big time’, and we’ve sent 56 players abroad to experi ence professional football.

“We had some outstand ing guys, and we began building, but we were always hoping that, one day, a type of injection could come to the tournament to make it re ally explode into something solid for Guyana’s football. We think this is happening right now,” Muhammad de clared.

9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) found them selves in Group A. Group B consists of Regions: 1 (Barima-Waini), 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 5 (MahaicaBerbice), and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

the national team coach and the national team-scouting staff.”

concern in a very, very good way.”

National Sports

Shivtahal Sukhram Memorial Cup horse meet set for PMTC on December 11

Guyana Cup champi on and President's Cup winner Alado is set to battle an inva sion of foreign horses at the Port Mourant Turf Club on Sunday, December 11, when the Shivtahal Sukhram Memorial horse meet, a grand and lucrative one-day horse-racing affair, is run off.

More than eight mil lion dollars will be up for grabs, and the Caribbean’s top horses and their jockeys will be contesting to cash in on the lucrative prizes on offer.

Seven races are on this card, and more that 50 hors es would be in contention, among which are top-per forming local animals Looking to Heaven, Our Stuie, Smoking Heels, Red

Star, and Eldorado Queen.

The main event would be the race for West Indianbred horses over one mile, wherein the top horse would bag one million dollars. The

total purse for that race is approximately two million dollars.

Other races carded in clude the H & Lower six-fur long race; the race for two-

idea by the President, be cause when the Kashif and Shanghai, back in the days,

In the draw, in which Golden Jaguars Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz assist ed with the picks, Regions: 4 (Demerara-Mahaica), 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne), 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 8 (Potaro-Siparuni), and

A round-robin for mat would be played be fore the teams move into the knockout stage leading up to the anticipated final. The winner of the National Championships, the final game of which would be held on January 1, 2023 at a venue that is yet to be an nounced, would pocket $2M in addition to other incen tives, such as prize mon ies for semifinalists, game winners, and a standard payment. In addition, the tournament’s MVP would receive one house lot from the Government of Guyana.

year-old West Indies and Guyana-bred animals; the J Open; the J Non-Starter; and the race for horses placed second and Lower in the J3 Non-Starter /Earner. The K&L race will round off the day’s activities.

For the Open event, the weight would be allotted by class. In the two-yearold West Indies-bred event, horses would carry seven lbs more than maiden cre ole horses, and three lbs for the winners. Also, the first

Guyana-bred horse to finish the race would be paid sep arately.

The Shivtahal Sukhram Memorial horse meet would be conducted according to the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority, and the Club reserves the right to cancel/reframe any race. Five horses must start a race for the third prize to become payable, and seven horses must start a race for the fourth prize to become payable.

The Shivtahal Sukhram Memorial Cup is spon sored by Motie Shivtahal Sukhram and Ramesh Sukhram. Monetary spon sorship for this meet has thus far come from Banks DIH, Jumbo Jet, AJM, Delmur Company Limited, Kascon Engineering, Anil Shaw Contracting, Satesh Beer Garden, Archway Snackette, Sandeep Poultry Supply, and KP Jagdeo General Contractors. (Brandon Corlette)

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-Top local horses led by Alado to battle Caribbean invasion

GFF President Wayne Forde

Golden Jaguars Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz participating in the draw

Looking to Heaven leading the charge

Alado being piloted by Jockey Ross (Brandon Corlette photos)