Guyana Times - Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Over $118M in vehicles handed over to improve healthcare delivery

Almost 5 acres of forest destroyed by wildfire in Region 10

"If I had known” –wife says regrets answering back husband’s killer

...Pres Ali urges prompt report of incidents ...authorities will deploy all measures to protect valuable forests

Guyana records over 171 road deaths so far for 2023

Lorry driver gets $1M bail for causing death of security officer

Mahdia CoI

Page 7

…$882M expended since last year to improve dorms countrywide

Rape up by 16%, robbery under arms down by 57% in Berbice – Police

Mahdia dorm was not a top priority according to 2022 report – Chief Education Officer Page 13 Page 17

Annandale woman struck down, killed while crossing road Grass fire forces suspension of classes at Canje Secondary School

Govt will not be bullied to pay for unfinished projects – Public Works Ministry …to penalise Leguan Stelling contractor

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Wednesday, Oct 11 – 02:30h – 04:00h and Thursday, Oct 12 –03:00h – 04:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, Oct 11 – 14:50h – 16:20h and Thursday, Oct 12 – 15:20h – 16:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 14:50h reaching a maximum height of 2.37 metres.

Low Tide: 08:22h and 20:41h reaching minimum heights of 0.86 metre and 0.83 metre.

Prolonged dry season

With Guyana recording instances of forest fires, albeit small in magnitude, President Dr Irfaan Ali is urging persons to report these fires in light of the current extensive dry season which creates vulnerability within the country’s forests.

On his social media page on Tuesday, President Ali shared an image of what appeared to be the remnants of a forest fire in Guyana’s interior, while urging citizens to report any instance of forest fires immediately.

When contacted, the Head

volved. But our forest officers are our first respondents and we have forest stations across the country. In every region,” Goberdhan explained.

With over 87 per cent of forest cover, Guyana is considered to be one of the most heavily forested countries in the world, with its forests playing a vital role in the country’s development.

Guyana’s forests are part of the Guyana Shield, which is inclusive of areas in Suriname, French Guiana, Colombia, and Brazil. It covers approximately 270 million

LOTTERY NUMBERS

of State told this publication that there were “some wildfires in some areas” adding that there is need to be “careful”.

This publication subsequently confirmed that there was a forest fire at Bissaruni, Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) where less than five acres of forest was burnt. He said that all measures were activated to ensure that the fire did not spread

In an exclusive interview with this publication, Commissioner of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) Edward Goberdhan revealed that the situation has since been brought under control and that authorities are actively monitoring the matter.

“Traditionally, we haven’t had a lot of fires in previous dry seasons. Because we kind of inform our stakeholders and we keep our eyes on the ground to be alert to any fires,” he said.

Deploy all measures

Goberdhan also explained the multi-agency protocol that is activated in case there is a forest fire, which starts with GFC’s forest officers and, in the worst-case scenario, would also see the involvement of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

“Our first response would be, our forest officers are our first respondents. We equip them with the necessary tools to go out and gather help from nearby communities. People who live close by or we would inform the Fire Service in those locations.”

“And if it escalates to higher stage then we would get like the army and so in-

hectares of pristine rainforest and is recognised as one of the last remaining “frontier forests” of the world. Guyana’s contribution to this is approx-

imately 18 million hectares or 87% of the land mass of Guyana.

Government has always held the conviction that forests must be utilised for the socio-economic advancement of all Guyanese but in a manner that is in keeping with respect for, and appreciation of the unparalleled environmental values of this renewable resource.

The management of the forests is outlined in Guyana’s revised Low Carbon Development Strategy which saw the country becoming the first to receive a certification of over 33 million carbon credits by the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) on December 1, 2022.

Guyana has signed a US$750 million deal with Hess Corporation for the sale of carbon credits, with 15% of that money going directly to Indigenous communities. Last week, the Government received a four-year €5M grant

(approximately GY$1.1B) from the European Union (EU) for the sustainability of the country’s forests and forest-dependent communities.

While Guyana’s forests store approximately 90.5 gigatons of carbon, globally, trees and soil store in excess of 13 billion tonnes of carbon.

Grass fires

Meanwhile, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) itself also recently issued an advisory, urging citizens that with the high probability of grass fires during the dry season, they should desist from lighting any grass or garbage fires especially now, and use other methods of garbage disposal or land clearing.

“If these fires do occur, they should never be left unattended as they possess the potential to spread and become major fire emergencies. Report all fires as soon as they occur to the Fire Service via our toll-free number 912,” GFS also said.

They also provided tips, urging persons to avoid throwing cigarette or cigar butts on the ground or out of vehicles, but rather to dispose of them properly. They also urged persons to educate children about the dangers of playing with fire and to “keep a shovel, bucket of water, fire extinguisher, or other fire-suppression tools on hand.”

Almost 5 acres of forest destroyed by wildfire in Region 10

...Pres Ali urges prompt report of incidents ...authorities will deploy all measures to protect valuable forests

GFC Commissioner Edward Goberdhan

The forest fire photo that was shared on President Dr Irfaan Ali’s social media page

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Guyana joins the rest of the world to commemorate International Day of the Girl Child, which is observed today, themed “Invest in Girls' Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres in his message said that halfway to the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals, the world is failing girls.

To quote Guterres: “On current trends, the end of child marriage is 300 years away. If nothing changes, by 2030, 110 million young women and girls who should be in classrooms, won’t be. And 340 million women and girls will still endure the grinding hardships of extreme poverty. Old forms of discrimination against girls continue and in some cases are getting worse. Girls in Afghanistan are unable to exercise their most basic rights and freedoms, confined to their homes with no hope of education or economic independence.”

According to the UN: This year, at a time when we are seeing a range of movements and actions to curtail girls’ and women’s rights and roll back progress on gender equality, we see particularly harsh impacts on girls. From maternal health care and parenting support for adolescent mothers, to digital and life skills training; from comprehensive sexuality education to survivor support services and violence prevention programmes; there is an urgent need for increased attention and resourcing for the key areas that enable girls to realise their rights and achieve their full potential.

It is no secret that vulnerable women worldwide, including those in Guyana, continue to face unacceptable levels of violence in various forms. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that nearly one in three women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence, mostly from an intimate partner.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further contributed to increasing risks of violence, particularly domestic violence, against women. The UN pointed to reports from countries around the world which suggest that restrictions in movement, social isolation, coupled with increased social and economic pressures, are leading to an increase in violence in the home.

UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed had detailed the many problems women were faced with during lockdown, and made recommendations in relation to various forms of support Governments and other partners could provide to ensure women were able to confront these challenges.

According to SG Mohammed, school closures further worsened this burden and placed more stress on women. The disruption of livelihoods and their ability to earn a living – especially for those women who are informal wage workers – decreased access to basic needs and services. This situation increased stress on families, with the potential to intensify conflict and violence.

Violence against women, girls and children has tremendous costs to communities, and can remain with women and children for a lifetime. If not dealt with effectively, it can also be passed from one generation to another. Over the years, the UN has been pushing countries towards implementing proactive measures to combat domestic violence and discrimination against women and girls.

These measures have included criminalising gender-based violence, massive public awareness campaigns and providing training to equip both men and women to act as first responders, and to support victims of the scourge at the community level.

Every year, between November 25 and December 10 – 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence – Guyana joins the WHO and other partners to raise awareness about the global need to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.

As stated by SG Guterres, despite new forms of bias and inequality that are emerging, girls are fighting back – confronting sexism, combating stereotypes and creating change, on football pitches, in schools, and in the public square.

His proposal of an SDG Stimulus to get the Goals on track is gaining traction.

We support the call by the UN, that “women and girls can lead us to a fairer future. On this International Day of the Girl Child, let us amplify girls’ voices, and recommit to working together to build a world where every girl can lead and thrive.”

We must stand with them!

After the COVID culture wars, reason to celebrate

The award of the 2023 Nobel Prize in medicine to Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman, for “the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19”, is a reminder of what is still going right in a world where so much else is going terribly wrong. It’s worth pausing to celebrate this triumph before the afterglow of last week’s announcement completely fades.

Not only did the pair’s medical innovation save millions of lives (thanks partly to the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed). It enabled billions across the globe to resume normal life more quickly than they had any reason to expect. According to a typical development timeline, taking into account clinical trials, manufacturing, and regulatory approvals, a coronavirus vaccine might have been expected in 2033. Two were ready within a year.

The potential benefits extend well beyond battling the coronavirus. Many more lives might be saved by applying mRNA technology to notoriously hard-to-treat diseases such as pancreatic cancer. As one immunologist put it, “The sky’s the limit. … For whatever you want to correct, or whatever you want to treat, there could be an mRNA medicine — that’s the excitement.”

The Nobel for Ms Kariko and Mr Weissman provides a welcome counterpoint to the culture war that grew up around COVID and the public health measures invoked to fight it. Pandemics throughout history have tended to spawn conspiracy theories or degenerate into every-man-for-himself behaviour. Still, it is sobering to consider how quickly modern US society polarized over what should have been dealt with as a common threat. The share of Republicans who say they have “not too much” confidence in medical scientists or none at all rose from 12 per cent in 2019 to 34 per cent in 2021. Much of this was the result of disinformation or what some researchers call “negative polarisation”. The more that Democrats were perceived as being favorable toward public health authorities and their recommendations, the more that Republicans would respond against them, and vice versa.

To be sure, some pandemic-era public health pronouncements, albeit made amid uncertainty and in good faith, appear to have gone too far. Health officials advocated school closures after there was evidence that children transmitted the virus less than adults and were at low risk of severe illness or death themselves.

The academic and mental health effects on this “lost generation” are grave and likely to be long-lasting, disproportionately affecting the most marginalised communities. Meanwhile, the so-called lab leak theory of the coronavirus’s origins in China, initially dismissed as a hoax or, in infectious-disease expert Anthony S. Fauci’s phrase, a “conspiracy theory,” is now taken seriously as a possible scenario, based on new evidence.

To prepare for future health crises, the country needs to take stock of how its institutions fell short, even in a largely successful pandemic response. None of this, however, justifies dismissing public health experts’ advice or lending the slightest credibility to anti-vax agitation, much less obscuring Ms Kariko and Mr Weissman’s achievement.

What’s more, the two new Nobel laureates’ story is an inspiring one that reminds Americans of the enduring value of innovation and good old-fashioned perseverance. Ms Kariko emigrated to the United States from communist Hungary in 1985 to pursue her research into genetic messenger technology. Allowed to leave her native country with only US$100, she managed to hide US$1200 inside her daughter’s teddy bear.

It’s also a story about the proper role of scepti -

cism in science; about the need to question consensus the right way. mRNA vaccines work by prompting the immune system to create antibodies against disease without introducing an altered or dead pathogen into the body. The pair’s interest in this concept ran counter to much conventional wisdom in their field. Initially, Ms Kariko had trouble securing research funding and, as she put it, “was demoted four times” .Persisting, Ms Kariko and Mr Weissman responded with data, arguments and persuasion.

It’s little surprise, then, that when the two scientists heard the news that they had won the Nobel, scepticism was their first instinct. After all, it usually takes years for big discoveries to get the recognition they deserve. “I thought some anti-vaxxer was playing a joke on us or something like that,” Mr Weissman recounted. Fortunately, it wasn’t a joke.

In the months and years to come, we might move on from COVID, or relitigate blame for various missteps and conspiracies, real and imagined.

But let’s take a moment out of our many disagreements to recognise that, while nothing’s perfect, some things are worth both believing in and celebrating. (Washington Post)

“Invest in Girls' Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”

President Dr Irfaan Ali accepted the Letters of Credence from the Non-Resident Ambassador of South Africa to Guyana, Lumka Yengeni. The simple ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive. The two nations established diplomatic relations in 1994 (Office of the President photo)

Amaila Falls Hydropower Project must be pursued relentlessly

Dear Editor, Guyana badly needs the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP). We know this and we need to act. I see that the Vice President and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has yet again commented on this issue, saying, “…in approximately two weeks, the PPP/C Government will request proposals for this much-anticipated AFHP.”

In recent months, the necessity and urgency of this venture was made starkly clear as blackout woes descended on Guyanese. Being aware of the gravity of the situation, President Irfaan Ali actually urged Guyanese to return to generators, as constant blackouts continue to plague the

land. He explained that “… efforts are underway to increase power generation,” (but) he believes companies that were not previously on the national grid have turned to it, thereby putting a strain on the Guyana Power and Light's (GPL’s) capacity. So, yes, the issue is neither bad rulership nor damaged equipment, but excessive demand. Hence, the go-ahead for the AFHP is more than urgent.

Editor, I personally was expecting this kind of situation to come down on us. I recall the Guyana Government, during the 2021 National Budget presentation, expressly stating that it will push for development of the 165MW AFHP. As we all know, we would not have been where we are

currently had this vital venture not been shelved by the previous Administration, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).

The word then from Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh was that the project “will become a reality” under President Irfaan Ali. He did give the reason too, noting that “the hydro plant has been targeted by the Government to help incorporate sustainable and cheaper electricity into the grid, and as part of a low-carbon development strategy.” Thus the foresight was always there, and I guess it is just a matter of implementation.

As Guyanese, we need to realise, and this was iterated on many occasions,

that the single biggest impediment to accelerated development is the absence of adequate, affordable, and reliable energy. Getting to the ‘moment of truth,’ Jagdeo explained, “We’re hoping, within a maximum of two weeks, to go out back for the requests of proposals.” His update is that “…up until last week, the Government received several proposals, and Korea, Austria and Brazil have shown interest in the project.”

At least for me, optimism is high. In terms of its realisation, the AFHP, when completed, is likely to bring in about 160 megawatts of power. This will really be of huge help, and moreso with a plan for possible solar expansion at the

Cricket is the Caribbean’s unifier and our pride

Dear Editor,

The 13th prestigious version of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) One Day Tournament is presently being played in India. However, the Inaugural World Cup champions, who went on to win the second championship and play in the finals of the third championship, have failed to qualify to play in this World Cup cricket championship.

The West Indies team is out of the tournament because of poor administration and poor performance of the team.

West Indies cricket team was indeed the best team in the world, and the Caribbean cricketers dominated world cricket. It is indeed sad to know that the millions of cricket fans in the Caribbean are now forced to look at the other teams from around the world, and not see their beloved team among them.

Where are our cricket administrators? Where are our Caribbean leaders? When will those responsible for the administration of cricket wake up from their slumber?

Cricket is the Caribbean’s unifier and our pride.

Cricket West Indies (CWI), the governing body for the sport in the region, is today a liability, and has been a total failure. Even though the CWI has commissioned several reports on the deteriorating state of the game, our status in world cricket continues to plummet, and we are nigh the bottom of world cricket.

Cricket has been fail-

ing at the club level in all the territories. The structure of West Indies cricket is being destroyed. West Indies was at the helm of world cricket in the 1980s. West Indies’ batting and bowling were world class.

Brian Lara had to wait for his opportunity to get a place in the West Indies team. The batting line-up was mighty strong, and there was no place for any of the first six batsmen to be replaced. The bowling was lethal. The team was all supreme in all two versions, test and One Day International.

However, it must be noted that the administration was bungling as the players became undisciplined. It cannot be denied that it was indiscipline that led to players calling for strike action, and some refusing to play in the team. Further, the administration’s tolerance for some level of indiscipline was the cause of insularity and poor selection of the West Indies team.

West Indies cricket desperately needs the immediate intervention of Caricom Heads of States. It would have been better for us to not play in the present World Cup because of Caricom intervention, rather than us being booted out by failing to qualify for a place in the prestigious championship.

Today the West Indies team is ranked eighth in Test cricket, less than tenth in ODIs, and seventh in T20Is in the official ICC rankings. This sad state of cricket in the Caribbean must be carefully debated and strengthened.

The CWI must face up to the reality that the talent and potential are not evident in West Indies Cricket. Look at the Trinbago Night Riders CPL team. That team is being referred to as “dad’s army”, the nucleus of that team all being pensioners from IPL. And the other teams seem to be heavily dependent on the foreign players.

The West Indies four Day tournament must be better organized; the ODI tournaments must be more competitive, and the Twenty20 tournaments

must be more attractive to more players in the Caribbean. As for women’s cricket, much more attention will have to be placed in the respective countries.

The just concluded CPL tournament was a big success for the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Moreso, it was indeed the fresh initiative and carnival flavour added to the biggest sport in the Caribbean. Cricket is a major attraction.

Sincerely,

Neil Kumar

There are no areas of mining operations that are off limits to GGMC

Dear Editor, The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) seeks to clarify with the following, what has apparently gained some attention as a certain media release.

The processing of manganese for shipment does not readily present the opportunity for the processing of gold

• The large-scale operators in mining such as in bauxite, manganese, and gold, are regularly inspected and processes observed which should uncover such obvious occurrences as the media release suggests, vis “sifting gold non-stop at Matthews Ridge”. There are no areas of the mining operations that are off limits to the GGMC officers who are on regular and/or special inspections of the companies’ operations.

AFHP. I know that the target date is year-end for bids to be completed, so we still have to allow for due process to take place.

According to Government’s explanations in our dailies, “Guyana has now got at least two proposals from companies in Brazil to do the ‘hydro’, and some other companies out of the US… So, soon you would see us going back out to another [tender] process in that regard.”

Editor, I back up to December 2016, when an independent assessment of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) did reveal that the only realistic path for Guyana moving towards an emission-free electricity sector is by developing its

hydropower potential, and the fastest way forward is to maintain the AFHP. The totally independent report was compiled by Norconsult, an engineering and design consultancy firm out of Norway, which was contracted by the Government of Norway, and it very clearly detailed an “objective and factsbased” assessment of the project on the agreement of the two Governments, and made some telling statements.

In a nutshell, the goahead is unambiguous, and the PPP/C must simply continue this pathway until the realisation of its objective.

Yours truly, HB Singh

From time to time and in several instances, there is a perpetual presence of technical officers from the GGMC at the large-scale mining operations.

The shipments of mineral commodities from Guyana have different aspects that engage officials from state agencies who are the competent authorities for such business. The GGMC has never been denied access to loading areas, should the necessity have arisen.

The GGMC would welcome any credible reporting of the illegal commingling of commodities in their shipment from Guyana so that the same could be properly investigated.

Sincerely,

Newell M Dennison Commissioner

Foundation

Test Questions

Question 1

By Helen TaiTT

It is very peaceful here

With the white clouds drifting And the palm trees lifting Graceful arms to fan the air.

Tuesday’s answers

1ai) The area of rectangle BCDE = 20m x 12m (LxB) = 240m2

1aii) The area of triangle ABC = 6m x 5m (1/2 base x height) = 30m2

1aii1) The area of the school compound ACDE = area of BCDE + ABC = 270m2

1b) Sammy’s total marks = 90 + 61+ 83 + 75 = 309

1bi) In order to average 81, Sammy would have had to score 81 x 4 = 324 He scored 309, so he needed 324 – 309 more marks = 15 more marks

How lovely is the green when seen With the blue between as the branches lean. How lovely is the rose that grows By the stream which flows where the soft wind blows,

It is very peaceful here With the tall grass shaking And the pond flies making Silver wing-play everywhere.

You came, and all the sky was flushed, The day and my heart grew full as you came. The roses shed their dew and blushed, As the winds of a new awaking rushed Through their petals and breathed your name.

In this fun and easy colour science experiment, we’re going to investigate if certain colours get hotter faster than others.

Materials:

Two thermometers

One sheet of white paper

One sheet of black paper

Two tin cans

Black paint

White paint

Pitcher of water

Instructions:

Place each thermometer outside in the sun.

Put the white piece of paper over one of the thermometers and put the black piece of paper over the second thermometer.

Wait 30 minutes.

While you are waiting, paint one of the cans white and the other can black.

Once 30 minutes have passed, write down the temperatures from each thermometer.

Now fill each can with water.

Place a thermometer in each can and place the cans back outside.

Put the white piece of paper on the white can and the black piece of paper on the black can.

Wait 30 minutes and then write down the temperature from each thermometer.

How it works:

The black colour absorbs more sunlight. This converts to heat and increases the temperature. The white colour reflects more sunlight and thus does not absorb as much heat.

Make this a science project:

Try this experiment with different colours. Try spraying sunblock on the black colour. Try spraying sunblock on the surface of the water. (sciencefun.org)

I touched the stars. Reached to magic in a night

All beautiful...

Caught new music and the world Was still...

Known blue wonders... Floating mauve and gentle silver.

On a deep deep cloud I touched the stars

And magic now forever in my sky. (Kyl-Over-Al)

WORD SEARCH

Mahdia dorm was not a top priority according to 2022 report – Chief Education Officer

…$882M expended since last year to improve dorms countrywide

According to a 2022 Education Ministrycommissioned assessment of all of the country’s dorm facilities, the Mahdia Secondary School’s female dormitory – that was engulfed in flames in May – was not among the Top Five dorms requiring immediate rehabilitation.

Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain made this disclosure on Tuesday, as the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the fatal Mahdia dorm fire continued its public hearings.

Funded by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the “Gender Sensitive Standards for Dormitory Schools in Guyana” report had revealed a number of deficiencies within dorm facilities across the country, one being the lack of fire prevention measures.

“There is a page in that document which outlines the recommended order in which the dormitories should be renovated [and] addressed. In other words, the worst dorm should be done first and so on. Mahdia did not make the top five,” Hussain said.

While the Sand Creek Secondary School dormitory required $222 million and the Anna Regina dorm required $180 million for repairs, the Mahdia Secondary School dorm facilities only required $90 million, Hussain relayed.

“The report says that Mahdia [dorm] was not one of the top priorities to be addressed. In fact, Mahdia had one issue and that is constant supply of electricity and water,” Hussain said.

He noted that while a need was recognised for expansion of the dorm facili-

ty and training of the people who manage it, no need for greater fire protection equipment was pointed out.

“The conduct of that report involved the stakeholders of that dormitory to give their views on what was needed – the students, the Head Teacher of the parent school, the dormitory staff. In that report, you will find that none of them said that there were issues with fire extinguishers and firefighting tools,” Hussain said.

Fire inspection report

Yet, a Fire Inspection Report conducted in February by Officer-inCharge at the Mahdia Fire Station, Ryan Scott had revealed a number of issues in the Mahdia dorm, including the lack of fire alarms, exit signs and smoke detectors.

Scott, who testified before the Commission last week, explained that though this report was submitted to Divisional Officer Clive McDonald, Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham as well as the Regional Education Department Officer, no changes were

made to improve the dormitory’s fire prevention practices.

Hussain noted that he had not come across this report before, and if he had, there is a process that would’ve ensued to ensure the matter was addressed.

“So, the first thing that the Regional Education Officer is required to do, apart from sending it to the Regional Executive Officer (REO) and so on, is to send it to the Deputy Chief Education Officer (DCEO) for administration. Once it goes there, then it's in the system. The DCEO admin would send it to the CEO’s office – my office,” Hussain explained.

“I will then forward it to the Permanent Secretary, asking to facilitate with their counterpart in the Local Government Ministry, whether there are finances to make these adjustments. And if there isn't financing, then what we do is we try to buttress it from whatever finances we have,” Hussain said.

Did not see report Likewise, former Permanent Secretary of the Home Affairs Ministry,

Mae Thomas – who testified separately on Tuesday as well – had also stated that she did not recall coming across this Fire Inspection Report.

“As Permanent Secretary, if I had seen it as urgent, I would’ve had a reported structure where I would’ve said ‘[Home Affairs] Minister Robeson Benn, please see and advise.’ And I’m sure he would’ve taken it to his colleague, the Minister for which the dorm fell under,” Thomas said.

Supplementary funds

When Fire Chief Wickham testified before the Commission, he cited the lack of funds as the reason for the lack of several key equipment at the Mahdia Fire Station, including breathing apparatus and breaking-in tools.

However, Thomas shared that the Home Affairs Ministry has an open-doors policy and should any agency under the Ministry require items to fulfil their duties, a request could’ve been made accordingly in which supplementary funds would’ve been sought.

She further added that it is up to the Fire Chief to

prioritise the distribution of funding to Fire Stations across the country.

Improvements

Meanwhile, Hussain shared that improvements have been made to address the three main concerns raised within the dorms as it pertains to infrastructure, firefighting equipment and staffing.

In that regard, all dorms are now outfitted with fire prevention measures while all except those in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) are fully staffed.

Meanwhile, construction and rehabilitation

have either commenced or have been completed in 70 per cent of the dorms, with plans to address all of the facilities before the first quarter of next year.

These changes, Hussain said, had to be done incrementally so as to avoid completely taking students out of schools and from 2022 to now, required $882 million to do so – a value projected to increase to $1 billion by the end of the year.

Hussain and Thomas both appeared before the Commission in response to a summons which was issued following their inability to present themselves as required last week. (G13)

Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain testifying before the Mahdia Commission of Inquiry (CoI)

Former Permanent Secretary of the Home Affairs Ministry, Mae Thomas

Lorry driver gets $1M bail for causing death of security officer

Alorry driver was on Tuesday granted bail in the sum of $1 million for causing the death of 63-year-old Patricia Hutson, who was struck down along the Ogle Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Sunday.

Twenty-six-year-old Charria Naitram of Supply Village, East Bank Demerara (ECD), appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court where the causing death by dangerous driving charge was read to him.

He, however, pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.

In addition, he was charged with driving an unlicensed motor vehicle, driving an uninsured motor vehicle, and driving an uncertified motor vehicle.

He pleaded not guilty to each of these charges and was placed on $25,000 for each offence. The matter was adjourned to November 21,

Lorry driver, Charria Naitram

2023.

It was reported that Hutson, a security officer of 13th Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was struck down and crushed by Naitram, who

Dead: Patricia Hutson

was at the time driving a motor lorry, GAE 8189.

He reportedly claimed that he was proceeding along the Ogle Public Road when he observed the traffic light in his direction change from

green to red.

He alleged that upon seeing this, he attempted to apply brakes but the vehicle failed to stop and he consequently changed lanes, during which the lorry’s back wheel collided with the pedestrian.

Hutson, who had just disembarked from a minibus, was waiting to cross the road. As a result of the collision, she fell onto the road, sustaining injuries to her head and body.

She later succumbed to her injuries while being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Teen remanded for wounding student

Reacting…

…to mass violence

Caricom have just issued a release on the now four days’ old war in Israel/Palestine. They bemoaned that “Innocent lives are being lost amidst the fervour and violence of the actual combatants”, and have asked both sides to cool it. Your Eyewitness was struck by that word “fervour” - which means “with intense feelings”. So, the attacks by Hamas on Israelis and the retaliation by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) on Gaza and the West Bank are being committed with “intense feelings”.

Your Eyewitness first wondered “as opposed to what?” Killing hundreds of human beings with calm and dispassionate elan?? Would that make it better or worse? Don’t we have a more negative view of “coldblooded killers” like Ted Bundy?? Does it matter to the dead whether they were killed with intense feelings or dispassion?? Dead is dead, innit?? But there’s something in that description of killing with fervour. The fervour gotta be coming from somewhere to create a feeling in the killers that they are in some way RIGHT; and even more troublingly, RIGHTEOUS.

David Hayde

Eighteen-year-old David Hayde, a labourer of Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was on Friday charged and remanded to prison for wounding a 17-year-old student.

Hayde was arrested by a rank of the Leonora Police Station on October 2 after wounding the student, who is attached to the Leonora Technical Institute.

The accused appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ali-Seepaul at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court and was not required to plead to the charge.

He was subsequently remanded to prison and the case will continue on November 21.

And that’s the tragedy with the Israel-Palestine conflict. Both sides are so convinced of the righteousness of their “cause”, that any action – no matter how extreme – is justified. Your Eyewitness has already written of the source of righteousness: for the Jews, their holy book tells them that five thousand or so years ago, they made a covenant with their God - who gave the land to Israel. Remember their God speaking to Moses from behind some burning bush?? The Jews do!!

For the Palestinians, they know they’d been living on the land for thousands of years – after the Jews had moved on to greener pastures up north and elsewhere. So, their righteousness arises from the unreasonableness of being forced out of their homes, since 1947, into smaller and smaller enclaves, to live in ghettoes at the sufferance of the ruling Jews!! Can you imagine the population density of Gaza being 400/ sq km and the West Bank 800/sq km?? Then any Jew can waltz in from any part of the world and they’d get greater rights that the longest living Palestinian!! 5000 more Jewish settlements were scheduled to be built this year!!

Yes…so they ARE killing with fervour – righteous fervour. In these situations, the only solution is to address the source of the fervour. For decades, most of the world had backed the “Two-state” proposal of the UN. That is, to return the land seized by Israel during the 1967 war and acknowledge it as the independent state of Palestine, and for the Palestinians to reciprocate by recognizing the state of Israel.

Unfortunately, your Eyewitness doesn’t see this happening anytime in the foreseeable future. So, we can expect more “killing with fervour”!!

…to mental

Yesterday was World Mental Health Day - and as usual with these “Days” - there’s a theme: “Mental health is a universal human right”. That’s right…in addition to the right to food, shelter, clothing, sexual orientation, etc…etc… we can demand that we have “mental health”. But as we know, dear reader, we in Guyana have a very jaundiced view of this right.

Anyone with mental issues is automatically said to be “mental” – and derided as “mad”, to be consigned to the “Berbice Mad House”!!

When it was built by the Brits back in the 19th century, they referred to it as the Mental Asylum, and for sure, no one has EVER CALLED IT THE “National Psychiatric Institute” – the name given a few years back!!

Last month, the Govt decided to close it down completely – probably in despair at everyone still calling it the Berbice Mad House!! So, what’ll happen to the inmates who’re presently there, and others who’ll be qualified for admission??

They’ll get a “halfway” house. Half mad??

…to the PNC

Your Eyewitness wonders why the Government bothers to react to the goings-on by the PNC Opposition. They couldn’t even keep their APNU coalition together, so how will they be able to mount a real challenge to them!!

Cyberespionage attempt made, but Guyana’s network not infiltrated – NDMA

The Guyana Government has confirmed that there was an attempted spear-phishing campaign at one of its agencies but has assured that its cybersecurity systems quickly intercepted and nullified its effects.

Spear-phishing is a specific and targeted cyber-attack on one or a select number of victims, while regular phishing attempts are to scam masses.

The National Data Management Authority (NDMA), in a statement on Tuesday, explained that its cybersecurity division has indicated that no successful cyberespionage malware was found on the Government of Guyana’s network.

This disclosure follows a recent claim made by a cybersecurity firm that, in February 2023, an unnamed Government of Guyana agency was the victim of a successful spear-phishing campaign that sought to compromise sensitive Government data.

Since the release of the article on October 5, 2023, NDMA has deployed its cybersecurity analysts and specialists to assess these claims and investigations reveal that the cybersecurity firm exaggerated the threat in their “exposé.”

Based on information currently available, the NDMA

said a spear-phishing attempt was made against a Government Ministry, however, the security systems employed intercepted this attempt and nullified its effects.

Nonetheless, even as investigations continue, the NDMA has contacted the cybersecurity firm that made the claims to gather additional information, verify the data shared, and ascertain the firm’s source. To date, the NDMA is still awaiting the cybersecurity firm’s response.

The NDMA said even as ongoing inquiries continue into the alleged incident, it remains resolute in its mandate to promote safe cybersecurity practices within Government Ministries and agencies.

Emails

An Essential Security against Evolving Threats (ESET) research article by Fernando Tavella revealed that its researchers discovered a cyberespionage attack against a Government entity in Guyana by hackers that could be Chinese.

ESET is a Slovak software company that specialises in cybersecurity.

It was noted that the hackers sent the target organisation spear-phishing emails referencing Guyanese public affairs, specifically emails with the subject lines

“President Mohamed Irfaan Ali's Official Visit to Nassau, The Bahamas” and “Guyanese fugitive in Vietnam”.

The report further outlined that the emails contained zip files which, when downloaded and extracted, allowed the hackers to move across the victim’s internal network.

“Based on the email subjects, the operators must have been following the political goings-on in Guyana – the time we registered new detections at the targeted governmental entity coincided with the Guyanese President’s attendance of the Caricom conference in Nassau. The spear-phishing emails contained a link that, when clicked, downloaded a ZIP file from https://fta.moit.gov[.]vn/ file/people.zip. Since a domain ending with gov.vn indicates a Vietnamese governmental website, we believe that the operators were able to compromise another governmental entity and use it to host their malware samples,” the ESET report outlined.

It concluded that, “We believe with medium confidence that it was conducted by a China-aligned APT group. The attackers used a combination of previously unknown tools, such as DinodasRAT, and more traditional backdoors such as Korplug. Based

on the spear-phishing emails used to gain initial access to the victim’s network, the operators are keeping track of the geopolitical activities of their victims to increase the likelihood of their operation's success.”

Chinese

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, the Chinese Embassy in Guyana said it has rejected “any irresponsible hyping-up of so-called ‘Chinese hacker infiltration’” and has made it clear that China opposes and fights all forms of hacking in accordance with the law.

The Chinese Embassy further noted that cybersecurity is a common challenge for countries including China and Guyana.

“China, as always, will collaborate with Guyana to safeguard cybersecurity through bilateral dialogue, law enforcement cooperation and other means,” it emphasised. Motivations & ethics Moreover, the NDMA has since questioned the cybersecurity company’s “motivations and ethics”.

“Cybersecurity professionals have access to sensitive information including personal data and proprietary information. Disclosing sensitive information without stakeholder consultation

can be detrimental. So how is the cybersecurity firm benefitting from publishing and making claims based on “medium confidence” and linking this spear-phishing campaign to other local events without evidence-based proof?” the NDMA positioned.

The NDMA also outlined that cybersecurity threats are not uncommon and is experienced by many countries.

“Forbes (Advisor), in a June 2023 online article, estimated that over five hundred million phishing attacks were reported in 2022 worldwide. This number shows just how common this type of threat is in today's digital world. The singling-out of this particular incident also raises questions, as it is not conventional practice to disclose consumer-specific information without the customer’s explicit permission. We will continue to reach out to the cybersecurity firm for in-depth consultations.”

Malware attacks

For the first quarter of this year, the NDMA has detected and mitigated some 442 malware attacks at Government agencies.

According to the NDMA, in keeping with international best practice, it operates both a 24/7 security operations centre which provides 24-hour

technical support on cybersecurity issues to Government agencies; and the Guyana National Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) which serves as a valuable resource for threat response and incident handling.

“NDMA’s efforts are also complemented by ongoing cybersecurity awareness training initiatives and programmes. Staying with the theme “don’t bite the bait: how to ensure you’re not phished,” NDMA’s Get Safe Online Guyana and Guyana National CIRT offer valuable resources to empower citizens with cybersecurity skills and knowledge. Get Safe Online Guyana allows visitors to access information on safe internet practices, including guidance on protecting personal data, recognising and mitigating cyber threats, and practising online safety,” the statement from the agency outlined.

Meanwhile, in the month of October, Government of Guyana joins the rest of the world in commemorating cybersecurity awareness. Against this backdrop, the NDMA will facilitate several training sessions across the country, aimed at providing invaluable information on safe cybersecurity practices as well as how to identify and respond to cybersecurity threats. (G11)

Guyana to experience increased rainfall next month

…but El Nino will not end until early 2024

Following months of extremely dry weather conditions, Guyana will next month experience increased rainfall, according to forecasts from the local Hydromet Office.

However, while there will be an increase in rainfall, Chief Hydromet Officer, Dr Garvin Cummings told this publication that the uncomfortable temperatures will remain.

He explained that El Nino is predicted to end in the first quarter of next year.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has posited that the country has not experienced any serious problems as a result of the drought, in light of the measures that have been put in place by the Government.

“All in all, I don’t think we are experiencing any serious problems with the dry spell so far,” he said, noting that there is currently “enough water in the system to take care of our needs”.

“We have enough water

in the system but I want to appeal to farmers, I want to appeal to stakeholders and residents generally, we must conserve on our fresh water,” the Agriculture Minister expressed.

A few days ago, President Dr Irfaan Ali posted to his social media page, an aerial view photo of the East Demerara Water Conservancy and captioned, “despite the prevailing El Nino conditions, water levels in conservancy currently stands at 56.60 GD and is satisfying the irrigation needs in farming areas served by this reservoir.”

Notwithstanding, on Friday last, the Head of State had issued a call for citizens to conserve water, in light of the El Nino conditions.

“What we have seen as a result of the prolonged dry season, the extremely dry season, is that a lot of persons are also going to pipe water for gardens, for farming, for agriculture. They are going to pipe water also

for construction purposes… so, I wanted to ask communities, members of the population to be careful with the consumption of water,” the President had expressed.

The President had also revealed that Region One (Barima-Waini) was experiencing reduced water flow from springs, leading to scheduled sectional water deliveries to residents in areas such as Mabaruma, Mathews Ridge, Port Kaituma, Arakaka and Manawarin.

In Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), static levels of wells have declined significantly, especially in the Kamarang and Jawalla areas, while there was a depletion in surface water sources in areas such as Mahdia, El Paso and Kurukabaru.

“These situations are also being monitored… we don’t have a situation now where it is detrimental to the supply and delivery but, I’m just speaking

to the population, engaging you so that we can be aware of what is happening and we can take the necessary action,” President Ali had explained.

Meanwhile, the Head of State had outlined plans for emergency responses, including drilling new wells and rationing measures in critically affected areas, to mitigate the impact of water scarcity on agriculture, live-

stock, and daily life.

In April of this year, the Hydromet Office had announced that Guyana is expected to see an average level of rainfall during the May-June rainy season but below normal rainfall in July that may likely result in a drought from thereon.

El Nino and La Nina are climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide, with El

Niño being characterised by warmer temperatures and less rainfall and La Niña denoted by cooler temperatures and heavier rainfall.

Climatologist Komal Dhiram had explained that last year, Guyana was in the La Nina phase and this was reflected by the massive countrywide flooding caused by heavy and consistent rainfall within all administrative regions. (G11)

D ays after Mark Hilliman, a 25-yearold labourer from McDoom, East Bank Demerara, and also residing in La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, was stabbed to death by a man outside KFC at Longden and Croal Streets, Georgetown, his reputed wife expressed profound regret at how he died.

The woman, Diana Sampson, in an inter -

view with Guyana Times on Tuesday, stated that her reputed husband was trying to make peace between her and the suspect on Saturday evening. She said she works at the KFC location, and her husband usually collected her from work.

According to the grieving woman, she was preparing to leave work when the suspect entered the fast-food outlet but be -

came impatient since he had to wait to place his order. He accused the workers operating slowly.

"He started telling us that we are lesbians and who is doing what and all these things. All the other workers didn’t respond to him, but I answered him...

I didn’t know my husband was in line…All I heard my husband say was ‘Diana, shut your mouth and do your work, girl’. If

I had known Mark was in line, I would not have answered the man,” she recalled.

She said her reputed husband then turned to the man and said “Rasta man [the suspect], be humble and leave these girls alone.”

“The Rasta man started going off and saying he didn’t have any time for boys… all I saw was my child's father walk away

swered him [the suspect] back. I don’t know the suspect; I have never seen him in my life,” the woman said.

She added that she is hoping to get justice for Hilliman soon, adding, “he did not deserve to die like that.” The woman said the man’s children, aged six and two, are now left without a father, and they need justice.

“His six-year-old daughter keeps waking up crying for her father. Every time my two-yearold son asks me for his papa, I have to keep telling him he gone out.”

and go out of the store… the security guard called me and told me to check on my child's father because the Rasta man said he was going to get a gun,” the woman said.

Sampson said she went to check on the father of her child and everything seemed fine and she then went back inside the building.

“The Rasta man came back into the store a minute later, collected his order, gave his order to one of his friends who was there with him, and the Rasta man pulled out a knife, crept up behind my child's father, choked him, and stabbed him in the heart, and then he just ran away,” the woman explained.

"If I had known that it would have led to his death, I wouldn’t have an -

Police had reported that Hilliman confronted the suspect, who was allegedly interfering with Sampson. Eyewitnesses reported a heated exchange between Hilliman and the suspect, resulting in a violent altercation.

Desperate to protect his wife, Police said Hilliman intervened, urging the suspect to cease his advances.

However, the situation spiralled out of control, and according to Police, Hilliman was stabbed in the left side of his chest. Despite his injuries, he managed to walk a short distance before collapsing. The assailant fled the scene. Public-spirited citizens rushed Hilliman to the Georgetown Public Hospital, but his injuries proved fatal. Police have since launched an investigation. (G9)

An aerial view of the East Demerara Water Conservancy (Office of the President photo)

"If I had known” – wife says regrets answering back husband’s killer

Dead: Mark Hilliman

Agri Forum & Expo

“Important event for the future of agriculture” – Mustapha

Agriculture Minister

Zulfikar Mustapha

on Tuesday conducted a site visit at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) where preparations are in full swing for the upcoming Agri Investment Forum and Expo – which he has hailed as a critical affair for the future of agriculture not just in Guyana but the entire Caribbean Region.

The Agri Investment Forum and Expo is billed for October 20 to 22, and it is the second such event to be held in Guyana.

So far, 150 exhibitors and some 100 agro processors, including 30 from overseas territories, have confirmed their participation in the event. Also participating are a number of Heads of Government from countries within the Region.

During a meeting with the event’s planning committee, also on Tuesday, the Agriculture Minister emphasised that, “as the host and the lead country for agriculture in the Region, Guyana is demonstrating its unwavering commitment to the development and modernisation of the sector while realising its potential of once again becoming the bread basket of Caricom.”

He also expressed that the event will present opportunities to heighten awareness of the ongoing positive transformation of Caricom’s agri-food system and the 25 by 2025 initiative.

According to Minister Mustapha, this event is important for the future of agriculture in the Caribbean. In fact, he highlighted some of the benefits that have already been reaped from last year’s inaugural Agri Forum and Expo.

“This event is important to the future of agriculture on various fronts including growing the participation of young people in the sector and last year we would have seen the result, a number of investors have already start to invest in various countries in

Caricom…I am hoping that during the Agri Investment Expo, we will commission the first, largest hydroponics farm in the Caribbean, right here in Guyana,” he revealed.

Hydroponics/Israel

The project, which is as a result of last year’s Agri Forum and Expo, is being undertaken by Israeli company, KARLICO Inc to the tune of US$15.7 million. In December 2022, the Agriculture Ministry had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the firm, making way for the development of a massive hydroponics project.

It was reported that the project would involve a three-phase hydroponic production system based on nutrient film techniques and soilless production systems designed for producing fresh herbs, lettuce and other leafy vegetables, and other high-value crops.

The first phase of the project, expected to be completed three months after the necessary groundwork has been completed, would see the company setting up a 2000-square-metre, stateof-the-art hydroponic system which would include a cold room, packaging facilities, harvesting equipment, irrigation controllers, fertiliser mixers, water recycling system, and emergency water storage, among other things.

Phase Two would see the construction and installation of an advanced greenhouse system, while Phase Three would involve the construction of a regional distribution centre where a variety of agricultural and food products would be collected, processed, packaged, and delivered to both local and international markets, meeting all of the necessary USDA and European Food Safety Authority standards and regulations.

Honey/Cuba

Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha said at this year’s Agri Expo, Guyana is expected to sign a num -

ber of Memorandums of Understanding on agricultural cooperation with several countries.

One such country could be Cuba. Guyana is looking to Cuba to help with the expansion with its honey production.

“As it stands now, Guyana is producing honey but on a small scale…,” the Minister outlined.

“We have some specialists in Cuba that would help us start our aviary in Guyana. We have already identified two regions, Regions Nine and One and

we are hoping to go largescale honey production,” Mustapha said.

He expressed that this move to boost local honey production is timely, considering that Trinidad and Tobago is actively embarking on steps to remove barriers to trade to certain products, such as honey.

The Guyanese private sector has for years been lamenting about the various trade barriers in place by Trinidad, which serve to block Guyanese exports to that market, and which are not being adequately ad -

dressed by the Caribbean Community’s (Caricom’s) Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

Currently, Trinidad and Tobago’s honey and bee products are guided by the country’s archaic Food and Drug Act of 1960 and Beekeeping and Bee Products Act of 1935.

According to the Beekeeping and Bee Products Act, only honey from the Windward and Leeward Islands can be transhipped to the twin-island Republic –something which Caricom

Member States Guyana and Grenada have long been arguing goes against the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

However, Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Conrad Enil recently disclosed that, “The legislation to deal with the honey issue is now before the Parliament, so that issue should be dealt with before the end of this year.”

Reports indicate that in 2022, Guyana produced over 3700 gallons of honey. (G11)

Scenes from Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha’s inspection of the preparatory works underway for the Agri Investment Forum and Expo

Annandale woman struck down, killed while crossing road

Awoman of Annandale on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) lost her life on Monday evening after being struck down and killed while crossing the Lusignan Railway Embankment.

Dead is 56-yearold Pulwantie Ramjan of Annandale Railway Embankment, ECD.

Based on reports received, a motor vehicle with trade

plates, KICS-2, driven by a 25-year-old woman of Non Pareil, ECD, was proceeding along the Lusignan Railway Embankment when it came into contact with the now dead woman, who was crossing the road.

Ramjan was reportedly flung into the air and subsequently fell onto the road, where she sustained injuries.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) were sum-

moned to the scene where they pronounced the 56-yearold woman dead. A breathalyser test was conducted on the driver but there were no traces of alcohol in her system. She remains in custody as investigations continue. This is the third female in just a few days who was killed in accidents across the country.

Just two days ago, a 63-year-old security guard of 13th Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, lost her life after being struck down and crushed by a motor lorry.

Patricia Huston was struck down by motor lorry GAE 8189, which was driven by a 26-year-old man of Supply, East Bank Demerara.

According to Police, the driver claimed that he was proceeding east along the southern driving lane of the northern carriageway on Ogle Public Road when he observed the traffic light in his direction

change from green to amber, and then red.

He alleged that upon seeing this, he attempted to apply brakes but the vehicle failed to stop and he consequently changed lanes from the southern lane to the northern side of the road, where the lorry’s back wheel collided with the pedestrian.

Huston, who had just disembarked from a minibus, was waiting to cross the road. As a

result of the collision, she fell onto the road, sustaining injuries to her head and body. She was picked up in a semi-conscious state and placed into an ambulance, which took her to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

She, however, succumbed to her injuries.

Two days prior to that accident, another tragic incident occurred on the Foulis Public Road, West Coast Berbice, re-

sulting in the death of Lavie Long, a 38-year-old woman.

She was fatally struck and crushed to death by a bus belonging to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), driven by a 46-year-old Staff Sergeant from Timehri North, East Bank Demerara.

The incident occurred around 01:05h, and Long, a resident of El Dorado Village, West Coast Berbice, sustained fatal head injuries and died on the spot.

The Staff Sergeant, associated with Base Camp Stephenson, was driving at a high speed when the collision happened. Police took him into custody at Vigilance Police Station for investigation. A breathalyser test was conducted, and no alcohol was detected in the driver’s system.

Long’s body was taken to Bailey’s Funeral Parlour, awaiting a post-mortem examination. (G9)

Guyana records over 171 road deaths so far for 2023

Some 171 persons have lost their lives on the country’s roadways between January 1 and October 8. This was revealed in a recent report by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Of this number, 138 persons died from fatal accidents, otherwise known as vehicle-vehicle collisions or collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists.

Meanwhile, 33 persons died from fatal incidents, in which collisions with stationary objects, such as poles and trenches, were involved.

Further, 116 persons were injured during these fatal accidents while 32 from the fatal incidents.

In a continuation of its efforts to maintain safe roadways and ensure those who fail to comply with the traffic laws are penalised accordingly, the GPF issued 2443 traffic tickets last month to road users who exceeded the speed limit.

Each ticket carries a fine of $7500, thereby resulting in more than $18 million in fines being issued for the month of September alone.

According to the Force’s statement, Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh noted that the equipment and speed guns in use are calibrated and administered by competently trained Traffic ranks.

Just Monday, the Traffic Department recorded 362 cases, of which 70 were for speeding and three were related to driving under the influence (DUI).

This is an increase from Sunday, which saw 280 cases, of which 50 were for speeding violations and nine drivers were apprehended for DUI.

The Force maintains its call to road users for safer road practices, noting in their press release that “speeding is not the answer, and driving under the influence is not an option.”

Also, Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, has signalled that the Government is reviewing its existing laws and considering drastic measures, in order to rein in reckless road users who break the laws, whether through speeding, playing loud music among other offences.

During the recent edition of Issues in the News, Attorney General Anil Nandlall spoke of the high instances of accidents in Guyana. He pointed out that per capita, Guyana has an unusually high number of accidents that likely exceeds other countries in the hemisphere.

“The open carelessness which takes place on the roadways of our country, resulting in injuries and

deaths over and above what we can afford as a country. We’re still a very small population. And we must have, statistically, per capita, the highest incidence of road accidents and road fatalities.”

He explained that the measures being looked at are a work in progress, including the possibility of mandating increased insurance coverage. While this may result in increased premiums and increased fares, the lack of coverage is a sore issue for many drivers who are forced to fix their own

two vehicles

vehicles out of pocket.

In a desperate move to reduce this rise in road fatalities and reckless road use, the GPF had launched its “Respect the Road” campaign in July.

Designed to engage citizens of all ages and backgrounds throughout the country, the Force continues to implement this holistic education campaign through a series of branded road safety materials, social media engagement, outreaches and workshops. (G13)

The

involved in the accident

One of the mangled cars involved in an accident on the ECD

Grass fire forces suspension of classes at Canje Secondary School

Classroom sessions at Canje Secondary School were brought to a halt on Tuesday morning following another grass fire in close proximity to the educational institution.

It was the second such fire to affect the school within days.

The fire reportedly started in a field situated adjacent to Canje Secondary School. When this publication arrived at the scene, classes had already been suspended.

Reports are that all of the students were sent home while the teachers were relocated.

Residents told this publication smoke was seen coming from the area at about 10:00h,

Uvita Mangru said her daughter had to lock her-

works at the school, said it is very difficult for residents and students to cope with the smoke.

“It is too much. All over in the house is smoke,” she

impact on them is still to be known.

Meanwhile, 83-year-old Sunmattie Singh sat under her house and could hardly open her eyes.

She said the smoke was burning her eyes.

“You can’t get to go anything because of the smoke,” the pensioner pointed out.

Baba Seda, who also lives at Cumberland Village, claimed that his pets, which include caged birds, have been affected by the smoke emanating from the burning grass.

“Sometimes you have to lock up the house and go away until it ease up. It ease up right now so I come back home.”

Firefighters were monitoring to grass fire and trying to prevent the spread.

Meanwhile, this is the second fire in the vicinity of Canje Secondary School within a matter of days.

“This one at the school was more terrible... We could stay in here,” Seda noted.

The fire in the school compound last Friday is said to have been caused by someone setting a garbage heap alight.

It reportedly got out of control thus destroying all of the vegetation in its path and also a section of the perimeter fence.

Vigilant and cautious

fires is greatly increased.

GFS said it has been receiving a number of reports of these types of fires and called on citizens to be vigilant and cautious.

“Citizens are urged to desist from lighting grass or garbage fires at this time,” the GFS said.

However, the Fire Service said in the event of such a fire occurring it should never be left unattended as it possesses the potential to spread rapidly and become a major fire emergency.

GFS is advising that all fires should be reported as soon as they occur to the

clearing.

Persons are also advised never to leave a grass or garbage fire unattended. These fires, the GFS said, can quickly get out of control and spread rapidly.

The GFS is also advising that persons report large grass and garbage fires to the fire department immediately.

“Do not throw cigarette or cigar butts on the ground or out of a vehicle. Dispose of them properly and make sure they are completely extinguished,” the advisory said in part while calling on persons to be mindful of parking vehicles on dry

Fire Service via the tollfree number, 912.

grass or shrubs.

self in her room to avoid the smoke since she suffers from asthma.

The Government parttime worker, who also

added as the thick smoke got the better of her, forcing an end to her comments.

Her livestock were also affected by the smoke; its

The man explained that he would go some distance away and wait for the wind direction to change before returning.

Meanwhile in an advisory from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Tuesday, it was pointed out that during the current dry season, the probability of grass

Persons are being advised to follow a few safety tips in order to control and prevent grass and garbage fires.

These are to desist from openly burning grass and garbage. Find other means of disposal and/or land

Adults are also being advised to educate children about the dangers of playing with fire.

As a safety measure, persons are being advised to keep a shovel, bucket of water, fire extinguisher, or other fire suppression tools on hand. (G4)

…as GFS urges citizens to be vigilant, cautious

Thick smoke after a grass fire started near the Canje Secondary School on Tuesday

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

KEEPING SUGAR PROMISES – GUYANA’S POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE CONTRASTING TRACK RECORDS

Those of us who grew up in Berbice, who have seen Guyana’s fortunes and the welfare of hundreds of thousands of families across Guyana ebb and flow with SUGAR; those of us who are familiar with the black, gray and white smoke coming out of chimneys, and what that means; those of us who lived part and parcel with the black ashes coming out of burnt cane; had renewed faith in our country when familiar smoke churned out of the Rose Hall chimneys last month.

SUGAR, with its equally storied, disgraceful and paradoxical history, stained with slavery and indentured labour while still occupying a place of pride in our country. An enigma, yes. Contradiction galore. But, indeed, sugar has a special place in our history.

And SUGAR will always be a part of our political story. Its importance in our politics today is no less than during colonialism, during our fight for independence, during the decades of dictatorship post-independence, and since the restoration of democracy in 1992. In many ways, SUGAR brought a change in Government in 2015 and in 2020, and will surely play a role in 2025, OIL or no OIL.

Political parties and politicians in Guyana have different track records when it comes to keeping promises in general. While, for a long time, citizens did not pay attention to whether politicians and political parties kept their promises, citizens are now more demanding, holding political parties accountable. A sizable proportion of Guyana’s population still vote at elections and support political parties based on some misplaced loyalty, such as race and ethnicity. But there is a growing fraction of the population becoming more and more independent and discerning. For this fraction, promises made and kept are important factors in their decision who to support politically, especially during elections. In fact, even those who vote for a particular party purely on the basis of traditional loyalty are demanding greater fidelity to promises made.

Political parties no longer enjoy a free ride anywhere.

If anyone were to prepare a compendium of promises made by political parties and by politicians over the decades, starting since 1953, the year of the first election in Guyana under adult suffrage, an interesting separation is bound to be established. Cheddi Jagan’s party, the PPP, has, by and large, been driven by its promises; Forbes Burnham’s party, the PNC, has, by and large, made promises that vanish with the wind.

Since 1953, election after election, SUGAR promises represent a major part of this compendium. Over the last month, the smoke billowing out of the chimneys of the Rose Hall Sugar Factory stands as testimony to the commitment of the PPP to preserve SUGAR as part of the economy. The restoration of the Rose Hall Sugar Factory is also a promise the PPP made back in 2016, when the Rose Hall Sugar Factory was closed by the then David Granger-led APNU/AFC Government, a Government controlled wholly by Burnham’s political party, the PNC.

SUGAR, in fact, tells the story of political betrayals very well in Guyana. During the 2011 and 2015 elections, promises relevant to SUGAR were made left, right and centre by political parties and politicians. Since 2010, when the combination of climate change and betrayal from the EU, which arbitrarily abandoned the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement (CSA) and the 1976 ACP-EU Sugar Protocol and precipitously dropped sugar price, SUGAR has suffered in all countries where SUGAR was still part of the economy.

But the PPP made a promise in 2011, 2015, 2020 and throughout its earlier history, that SUGAR will remain a significant part of Guyana’s economy, our social and cultural lives. In 2011 and 2015, the PNC-controlled APNU and AFC similarly made a solemn promise that sugar would always remain a major part of Guyana’s economy. David Granger, as the PNC’s presidential candidate, went boldly into the sugar areas and promised, even claiming his promise is a contract, that SUGAR would never be closed or downsized, because “SUGAR is too big to fail”. His Mutt and Jeff in 2015, Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan, joined him in these areas, and promised sugar workers that they will never lay a finger to close SUGAR in Guyana, begging sugar workers to believe them because they were “champions” of sugar workers. In fact, to demonstrate their commitment to sugar workers, they promised them that within 100 days of being in Government, sugar workers will receive a 20% increase in their wages and benefits, and that throughout their first term, they will maintain the 20% pay increase.

As soon as David Granger became President and Mutt and Jeff became Prime Minister and Vice Presidents, they all abandoned their promise. They closed four sugar estates in Regions 3, 4 and 6. The 20% wage increase promises were forgotten. More than 7,000 sugar workers lost their jobs, impoverishing about 40,000 family members in the first phase of a plan to end SUGAR in Guyana. For five long years, sugar workers scrounged for a living, while their wages were frozen at zero pay increase. The terminated sugar workers were promised severance, but they had to go to court to force severance payments.

President Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo promised that SUGAR would be kept not just alive, but to play a major role in diversifying the economy. The restoration of the Rose Hall Factory, the resumption of sugar cane cultivation in the Rose Hall Sugar Estate cultivation areas, stand as testimony that, like they have done since before the formation of the PPP -- since 1947, when Dr. Jagan stood with striking Enmore Sugar Workers -- the PPP will keep its promise on SUGAR.

“I was bleeding so I run” – man recalls brutal attack on himself, cousin

Two cousins of Grove, East Bank of Demerara, and of Melanie, East Coast Demerara, were on Saturday evening brutally attacked, beaten, and chopped by a group of men at a bar in Grove, EBD. The incident reportedly stemmed from an old grievance.

The injured men are 23-year-old Randolph Persaud known as “Christopher” of Grove, East Bank Demerara, and Leon Archer, 23, of Melanie, East Coast Demerara.

Archer told Guyana Times on Tuesday that he and his cousin went to the bar at about 22:30h to purchase some liquor when they were attacked.

“We were by Chris drinking and then we left and went to a supermarket and we bought some stuff to drink and we headed back by Chris. We leave around 10:30 and head out to buy something else… while walking we reach a bar and we see our uncle… we decide to stay and drink with him… I was heading to the counter to buy the stuff and when I turned around, I saw this guy come in and lash Christopher in his face and Christopher dropped,” he explained.

Archer, in an attempt to defend his cousin, confronted the attacker but was met with further aggression.

“I ran out, but I didn’t have a weapon or anything. I went out to just ask him what is the problem really and why he lashed Christopher in his face. When I ran out, he lashed me in my head and I fall down. When I try to get up back, he lash me again and I fell again and he ran away. I get up and I tried running behind he,” he said.

Archer related that he was behind the suspect and as he turned around, he came face to face with him.

“All I see is the guy come out with a cutlass and he chopped me in my head. I tried to run and he kept chopping me. I put my hand up to bar and I try to kick the cutlass out of his hand and he kept chopping me. I ran and when I look, I see him and five other boys coming after me. I was bleeding so I run and, just in a lady's yard,” Archer said.

“I started begging the lady to help me. I was laying at her door and I was bleed-

ing out and I told her some boys trying to kill me, they chop me and she chased me and told me don’t bleed there. She told me to move from there. Shortly after I heard Christopher calling my name and I answered and he picked me up. I don’t know that boy

[suspect] that attacked me. I went unconscious after that.”

Both injured men were rushed to Diamond Hospital, East Bank Demerara, for medical treatment.

Archer was treated for multiple chop wounds, while Persaud suffered a broken

nose and lacerations around his body.

Persaud told this publication that the assailant had a grudge against him due to a relationship between one of his friends and the attacker's ex-girlfriend.

TURN TO PAGE 17 ►

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Some of the injuries the suspects sustained as a result of the incident

CCJ to rule on Maurice Arjoon v NBS appeal case soon

…as NBS cross-appeal seeking to overturn Court of Appeal decision

The case of sacked New Building Society (NBS) Manager Maurice Arjoon continued on Tuesday before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), where both the appeal and cross-appeal of the judgement against NBS were heard and the court has reserved its ruling on the case.

On Tuesday, the Maurice Arjoon v New Building Society case came up before the Caribbean Court of Justice. Arjoon, who was dismissed from his position as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NBS in 2007, appealed the Court of Appeal’s decision last year to lower his pension benefits from $59 million to $18.8 million.

NBS has also cross-appealed and Senior Counsel Stephen Fraser, who appeared on behalf of NBS, argued before the CCJ that Arjoon was indeed properly dismissed. In the event that the CCJ upheld this view, Fraser wanted the court to also uphold that NBS had the discretion to determine whether to make pension payments to Arjoon.

The Senior Counsel asked the court to consider the letters of termination, which show that Arjoon refused to participate in a meeting probing his conduct and imposed conditions on his employer.

Senior Counsel Edward Luckhoo meanwhile appeared for Arjoon. Luckhoo argued that the evidence in the case, including the audit report, as well as previous rulings, makes the case that Arjoon committed no wrongdoing.

It was Luckhoo’s contention that Arjoon’s conduct did not justify his dismissal. Meanwhile, the CCJ

committed to reviewing the facts of the case and reserved its ruling for an unannounced date.

Arjoon was fired from his position in connection with a Magistrate’s Court matter wherein he, and the mortgage lending institution’s former Operations and Assistant Mortgage Managers were accused of conspiracy to defraud the NBS of nearly $70 million. The matter was eventually dismissed, and Arjoon and the others took the financial institution to court in 2011.

The NBS had contended that an unauthorised withdrawal of nearly $70 million had been made from an account that its client Bibi Shamina Khan held. The NBS’s issue with the withdrawal was that it was made through a Power of Attorney, and the company had implicated Arjoon for misconduct.

An investigation had claimed that the fraud was committed in 2006, and the three men were all fired the next year after it had allegedly been determined that they were at fault for dereliction of duty, negligence, and/or serious/gross misconduct.

Among the grounds of appeal advanced by NBS were

that the over-riding defaults in Arjoon’s dealing with the withdrawals from Khan’s account were not taken into account by Justice Reynolds nor did he consider that the person making the with-

drawals from the account was not duly and properly authorised to do so, thereby causing NBS a loss of over $79 million; and that his ruling was erroneous, in that, the pension could not

be awarded together with severance and other benefits when an employee is terminated or dismissed.

In affirming the trial Judge’s decision, the Court of Appeal held that NBS failed to show that the transaction in question was directly related to the employment relationship. While there were three transactions directly related to the employment relationship, none of them showed that Arjoon “by himself” was “directly responsible” for the incident.

The Court of Appeal, therefore, concluded that Arjoon discharged his functions by the regulations and systems in place and that

the omissions, whatever they were, did not amount to serious misconduct. In the end, the Appeal Court only allowed NBS’s appeal on the issue of Arjoon’s pension entitlement and dismissed all of its other grounds of appeal.

As a result, his pension benefits were significantly reduced from $59,033,281 to $18, 817,432—which is subjected to any indebtedness to NBS. In computing the new sum, the Chancellor explained that the court considered the relevant provisions of the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act. The NBS was ordered to pay Arjoon $800,000 in court costs. (G3)

handed over to improve healthcare delivery

The Health Ministry on Monday distributed a number of vehicles, valued at some $118.6 million, to improve healthcare provision and support the transportation needs of several hinterland regions.

These regions are Regions One (BarimaWaini); Seven (CuyuniMazaruni); Eight (PotaroSiparuni); Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

Purchased under the Regional Health Services (RHS) Programmes, the new modes of transportation included seven all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) valued at $21 million, two minibus ambulances at $22.5 million, three land cruiser ambulances costing an estimat-

ed $44.9 million, and five ATV ambulances at $30.2 million.

During the handover ceremony at the Ministry’s Brickdam, Georgetown headquarters, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony stated that patient care will be boosted with these added modes of transportation within the various regions.

In Region One, the Pakera District Hospital and Baramita Health Centre are each expected to receive a land cruiser ambulance.

Meanwhile, three ATVs will be allocated to the Yarakita health post, Kwebanna Health Centre, and Arakaka Health Centre,

health post.

The Mahdia District Hospital in Region Eight is set to receive a land cruiser ambulance, while the Bamboo Creek health post and Kamana health post will receive one ATV. The Kopinang health post will benefit from an ATV ambulance.

Lethem Regional Hospital, located in Region Nine, will receive a minibus ambulance, while Surama and Aranaputa health posts will be allocated an ATV.

Meanwhile, Massara and Katoonarib health posts will benefit from an ATV ambulance.

In Region Seven, the Kaikan Health Centre will receive an ATV ambulance, and the Linden Hospital Complex in Region 10 will see a new minibus ambulance.

and one ATV ambulance will be placed at the Manawarin

In attendance at Monday’s handover were Coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples Communities, Michael Gouveia, Health Ministry Director General, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo, Regional Health Officer (RHO) attached to Region One, Dr Steven Chefoon, Regional Health Officer (ag) attached to Region Eight, Dr Talitha Cort, and the Regional Health Officer attached to Region Nine, Dr Cerdel McWatt.

Over $118M in vehicles

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony distributes a number of vehicles to be used across several regions

Health Ministry donates vehicles to improve healthcare delivery

Maurice Arjoon Attorney-at-Law Edward Luckhoo, SC Attorney-at-Law Stephen Fraser, SC

Rape up by 16%, robbery under arms down by 57% in Berbice – Police

There has been a 16 per cent increase in instances of rape in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) over the first nine months of the year when compared with the corresponding period last year.

Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus pointed out that there were 31 reports of rape in the region so far this year. This is compared with 25 reports for the corresponding period last year and 21 cases for the corresponding period in 2021.

However, robbery under arms has shown a considerable reduction by 57 per cent when compared with the corresponding period last year.

Currently, the figure for Region Six stands at 12 instances for the year. For the corresponding period last year, the figure was 28 and 18 when compared with the corresponding period in 2021.

Over all there is a 10.9 per cent reduction in serious crime in the region,

Bacchus explained.

He provided figures indicating that the region recorded a total of 147 instances of serious crimes as against 165 for the corresponding period last year and 198 for the corresponding period in 2021.

These serious crimes were murders, robberies, larceny from the person, rape, burglary, break and enter, and larceny and kidnapping, which remain at zero over the three years under review.

Murders have shown a 15 per cent increase over 2022, figures for the corresponding period. Currently, it stands at 15 for the year when compared with 13 for the corresponding period in 2022, and 9 for the same period in 2021.

Of the 15 persons who were murdered so far this year, the Police have been able to place the perpetrators for 13 of them before the courts.

Commander Bacchus pointed out that the Rose Hall Town double murder which occurred in August is still unsolved.

“It is still an active investigation,” he said.

On August 23, the bodies of 31-year-old Melissa Arokium and her son, 8-year-old Anthony Arokium were discovered separately at their Lot 189 Mangrove Street, Rose Hall Town home.

Police are still hunting the killer of killers.

Meanwhile, the Commander pointed out that 40 of the serious crimes were committed on Fridays, 38 on Saturdays, and 30 on Sundays. Of the serious crimes committed in the region for the year to date, only five were committed on Wednesdays.

“What we found happening is that Friday,

Saturday, and Sunday are the three days where we have an increase compared to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with Wednesday being the least,” Bacchus pointed out.

He added that most of the serious crimes are committed between 05:00h and 08:30h.

Seventy-one per cent of the robberies with the use of firearms, and the use of cutlasses have also been prevalent in the committing of robberies in the region.

As it relates to instances of rape, he noted most of the reported rapes are committed on Tuesdays.

Meanwhile, most of the serious crimes were committed in the Number 69 Village area, where 12 per cent were committed. Eleven per cent were committed in the Rose Hall Town area and 10 per cent were committed in the Corriverton area.

Black Bush Polder accounted for four per cent and six per cent in the Angoy’s Avenue area.

During robberies, about half of the time when they

are committed, cash and cellular phones are stolen. Motor cars, electric bicycles, and jewellery are also items of choice for robbery, the Commander said, based on data collected for the year so far.

Forty-one per cent of robberies were conducted on homes and 36 per cent on business places, 12 per cent were committed on Government buildings.

Meanwhile, the Police have been able to remove 14 fire illegal firearms from the streets. This figure is compared with 9 for the corresponding period last year and 11 for 2021.

So far this year, only two persons have been placed before the courts for being in possession of an illegal firearm.

According to Bacchus, this is so because a large percentage of the firearms found were discovered on marijuana farms during rides and where no one was found on the farm. $1.7 billion worth of illegal drugs have been intercepted or destroyed so far this year.

(G4)

Govt will not be bullied to pay for unfinished projects – Public Works Ministry …to penalise Leguan Stelling contractor

With works on the Leguan Stelling continuing to stall, the Ministry of Public Works has read the riot act to the contractor, saying that it will institute penalties against them for not fulfilling their contractual obligations despite efforts to meet their demands.

Upgrades to the Leguan Stelling should have been completed since 2019, under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC). Instead, however, the project was inherited by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government.

Troubles continue to plague the project and the contract is currently behind schedule. In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Public Works revealed that they are currently in a standoff with the contractor, S Maraj Contracting Services. The Ministry contended that it will not be bullied, refuting the contractor’s claim that the work is stalled because the Government owes them money.

“Government will not be bullied into paying for unfinished projects. Contractors and vendors providing service to the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Public Works, are hereby warned against any attempt to bully, and or manipulate the Government into paying for incomplete projects,” the Ministry said.

According to the Ministry, the contractor has been making claims for additional payments throughout the contract, which has been hampering progress. This is despite the contractor receiving almost $200 million upfront, roughly half of the contract sum. It was revealed that efforts were made to accommodate the contractor’s additional demands and 10 variation orders were issued.

The Ministry said that contractor Sattrohan Maraj of S Maraj Contracting Services alleged that work on the Leguan Stelling has been stalled due to outstanding money owed to him by the Government.

“The Ministry categorically refutes this claim. Truthfully, the Government would like nothing better than to finally put behind its back, this inherited mismanaged project, a slap-in-the-face and illicit act against taxpayers,” the Ministry said.

Despite the revised contract sum going from just over $400 million to a staggering $667 million, works still stalled at a critical juncture, namely the linkspan bridge. Works are now three months over schedule and according to the Ministry, it has had enough and will be seeking compensation.

“The Ministry notes that this particular contractor has manifested opportunism throughout the execution of

this contract, utilising perceived deficiencies and ambiguities in the bill of quantities, as a basis for making claims for additional payments for the execution of aspects of works,” the statement added.

“These include claims for additional payment for activities that are inherent to the execution of the works, and which are typically catered for in the bill rates at the bidding phase… the Ministry wishes to note that the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), which is responsible for all stellings, has sought amicable resolution to the contractor’s claims and has negotiated reasonable settlements with the contractor.”

It was noted that the contractor had committed to complete the contract before June 5, 2023. This was not done and the claims of the contractor that the Ministry is reluctant to resolve its “legitimate claims” under the contract are dishonest.

“Additionally, the contractor has deliberately delayed the execution of works at a critical juncture in the project execution when the linkspan bridge installation is required to complete the major infrastructure works on the project. The Transport and Harbours Department has issued multiple directives to the contractor regarding the completion of the linkspan bridge installation.”

“The contractor’s failure to fulfil the outstanding project obligations as directed by the Ministry will result in the application of recourse and compensatory provisions for non-performance in accordance with the Contract and national procurement framework,” the Ministry of Public Works said.

In July, it had been re-

ported that the modern linkspan bridge that should have been installed had already been manufactured and would be assembled soon. This bridge is supposed to facilitate the embarking and disembarking of passengers and vehicles between the stelling and ferry.

When completed, the stelling will also facilitate

the mooring of the ferry, the offloading of commodities, and the ingress and egress of passengers and vehicles. Additionally, the project also caters to the construction of an admin building which will be utilised by the staff of the Transport and Harbours Department to essentially undertake and oversee the operation.

“I was bleeding so I run”...

“He [the suspect] see me does lime with the boy that take away his girl but he feels like we does be with the girl. For the past few months, he keep threatening me and telling me to stay away from the boy who had taken his girlfriend. But I don’t have a problem with the boy who take away his girl. He is always attacking me,” Persaud alleged.

“…when I go to the shop

and I turn my back to buy my things, he sneaking up on me and pelting chops at me. If it wasn’t for my bag, I would have gotten a chop in my back. He is also sneaking up on me when I am going home and attacking me with a knife. He even hides in dark corners and when I am passing, he would hit me in my spine.”

Persaud said he believes the suspect might have fol-

FROM PAGE15

lowed him and his cousin when they were heading to the bar, and attacked them.

“I am scared for my life because I don’t know when he can come and sneak up on me and do me something again. If my uncle or cousin wasn’t there that night, I don’t know what more he would have done to me. We want justice on this matter,” Persaud said.

A report was made at the Grove Police Station. (G9)

Works at the Leguan Stelling

Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus

Regional Suriname seeks US$30 per credit in 1st Paris Agreement carbon sale – Minister

In its race to be the first country to sell carbon credits under a new Paris Agreement scheme, Suriname has set a price of US$30 per credit in a bid to raise US$144 million, the country's Environment Minister told Reuters on Tuesday.

The sale would bring much-needed resources to help fight deforestation in a country 93 per cent covered in forests, said Surinamese Spatial Planning and Environment Minister Marciano Dasai.

"This is just the beginning. This will be a basis for protecting our forest," Dasai said.

Reuters exclusively reported last month that Suriname planned to be first to sell the Paris Agreement credits known as internationally transferred mitigation outcomes, or ITMOs.

The 2015 Paris Agreement provides for international trading of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, with companies or countries able to buy the reductions as credits to offset their own emissions.

But countries only agreed to a carbon trading rulebook in United Nations climate talks in December 2021, with trading yet to begin.

Suriname's forest credits are generated using a baseline it registers with the United Nations, stating how much carbon stock

its forest contains. If the country protects its forest so the carbon stock rises, every additional metric ton of carbon dioxide absorbed can be packaged as one carbon credit.

The proceeds of the sale would go toward employing local workers to patrol the forest, providing an alternative to illegal logging and gold mining, Dasai said.

The country would also build flood-resistant infrastructure on the coast and help adapt agriculture to cope with extreme rainfall events, he said.

The price of US$30 per credit is high compared to the so-called voluntary carbon market, where different registries set their own standards. Companies have grown wary of buying from private initiatives in the voluntary market after studies found several projects failed to deliver promised climate contributions.

Ex-Haitian Senator pleads guilty for role in President's 2021 assassination

Former Haitian Senator Joseph Joel John pleaded guilty on Tuesday to criminal charges in a US court for his role in the 2021 assassination of the Caribbean country's last president, Jovenel Moïse.

John, one of 11 defendants, could face life in prison at a sentencing proceeding scheduled for December 19 in federal court in Miami.

national forces to help restore order.

The United Nations Security Council backed such a force this month but, as displaced people crowd into schools and theatres, the force has yet to materialise.

A Kenyan high court has blocked the Government’s plans to deploy the Police Officers to Haiti or any other country pending the hearing of a petition.

Voluntary credits backed by "nature-based solutions", such as forest protection, peaked in January 2022 at US$15.75 on the Expensive, the world's largest spot market, but have since fallen to around US$3.

Dasai said that the fact that ITMOs follow United Nations standards and be endorsed by national governments merits the premium.

Carbon credits are just one mechanism to finance the fight against climate change and the proceeds of the potential sale would not be much compared to the billions of dollars in climate finance promised by rich countries and needed to fight climate change, he said.

Dasai said he hopes other rainforest nations can follow their lead in selling ITMO carbon credits to unlock the necessary financing. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Barbados eyeing “debt-for-climate” swap early next year – Finance Minister

Barbados is hoping to execute a "debt-forclimate" swap early next year to secure savings of around US$300 million over a 15-year period to fund clean water supplies, the island state's Finance Minister told Reuters on Tuesday.

The Government is working with the Inter-American Development Bank and the European Investment Bank on credit guarantees, Ryan Straughn said in an interview on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings in Marrakech, Morocco.

"It would be a similar structure to what we did last year with the blue loan, which was very, very successful," Straughn said.

In September 2022, Barbados carried out a "debt-for-nature" swap, which saw US$150 mil-

lion of international bonds swapped for cheaper debt, generating US$50 million for marine conservation.

Debt-for-nature swaps have grown in popularity recently, with excitement sparked in particular by Ecuador's record US$1.6 billion swap in May.

At their simplest, debtfor-nature swaps see a country's debt bought up by a bank or specialist investor and replaced with cheaper loans, usually with a development finance "credit guarantee" or "risk insurance" helping bring the cost down. The savings are meant to fund conservation – or a climate-related purpose, in Barbados' latest planned deal.

The savings from the island's mooted "debt-for-climate" swap will be used to upgrade a water treatment plant to help better manage water resources

and improve food security, Straughn said.

"We've had to implement water restrictions this year. And (the upgraded plant) would have made a substantive difference in terms of the way that we manage the water," he said.

Barbados's previous debt-for-nature swap funnelled money towards protecting and rehabilitating the surrounding Caribbean sea. A debt-for-climate swap would be an almost completely new concept, though, and one that other climate-change vulnerable countries are likely to want to explore.

For Barbados, images of crystal clear waters lapping palm-fringed beaches are crucial for the key tourism sector, which accounts for over 40 per cent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and roughly 40 per cent of jobs. (Reuters)

John pleaded guilty to providing material support to the plot to kill Moïse, including rental vehicles used by the conspirators, introductions to gangs whose support they sought and attempts to procure weapons.

According to John's statement, he was present at meetings where Moïse's assassination was discussed, including one the night before the killing was carried out.

The shooting of Moïse in

his bedroom two years ago left a political vacuum emboldening gangs to expand their territory, becoming de facto authorities across large parts of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, many carrying out killings, kidnappings and gang rapes.

A year ago, Haiti's unelected government called for urgent help from inter-

One of the petitioners, former presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot said the proposed deployment was unconstitutional.

It is argued that there is a question mark over whether regular police can actually be deployed on international assignments.

Aukot added the country could not afford to spare 1000 officers before addressing insecurity at home. (Excerpt from Reuters and BBC News)

Boeing opens tech centre in Brazil, touting alternative fuels link

Boeing on Tuesday opened a technology and engineering centre in Brazil, aiming to expand its global footprint and take advantage of expertise in a country it sees leading sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.

The move comes more than three years after it pulled out of a billion-dollar deal to buy the commercial division of local planemak-

er Embraer. Boeing sees both firms aligned in the goal of developing Brazil's aerospace ecosystem.

"This is very much a logical place for us to invest," said Brendan Nelson, global president responsible for strategy and operations outside the US.

Brazil, he said, has highly trained engineers and is well placed to lead the sector's decarbonisa-

tion efforts. "This investment is a long-term one," Nelson told Reuters.

The airline industry has an ambitious goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which the executive reiterated the planemaker is committed to, and Boeing says Brazil has the potential to become one of the major global players in the SAF market. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Guatemala paralysed as prodemocracy protests run into 2nd week

Tension is rising in Guatemala, where protests by supporters of President-elect Bernardo Arévalo have run into a second week.

The protesters are demanding the resignation of Attorney-General Consuelo Porras.

They accuse Porras of plotting to prevent Arévalo, who has promised to fight corruption, from taking office.

Some of the protests, which had been peaceful until now, turned violent on Monday.

Masked men threw stones and broke windows at a demonstration outside the National Palace of Culture in the capital,

Guatemala City.

Efe news agency said that the peaceful protest had been "infiltrated" by about 200 troublemakers, who threatened the protesters and members of the press with sticks and clashed with Police.

A Government official, Napoleón Barrientos Girón, later confirmed that the violence had been caused by "groups of infiltrators". "We're chasing and capturing them," Barrientos said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Surinamese Environment Minister Marciano Dasai (Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment/Handout via Reuters photo)

Former Haitian Senator Joseph Joel John

Masked men vandalised buildings and threatened protesters and reporters

Around The World OIL NEWS

Crude futures settle down on fewer worries of supply disruptions

Oil prices settled lower on Tuesday, but bounced off session lows as concerns eased about potential supply disruptions from the battle between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, though traders remained watchful.

Brent crude settled down 50 cents, or 0.57%, at US$87.65 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slid 41 cents to finish at US$85.97 a barrel. At the session low, both benchmarks were down by more than US$1.

"Today it's more like a ping pong game of fear-on, fear-off rather than trading on fundamentals," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group.

Brent and WTI had surged more than US$3.50 on Monday as the military clashes raised fears that the conflict could spread beyond Gaza.

"There was a little bit of profit-taking from the stark advance yesterday," said John Kilduff, partner in Again Capital LLC.

While Israel produces very little crude oil, markets worried that if the conflict escalates it could hurt Middle East supply and worsen an expected deficit for the rest of the year.

"No direct oil supplies are impacted by the conflict at the moment so it's a wait-and-see situation," Kilduff said.

US officials have pointed fingers at Iran as being involved in the Hamas attack on Israel, but credible evidence of the Islamic Republic's role has yet to appear.

"Furthermore, there has been no evidence so far that Iran is complicit in the attacks, giving oil traders little reason to push prices higher for now," Cincotta said.

Vivek Dhar, an energy analyst at CBA, said revelation of evidence of the Iranian involvement would push prices higher.

"We continue to believe that Brent oil will ultimately stabilise between US$90-US$100/bbl in Q4 2023," said Dhar, adding that the Palestine-Israel conflict raises the risk of Brent futures tracking at US$100/bbl and above.

In a more positive sign for supply, Venezuela and the US have progressed in talks that could provide sanctions relief to Caracas by allowing at least one additional foreign oil firm to take Venezuelan crude oil under some conditions. (Reuters)

Middle East crisis tests limits of China's diplomatic push

When China announced a surprise deal restoring ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran this year, it signalled Beijing's desire to be a diplomatic heavyweight in the Middle East.

The crisis in Israel and Gaza threatens to expose the limits of that ambition.

After the March SaudiIran agreement, which China brokered, Chinese media hailed Beijing's rising profile in a region long dominated by Washington. Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, said the country would continue to play a constructive role in handling global "hotspot issues".

But after the killings of more than 900 Israelis in coordinated assaults by the Islamic group Hamas, China's response was muted.

A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman repeatedly stopped short of condemning Hamas, instead calling for de-escalation and for Israel and

Israel prepares ground offensive; Biden decries “sheer evil” of Hamas attacks

Israel vowed to escalate its response to an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas with a ground offensive, while

US President Joe Biden pledged support for Israel and issued a warning to anyone who might seek to take advantage of the situation.

Israel carried out air strikes across Gaza overnight into Wednesday, as retaliatory bombing – which Gaza's Health Ministry says has killed at least 900 persons and wounded 4600 – continued to flatten neighbourhoods in the crowded coastal enclave.

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza

Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history.

Israel's Embassy in Washington said on Tuesday the death toll from the weekend Hamas attacks had surpassed 1000. Public broadcaster Kan reported the figure had reached 1200.

The victims were overwhelmingly civilians, gunned down in homes, on streets or at an outdoor dance party. Scores of Israelis and others from abroad were captured and taken to Gaza as hostages, some shown on social media being paraded through the

streets.

Hamas militants holding Israeli soldiers and civilians hostage on Monday threatened to execute a captive for

each home in Gaza hit without warning, but as night fell on Tuesday there was no indication they had done so. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia launches dozens of drones into Ukraine in latest air raid– Kyiv

Russia launched 36 drone attacks overnight on Ukraine, according to Kyiv’s air force, in Moscow’s latest air raid targeting the country.

Ukraine’s air force said in a statement on Tuesday that its defence systems had destroyed 27 of the drones.

The attacks using Iranmade Shahed drones targeted the Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson regions of Ukraine, the air force said on the Telegram messag-

ing app.

Moscow launched a total of 36 Iranian-made drones from the Russiaannexed Crimean peninsula, it added.

The air force did not say which targets, if any, the nine other drones may have hit.

The governor of Mykolaiv, Vitaliy Kim, said on Telegram that one of the drones had been destroyed over his region.

There was no immediate comment from Russia.

Separately, Kherson

region’s administration said on its Telegram channel that four people had been injured and several buildings damaged in 79 instances of shelling using mortars, artillery and drones.

Russia has stepped up attacks on ports in southern Ukraine since exiting a deal that allowed safe passage for grain shipments through the Black Sea in July.

Kyiv has also warned that Moscow is restarting a campaign of aerial at-

tacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, mirroring attacks that last year left millions without heating and water for long periods.

Bottom of Form

In September, Moscow launched more than 500 Shahed drones – a monthly record, according to Ukrainian consultancy group Defence Express.

Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, after annexing the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. (Al Jazeera)

Palestine to pursue a "twostate solution" for an independent Palestine. China's leader Xi Jinping has been silent on the issue.

"Certainly it does poke a hole in the type of propaganda ... of China being this kind of massive player in the Middle East," said Bill Figueroa, an assistant professor at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and an expert on China-Middle East relations.

China's neutrality has drawn criticism from US and Israeli officials, with some saying it undermines Beijing's claims to be an unbiased peace broker in the region.

That should not come as a surprise, say analysts.

Chinese diplomacy has long been risk-averse, and the spiralling conflict between Israel and Hamas puts its diplomats in a difficult spot, given China's historic support for the Palestinians and its rivalry with the United States. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Dozens killed and injured in military attack on Myanmar refugee camp

At least 29 people, including children, have been killed in a military raid on a camp for internally displaced people in northern Myanmar near the border with China.

Local media reported that the camp, near the town of Laiza in Kachin state, was hit late on Monday night.

The camp is a few kilometres from the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army, which is involved in a decades-long conflict with the Myanmar military.

Khon Ja, a local activist with the Kachin Peace Network Civil society group, told the Reuters news agency she had visited the local hospital and was told 29 people were

dead and 59 wounded in the attack.

A spokesperson for Kachin Human Rights Watch told The Associated Press that 30 people, including 13 children, were killed with about 60 people injured.

The spokesperson, who asked to be identified only as Jacob for security reasons, said 19 adults and 13 children from the camp were killed by the air raids, which occurred at about 11pm.

Writing on X, previously known as Twitter, Aung Myo Min, the human rights minister of the National Unity Government (NUG), condemned the attack as a “war crime”. He said some 56 people had been injured. The NUG was established by democratically-elected

politicians removed from office in the coup.

The KIA’s Colonel Naw Bu said the armed group was investigating what kind of strike had hit the camp.

“We did not hear any aircraft,” he told the AFP news agency, saying they were looking into whether the military had used a drone in the attack (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A view shows houses and buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes in Gaza City, October 10, 2023 (Reuters/Mohammed Salem photo)

Debris in the refugee camp In Laiza after the military attack [Social media video via Reuters]

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Assess relationships and determine who is for you and who is against you. It’s essential to align yourself with people who get what you are trying to achieve.

(March 21-April 19)

PICKLES

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

SUDOKU

(May 21-June 20)

Stay on target, regardless of what others say. A passionate approach will lead to unique ideas that separate you from the crowd. Put your energy and discipline to good use.

Work harder on getting ahead. Set a target and push forward with thoughtfulness and courage. Surprise others with your professionalism, skills and knowledge, and you’ll ward off interference.

Be careful. Not everyone is on your side. Determine what you should do next. Stick close to home and avoid crowds. Pick up additional skills or designate time to pursue something that interests you.

(June 21-July 22)

Don’t rely on others to do things for you. Make your voice heard. Put a strict budget in place and control your emotions if someone tries to push you in an undesirable direction. Avoid arguments.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

Stand up for your rights and make whatever changes are necessary to reach your destination. Educational pursuits, travel and being open to change will pay off.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

A cordial approach will ward off an argument. Search for unique solutions to alleviate friction between you and any possible opponents. Flexibility will lead to progress.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Take control and use your connections to further your pursuits. Be direct and show the value in what you want to accomplish. Timing and positive input will be crucial.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Observation is necessary to avoid interference. Someone will go to great lengths to disrupt your plans or steal your thunder. Protect your ideas and fight for your rights.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Don’t share information. Concentrate on honing your skills and getting yourself and your finances in line. Fit a domestic change into your long-term plans.

Distance yourself from temptation, pie-in-the-sky offers and situations that can cause institutional problems. Spend time ironing out any kinks that can interfere with your progress.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Take a serious approach to life, love and happiness, and make changes that will pave the way to success. Refuse to argue over inconsequential matters. Offer people incentives.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

ICC World Cup 2023: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan…

Pakistan complete record World Cup chase with 6 wickets to spare

– Rizwan 131*, Shafique 113

Sri Lanka were served a harsh lesson in the realities of modern ODI cricket, as Pakistan hunted down a target of 345 -- the highest-ever chase in a World Cup -- with six wickets to spare.

Pakistan now have two wins from two matches.

Leading their charge were tons from Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan, which trumped a pair of centuries from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama.

Rizwan, who at times seemingly suffered from debilitating cramps - the physio came and looked at him twice - for the last 15 overs or so of the chase, remained unbeaten in the end on a 121-ball 131. Together with Shafiquewho himself recorded the highest score by a Pakistan debutant at a World Cup with his 113 off 103 - he put together a third-wicket stand worth 176 off just 156 deliveries. It was a stand that broke the spine of the chase, though even then it might not have been enough had Rizwan himself not valiantly stuck around till the end.

He put on a further 95 off 68 with Saud Shakeel, and then 37 off 23 with Iftikhar Ahmed, as Pakistan eventually cantered home to a win that will provide them an im-

mense confidence boost ahead of Saturday's massive clash against India.

Sri Lanka have now suffered two defeats in as many games, and after conceding over 750 runs across two matches, there will be growing concerns over their bowlers' abilities in handling

Madushanka, who were the most economical of the lot, went respectively for 59, 62 and 60, while Matheesha Pathirana once more proved expensive, being taken for 90 in nine overs.

Pakistan were also clever in ensuring they capitalised on Sri Lanka's need to fulfil their fifth bowler quota. While Dasun Shanaka went for just 28 in his five overs, Dhananjaya de Silva was taken for 36 in four, and Charith Asalanka was taken for 10 in his solitary over.

very gettable 74 off the last 60 deliveries. Shafique's control percentage of 91% told a story, as he rarely gave the Sri Lankan bowlers a sniff, pouncing on anything short, and being unafraid to use his feet when necessary. It took an absolute scorcher at backward point by substitute Dushan Hemantha, who was in for Kusal Mendis, who was off the field with severe cramps, to get rid of Shafique.

Fortunately for Pakistan though, they had a warrior in Rizwan at the other end to ensure the chase was completed without hiccups.

Iftikhar Ahmed managed any kind of success against Mendis, going for six runs in eight deliveries, but Mendis struck at above 140 against all five of the other bowlers that were utilised.

Wellalage and Dilshan

ing Maheesh Theekshana back in the side, Sri Lanka looked bereft of ideas on how to gather wickets through the middle overs, or even indeed how to stifle the scoring. Theekshana, Dunith

Pakistan, though, will be pleased at the manner in which the chase was accomplished. They were circumspect in the first 10 overs, with Sri Lanka having picked up two wickets and having kept the score to just 48. However, with the knowledge they had power hitters such as Shadab Khan, Iftikhar and Mohammed Nawaz lower down the order, both Shafique and Rizwan were content to play themselves in. Even so, between overs 10 and 20, the pair took 62 runs before really upping the ante through the middle period.

From the overs 20 to 30, they scored a further 72 runs, and then plundered 99 from the 30th to the 40th, leaving a

FL Sport to host cricket scorers’ workshop

The dry season in Guyana

also means it’s cricket season, and as a result, more cricket is being played across various formats throughout the country. This increase in games has also seen an increase in demand for match officials, umpires and scorers. While there seems to be a shortage of quality scorers, FL Sport has a solution.

FL Sport, local pioneer of live streaming, has organized for Saturday, October 14, a workshop that is aimed at increasing the pool of competent scorers. This one-day workshop will be held at the Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club, East Coast Demerara, and is open to persons of any age and gender who are interested and willing to learn the fundamentals of scoring in the book and electronically. There is no fee attached to participation, but each participant must have a laptop computer.

FL Sport comprises persons who are trained, experienced, and are competent to pass on knowledge to persons who wish

to begin or advance their skills as scorers. The facilitators are John Ramsingh, Sunil Ramlall, Ronaldo Mc Garrell and Seon Bovell.

Scoring is very important, as it provides accurate information on the careers of players, while the data is also used by the media for dissemination to the wider public. There has recently been a demand for electronic scoring with the various

live streaming platforms and tournaments popping up. Once done correctly and efficiently, cricket scoring may open doors for long and lucrative careers.

Registration is being done at the venue between 08:00hrs and 09:00hrs, via WhatsApp on 611-3999, on the web at www. flsport.gy and on Facebook and Instagram. There is no limit to the number of participants. The first lesson begins at 09:00hrs.

Sri Lanka will, however, rue a missed opportunity to put the game to bed with the bat, Shanaka admitting after the game that they were probably 30 runs short. Indeed, having won the toss and electing to bat first, for much of their innings, this seemed like the batting performance that Sri Lanka had long threatened to put together. Against both Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the warm-ups they had thrown away promising starts, while against South Africa they had provided glimpses of what their batting line-up was capable of. The next step, though, was putting it all together, and for large parts of their innings, it looked like they would finally do just that.

While Sri Lanka's struggles at the death, and even through the middle, are well documented - they've only struck 12 scores above 300 since the end of the 2019 World Cup - in Hyderabad, they batted like a side that had done this 100 times before. Scarcely did the scoring rate drop below seven an over across their 50 overs, and for periods it even touched 7.5.

Much of that was down to Mendis, who carried on from where he had left off against South Africa – well, not exactly, he struck at only 158.44 this time out - as he almost single-handedly swamped an unusually blunt Pakistan attack.

With both Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali bowling consistently in the low 130s or lower, any early swing - something Mendis has been found wanting against in the pastwas negotiated with relative ease. Across his time at the crease, scarcely did an over go by without a boundary. In fact, from the point when he arrived midway through the second over, and until his dismissal in the 29th, only six overs went without at least a boundary being scored.

Of the bowlers, only

Samarawickrama was carrying along beside him like he has been doing for much of the year since breaking into the Sri Lankan side. He nudged around ones and twos, used his feet to the spinners - an inside-out drive off Nawaz for six particularly standing out in the memory - and worked the gaps expertly to find boundaries when needed.

Samarawickrama and Mendis together put up 111 off just 69 deliveries, the second consecutive century stand of the innings following Mendis's 102 with Pathum Nissanka.

When Mendis fell with the score on 218, with just 29 overs bowled, Sri Lanka would have been eyeing 350 at the very

least, but once more those plans went awry. Charith Asalanka, who had kept Sri Lanka in the game against South Africa, nicked one through just eight balls later. This was then followed by a five-over period in which just 18 runs were scored, which stifled the Sri Lankan momentum; overs 30 to 40 brought 54 runs in total. Pakistan, however, did real damage in the final 10, in which Sri Lanka managed just 61 runs, including the last three overs which went for just 13.

It's a credit to the efficiency with which Samarawickrama and Mendis had batted throughout those middle overs that they still got to 344 - their highest against a Full Member nation since 2020; but those are the margins at play here, something Sri Lanka would have to address swiftly if they are to keep their already slim semi-final hopes alive.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka (50 ovs maximum)

Pathum Nissanka c

Abdullah Shafique

b Shadab Khan 51

Kusal Perera c †Mohammad Rizwan

b Hasan Ali 0

Kusal Mendis †c Imam-ul-Haq

b Hasan Ali 122

Sadeera Samarawickrama

c †Mohammad Rizwan

b Hasan Ali 108

Charith Asalanka c †Mohammad Rizwan

b Hasan Ali 1

Dhananjaya de Silva c

Shaheen Shah Afridi

b Mohammad Nawaz 25

Dasun Shanaka (c) c Babar Azam

b Shaheen Shah Afridi 12

Dunith Wellalage c

Abdullah Shafique

b Haris Rauf 10

Maheesh Theekshana

b Haris Rauf 0

Matheesha Pathirana not out 1

Extras (b 2, lb 2, nb 1, w 9) 14

TOTAL 50 Ov (RR: 6.88) 344/9

Did not bat: Dilshan Madushanka

Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Kusal Perera, 1.4 ov), 2-107 (Pathum Nissanka, 17.2 ov), 3-218 (Kusal Mendis, 28.5 ov), 4-229 (Charith Asalanka, 30.1 ov), 5-294 (Dhananjaya de Silva, 41.1 ov), 6-324 (Dasun Shanaka, 46.3 ov), 7-335 (Sadeera Samarawickrama, 47.6 ov), 8-343 (Maheesh Theekshana, 49.2 ov), 9-344 (Dunith Wellalage, 49.6 ov) •

DRS BOWLING O-M-R-W

Shaheen Shah Afridi 9-0-66-1

Hasan Ali 10-0-71-4

Mohammad Nawaz 9-0-62-1

Haris Rauf 10-0-64-2

Shadab Khan 8-0-55-1

Iftikhar Ahmed 4-0-22-0

Pakistan (T: 345 runs from 50 ovs)

Abdullah Shafique c sub (MADI Hemantha) b Pathirana 113

Imam-ul-Haq c Perera

b Madushanka 12

Babar Azam (c) c Samarawickrama

b Madushanka 10

Mohammad Rizwan † not out 131

Saud Shakeel c Wellalage

b Theekshana 31

Iftikhar Ahmed not out 22

Extras (nb 1, w 25) 26

TOTAL 48.2 Ov (RR: 7.13) 345/4

Did not bat: Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf

Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Imam-ul-Haq, 3.3 ov), 2-37 (Babar Azam, 7.2 ov), 3-213 (Abdullah Shafique, 33.1 ov), 4-308 (Saud Shakeel, 44.3 ov) •

Abdullah Shafique roared on getting to a hundred off 97 balls

Mohammad Rizwan's century kept Pakistan on track

ACCC in historic final of BCB Ricky and Son U11 tourney

…RHT Poonai Pharmacy, Cotton Tree to clash in lone semi-final

In continuing its efforts to develop new talents for the future, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has launched a historic Under-11 tournament - the Ricky and Son Business Enterprise U11 tournament.

This is the first time in its 84-year history that the BCB is hosting an Under-11 tournament, and it adds to the BCB’s Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Under-21 and Under-23 tournaments.

Ten teams drawn from West Berbice, Lower Corentyne and New Amsterdam/Canje participated in this tourna ment, which was played in tape ball for mat. The Albion

Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCCC) has reached the finals of the tournament, while the Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy and Cotton Tree teams would reach in the lone semi-final match to determine the team to eventually oppose the ACCCC in the final.

Albion easily defeated Mt. Sinai in the quarterfinals, and then drew the bye to the finals. RHT Poonai Pharmacy crushed Achievers by 8 wickets, while Cotton Tree got past Rose Hall Canje by 48 runs to book their semi-final clash.

a match played at the Bath Cricket Club, WCB, left-arm spinner Singh took 7 wickets for 16 runs from

4 overs, to bowl out Achievers for 65 in 16 overs. In reply, RHT Poonai Pharmacy raced to 69 for 2, with their captain Dharvish Narine scoring an un-

beaten 37. At the Jai Hind Cricket Ground, Albion defeated Mt. Sinai CC by 8 wickets to reach the finals. Batting first, the vis-

ICC World Cup 2023…

Defending champions

England have produced an emphatic response to defeat in their opening World Cup match, crushing Bangladesh by 137 runs in Dharamsala to get their tournament up and running.

A total of 364 for 9 was underpinned by Dawid Malan's maiden World Cup hundredhis fourth this calendar year - before the returning Reece Topley ripped through the top order of Bangladesh, who faltered in the foothills of what would have been a record chase.

Asked to make the run ning at the pic HPCA Stadium, dropped by Himalayas, England showed an appetite for the climb. Malan and Jonny Bairstow set off at a steady canter in recording their first centu ry stand as openers, before the former was joined by Joe Root in a clockwork-smooth partner ship of 151 in 19.3 overs, to give England a formidable platform going into the latter stages.

At this point, however, they faltered against Bangladesh's death-bowling smarts, Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan claiming regular wickets. But despite an England slide of 7 for 68 from the final 10.3 overs, Bangladesh were still left with an asking rate of more than seven an over - and a target well in excess of their highest total batting second in ODIs.

The challenge swiftly became steeper still, as Topley struck with his fourth, fifth and 16th balls, leaving Bangladesh tottering on 26 for 3, a scoreline that soon became 49 for 4 as Chris Woakes recovered from an expensive start.

Although Litton Das, who began the chase by striking Woakes for three consecutive fours, and Mushfiqur Rahim produced half-centuries, their partnership of 72 at close to a-run-a-ball only succeeded in adding some respectability to the scorecard. Woakes ended Litton's hopes of a hundred when his offcutter grazed the

iting Mt Sinai team scored 111 all out in 19.3 overs, the exciting Keion DeYounge top scoring with 25.

Bowling for Albion, Daniel Johnson took 4 for 42 from 3 overs, Aryan Ali took 2 for 2 and Nicholas Madramootoo took 2 for 10. Albion, in reply, reached 115 for 2 from 12.3 overs, as Sahid Gajnabi scored an unbeaten 48 not out, Nicholas Madramootoo scored 27, and Ganesh Shivdyal made 16 not out.

At the Cotton Tree Ground, the home team defeated favou rites Rose Hall Canje by 48 runs to ad vance. Cotton Tree CC reached 120 for 7 from 20 overs, with Fayad Gaffoor scoring 31 not out.

England crush Bangladesh

outside edge and went through to Buttler; and when Mushfiqur steered a Topley bouncer to deep third, the Bangladesh innings had become a quest to limit the damage on net run rate.

The margin of victory was a comfort to England, whose standing and confidence had taken a dent following their thumping in Ahmedabad. Again, they were inserted after losing the toss, but this time the top order responded emphatically - if not with the overt aggression Jos Buttler had

– as Dawid Malan slams 140

play, as Malan responded by driving for four and then swinging his first six over deep backward square.

Two overs later, Mustafizur was pulled into the crowd at deep midwicket, and flipped down the ground in another crisp one-two as England's tempo began to increase, leaving them well placed on 61 without loss after ten.

As Malan moved to a 39-ball fifty, with 40 of his runs coming in boundaries, Bairstow was able to play a little more circumspectly. Nevertheless, he marked his 100th ODI appearance with a first half-century in the format since July 2022, before having his leg stump shivered by Shakib Al Hasan to give Bangladesh a much-needed breakthrough.

There was no respite, however, with Shakib the only bowler to exert any control.

were on course post the sec ond 400-plus score of the tourna ment. And Malan's dis missal only brought

SCOREBOARD

England (50 ovs maximum)

Jonny Bairstow

b Shakib Al Hasan 52

Dawid Malan

Bangladesh (T: 365 runs from 50 ovs)

Litton Das c †Buttler

b Woakes 76

Brandon Grimmond took 3 for 14 from 4 impressive overs. In reply, RH Canje were bowled out for 72 in 16.3 overs, with Donavan Newland top scoring with a solid 36. Bowling for Cotton Tree, captain Fayad Gaffoor took 4 for 16 from 4 overs, and Tyrone Dhania took 2 for 15. The Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy team would shortly clash with Cotton Tree CC team to decide who would play Albion for the Ricky and Son Business Enterprise Trophy.

spoken of after defeat to New Zealand, then via a cold-blooded certainty in their methods.

No one in the current XI does cold-blooded certainty better than Malan, whose imperious form has seen him go from spare part to first pick in a matter of months. His fourth ball, from Mustafizur Rahman, was stroked through extra cover for four, and he proceeded to unload his full repertoire of pulls, flicks and slog-sweeps during the course of his 107-ball stay, which was a masterclass in acceleration.

Bangladesh thought he should have been given out caught behind in single-figures, only for DRS to confirm Ahsan Raza's on-field call after a Mustafizur bouncer flicked his shoulder on the way through. That was as close as Bangladesh came to taking a wicket in the opening power-

Root was quickly into his groove, ending a five-over spell without a boundary by ramping Mustafizur for six over fine leg, and then reverse-paddling Shakib for four. At the other end, Malan continued to bear down on three figures - for the sixth time in 23 ODI appearances - bringing up the landmark with a push into the covers off Shakib. In so doing, he became the oldest Englishman to score a World Cup hundred.

In the next over, Malan crashed Mehidy Hasan Miraz for a sequence of 4, 6, 6, 4, before Root notched his second consecutive fifty of the tournament, from 44 balls, as England looked to turn the screw. Root surpassed Graham Gooch as his country's leading run-scorer in World Cups before another pull, off Taskin Ahmed, brought Malan his fifth six.

However, thoughts that he might eclipse another England record - Andrew Strauss's innings of 158 at Bengaluruwere ended when Mahedi was rewarded for tossing the ball up.

With England cruising through the middle powerplay, scoring at 7.9 runs per over, it seemed as if they

b Mahedi Hasan 140

Joe Root c †Mushfiqur Rahim

b Shoriful Islam 82

Jos Buttler (c)†

b Shoriful Islam 20

Harry Brook c Litton Das

b Mahedi Hasan 20

Liam Livingstone

b Shoriful Islam 0

Sam Curran c Najmul

Hossain Shanto

b Mahedi Hasan 11

Chris Woakes c Mahedi Hasan

b Taskin Ahmed 14

Adil Rashid c Najmul

Hossain Shanto

b Mahedi Hasan 11

Mark Wood not out 6

Reece Topley not out 1

Extras (b 1, lb 2, w 4) 7

TOTAL 50 Ov (RR: 7.28) 364/9

Fall of wickets: 1-115 (Jonny

Bairstow, 17.5 ov), 2-266 (Dawid

Malan, 37.2 ov), 3-296 (Jos Buttler, 39.4 ov), 4-307 (Joe Root, 41.5 ov), 5-307 (Liam Livingstone, 41.6 ov), 6-327 (Harry Brook, 44.3 ov), 7-334 (Sam Curran, 46.4 ov), 8-352 (Adil Rashid, 48.3 ov), 9-362 (Chris Woakes, 49.2 ov) •

DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Mustafizur Rahman 10-0-70-0

Taskin Ahmed 6-0-38-1

Shoriful Islam 10-0-75-3

Mahedi Hasan 8-0-71-4

Shakib Al Hasan 10-0-52-1

Mehidy Hasan Miraz 6-0-55-0

Tanzid Hasan c Bairstow

b Topley 1

Najmul Hossain Shanto

c Livingstone

b Topley 0

Shakib Al Hasan (c)

b Topley 1

Mehidy Hasan Miraz c †Buttler

b Woakes 8

Mushfiqur Rahim †c Rashid

b Topley 51

Towhid Hridoy c †Buttler

b Livingstone 39

Mahedi Hasan

b Rashid 14

Taskin Ahmed

b Curran 15

Shoriful Islam

b Wood 12

Mustafizur Rahman not out 3

Extras (lb 4, w 3) 7

TOTAL 48.2 Ov (RR: 4.69) 227

Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Tanzid

Hasan, 1.4 ov), 2-14 (Najmul

Hossain Shanto, 1.5 ov), 3-26

(Shakib Al Hasan, 5.4 ov), 4-49

(Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8.3 ov),

5-121 (Litton Das, 20.6 ov), 6-164

(Mushfiqur Rahim, 30.6 ov), 7-189

(Towhid Hridoy, 39.1 ov), 8-195

(Mahedi Hasan, 40.5 ov), 9-221

(Shoriful Islam, 45.4 ov), 10227 (Taskin Ahmed, 48.2 ov) •

DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Chris Woakes 8-0-49-2

Reece Topley 10-1-43-4

Sam Curran 7.2-0-47-1

Mark Wood 10-0-29-1

Adil Rashid 10-0-42-1

Liam Livingstone 3-0-13-1

on to his stumps, in the 40th over set the stage for a belated Bangladesh fightback with the Shoriful's variations did it for Root - caught behind heaving at another knuckleballand Liam Livingstone, who lost his off stump to a cutter. Harry Brook, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid all fell to Mahedi, as an otherwise dominant innings ended with a bout of ungainly thrashing.

Bangladesh had chalked up a win chasing against Afghanistan in their first game on this ground, but this was a completely different beast. Topley, making his World Cup debut after replacing Moeen Ali in the XI, shredded their chances by having Tanzid Hasan edge to second slip, and Najmul Hossain Shanto taken at backward point from consecutive balls, before producing a peach of a delivery to skelp Shakib's off bail and effectively end the game as a contest.

Bangladesh eventually battled through to the 49th over, as England's bowlers got a thorough workout. Such was their level of comfort that there was barely any need to worry about the state of the outfield, as the World Cup holders avoided being tripped up again. (ESPNCRICINFO)

Vinesh Narine Dharvish Narine

Reece Topley had three wickets inside the sixth over

Joe Root ramping it up during his 68-ball 82

Impending CG Insurance Regional Super50 Tourney…

Hercules unfazed by Intercounty batting

…As Harpy Eagles post 383 in practice match

There wasn’t a single century scored by any batsman in the recently concluded Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) Senior Intercounty Super50 tournament; the highest scores were 93* and 81, coming off the bats of Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kevin Sinclair respectively. Even more alarmingly, there was no collective team score of over 300, the highest being 273-9 scored by Essequibo in their 172-run win over the GCB Select XI.

While to some, the less-than-impressive overall batting performances would be a spot of bother, especially one week before a major regional tournament, Head Coach of the Guyana Harpy Eagles, Ryan Hercules, remains unfazed.

As it turns out, Hercules’s position is solidified by a whopping 383-7 that the Harpy Eagles posted in their first practice match against a Guyana ‘Rest Team’ at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground, Bourda on Tuesday. In that commendable batting display, Chandrapaul Hemraj top scored with 81 from 68 deliveries, including 5 fours and 6 sixes, while Romario Shepherd put on a show at the end of the innings by

smashing 6 fours and 6 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 73 from 29 balls.

Adding to the scorecard were Kemol Savory’s 53 from 51 balls, Kevin Sinclair’s 38 from 19 balls, Tevin Imlach’s 35 from 38 balls, and Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s 33 off 55 deliveries.

“This practice game today, as a batting unit, we wanted to bat 50 overs obviously, and see how we handle the different phases: first powerplay, second powerplay and third powerplay.

I think we’re quite happy. Obviously, if you’re scoring 380+, you’ll take that any day,” a confident Hercules shared exclusively with Guyana Times Sport. “It was good so far from the batting

group, so now just some execution from the bowlers and we’re okay there,” he added.

Quizzed about whether he had any concern for the Harpy Eagles batting, given the performances in the Intercounty Super50 tournament, Hercules responded in the negative.

“Not really, to be honest,” the GHE Head Coach assured.

He explained to this publication, “I take into context the surfaces that you play in Guyana; you know, the different pitches and stuff. And you go overseas and you probably get some better pitch, whatever the case may be, and you have a good unit come together; you’ll have a different result.”

Couchman tops Jade’s Wok developmental tournament

Chess legend Jose Capablanca once said, "A book cannot, by itself, teach how to play. It can only serve as a guide, and the rest must be learned by experience."

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) understands that experience is essential to learning chess, and is thus committed to providing opportunities for players of all ages to hone their skills through tournaments and designated training.

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) held the Jade's Wok Developmental Chess Tournament on October 6-8, 2023, with support from Jade's Wok, a popular food entity in Guyana. The tournament featured 5 rounds and attracted players of all ages, including the current Junior Chess Champion and Women's Chess Champions of Guyana, as well as senior players and the upcoming junior team for the Inter Guiana Games.

Kyle Couchman, a junior player with an impressive record, emerged as the tournament’s champion with a score of 4.5 points. He won three straight games before drawing with reigning Junior Chess Champion of Guyana, Keron Sandiford.

Couchman then won his remaining games to secure the top spot.

Veteran player Justino DaSilva took the runner-up spot with 4 points. He was impressed with the development of the youth players, particularly Alexander Zhang, who held his own against some of Guyana's best. DaSilva was also delighted to see the improvement of young female player Ciel Clement.

Other notable performances came from Gilbert Williams and Ricardo Narine (3.5 points each) and 13-year-old Aditi Joshi (3 points), who defeated Women's Champion Jessica Callender, Alexander Zhang, and Nicholas Zhang,

Hercules went on to state that, taking into account recent form and strategy, “…it’s not much of a concern for me. Most of the guys have been playing cricket, just coming out from CPL, some of the guys doing well.

Not much of a concern for me, just want to go out there and need to know how we want to execute on the day of the game, and have a clear mindset in terms of how you’re going to go about doing it.”

Eagles will play a second practice match against the Rest Team tomorrow, Thursday October 12th, at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara. (Jemima Holmes)

GMR&SC announces historic representation for SA Esports Championship

and also placed highest among the females.

Alex Benjamin and Raveon Adonis also ended on 3 points.

The Developmental Chess Tourney was held to prepare the eight-member team that will represent Guyana at the InterGuiana Games later this year. The GCF thanks Jade's Wok for their continued support, and encourages everyone to visit their website (guyanachess.gy) to learn more about becoming a member of the federation. The GCF will also host a booth at the popular Fumacon Convention at the Mariott Hotel on Saturday, October 14th 2023 from 1pm.

The Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) has this week been thrilled to announce that, for the first time ever, Guyana will be represented on the ESport stage. This monumental step for Guyanese motor racing has been realized thanks to the Club’s partnership with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and iRacing.

Online qualification for the inaugural South American ESports Championship recently concluded, attracting a remarkable turnout of 333 participants from across the globe. Making history for Guyana, Steffan Jeffrey and Kahlil Rickford showcased their prowess by clinching the 7th and 10th spots respectively. With a razor-thin difference of less than six-tenths of a second

separating the top competitors, Jeffrey and Rickford's accomplishments are indeed commendable. Both racers will now attend the grand final event, scheduled for November 2nd in São Paulo, Brazil. They will compete against elite sim drivers from the South American nations of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The stakes are high, with the winner set to receive an all-inclusive experience during the Brazilian Grand Prix, being held on the subsequent weekend. In addition to the unparalleled exposure and experience, the top three performers in the São Paulo finals will be awarded cash prizes: US$1,000 for the champion, US$500 for the first runner-up, and US$250 for the second runner-up. This debut for Guyana on the ESport

platform underscores the nation's growth in motor racing, and highlights the untapped talent ready to make a mark on international circuits, both virtual and real.

GMR&SC extends its hearty congratulations to both Jeffrey and Rickford, and wishes them the best as they rev up for the finals.

Kyle Couchman receiving his prize from President of the GCF, Anand Raghunauth

Kahlil Rickford

The top performers after the online Qualifiers included Guyana’s duo

The Guyana Harpy

Harpy Eagles Head Coach, Ryan Hercules

A glimpse of proceedings during the first Harpy Eagles’ practice match