Guyana Times -Sunday, September 10, 2023.pdf

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Sunday, Sep 10 – 01:00h – 02:30h and

Monday, Sep 11 – 02:00h – 03:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, Sep 10 – 14:00h – 15:30h and

Monday, Sep 11 – 14:45h – 16:15h.

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 2.68 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 13:43h reaching a maximum height of 2.04 metres.

Low Tide: 07:05h and 19:32h reaching minimum heights of 1.11 metre and 1.19 metre.

increasing minimum wage, income tax threshold – Pres Ali

President Dr Irfaan

Ali on Saturday announced that the Government is actively reviewing adjustments to the daily minimum wage as well as the income tax threshold with the aim of putting more money in the pockets of Guyanese.

During a press conference at State House, the Head of State disclosed that they are currently re-evaluating the country’s finances, including projected revenues in order to make these adjustments.

“This is something that I am presently reviewing with an aim at a further adjustment in the daily minimum wage. [I am] also reviewing the absorptive capacity at further advancing liquidity in your pock-

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had noted that this increase in the threshold will see some 12,000 taxpayers being removed from the tax net and will result in a $3.3 billion increase in disposable income.

LOTTERY NUMBERS

ets… by an adjustment in the tax threshold. This is another issue that I would say is on the front burner of consideration. We are analysing the numbers to ensure that whatever we come up with is in keeping with the sustainability of our economy,” President Ali posited.

Pressed to give a timeline for a decision or announcement of the aforementioned, the President stated that the public would be notified at the appropriate time.

Earlier this year, the Government raised the income tax threshold from $75,000 to now $85,000 in Budget 2023.

In his presentation of the budget back in January,

Meanwhile, the national minimum wage currently sits at $60,147. This was following a 36 per cent increase from the previous $44,200 that took effect on July 1, 2022, in line with the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee.

Despite this increase, however, the public sector minimum wage is still higher, at just over $80,000.

Prior to last year’s hike, the national minimum wage was last increased in 2017, from an hourly rate of $202 to $255, tak-

ing the monthly wage from $35,000 to the previous $44,200.

Before the increase took effect last year, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton had explained that the $60,147 pay raise only impacted about 10 per cent of private sector workers, who were paid below that wage level.

Categories of workers that benefitted from the increase include those in seafood processing, domestic work, internet or café services, call centres, janitorial, schools, hospitals, machine shops, cement factories, auto body shops, wash bays, taxi services, welding, vulcanising, day care, wildlife farms, tour operators, bakeries, filling stations, drug stores, cinemas, sawmills, water factories, scrap metal, radio stations, television stations, casinos, manufacturing, construction, food processing, hospitality, entertainment, ice factories, sanitising, agriculture, retail or wholesale trade, hotels, liquor stores, night clubs, parlours, restaurants, taverns, discotheque, canteens, tailors, security services, garment making

among others.

At the time when the increase took effect, it was explicitly stated that any employer that contravenes the provisions of the order shall be liable upon summary conviction to a fine of $50,000 for the first offence. For any second or subsequent office, they will be slapped with a fine of $100,000 or imprisonment for one month.

Over the years as the Government increases public servants’ salary, it has sparked conversations about the low pay grade in the private sector.

In fact, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) is on record calling on private businesses to follow suit in order to attract and retain their workforce.

This last Labour Day in May, FITUG asked the Government to increase the private sector minimum wage on par with the public sector’s $81,000.

FITUG’s Treasurer, Seepaul Narine, said “As an interim measure, to assist our lower-earning workers, the national minimum and public sector minimum wages should be equated to offer relief and breathing room to families who are harmed by the drastic price increases.”

Expressing his “pressing concerns” about the rising cost of living, Narine had also called on the National Tripartite Committee to begin discussions on a “liveable wage” for the workers at the bottom, who are still faced with challenges despite the various interventions taken by Government to cushion the effects of this situation and bring relief to local workers.

(G-8)

Govt mulls

– no timeline given, as State finances being analysed

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Views

Editor: Tusika Martin

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India or Bharat?

It all started with an innocuous invitation to the leaders of G20 to have dinner with “the President of Bharat”, but it has ended up as a major talking-point within the country and across the globe. “Was India changing its name to ‘Bharat’”? While some may echo Juliet’s sentiments on names when she asked, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, in politics it is understood that place names – toponyms – are not simple matters, and are frequently indicators of underlying power relations.

This proposition was stated rater pithily by Lewis Carrol in ‘Through a Looking Glass’: “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master — that’s all.”

Of recent, we have seen Burma changed to Myanmar, Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, Turkey to Türkiye; and it is understood that those changing the names of their countries are rejecting names imposed on them and renaming themselves from their own perspectives. But that raises the question of “whose perspective”?? In Guyana, “Murray St” was changed to “Quamina St” by the PNC Government to signal that a hero of the 1823 Rebellion was preferred by the newly-independent people to a derided White British Governor. Especially when the street in question bordered the Parade Grounds where the heads of some of the rebels were displayed on spikes. The change of name of the Upper Demerara town to Linden – Burnham’s first nameand his later naming of several wards and villages after his daughters, is widely seen as giving rein to his megalomania. On the other hand, there was quite some feathers ruffled when the just-departed High Commissioner suggested that Middle Street be named after Gandhi, whose statue stands in the adjoining Promenade Gardens.

And in India, the signal of the invitation – and a document referring to Modi as “PM of Bharat” - is that the possibility of the name change is another in a long string of innovations that, notwithstanding the Modi government’s claim that it is decolonizing its history, the Opposition and a large section of the Muslim minority are convinced it is all part of the BJP’s plan to create a “Hindu India”. In most ancient texts, the people referred to their country as Bharat, Bharata, or Bharatvarsha (Bharat’s land) in honour of an ancient king by that name who - according to their ancient text, the Mahabharata - was an early powerful ruler who united the country bounded on the West by the River Sindhu. The neighbouring Persians pronounced the name of the river and the land to its east as “Hindu”, and the Greeks who followed them pronounced it as “Indu”. The British, as per their affectation, followed the Greeks and went with “India”.

The irony is that when, in 1947, they facilitated the “two nations” theory of the country floated by Muslims, and divided it into Pakistan (East and West) and India, they were ignoring that if Pakistan were to be the home of the Muslim minority, then logically, India was to be the home of Hindus: Hindustan. However, when India drafted their Constitution, their first Prime Minister – the English-raised and educated Nehru – equivocated and went for “India that is Bharat” as the name of the rump state. Since then, when officially referring to their country in Hindi, it is called “Bharat” and as “India” when in English. Over in Suriname, the Indentureds from British India have been called “Hindustanis” up to the present. If the change of name goes through – it will take a two-thirds majority to achieve that – then henceforth, the citizens of Bharat will be called “Bharateeyas”.

While it may be all a storm in a teacup, the descendants of the Indian Immigrants shipped to over a dozen countries have already begun naming themselves “Girmitiyas”. Toponomy is power.

The real raiders of the treasury

Dear Editor, The Alliance for Change is a political party built on deception, lies, and betrayal. To fully grasp this factual statement, we need to define what ‘deception’ is.

‘Deception, or falsehood, is an act or statement that misleads; hides the truth; or promotes a belief, concept or idea that is not true. It is often done for personal gain or advantage. Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand, as well as distraction, camouflage, or concealment.

The AFC mastered Deception 101. To begin with, we must analyze the founding principles of the AFC, and determine the extent to which the AFC has deviated from those principles. These founding principles were supposed to be immutable, drive the evolution of the party, be cast in stone, and any change must be built on these foundations; there must be no deviation.

Regrettably, it was quickly found that these principles were only meant to mislead, and mask the true intentions and the true nature of the AFC. The truth is that the only principle upon which this party was built was to wrest power from the PPP; to exact vengeance on the leader of that party: Dr Jagdeo, to be specific; and to grow rich in a hurry. That’s killing more than two birds with one stone.

In its first manifesto or Action Plan, the AFC graphically related the ‘heinous wrongs’ committed by both the PPP and the PNC, and pledged to be totally different from them: no corruption, no cronyism, no mismanagement of funds, and the list went on and on.

Mr Ramjattan had boldly declared, “Guyana is at a crossroads, and now is the time

to make the right turn. Over four decades of PNC and PPP Governments have left us all bruised, weary, and hopeless. So, on this occasion, Campaign 2011, we must acknowledge the sins of our past and the challenges of the present”.

His erstwhile PNC colleague Mr. Trotman ‘testified and pontificated’ thus: “It must be a moment of great change, so that Guyana can emerge from underdevelopment, nepotism, and pettiness of past Governments. For 45 years, Guyana has had the same parties making turns in the wrong direction, disappointing and betraying its citizens, and allowing for an unfair distribution of the country’s wealth, as the rich get richer while most Guyanese continue to remain poor”.

These gentlemen were at the helm of the Coalition Government from 2015 to 2020, and you know the real truth. This is deception. The Alliance for Change prostituted their founding principles, and, together with the PNC, wreaked havoc on the social and economic wellbeing of all Guyanese, except the chosen few. At the end of the Coalition’s 5-year term, Guyanese were truly ‘bruised, weary and hopeless,’ as the Coalition made all ‘the turns in the wrong directions, disappointing and betraying its citizens’ and sold our oil patrimony by signing the Exxon Contract with its Stability Clause.

It was Mr. Trotman who orchestrated the betrayal of Guyanese by the signing of this Production Sharing Agreement. This is barefaced deception.

The Alliance for Change leaders, such as Ramjattan and Nagamootoo, shut their eyes and sealed their hearts to the countless grievous harm they and their families suffered at

the hands of the PNC during its 28 years of dictatorship. They had vehemently condemned the massive rigging of elections by the PNC from 1968 to 1985, but accepted the many attempts to rig the 2020 Elections in plain sight, and even shamelessly claimed that it was the PPP/C who had rigged that Election. This only goes to show the extent of the moral degradation of these people.

I had exposed the propensity of the AFC to rig its internal elections, mismanage donations, practise corruption and cronyism. Yet, there is another deception.

The Alliance for Change leaders were also the ones who fought tooth and nail for the sugar workers when they were members of the PPP, and they continued to sympathise with those workers during the 2015 Election Campaign, when they got married to the PNC, again forsaking all the negative rhetoric which they had spewed against that party. They had only one nemesis, who must be destroyed at all cost, and it was the only way to wrest power and achieve the wealth they so craved.

They had made magnanimous promises to the sugar workers and all Guyanese. I saw an AFC pamphlet that was distributed in Albion, and it promised a 20% wage increase as soon as they got into Government. But they, together with the PNC, guillotined and cannonballed the sugar industry. Four Estates were hurriedly and unconscionably closed, and 7,000 workers were thrown into abject poverty. They had ‘rightsized’ the industry, and it suddenly became a ‘black hole’, according to Ramjattan. Moreover, the ex-sugar ‘champion’ Nagamootoo had stated thus: “Bailing out GuySuCo is

like raiding the Treasury”. So, instead of lighting a candle as he loved to do, he lit a puntload of dynamite. The promises of “no closure” and “20% wage increase” had served their purpose -- the sugar workers were fooled into voting for the Coalition. If the PPP had not rescued the industry, by now all the estates would have been closed, since no capital injection was taking place despite $47 billion being squandered. This deception is in action.

Today the Alliance for Change is once again trying to deceive a handful of sugar workers into believing that they are standing by their sides in full support. It is these same people who are instigating the workers to strike and protest illegally who are the ones who had labelled them as ‘raiders’ or looters of the Treasury, and the industry as a ‘black hole’. But it was the AFC and the PNC who raided and looted the Treasury, and brought Guyana yet again to its knees. It is the PPP/C Government who had been by their sides, and it is time that they perform their patriotic duties which they owe to their own communities and their country. It is because of this Government that the Canje communities, New Amsterdam, and other outlying areas are once again emerging into prosperity.

I am appealing to these sugar workers not to be misled by those traitors who betrayed them as soon as they got into power and tasted ill-gotten wealth. Remember the old adage: Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Don’t fall victim again to these deceivers.

Yours sincerely, Haseef

Yusuf

Cricket Carnival: Models decked in colourful carnival costumes were at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Friday to greet incoming passengers as Cricket Carnival festivities kicked off in grand style

PC student among 4 killed in Mahaica smash-up

APresident’s College student was among four persons killed in a horrific accident along the De Hoop Public Road in Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Saturday evening.

Two of the dead persons have been identified as Chris Gonsalves of High Dam Mahaica, ECD and Kelon Jones, also called “Backless”, of New Amsterdam, Berbice. They were reportedly the driver of the two cars that were involved in the accident.

The student was identified only as 13-year-old Jamella Rudder, a first-form student. Also dead is the teen’s father, Rudder of New Amsterdam. They were reportedly heading to Berbice when the accident occurred.

This publication understands that the vehicles were heading in opposite directions along the Public

Road at De Hoop Mahaica when they collided headon. The motorcar driven by Jones had three occupants, including himself, while Gonsalves was the lone occupant of his car.

It is unclear how the accident occurred, but based on reports received from persons in the area, upon hearing the impact of the

collision, they ran out and noticed the two completely wrecked vehicles. Jones and Gonsalves were reportedly pinned in their respective vehicles, and had to be extricated from the wreckage by members of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).

This accident comes less than two weeks after six teenagers were killed in a separate accident at Canal No. 2 Polder on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD); Unity Village, ECD; and Berbice.

At the time of the Canal

Polder accident, the driver of the car, Davenand Singh, 17, was transporting 19-year-old Daniel Terbeni, 18-year-old Divyanie Narine, and 19-year-old Amiesha Yasoda Jaikaran when he lost control of the vehicle. Two died on the spot, while two died while receiving treatment at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

In another accident, on

the weekend, 19-year-old Shawn Persaud of Huntley, Mahaicony, ECD died following a collision involving two cars, a truck, and a motorcycle at Unity Public Road on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

Further, 19-year-old Thakoor, called “Budoo”, of New Amsterdam, died after crashing his motorcycle into a utility pole along the East Coast Berbice Highway.

Why the Caribbean should invest in state-of-the-art public healthcare

Dear Editor,

Good healthcare yields multiple benefits in any society. A healthy style and quality of life makes for the greatest wellbeing of the individual and the society. This is reflected in the UNDP’s Human Development Index, where health makes the largest contribution to a country’s development score.

In addition, a healthy workforce is a more productive workforce, and good health facilities are an important factor in the promotion of investment and the attraction and retention of a skilled labour force.

The impact of better health systems on the development of society may be illustrated by the examples of Grenada and Jamaica. These countries have the same national income per year, US$13,000, in terms of what the average person can afford to purchase. However, whereas the life expectancy at birth in Grenada is 75 years, in Jamaica, a newborn can expect to live only to age 71 years. That difference in life expectancy is the main reason why, despite Jamaicans and Grenadians enjoying the same purchasing power, Grenada ranks much higher in the Human Development Index -- at 68, whereas Jamaica is ranked 110 in the most recent Human Development Report.

Similarly, Barbados and St Lucia have the same average national income at purchasing power parities, but life expectancy in Barbados, 78 years, puts Barbados at

# 70, whereas St Lucia is ranked at #106.

These data suggest that first priority needs to be given to the upgrade of health provision in the Caribbean. Even though health and education take the greatest share of public spending, health services have in fact deteriorated. Hospitals are outdated and poorly equipped, the quality of primary and preventative health care has not been maintained, and inadequate budgetary resources are devoted to provisioning hospitals and clinics. The salaries of medical professionals in public health systems have fallen way below the international competition, and this, allied with poor working conditions and constant scarcity of supplies, creates incentives for medical professionals to emigrate.

It is no exaggeration to say that our health systems are in crisis. As a result, inequality is growing in our societies, as those who can afford it avoid the public health systems in favour of private provision, often overseas. Those who have no alternative to public health services are plagued by shortages of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies; delays in service; and often poor service by overworked, underpaid and poorly-equipped medical staff.

The international competitiveness of Caribbean countries is threatened by this deterioration in health facilities. Turning things around would require, first of all, a large investment in

state-of-the-art public hospitals and health clinics, and the up-to-date systems and equipment needed to make them fully functional. This investment should be considered a top priority for Government borrowing from abroad ahead of all other considerations.

Secondly, Governments would need to recruit medical staff with the expertise to manage and operate modern medical facilities. This has implications for the structure of remuneration in public services, because it will be necessary to go much of the way to closing the yawning

gap extant between domestic and international salaries.

Government revenues are growing slowly, except in Guyana, and debt levels are high in many countries. In order to bring health provision up to speed, it would be necessary to divert financial resources from oth-

er uses. Those decisions will be very difficult, but they are the best way to use limited resources to advance the development of Caribbean nations and the wellbeing of our people.

Sincerely,

DeLisle Worrell

Dead: Chris Gonsalves

Dead: Kelon Jones

Jamella Rudder and her father Jason Rudder hours prior to the fatal accident

One of the mangled cars involved in the accident

CARING FOR THE ELDERLY DOG WITH HEART PROBLEMS (continued)

Having addressed the salient physical/pathophysiological issues associated with the care of heart ailments in elderly dogs, we must emphasise that such needed care has to focus primarily on the reduction/removal of already delineated causes, in order to get the compromised heart to function optimally, even adequately.

BREED CHOICE

Throughout this series on elderly animals, I have referenced the relationship between breeds of dogs and aging. It is not a veterinarian’s desire to advise a caregiver to get rid of a companion animal, which has given much happiness to the family over many years, when that animal’s heart is irreparably failing. Indeed,

if you are forward-thinking, you should consult your veterinarian when contemplating acquiring a pet, for a variety of obvious reasons, not lastly as it relates to the breed of the dog/cat being adopted/ purchased.

Previously, the Pet Care column extensively documented a series of articles on the considerations associated with the choice of companion animals, which included pure and non-pure breeds. Researchers have been able to identify which breeds of dogs are genetically predisposed to developing various heart ailments. These include Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds (and some

other large and giant breeds of dogs). Often, the predisposition is within a familial line, rather than breed-fixated. Let me hasten to add that, in my experience, Dachshunds and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have been presented to the clinic when they are well over a decade old.

The literature rarely refers to enlarged hearts in cats. When documented, Ragdoll cats and Main Coon cats seem to be the breeds exhibiting symptoms of feline heart muscle problems.

TREATMENT

Acute (sudden onset) and Chronic (slow developing) heart maladies in the elderly dog will primarily

dictate lengthy discussions between the veterinarian and the caregiver; the focus - not lastly and not only - being to increase the quality and duration of the animal’s life. Within that discussion, the patient’s individual characteristics and habits must be taken into consideration. In terms of medication, there are, in fact, drugs that can be included in the arsenal of treatment interventions. In the presence of fluid retention, (referred to previously under the heading of “Ascites”), your veterinarian might wish to introduce effective agents for managing this aspect of the overriding expression

(symptoms) of the underlying causes. Interventions to support the heart muscle viability may also be included. Steroids, under absolute veterinary supervision, may be introduced at specific dosage rates.

It must be emphasised that visible swellings in the abdomen and extremities and the detection of fluid in the lungs can and must only be treated by your veterinarian.

Recapping the most common symptoms of heart disease

Although I have previously provided the main symptoms associated with abnormal heart conditions in dogs with advancing age, it is important to emphasise that heart ailments can exist without being evident to the caregiver. Symptoms of heart deficiency are often hidden (the technical term is “cryptic” or “occult”). This knowledge should force the caregiver to visit the veterinarian more fre quently as the animal ages. I am there fore reiterat ing below the most

common symptoms, and urging all caregivers to be particularly mindful of them as your pets get older.

* Loss of vigour and activity. The animal shows distinct signs of lethargy, and often sleeps a lot.

* Muscular weakness of the legs. Loss of muscle mass.

* Shortness of breath, even after minimal stress activity (walks, playing with the family members, etc).

* Coughing episodes occur most noticeably at night, or after exercise and/ or excitement.

* Being overweight and concomitantly developing diabetes are serious complicating factors in heart diseases associated with the elderly dog on an incorrect diet.

Having dealt with treatment protocols, we shall, next week, commence the discourse on nutrition: diet, composition, frequency of meals. These considerations are paramount to mitigating the impact of heart disease in the elderly animal.

Govt in talks with Bank of America, Citibank to enter local market

The Guyana Government is currently wooing several international financial institutions as it seeks to expand the local market, and according to President Dr Irfaan Ali, engagements are currently ongoing with at least two major United States-based commercial banks on expanding their services here.

The two banks in question are Bank of America and Citibank.

“We are developing our [financial] market. Our market will become more sophisticated in the future, the financial services will be much more robust, and the financial services will be extended. So, these major financial institutions are all coming. We had not only meetings with the Bank of America but we had a lot of ongoing meetings with Citibank and other banks across the

globe,” the President revealed during a press conference on Saturday morning at State House.

Only on Thursday, President Ali along with Senior Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat met with representatives from the Bank of America, who were in Guyana on an exploratory mission.

The visiting delegation included the Managing Director - Global Energy Corporate Banking,

Donald Ward Rickertsen; Managing Director - Head of Global Export Agency Finance, Patrick William Gang, and DirectorRegional Corporate Banking, Diego Armando Torres-Luna.

Asked about that meeting, the Head of State told this publication that he indicated to the Bank of America officials that his Government is looking to have another commercial bank of international standing operating in Guyana.

NTC will be fully engaged in revision of Amerindian Act – VP Jagdeo

The National Toshaos Council (NTC) will be completely engaged in all processes and consultations as the Government seeks to revise the Amerindian Act, according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Coming out of its manifesto in the 2020 General and Regional Elections, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had promised a review of the Amerindian Act after a process of extensive public consultations.

The Amerindian Affairs Ministry was tasked with formulating a framework through which those consultations would be facilitated. This will then be presented to the Cabinet for approval. Amid confusion regarding this process, it has been outlined that only after complete involvement with the NTC will the framework be submitted for perusal.

“They have had preliminary discussions. We intend to fully involve the National Toshaos Council in those discussions before that proposal goes to the Cabinet of Guyana, which is a proposal as to how the consultations will be done. We have already determined that it would have to be very widespread,” Jagdeo stated.

“There has been a lot of confusion, obviously because the Ministry held

an engagement before the NTC about the revision of the Amerindian Act…and whether we have started that process.”

Less than two weeks ago, Attorney General Anil Nandlall pointed out that there are several important matters that loom large in the current legislation. He said they need to be clearly stated, so as to avoid any misinterpretations that can lead to conflicts. These include issues relating to mining activities and disputes.

“We have to frontally address that so that we don’t have the Chinese Landing-type fiasco ever erupting again. The reasons why there have been situations of conflict between the mining and the Amerindian community is because there are certain provisions of the Act that require clarity, and hopefully, during this informed process, those issues will be clarified and there will

be clear lines of authority and functional responsibility demarcated, separating Amerindian interests from those of mining interests, because we have to find a manner of peaceful co-existence.”

In November 2022, the Amerindian Affairs Ministry in collaboration with the Legal Affairs Ministry, announced that it would establish a committee that will be responsible for consultations.

The committee would be responsible for making recommendations and engaging every single Amerindian community to solicit recommendations that will eventually make up the amended Amerindian Act. Some $10 million had already been earmarked by the Amerindian Affairs Ministry in 2022, to establish the committee, the modalities of the consultation process and the training of facilitators.

President Dr Irfaan Ali and other senior Government officials meeting with officials from the Bank of America on Thursday

“The meeting with the officials from the Bank of America is exactly what we’re having every day. We’re having every single major financial institution, every single major multinational business coming to our shores looking at opportunities, looking at how they can contribute to the development of our country [and] looking at the space through which they can operate.”

“So, Bank of America came and, examined opportunities that exist here for them. They had elaborate meetings with the Minister of Finance. We raised with them exactly what is already in the public domain, that we do have an interest in one more commercial bank of international standing, preferably an American bank of international standing,” Ali posited.

Back in 2016 under the then A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance

For

Change

(APNU/AFC)

coalition Administration, the Bank of America had severed ties with financial institutions in the Caribbean including Guyana over money laundering concerns.

In a notice at the time, Bank of America had informed that it was severing its corresponding relationship with “indigenous banks” in Guyana.

However, according to President Ali, this matter was not raised during the recent engagements with the US-based bank officials.

“Not one second [was spent] on it. They were totally enthusiastic about Guyana and they were gung-ho on Guyana. They were telling us how about all the prospects they’re seeing and how viable [those are]. And that has been the story of all the investors and all those who are coming.”

Bank of America is one

of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments with a full range of banking, investment management, and other financial and risk management products and services. The bank was founded in San Francisco, California in 1923. It is the second-largest banking institution in the United States, after JPMorgan Chase, and the second-largest bank in the world by market capitalisation.

Citibank is the consumer division of financial services multinational Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York and later became the First National City Bank of New York. Citibank provides credit cards, mortgages, personal loans, commercial loans, and lines of credit. (G-8)

NTC Chairman, Toshao Derrick John Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

How much more… …before peace in Haiti?

Will Haitians ever know peace? In or out of Haiti?

Even as most of the world’s heavy-hitter leaders of G20 are meeting in “India that is Bharat” at their annual palaver - presumably to make the world a better place for its almost 8 billion population – Haitians are still waiting for the long-promised relief. A whole lotta them are still moving towards the Mexican Border after an odyssey worthy of retelling by a modern Homer. While they’ve stopped flying into Guyana from Panama, they’re still crossing the border into Panama and all the countries of Central America before wading across the Rio Grande.

Folks thought that Biden and the Democrats would’ve looked at these “poor huddled masses” - as their Statue of Liberty promised to receive from the world - as human beings and welcomed them. But even as images went viral of Haitians being whipped like the slaves of old by white “overseers”, the Americans started flying them back to Haiti. A Haiti that the world found out in living colour - after their President was assassinated - that gangs rule the country and control the politicians; and life there is nasty, brutish and short.

Some might ask cynically whether your Eyewitness is promoting America as the “world’s policeman”!! But hey, isn’t that a role they’ve taken on their own?? Most of Haiti’s problems are due to American and French interventions - as much as natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes! But Haiti’s plight is that the ex-colonized world’s in a microcosm. After extracting the resources of that world for centuries - to raise their standard of living beyond anything imaginable in those countries - they take no responsibility when the dispossessed show up at their door asking for nothing else than the opportunity to work!! If capital is fungible, shouldn’t labour also be??

The developed world has two choices - accept refugees or assist in developing their countries so that the push factors can disappear. But notice that all of the aforementioned world leaders see refugees as a “problem” - since they’re all forced to deal with it. This isn’t just a moral issue, but a practical one that’ll remain at their doorsteps. But, hold it!! Didn’t Biden say that Haiti’s right up there as far as posing a threat to US security - because of their off-the-wall Global Fragility Index?? And that they’d try to cobble together a force to intervene, since seeing Marines landing just wouldn’t look nice on TV screens!!

Didn’t Kamala Harris fly to The Bahamas to persuade (successfully) Caricom HoGs to support an interventionary force led by…(slow drumbeat) …Kenya??!! See…if it’s a force of folks looking like Haitians landing to preserve the rule of a non-elected President, then it can't be all bad. Can it??

…to Cricket Carnival

Well, well, well…it’s that time of the year again!! Cricket time – in case you’ve been living under a rock!! And not just cricket – even though this year we have the women’s team joining the men’s team to double the shots – there’s the Cricket Carnival that’s become mammoth. Of course, with all that oil money coming out of the oil spigot, everything’s big nowadays. But there’s big, and there’s mammoth!! And your Eyewitness ain’t thinking ‘bout no curved-tusker – just a whale of a good time.

Today we’re kicking back to the second day of the “One Guyana” Concert…where that feeling of togetherness will transcend the cricket matches to prove that there are so many things that can bring us together. We’ll then plunge into Regional Food Festival and Chutney Fever over in Berbice, and continue into those Super Concerts – and even horse racing – before the semis and final!!

Of course, between all of that, we’ll have our Cricket Carnival – to keep the joint at Providence jumpin”!! …dissembling?

Opposition Leader Norton should be back from his American fundraising tour in time to enjoy the carnival atmosphere.

Did he tell folks over there their right to vote’s gonna be cancelled to satisfy his definition of a “clean” list??

US$10M Indian-owned quarry commissioned in Batavia, Reg 7 -

Pres Ali says will have positive effect on construction costs

By Jarryl Bryan

AUS$10 million quarry in Batavia, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) was commissioned on Saturday, marking the first phase of an investment that is expected to produce as much as 100,000 tonnes per month by year-end.

President Dr Irfaan Ali, during the commissioning ceremony, hailed the investment being made by EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management — an Indian-owned company whose Chairman, Saju Bhaskar, also founded Texila University.

According to the President, the quarry represents one of the second generation of investments that were first generated by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government’s policies years ago.

“This is just the initial phase of development. After 2026, 2027, that is when the real phase of massive infrastructure development will take place. This first wave of infrastructure is just to create or buttress, soft demand. Because this is just to fulfil present needs, to bring immediate ease to the current situation.”

“But the massive opening up of acres of land, opening up for mining, farming, quarrying, that is where the major investments would come

struction sector.

“When you look at the combined investment in these quarries, and look at the per capita investment, it is going to be a very important piece of stats. In this first stage, your investment will be about US$10 million and you intend to invest a further US$10 million.”

“That’s a US$20 million investment, to create a facility that will meet the national demand. But in creating a facility to reach national demand, you’re contributing significantly to regional development,” President Ali said.

This regional development, according to the President, can be further bolstered by the company employing more youths from the village and providing technical training to the youths to

“We should look at ways in which we can further expand on the opportunities created here. Like training for young people. And once we do this, we’ll be able to optimise the benefit of these investments,” the President added.

The story of the EKAA quarry dates back to when Texila University first en-

tered Guyana in 2014. EKAA Chairman Saju Bhaskar explained that back in 2014, the former PPP/C Government and President Ali, who was then Minister of Housing and Water, had convinced their company to invest in the university.

“Around those challenging times in 2014, the then Honourable Minister of Housing, Dr Irfaan Ali offered us the lands. He said we give you this in good faith. Make Guyana proud. Today, Texila has graduates in over 40 countries. We’ve graduated over 100 Guyanese doctors for the Guyana community. We’ve received two accreditations. And today we’re also part of nation-building with the GOAL programme. As a whole, we have over 2600 students in Guyana as we speak.”

“Fast forward to 2022, His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali offered us the land

to develop the quarry. From the date we were issued the licence to now, it’s almost seven months. We’re probably one of the fastest-established quarries in the country at the moment. This was only possible because of the trust and the faith we had in the leadership of the country.”

Meanwhile, a number of

Cabinet Ministers, including the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat; Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai and Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, and other Government officials were also at the ceremony.

in. That’s the second phase of investment. What I would term the third generation of transformational projects, [is] when you’ll be able to drive from the top of Guyana to the bottom of Guyana.”

The President noted that the Government will have to build out the infrastructure to complement these plans, connecting all the regions. One example he gave was the Linden to Lethem highway, where over 40 bridges are being built.

According to him, the quarry is expected to sell aggregates at less than $9000 per tonne to Kingston, and Georgetown. This is against a market that averages $12,000 per tonne and according to the President, this will have a positive effect on the con-

further incorporate them into the quarry operation.

While throwing out this challenge to the company, President Ali also urged the Toshao, Orin Williams, to provide the Government with a list of persons who were interested in or eligible for technical training, nursing, or the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

“Today is a significant day for the community because this agreement will see revenue coming into the community. And that by itself calls for greater management and leadership from the community. And I know Toshao. And I know this village very well. And I know that you will work very hard to ensure the village benefits significantly from this.”

President Dr Irfaan Ali in the control room of the quarry

President Ali with Batavia Toshao Orin Williams (right)

The ribbon cutting

The courts can settle Repatriation Fund issue

Dr Tara Singh has made a very important intervention in his letter, “Restorative justice for Indian immigrants and descendants” (GT 9-8-23). This was an issue that had been raised even before the last ship repatriating Indian indentured labourers and/or their qualified descendants, “the Resurgent”, sailed on Sept 4, 1955 carrying 258 men, women and children to India. The previous ship had left in 1949, and on 2nd June, 1950, MPCA leader Ayube Edun raised the status of the Immigration Fund with the Secretary of State.

The return passage was an integral part of the contract to induce Indian indentureds to leave their native Bharat. And even though, towards the end of the 19th century, the Government amended the laws, forcing the immigrants to pay between onehalf (men) and one-third (women), Labour Ordinance Chapter 104 in 1864 still compelled the Government to allocate funds for the return contingency.

As Guyana’s Independence approached, and it became apparent there would be no more returnees, a delegation of five major organizations representing the Indian Guyanese community, with Dr Balwant Singh of the Mahatma Gandhi organization playing a leading role, met with the PNC Government to discuss the issue. They recommended that an “Immigration Fund Committee” be established to examine how the monies in the Immigration Fund could be utilised for the benefit of the descendants of the Indian immigrants generally.

After extensive consultations, they then recommended that the Fund be transferred to the control of a Board of Trustees of an “Indo-Guyanese Educational and Cultural Movement”, and also be used for assisting the needy among those who originally came from India. One of the specific recommendations was to launch a Guyanese Indian Cultural Center in each of the three counties, which would foster and encourage cultural and art forms more specific to the Bhojpuri and “Madras” belts, from where most of the Guyanese Indians had originated.

In 1969, fresh from its “mandate” out of the rigged 1968 elections, the PNC Government rejected the recommendation and, in 1971, unilaterally announced it would use the funds to build a National Cultural Center to host the first Carifesta, scheduled for August 1972. Dr Balwant Singh launched trenchant denunciations of the decision, and vowed to organize a boycott of Carifesta that was to be centered at the Cultural Center in Georgetown, away from the predominantly rural Indian Guyanese masses.

There is an interesting footnote that exemplifies Burnham’s vindictiveness towards those who opposed his unilateral decisions as he inexorably created his dictatorship. Dr Balwant Singh had been roundly castigated by Indian Guyanese for supporting the TUC 1963 eighty-day strike as head of the Civil Service Union, and was voted out that year as Chairman of the Maha Sabha. His successor Sase Narine, ironically, became a staunch supporter of Burnham, brought the Maha Sabha literally under the wing of the PNC, and was rewarded with the Speakership of the National Assembly.

Following his success in mounting opposition to Burnham’s pet project Carifesta, trumped-up charges of larceny of pharmaceuticals were brought against Dr Balwant Singh. Even Dr Frank Williams, Burnham’s personal physician and Andaiye’s father, protested this move. In July, 1972, just a month before Carifesta’s launch, the case was called and Dr Singh’s presence was demanded, even though he was ill. He was eventually brought in a stretcher, and the case was adjourned and never concluded. In the meantime, he lost his job as the long-serving Government Chief Bacteriologist and Pathologist, but was never able to claim his pension and gratuities because the charges were never withdrawn.

But back to the matter at hand, the Immigration Fund. We had raised the matter in the late 1990s, and one ROAR-affiliated group of young Indian activists, under the name of Guyana Organization for Indian Protection (GOIP), had conducted extensive research into the issue. They recommended that a class-action suit be filed against the Government for the recovery of the monies (with 6% compounded interest), which should be used in accordance with the recommendations of the 1965 Immigration Fund Committee.

Their activity on the Fund was overtaken by the massive decade-long societal violence that started in 1998 with the murder of thirty Indian Guyanese and one African Guyanese businessman. Maybe it is time for their recommendation to be revived.

Guyana records 59.5% economic growth in 1st half of 2023

- economic growth directly linked to policies executed by PPP Govt – Pres Ali

Guyana has recorded a whopping 59.5 per cent real economic growth in the first half of 2023, driven not only by the oil and gas sector, but also the non-oil economy, which has been growing for successive years.

This is contained in the recently released Finance Ministry’s Half Year Report, which presents stats on Guyana’s economic performance for the first half of the year. The non-oil economy, according to the report, grew by 12.3 per cent. According to the report, the growth trend is expected to continue.

“The overall outlook for 2023 remains positive, despite challenges faced by the nonoil mining industries in the first six months of the year, and drier-than-usual weather conditions anticipated to limit some agricultural output in the other crops subsector in the second half.”

“Overall real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for 2023 is now forecasted at 28.2 percent, with a non-oil growth projection of 9.3 percent, making 2023 the third successive year of expansion in our non-oil economy,” the report said.

The report further disaggregates the growth by various sectors. For instance, the

gold mining and quarrying sector is estimated to have grown by 89.9 per cent in the first half of the year, driven by increased output. The report explains that these increases outweighed the declines observed in the gold mining and bauxite mining subsectors.

In addition, agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors are estimated to have expand-

ed by 7.6 per cent in the first half of the year. This was driven by growth in all subsectors – namely other crops, rice growing, livestock, fishing, forestry, and sugar.

In the sugar sector, growth was recorded at 30.1 per cent when compared with the first half of last year. The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), according to the report, produced 17,034 tonnes of sugar in the first crop of this year.

This is an improvement of the 13,089 tonnes recorded in the first half of 2022 and according to the report, this is because of improved weather and yields. Meanwhile, the rice sector has also grown.

“Under the assumption that GuySuCo will produce 60,858 tonnes of sugar, as projected at the time of preparing Budget 2023, the growth projection for the sector remains unchanged at 29.3 percent for 2023,” the report states.

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Ravi Dev

A gold mining operation

Govt to engage stakeholders to discuss availability of foreign exchange – Pres Ali

The Guyana Government, through the Finance Ministry, will meet with all stakeholders on Monday to discuss the availability of foreign currency on the market and other related concerns, according to President Ali.

President Ali told a media conference on Saturday that he has been in contact with the private sector and businesses across the country since one of the main issues in the public

domain is the foreign exchange market.

“I’ve seen a lot of debate in relation to the foreign exchange rate and availability of foreign currency. It is important for us to understand that the foreign exchange market and the rate on the foreign exchange market is no longer determined by the Government but to a large extent, by market forces or demand and supply,” he underlined.

A statistical review was

done and based on numbers provided by the Bank of Guyana, Ali positioned that Guyana has sufficient foreign currency for existing demands and this issue is heavily surveilled.

“When I reviewed the statistics from the Bank of Guyana and cambios, and listening to the Governor of the Central Bank and the technical team, they’re of the opinion based on the data that they have sufficient foreign currency to satisfy the existing de -

mand and there is continuous surveillance of this. There are daily reporting mechanisms on the clearing of the market by the central bank.”

Notwithstanding, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh will be convening a meeting on Monday with the stakeholders to examine the matter.

President Ali told media operatives, “I have instructed the Minister of Finance to convene a stakeholder meeting on Monday with the private sector, Central Bank, all

the commercial banks and other key stakeholders to discuss this issue in a holistic manner; and to bring to me a report based on those consultations so that we can further examine this matter.”

This move comes as Trinidad and Tobago is currently suffering from a shortage of foreign currency.

However, on Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during a press conference noted that Trinidad stands to benefit from Guyana’s importation of their goods given the current circumstances.

“Since we are a big importer of Trinidadian goods, that should serve them better because if we import their goods then they will earn. The payments are done in US dollars. If it was the other way around, we would probably have difficulties in our exporters getting paid here.”

The Vice President indicated that he was approached by a few local companies since Trinidadian entities offered to pay for their goods in Trinidadian dollars.

“They didn’t want to be stuck with this currency,” Jagdeo contended.

Last month, the Vice President had highlighted a trend where businesses from the Twin Island republic were procuring their goods in Guyana and shipping them to Trinidad, thereby utilising Guyana’s foreign currency for payments. While it was not illegal, he had drawn focus on the need to protect the country’s interests.

In the first quarter of 2023, the local private sector and the Bank of Guyana (BoG) got into a public debate over the availability of foreign currency, United States dollars in particular. During that time, there had been conflicting reports from both sides on this issue after several companies and businessmen complained about a shortage of US dollars in Guyana.

While the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) was claiming a shortage of foreign currency, this was dismissed by the Governor of the Bank of Guyana, Dr Gobind Ganga, who contended that there was enough money in the local market.

The BoG had noted that there was enough to cover the cash flow needs of transactions arising from businesses in Guyana but Dr Ganga had previously indicated that some banks could be “hoarding” their foreign currency which could have been the cause for the apparent “shortage”. (G-12)

– reiterates Guyana has sufficient foreign currency for existing demands

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

By Tassia Dickenson

Twenty-six-year-old

Liza Narine, who represented Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) in the Miss Universe Guyana pageant, has outshone seven other delegates to cop the title when the pageant was hosted recently at the National Cultural Centre (NCC).

Lieve Blanckaert of Georgetown and Chandini Baljor of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) were named the first and second runners-up.

Narine will now travel to El Salvador to represent Guyana at the international pageant, slated for November 18. Guyana has not been represented at the international pageant since 2018, following a suspension by the international body. Miss Guyana Universe 2017, Rafieya Hussain, was the last queen to represent Guyana. This year’s queen, Liza Narine, has vowed to bring home the coveted crown.

Narine is a creative coordinator, entrepreneur, and radio host, who holds a diploma in business and marketing management, and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in international relations at the University of Guyana. In a recent interview with Guyana Times, she spoke of her plans to showcase Guyana on the international platform come November.

“I know we can really bring to light all aspects of our country and the beauty of our people on that stage; but, most importantly, to showcase that a young woman like myself, hailing from a rural community, made her dream a reality of representing our great nation…

“So can any little one looking forward, no matter where you come from or who you are. I want them to understand that they, too, can accomplish anything. The ultimate goal is not only to be the first Guyanese to create history by placing at the Miss Universe pageant, but to win the title,” she detailed.

“And to understand that I will be the first woman after six years to hold this title, and the thought of wearing my country’s name across my chest on that international stage, just fills me with an enormous amount of joy and pride. It’s also a reminder of what a great responsibility this is, with a powerful platform to advocate for various causes, and also the responsibility of representing my people well and showcasing what Guyana has to offer in that international arena. So, for that I wake up every day feeling truly grateful for

this opportunity,” an elated Narine posited.

Now that the local pageant is over, preparations are moving apace for her international appearance.

“There’s a lot of work going into my preparations, from physical training with gym and diet to walking and speaking coaching. There’s also a lot of work to ensure that I am wardrobe-ready, with both local and inter-

national designers, so we can best showcase the artistic and creative aspects of Guyanese work and culture. Everything that needs to be done is in progress to ensure that, come November 18, we are ready to represent Guyana well,” she explained. Narine shared that she had her challenges during the local pageant, but with the support system she has,

she persevered and stayed focused on her ultimate goal – to win the title.

“My journey was far from easy. I still needed to balance my various other activities in my life as a daily creative coordinator, radio host, a student, my voluntary work, along with my other hobbies in modelling and dancing and, of course, still making time for my family and friends. But this

was an opportunity of a life time, and I knew I had to put in the work. Thankfully, I have an amazing team of people, that includes my family and friends and my coaches, who were such a great support system. That really helped when it came to pageant preparations with the essentials needed and also my training.

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“When we were at Sophia at the heritage celebrations last week, a group of men was checking out the stalls and calling out and asking for me because they said they heard I have the best “fly” and that they wanted to see if it is true.”

That is according to Helen Thomas, fondly known as “Aunty Helen”, who is famously known in Moruca, Region One (Barima Waini), as well as in Georgetown, for making one of the tastiest “fly” beverages, an Indigenous drink made from black and purple potatoes.

Since 2010 Thomas lives in Kumaka, Santa Rosa, in the Moruca sub-district of Region One, and has been participating in annual heritage activities since 2010.

Born and raised in Acquero, North West District

(NWD), Thomas stated that she learned to make various Indigenous delicacies and beverages from her parents. In her early 40s, she started to showcase her skills at various events in her village.

Thomas would participate in the annual heritage activities in Santa Rosa. “There is a big celebration for all the satellite areas at month end in

September and we would have a grand time, we would showcase our talent, our foods and we compete also but it is one big celebration,” Thomas said.

A hit in the city

Thomas said she would normally plant the black potatoes to make her drink, but noted that floodwaters severely damaged her crops in 2022 and earlier this year.

While she managed to cultivate some this year, most of her stocks were sourced from other villages in Moruca.

She explained that she would normally make a barrel of the famous drink to sell at the annual heritage celebrations at the Sophia Exhibition Complex but there were occasions when she would fetch her five-gallon bottles of the drink to the city for the event.

“One time I met some friends from Moraikobai and they wanted to know how I make the drink because they noticed that I get a lot of customers and people always come looking for me at Sophia.”

She said it all lies in the

A group of men were sampling the drink from different stalls, Thomas recalled and according to her, “I heard them saying they came to find me,” she said with a smile on her face.

She said the men told her they wanted to see how potent the drink was “and they said my drink cannot make them high.”

Thomas couldn’t say if the drink indeed made the men intoxicated. Her drink was also bought to be taken overseas.

“One customer bought four bottles of the drink to take back overseas…He called me after when I was already back in Moruca and asked me if I had more but by then all my

preparation. She said she would wash the potatoes until they are “very clean.” Then she would scrub the skin of the potatoes until they become “thin”, and she would later slice them into pieces before boiling them.

“I would take out the first set of juice and leave it to cool overnight. Then I would boil another set and this boiling process happens four times,” she said.

She added that five pounds of potatoes would give her 10 gallons of the drink and this quantity requires close to 10 pounds of sugar to sweeten.

Sold out

Thomas recalled that at the recent heritage celebrations in Sophia, her entire stock was sold out even before the celebrations reached the final night. In fact, some of her customers went in search of her on multiple occasions.

fly was sold out,” she posited while adding that he seemed disappointed as he ended the call.

Thomas related that on September 17, 2023, Santa Rosa would have its heritage celebrations and she is preparing her last supplies of potatoes for the event.

Her children - who are grown-up - have all followed her footsteps as they have already mastered the art of making “fly” as well as other Indigenous beverages and food.

Thomas said she is proud that one of her daughtersin-law, who hails from the Rupununi, has also mastered the art of making the famous drink.

“I told her that she is even making it better than me,” Thomas said as she continued to prepare for heritage celebrations at Moruca.

Aunty Helen Thomas (left), sharing a light moment with one of her many customers at the recent Amerindian Heritage Month celebrations at the Heritage Village at the Sophia Exhibition Complex

worth it, especially when you’re doing the things you love; but you have to learn to enjoy and appreciate the process,” the newly crowned queen has said.

Expanding her platform and changing lives

With her purpose having been a driving force throughout her pageant journey, Narine shared her plans to expand her platform: ‘NurtureNew’, which offers skills-based classes to persons in less fortunate communities by partnering with both governmental and non-governmental organisations to help the initiative reach a larger audience.

“In everything I do, I try

to have my purpose; and that platform is my purpose. I believe that if we have a purpose in everything we push for, then we’re able to be successful and be an impact and be a force for change,” she explained.

NurtureNew, which was launched in 2021, is a cause aimed at eradicating poverty through skills and business building. Narine previously shared that if she is able to grow this to a national level, and then with the help of the Miss Universe organiza-

tional platform, that itself would be a major growth for the cause.

“My platform was initially launched in 2021. Unfortunately, that was

during the period when the world was just starting to overcome COVID, and businesses were getting back to supporting initiatives like mine, so the heavy support

FROM PAGE 13

I needed was not there; but I was still able to offer classes on my own to students within my community, but on a much smaller scale. So far, I’ve been able to gain recognition for this project, and have already started to have more fruitful conversations with a few organizations who are willing to jump on board with seeing this grow,” she revealed.

She added, “I’m also looking to liaise with some governmental organizations that currently offer similar classes, so I can be supplemental to persons who are living in communities that do not have access to these classes.”

Narine, who has aspirations to enter into the political arena, told this publication that it has always been a dream of hers to compete in the Miss Universe Pageant - one of the biggest in the world.

The Leonora Synthetic Track was on fire with some electrifying performances as Guyana’s Cricket Carnival kicked off on Friday evening. The show, which got underway just after 22:00h,

evening were Deejay Sheik, Anthrax and Golden Chyld, who dished out tunes upon tunes, much to the delight of the audience. Making way for the first performer of the evening were the members of the Feel the Beat Tassa Group, who did not disappoint. Guyana’s Chutney Queen, Vanita Willie, then appeared on stage and dished out several of her popular songs includ“Live in Harmony”. lowed by Elsa

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Savita Singh

Master Saleem

Another performer

Investors visit interior locations with aim of developing world-class eco-resorts

our tourism sector growing and booming and the project as previously conceptualised did not envision that. We had to enlarge the facility, [and] add more state-of-the-art kitchens for people to be trained, so that was approved a few weeks ago by the CDB, which is our funder for the project, so it’s started construction,” Walrond highlighted.

As the Government continues to engage investors on the possibility of developing luxury eco-lodges in Guyana, some potential investors have recently visited several interior locations.

Since 2021, Guyana has announced its intention to seek out investors to develop luxury-branded eco-tourism facilities throughout the country.

Over the years, the Irfaan Ali-led Administration has had discussions with a number of interested investors and according to Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond, this interest continues to grow.

While no firm decision has been taken, Walrond revealed that the Government has recommended several suitable locations for possible investments.

"Just this week we have had interviews and we've met potential investors in that regard. We have to meet and interrogate these investors, making sure they are ready to start the

projects. So far, there have been two very serious potential investors and we took them around to the different locations this week to let them identify which areas...so that has been going well. There has been a lot of interest involved but as a Government, we have to ensure that people are not languishing with the projects,” the Minister explained.

“So, we want to make sure that the projects are ready to go forward. So that is what has delayed somewhat the actual announcement and sod-turning, but it's happening and there has been a lot of interest generated," she added.

It has been reported that the development of a ‘world-class’ eco-resort is needed to meet the demands of Guyana’s growing tourism industry. It was also noted that the eco-resort will be linked to the ‘sun, sand and sea’ concept. Walrond revealed that the construction of the tourism and hospitality training institute has begun with se-

cured funding of US$11.6 million from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

“The hospitality insti-

tute is well on its way. We had to repurpose the project to conceptualise what we want for a hospitali-

ty institute which is something state-of-the-art, something that is fit for purpose for where we see

Further, the Minister noted that very soon some thirty (30) persons will be sent to Barbados to be trained in the area of tourism and hospitality, and upon their return, they will train other persons in the tourism sector in Guyana. Similarly, partnerships with St Lucia are also moving apace to enhance the tourism experience in both countries.

Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond

Arrowpoint Eco-Resort

Artie out of Trinidad and Tobago created some waves with her energetic performance followed by De Hitman who is no stranger to the Guyana and chutney music. He entertained to the fullest even calling a member of the audience on stage during his performance.

Then, a veteran in the chutney industry, Adhesh Samaroo took to the stage by dishing out some of his ‘old time’ tunes. Leaving no stones unturned was the most toured Guyanese duo – Tony Cuttz and Vacadi Singh. Cuttz dished out his most recent tune, ‘One More Try’ while Vacadi sang his latest single, ‘Gone Away’. They also performed some of their other hits which have

been creating some vibes in Guyana, the Caribbean, and further afield.

Saleem Beharry also known as ‘Master Saleem’ made a grand entrance on

stage and he too did not disappoint his fans. But the lady of the evening was definitely the queen of Chutney of the Caribbean, Savita Singh.

She rocked the stadium with her performance which sent the crown into a frenzy. The headline act of the evening was formed by Chutney King, Kris Persad popularly known as KI. No doubt, his performance was as expected with some good party vibes and he interacted with and engaged the audience to the fullest.

During the show, Emcee, WR Reaz paid tribute to Rene Ramnarine – brother of Trinidadian superstar, Raymond Ramnarine who recently passed away. In addition, Raymond Ramnarine

who was suspposed to be the featured performer in a video message expressed his apology for not being able to perform due to the death of his brother.

Meanwhile, Cricket Carnival continued with the “One Guyana” Concert at the National Stadium on Saturday evening which featured strictly Guyanese artistes in various genres of music.

These included Timeka Marshall, Natural Black, Alabama, Jackie Jaxx, Vanilla, Bill Rogers, Lil Million, Vicadi Singh, Bunty Singh, Tony Cuttz, Sonia Singh, Diana Chapman, Kevin Singh, First Born, Big Red, CKush, Gully Ras, and many others.

Emcee Reaz and Golden Chyld

De Hitman

Berbice High School kicks off 107th anniversary with Fitness Walk

Afitness walk was held on Friday around the township of New Amsterdam to kick off the 107th anniversary of the Berbice High School (BHS).

The educational institution was established on September 5, 1916, initially as a boys’ school with nine registered on the first day. By 1920, the school started accommodating girls but they were being accommodated in a separate building.

This continued until 1924. The school was officially handed over to the Government of Guyana in 1966, when the enrolment had soared to 741.

On Friday, the walk, referred to as “refreshing the mind” saw current and past students, along with teachers and parents taking to the streets.

Sports Coordinator, Allied Arts Department,

Shenelly Kendall explained that the school’s alma mater has given much-needed support for the 107th anniversary celebrations.

However, she noted that the walk was decided upon after taking into consideration that the school needed to up its game in the physical department.

“So we thought that a walk would be a very good

way to start the morning and to get the mind and body engaged and also to explore the town.”

She pointed out that the school currently has many students who are from out of the town, including those from the West Coast of Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). “This is also a way for them to explore the town of New Amsterdam

where Berbice High School is located.”

In addition, the inter-house cricket competition also bowled off Friday. In the new week, the students will be engaged in circle tennis.

“We have found out during research that circle

tennis originated in Region Five and it is almost a dying sport here in Guyana; many of us don’t know how to play circle tennis – our children, many of them don’t know about the game. So, this is a way for us to bring a bit of our athletic culture back

to Berbice High School and maybe to the region at large.” The inter-house circle tennis competition will be held on Wednesday. During the school term, students will also be involved in athletics, football, basketball, and other sports.

Berbice High School, New Amsterdam

Students gathered for the anniversary celebrations

Digicel customers win big in “Deal or No Deal” game show

Digicel has concluded its summer promotional campaign aimed at expressing gratitude to its loyal customer

base. As part of this initiative, the company hosted two iterations of the popular television game show “Deal or No Deal,” offering five cus-

tomers for each show an opportunity to compete for a $2 million cash prize.

The game shows, characterised by suspenseful de-

cision-making and strategic choices, brought together customers eager to try their luck and capitalise on the substantial cash reward.

Each contestant faced the pivotal moment of selecting a case, hoping it contained the coveted $2 million prize.

Digicel invested in creating an authentic “Deal or No Deal” experience, complete with elaborate stage setups, dynamic lighting, and seasoned hosts, Surida Nagreadi and Akelo Elliott, who adeptly guided participants through the challenging decision-making process.

Throughout both shows, contestants deliberated the age-old question: “Deal, or No Deal?” as they considered offers from an unseen banker, weighing their instincts against the collective support of the audience.

At the culmination of this promotional campaign,

$1 million; Mary Williams, $1 million, Godfrey Gardner, $700,000; Shonetta Roberts, $500,000 and Rean Ghani, $1 million.

Chief Executive Officer, Digicel Guyana & Suriname, Deonarine Gopaul expressed the company’s gratitude to the customers.

“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we wanted to show our appreciation in a big way. The ‘Deal or No Deal’ shows were a thrilling way to give back to those who have supported us over the years. We are overjoyed to have witnessed our customers walk away with life-changing amounts of money, and it was heartwarming to see those winning from far-flung

Digicel remained true to its commitment to reward its loyal customers. While not every participant emerged as a millionaire, several fortunate individuals walked away with one million dollars, while others secured substantial cash prizes, significantly impacting their financial standing.

The winners are Carlos Cummings - $2 million; Waheeda Kaouim, $700,000; Ryan Sobers, $1 million; Ramona DeMatto, $600,000; Premanand Dhaniram, $1 million; Rwanda Bentham,

areas such as Port Kaituma, Linden and Essequibo. It speaks directly to our slogan, ‘The Network for Everyone, Everywhere’.”

The success of this summer promotion reaffirms Digicel’s commitment to its customers and its dedication to creating unique and memorable experiences. As a company that continues to innovate in the telecommunications industry, Digicel looks forward to more opportunities to engage with and reward its loyal customer base.

Digicel’s first “Deal or No Deal” game show, with Surida Nagreadi, Akelo Elliott and models Game show 2 with hosts Surida Nagreadi and Gabriella Chapman

Winner of the grand prize of $2M: Carlos Cummings and family

Lack of staff, medical supplies hinder operations at Skeldon Hospital

Ashortage of medical staff compounded with a lack of critical medical supplies at the Skeldon Hospital is hindering the delivery of proper healthcare to citizens along the Upper Corentyne, Berbice.

This phenomenon was brought to light at the statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six last week.

The meeting heard that there is no medical supervision during the night shifts at the medical facility, thus leaving those in charge in a state of frustration since their numerous complaints have fallen upon deaf ears.

Regional Councillor Shurla Scott stated that it was not the first time she raised the matter at the level of the RDC but nothing has been done nor is a solution imminent.

“I remember standing here enquiring about Skeldon Hospital as it relates to staffing and this

Council was informed that there was enough staffing at the Skeldon Hospital. I was there for four nights and during the mornings and visiting hours, I saw two Guyanese and two Cuban doctors attending to patients,” Scott related.

This has resulted in voluntary transfers of patients to the New Amsterdam Hospital in order to be given some form of treatment. This prompted her to engage the Ward Sister, who expressed her dismay at the lack of medical staff and supplies.

“When I spoke with her, she told me that she was frustrated because nothing was being done. All of the reports that are coming from Skeldon to the region are falling on deaf ears; shortages of staff – nurses, shortages of doctors... The patient was expected to have medication at 6:00h that morning, I was there and the patient received her medication until 9:00h.

When I intervened, the patient was transferred,” the Councillor stated.

However, it took four fours to move the patient after all of the preparatory work was done even though the ambulance was available, Scott related. Scott told the RDC that one of the doctors at the medical facility had threatened to resign

out of frustration.

Regional Chairman David Armogan while acknowledging the challenges faced at the institution, related that following an intervention, the doctor had reconsidered resigning.

“He told us that he will give us until the end of the year,” he informed the RDC. “I know there are is-

sues relating to staffing for which the Ministry is looking at the moment. Imagine we have to beg somebody to just hold on. I think they have issues with nurses because a lot of nurses are leaving and that is public knowledge; a lot of them are going to other places to work,” Armogan stated.

However, Scott noted

that she was informed that the doctor who has responsibility for health centres in the region was asked to look into the operations at the Skeldon Hospital.

“I made a call and I spoke to her; She confirmed the exact information I received from the sister in charge, the doctor who wanted to resign and all of the staff at Skeldon Hospital – all of the reports are falling on deaf ears at the regional level. I believe that, because I had the opportunity as well to speak with a medical executive of this region that shares the very frustration as it related to the Skeldon Hospital.”

She said Skeldon is being referred to as the “death house of Region Six”.

According to Armogan, currently, the Health Ministry is trying to address the issue of staffing. He added that similar concerns were also received from the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Skeldon Hospital

All grinding estates surpass weekly sugar targets as GuySuCo eyes successful crop

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) on Saturday reported that all three of the grinding estates - Albion/Port Mourant, Blairmont, and Uitvlugt – have surpassed their weekly production targets.

With approximately nine more weeks remaining in this crop season; should the current favourable weather pattern persist, the Corporation said it is poised to achieve its overall production target for the second crop.

The crop is currently in its eighth week of production, and the company said it is evident that the respective teams on the estates have capitalised on a number of strategies to boost workers'

turnout.

“This week, the industry was fortunate to have been able to commence the process of changing the tires on some

40 tractors and is continuing to pay keen attention to the harvesting standards to improve the efficiencies around the punt weight. There is

still room for lots of improvement in the industry but it is a work in progress and the work process is moving in the right direction,” the statement relayed. These operational interventions, coupled with good weather, played a major role in the production performance this past week. Such news has boosted the morale of all employees, who have secured their weekly performance incentive on top of their weekly wages.

GuySuCo’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sasenarine Singh, has encouraged all the workers to “redouble their efforts with a clarity of mind of ensuring the cane-cutting standards are improved”.

“The Executive Management congratulates the management and workers of the three grinding estates and urges all current and former sugar workers to turn every week to utilise this special dry period to increase their earning, recognising that the industry had above average rainfalls for more than one year between November 2020 to January 2023.”

Last month, the Corporation stated that it was well on its way towards achieving a target of 60,858 metric tonnes of sugar for 2023, as the industry picks up pace amid robust strides to revive production.

The Albion/Port Mourant Estate is slated to produce 47 per cent of the expected sugar

production in this second crop to meet the annual target.

Final adjustments are being made to the Rose Hall Sugar Estate, as it was slated to make a comeback this month to recommence sugar production.

The Government’s efforts to reopen the Rose Hall Estate saw a whopping $1.1 billion being expended this year to have the facility up and running. A summary of the major works included both civil and structural interventions – including rehabilitation of the cane gantry, pre-milling, milling, boiler and process house roofing. There was also the replacement of a vacuum pan, condenser structures, a chimney, and servicing of all equipment.

GTT offers unprecedented savings with Fibre service

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company recently announced its latest offer to Fibre-ready areas: 3 months free plus free installation, offering customers the opportunity to save up to $65,000 on their internet bills.

This campaign demonstrates GTT’s commitment to providing affordable and high-quality connectivity to its valued customers.

This offer provides new customers with the incredible benefit of receiving the 3rd, 6th, and 9th months of their GTT Fibre subscription free of charge. To qualify, customers simply need to sign up for GTT Fibre, and once installed, ensure timely and full payment of their previous month’s bill and that’s it.

This straightforward pro-

Chief Operating Officer of Home Solutions and Fixed Networks at GTT, Eshwar Thakurdin

cess makes enjoying the benefits of GTT Fibre easier than ever.

Chief Operating Officer of Home Solutions and Fixed Networks at GTT, Eshwar

Thakurdin expressed his enthusiasm while adding that the telecommunications company understands the importance of reliable and affordable connectivity, especially in today’s digital age.

“After achieving a national milestone of proven seamless access to over 150,000 homes and businesses in June 2023, this campaign exemplifies our dedication to our customers, providing them with significant savings and a seamless internet experience. We are proud to offer this exceptional opportunity to Guyana,” he added.

GTT Fibre has earned a reputation for being Guyana’s largest and most reliable network, delivering lightningfast internet speeds and unmatched service quality.

GPF is 1st public entity to be accredited by NAC

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) Academy was on Friday officially accredited by the National Accreditation Council (NAC), thus clearing the way for enhanced training for Police officers.

At the handing over ceremony held at the Officers' Training Centre on Camp Street, Georgetown, the Executive Director of the National Accreditation Council, Dr Marcel Hutson noted that the GPF has moved beyond registration into the world of accreditation, which speaks to another level of education delivery.

"The Guyana Police Force is the first public entity to attain this status, and they should serve as a catalyst for change for others involved in education delivery," Hutson said.

The accreditation means that ranks will also be recognised regionally and internationally.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police 'Admin,' Calvin Brutus in his remarks, noted that the accreditation marks

a significant milestone in the Force's journey towards excellence in law enforcement education and training.

Providing further context on what it took for this achievement to be realised, Brutus noted that the process began on September 22, 2022, when the GPF received the Certificate of Registration, a crucial step in its pursuit of excellence. This, he said, laid the foundation for the rigorous pro-

cess that has led the Force to this achievement.

"This strategic pillar serves as a cornerstone of our commitment to the continuous improvement and development of our officers and recruits. It emphasises the importance of investing in our human capital to ensure the highest levels of professionalism and competence within our ranks," Brutus stated.

He further noted that as the academy is begin-

ning its transformation, it will be elevating the Force's entrance examination standards from a primary education level to a post-secondary education level. Simultaneously, a stringent marking and grading system was introduced for all programmes available at the academy.

"We pledge to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and competence in law enforcement. We are commit-

ted to serving our nation with dedication, integrity, and a sense of duty that befits this accreditation," Brutus noted.

Meanwhile, the Force's Training Officer, Woman Superintendent Nicola Kendall, during her remarks, highlighted the magnitude of this achievement for the Force.

"This event marks a pivotal moment in the journey of the modernisation process of the Guyana Police Force, a journey characterised by relentless dedication, unwavering commitment, and an unyielding pursuit of excellence in education. Today, we come together to celebrate the culmination of months of hard work, dedication, and the pursuit of academic excellence," she expressed.

The accreditation was granted for a period of five years, effective August 25, 2023.

Only a year ago, the Guyana Police Force renamed its Academy from the Felix Austin Police College to the Guyana Police Force Academy. This was a decision that

stemmed from the fiveyear agreement that was signed between the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the University of Guyana (UG).

The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed in October 2021 between then Senior Superintendent of Police Calvin Brutus, now Assistant Commissioner, and UG’s Vice Chancellor, Dr Paloma MohamedMartin.

Brutus had said that the MoA was birthed from the need for the Force to develop modules for ranks to ensure that the GPF delivers on its mandate in keeping with contemporary best practices for the Police in Guyana.

The MoA catered to a range of programmes to be developed, with others being refined.

Brutus further explained that part of it had to do with the accreditation of the Police Training College, which he noted “is just by name… the substance and standard [are] not there”.

The handing over of the accreditation by Executive Director of the National Accreditation Council, Dr Marcel Hutson

Charity woman busted with Ecstasy

An Essequibo Coast woman was arrested following the discovery of a quantity of Ecstasy during a Police operation at her home.

Police stated that ranks acting on information received went to a house at Charity, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), where a search was conducted on her person.

During the search, the ranks discovered a small white plastic bottle hidden in her 'private area' (between her legs) containing 14 pink and 15 yellow tablets suspected to be Ecstasy.

She was informed of the offence committed and was cautioned. In response, she told investigators, “Them tablets me got fuh headache.”

Subsequently, she was arrested and escorted to the Charity Police Station,

where the suspected narcotic (Ecstasy) was weighed in her presence, amounting to 12.8 grams.

The woman remains in custody pending further investigation.

Only recently, Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officers intercept-

ed a Surinamese national at Corriverton, Berbice, with a quantity of Ecstasy and hashish.

CANU stated that Virjanand Naraie had 69.9 grams of MDMA and 101.5 grams of hashish in his possession. He was later prosecuted.

The illegal drug that was found in the woman’s possession

Eureka Labs’ Urgent Care Clinic promises ‘swift, comprehensive’ medical care

The Eureka Labs

Urgent Care Clinic and Pharmacy was officially commissioned on Friday with the aim of providing both the local community and expatriates in the oil and gas sector with swift and comprehensive medical care for personal and return-to-work purposes.

The facility has already commenced operations at its Thomas Street, North Cummingsburg, Georgetown location.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eureka Labs, Dr William Boyle stated that the medical facility has been providing internationally accredited services to its customers for almost three decades while noting that the clinic now forms an extension of these services as it seeks to cater to the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.

“The idea of urgent care came up about three years ago when I met a guy from the oil and gas community. He had just come back from waiting at a hospital for about two to three hours. And he said ‘Why don’t you set up a complete package –one that’s effective and efficient? Quick and efficient urgent care services will enhance the medical care in Guyana,’” Boyle recounted.

The Eureka Urgent Care and Pharmacy is equipped to handle a wide range of medical conditions, including blood pressure and sugar control, asthmatics in distress, fluid stabilisation for dehydrated patients,

laceration repairs, wound dressings, draining of abscesses and medical examinations.

The clinic has full laboratory, X-ray and ultrasound services as well.

Meanwhile, the pharmacy is located within the same building and fulfils prescription as well as overthe-counter needs.

The facility’s Medical Director, Dr Zelda LukeBlyden noted that urgent care falls in the middle of emergencies that don’t need immediate attention and most times, are not life-threatening.

“Urgent care clinics, as a specialty in emergency medicine, allow a more detailed focus on persons who have little medical problems and yet are asked to wait. So, it is going to assist in relieving the emergency rooms across the nation and assisting our patients in getting medical attention earlier than usual,” Luke Blyden said.

The goal of the clinic is to provide this assistance within one to two hours while ensuring patient safety.

“For non-urgent cases, we are well-prepared to offer the necessary care, and in emergencies, we will stabilise patients for transfer to full in-patient facilities or hospitals,” Dr BlydenLuke said.

Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, Dr

Narine Singh commended the efforts of Eureka Labs and reiterated the facility’s role in alleviating the burden on public emergency rooms.

“The bulk of healthcare in Guyana is provided through the public health sector but that does not

mean that we don’t have space for private sector involvement. As the need for healthcare services increase, there is a need for specialised care and so we see a role for the private sector in providing quality healthcare services,” Singh said.

“The Ministry will provide the oversight and regulatory function to ensure that quality care is being provided,” he said. The facility’s opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8:00h to 20:00h and Saturdays from 8:00h to 16:00h.

The newly-commissioned Eureka Labs Urgent Care Clinic and Pharmacy

Eureka Labs Chief Executive Officer Dr William Boyle delivering remarks

Early morning fire ravages Mon Repos home

–mother, 2 sons homeless

Afamily of three from Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), is now homeless after a fire of unknown origin destroyed their home in the wee hours of Saturday. The fire was reportedly spotted at about 1:00h.

The owner of the property, 58-year-old Haemattie Mangal, who is a widow and a mother of 10, told media operatives on Saturday that she had been occupying the house for the past 30 years.

She explained that she resided in the house with two of her sons. However, on Friday evening, one of the boys went to work and as such, she along with the other son went to her daughter’s house to spend the night.

While there, Mangal recalled receiving several calls from her neighbours, who informed her that her house was on fire.

“We was sleeping and the land phone ring and people start telling me to come to

Non-Pareil man dies 2 months after being beaten by drinking buddy

Two months after being beaten by his drinking buddy, a Non-Pareil, East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident succumbed to his injuries. Fifty-year-old Ashram Boodhoo, a handy man, died on Thursday.

His sister, Hermilla Boodhoo, when contacted, stated that her brother was injured on July 3 last while drinking at the suspect’s home. The incident arose from a dispute involving the suspect's wife threatening to leave him.

“He living in Non-Pareil for about six years…and he and the suspect become friends and so them does work and so together. On the day of the incident, he buy a bottle of rum and a duck and he went over by the suspect and them start drink and cook. So, the suspect wife and he [the suspect] had a quarrel and something the suspect tell he wife and she tell he that he drinking too much and she gonna leave he,” the sister explained.

“He then start abusing my brother and cursing he out and so on. The suspect then get up and tell my brother get out of he yard, and he started pushing me brother out. They apparently had a fight and so, he couldn’t beat my brother, so he tek a wood and lashed my brother in he head, and me brother mek about five step and fall down and leave there. That was around 7 o'clock."

Hermilla further related that the assailant returned to his yard, leaving her brother lying on the road for approximately three to four hours without assistance.

“Is when the suspect's son-in-law come home from work, he see my brother lying down on the road and he call the Police. The Police come and they call the ambulance and they picked my brother up, take him to the Vigilance Police Station, and then they carry him to the hospital,” she explained.

The next day, Hermilla said she received a call informing her that her brother was in critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

“When I go, they told us that he is in ICU and they took us up there and we get to see he…they then moved him from there and took him to the ICU in Liliendaal and from there he was on life support for six weeks and then they had him on oxygen… then they send him

the house because the house on fire. Me go, and when me reach me see Police and a fire truck at the house and the house was on fire,” she explained.

The woman said she was unable to save any of her valuables.

“Right now, we are homeless… we have nowhere to turn, and nowhere to go, nowhere to lie down and sleep, we don’t even have a bed… everything we had burned up in this house. We need help… somewhere for us [to go]. We will now have to sleep on the road because we have nowhere to go,” the tearful woman said.

“I have nothing and I am a widow. I am not strong and I work with my sister sometimes in Bourda Market and I get some but that can’t really do anything… we don’t even have anything to eat… we lose everything,” she said.

An investigation to determine the origin of the fire has been launched.

Only a day ago, a family of five became homeless after a fire of unknown origin completely destroyed their home at Itaballi Landing in the Lower Mazaruni River, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

Only recently, Fire Chief

Gregory Wickham stated that the Guyana Fire Service responded to a total of 1347 fires for the year thus far. This, he noted, is almost double last year’s figure, when 771 fires were experienced over the same period.

He added that 42 persons have perished due to fire, including the 20 children who died in the Mahdia blaze. Wickham stated that based on investigation, fire officials have concluded that most of the fires for 2023 were maliciously set while some other causes include negligence and electrical issues.

Guyana records 59.5%...

“In the first half of the year, the rice growing industry is estimated to have grown by 3.2 percent. The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has reported production of 302,295 tonnes of rice equivalent, compared with 290,780 tonnes in the first half of last year.”

The report projects that rice production for the second crop of 2023 will be 350,225 tonnes of rice equivalent, as favourable weather conditions and better yields continue to drive expansion in the sector. According to the report, a revised growth rate of 7.4 per cent is now estimated for rice growing this year.

President Ali

During a press conference on Saturday, President Dr Irfaan Ali attributed the recorded economic growth to the policies executed by his People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government.

“This is as a direct result of policy, the metrics by the Government in the country, reigniting the traditional sectors and expanding our economic footing,” he emphasised at a press conference at State House, Georgetown on Saturday.

ing services, drivers. So that growth would translate into the development and advancement of other sectors and areas of our country,” he noted.

When it comes to the gold and bauxite industries, President Ali emphasised that his Government will collaborate with miners to expand production and address the root causes of the sluggish production in the first quarter of this year.

The President also reaffirmed his commitment to the sugar industry. In fact, he noted that had the PPP/C Government not been in office right now, the industry would be on its knees and sugar workers on the breadline.

FROM PAGE 11

“When compared to the first half of 2022, the sugar industry grew by 30.1 per cent, and as you know, we are fully committed to the revival of the sugar industry, and the integration of this industry in the local economies and the regions of this country,” the Head of State told reporters.

“Those who are masquerading around as promoters and defenders of the sugar workers are masked in their banditry of destroying the industry. These are the open-masked individuals who stood in Parliament and criticised our defence of this industry and keeping it alive,” the Head of State posited. (G-8)

home.”

Hermilla disclosed that her brother had suffered severe brain injuries from the assault and was incapacitated until his passing.

"He had blood clots in his brain and underwent emergency surgery before being sent home on August 20th. He passed away afterward," she said.

The family expressed frustration with the fact that the Police have not yet apprehended the suspect and called for justice.

"We don't know the suspect's real name; all we have is a picture of him. The afternoon my brother died, the Police contacted us, took us to the scene, and searched for him. They [villagers] told us they haven't seen him since then. We want justice," Hermilla emphasised.

According to President Ali, the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors, were once ‘completely destroyed’ under the previous A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government.

President Ali attributed today’s increases, particularly in the agricultural sub-sectors, to continued investment in drainage and irrigation, fiscal incentives, the utilisation of technology, research and development, as well as the opening up of new lands.

“When you understand the nature of the growth of the productive sector, you will know that this growth is linked to critical competence of the economy, transportation, and logistics, food, mechanical services, machin-

Ashram Boodhoo after he was sent home by doctors

The aftermath of the house after it was destroyed by the fire

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

GEMINI (MAY 21June 20)

CANCER

The little things count. Putter around the house, go for a walk or hike or spend time with a loved one, and it will improve your frame of mind. Think about making some changes.

Socializing will get you out of the house and away from any drama or tension. Sign up for something that interests you or can give you a different perspective on life.

Don’t give anyone the chance to take advantage of you. Keep those you love and trust close by if someone pressures you to take on too much. Exercise will be a good outlet.

Put your best foot forward, and don’t stop until you find your happy place. Get out, have fun and try something new. Use your energy wisely. Don’t let any emotions fester.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Live life your way. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of your generosity and kindness. Set boundaries, and you’ll alleviate tension and stress. Take time to do something that makes you feel good.

Get into the zone and find peace. Rediscover who you are and what you want to become. Reach out to people who can offer insight, knowledge and support. Work to make positive changes.

Get in the game, make a move and do whatever it takes to achieve your goal. Get physical and strive for good relationships and a stress-free financial situation. Put your energy where it counts.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Change begins with you. Assess what’s essential and head in that direction. Don’t ponder over what others are doing or asking of you; do what makes you happy and content with your life.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22Jan. 19)

AQUARIUS

(June 21July 22) (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES

(Feb. 20Mar. 20)

Size up your financial situation and make adjustments to suit your plans. You have plenty to gain if you refuse to let others step in and take charge. Romance is favored.

A change at home can make you feel better about life. If you aren’t content, it’s up to you to replace what ails you with whatever puts a smile on your face. Be frank with others.

An energetic approach to your health, finances and relationships will help you overcome any dilemma. Actions speak louder than words, and what you do will be the only statement you’ll have to make.

Consider how you handle and earn money. Discuss your thoughts and prospects with someone you respect and trust to give you the lowdown, and it will encourage you to make a decision.

Peanuts

Calvin and Hobbes

Pickles

Patriots record 1st win in RBL CPL 2023

– thanks to Fletcher’s fantastic 93

Andre Fletcher has recorded his CPL career-best score of 93 unbeaten runs to help St Kitts and Nevis Patriots record their first win in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League.

In a match played against the St Lucia Kings at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the 35-year-old Fletcher endured the pain of injury to hit a six off the penultimate delivery as Patriots ended their innings on 150-6 after 19.5 overs.

St Lucia Kings had earlier made 149-7 in their 20 overs, with Shadrack Descarte leading the way with a 31-ball 43 and Johnson Charles hitting 42, even as Ashmead Nedd bowled beautifully up front for the Patriots, taking 2-14 from his four overs. Benny Howell also returned impressive figures of 2-31 from his four overs.

Fletcher impressive-

ly produced an unbeaten 93 from 64 balls, which included six fours and five sixes, to lead the successful chase for the Patriots. Sherfane Rutherford was the Patriots’ next highest scorer, with 17. Things had got a bit tricky for the Patriots in the 17th over, when Fletcher picked up a hamstring injury which left him unable to run unimpaired for the remainder of the chase. The chase had seemed comfortable up until the penultimate over

SCOREBOARD

St Lucia Kings (20 ovs maximum)

Colin Munro c Linde b Nedd 10

Johnson Charles †b Howell 42

Sean Williams run out (Goolie) 1

Roston Chase lbw b Nedd 0

Shadrack Descarte c

Bosch b Howell 43

Sikandar Raza (c)c

Howell b Bosch 22

Roshon Primus c

Bosch b Thomas 5

Alzarri Joseph not out 8

Matthew Forde not out 1

Extras (lb 4, nb 2, w 11) 17

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.45) 149/7

Fall of wickets: 1-16

(Colin Munro, 2.4 ov), 2-21

(Sean Williams, 4.3 ov), 3-22

(Roston Chase, 4.6 ov), 4-95

(Johnson Charles, 13.2 ov), 5-117

(Shadrack Descarte, 15.5 ov), 6-139

(Sikandar Raza, 18.2 ov), 7-146

(Roshon Primus, 19.2 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Ashmead Nedd 4-0-14-2

Corbin Bosch 4-0-36-1

Oshane Thomas 3-1-14-1

Dominic Drakes 1-0-14-0

George Linde 4-0-36-0

Benny Howell 4-0-31-2

St Kitts And Nevis Patriots (T:

from Alzarri Joseph. The Patriots needed just 10 from the final two overs at that point, but a brilliant over from Joseph meant St. Kitts & Nevis would end up need-

ing nine from the last over, with an injured Fletcher and Corbin Bosch at the crease.

Roston Chase was tasked with bowling that last over. The first two balls were hit for singles, before Bosch was dismissed by being caught at deep mid-wicket off the third ball, leaving the Patriots needing sev-

en. Dominic Drakes joined Fletcher at the crease, but was able only to get a single off the fourth ball. Fletcher then ended proceedings with a six off the fifth ball to seal the Patriots’ first win of the season.

Kharry Pierre, Roston Chase and Sikanda Raza each took two wickets for

the Kings.

Amazon Warriors and Barbados Royals will battle it out today from 10:00h, while TKR will meet Kings from 20:00h in the final match in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Johnson Charles is cleaned up

Patriots celebrating a wicket

Fletcher played his CPL career-best knock

St Lucia Kings were disciplined in the field

Coco Gauff defeats Aryna Sabalenka in U.S. Open women’s final

Chris Evert said. Afterward, she went to family members and coach Brad Gilbert for hugs, photos and congratulations.

Gauff’s upset win in Flushing Meadows, New York, etches her name into the history books alongside other Black American women’s tennis icons like Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Althea Gibson and Sloane Stephens.

2023 FESUPO South American Men's Classic Powerlifting Championships… Mohamed sets new M1 Squat record, bags 5 gold medals

…Trotman claims 3 bronze medals

Coco Gauff won the U.S. Open women’s final to become the latest Black American woman to leave a history-making mark on the most sacred grounds of U.S. tennis.

Gauff bested Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus on Saturday in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 6-2).

"I just pray that I have the strength to give it my all, and whatever happens happens," Gauff told the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium after the match, explaining her prayers and her mental state. "I just knew if I didn’t give it my all, I had no shot at winning."

The champ congratulated Sabalenka for rising to #1 in the world with her presence in the final.

The 19-year-old displayed unusual mettle after finding herself down a set to a

player who is technically the world's best. Commentator

Cliff Drysdale said it looked at that point like Sabalenka was “going to roll over her.”

It never happened.

Gauff held fast at the baseline, kept her serves mellow but accurate, and chased everything down. Her lie-in-wait strategy worked, as an inside-out forehand from Sabalenka in the second set sailed long and wide up the line, and Gauff tied the match one set each.

The third and decisive set went by fast, and Gauff sealed it when Sabalenka came to the net down 2 games to 5, with her forehand volley ready, but with Gauff's squeezing off a passing shot that screamed past and landed in.

"Coco lifted her game to a higher level than we’ve ever seen," commentator

Gibson won the U.S. National Championship women’s singles titles in 1957 and 1958, a forerunner of the U.S. Open. Venus, the older Williams sister, won the U.S. Open in 2001 and 2002, while Serena took the championships of 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Those six U.S. Open singles titles by Serena Williams are matched only by Evert’s half-dozen championships in the tournament’s modern era, 1975-78 and 1980 and 1982.

Coming into Saturday, Gauff, 19, of Florida, had won five singles titles, but was still chasing a title in one of the world’s four major tournaments (the U.S., French and Australian Opens, and Wimbledon). She’d come close before as the French Open runner-up in 2022, and when she reached the quarterfinals in Flushing Meadows last year. (NBC Sport)

Guyana's rich harvest of medals at the 10th FESUPO Regional South American Men's Classic Powerlifting Championships here in Lima, Peru continued on the third day of competition, Thursday, with the athletes from the ‘Land of Many Waters’ raking in a total of eight (8) medals.

Headlining the day was Wazim Mohamed (93kg M1 class), who not only obliterated his only challenger to claim all the available gold medals, but set a new FESUPO Men’s Masters 1 deadlift record in the process to cap a fabulous day on the platform.

Athletes had had to face multiple challenges owing to a lack of proper organising during the course of the first two days of action, but day three saw great improve-

all the lifts. His best squat was 240.0kg, benchpress was 165.0kg, deadlift was 272.5kg; and he set a new FESUPO record with his total of 677.5kg.

Further, Mohamed entered the South American

the 83kg Open division, despite registering a good performance. He was plagued by a shoulder injury, and Bjorn Williams was also not able to place in the 105kg Open division.

Guyana’s medal tally going into the final day, Saturday, with Masters 4 athlete Naranjan Singh, the only athlete to lift in the Equipped contest, was as follows: Gold 11; Silver 2; Bronze 5.

ment, to the extent that the FESUPO executives decided to introduce a second platform to speed up the lifts, as the lone one in place could not have sufficed and would have resulted in many more latenight contests running into the wee hours of the morning.

The organisers even introduced presentation ceremonies during the course of the day, which resulted in much less time being spent at the competition arena.

Their female colleagues Sarah Sanmogan and Keisha Abrigo did remarkably well on the opening day of the competition, but Mohamed and Trotman ensured that the medal count for Guyana increased handsomely.

Tapia Hidalgo Gustavo Enrique of Chile was Mohamed’s only opponent, as Coimbra David of Brazil, who was registered to compete, did not do so. Mohamed bettered his Chilean rival in

Men's Classic Bench Press Championships and pressed his way to the gold. Enrique’s scores were: squat 202.5kg, benchpress 132.5, deadlift 232.5kg, and total, 567.5.

Leroy ‘The Underdog’ Trotman battled in the Men’s Open 93kg category and landed the overall bronze, apart from the bronze medals he harvested in the squat (240.0kg) and deadlift (285.0kg). He also registered a benchpress of 142.5kg for a total of 667.5kg.

The gold medal was taken by Chile’s Bernado Ibenez with a total of 735.0kg (squat 270.0kg, benchpress 180.0kg, deadlift 285.0kg). The silver was taken by Brazilian Denis Gibson, whose total was 702.5kg (squat 272.5, benchpress 165.0kg, deadlift 265.0kg).

On day two, the other Guyanese debutant for Guyana, Kheon Evans, did not place in the top three of

The GAPLF is expressing sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; the National Sports Commission; the Guyana Olympic Association; John Fernandes Limited; the National Milling Company of Guyana; and 592Tees, for making the team’s trip to Peru a reality.

Mohamed Wazim sharing the podium with second-placed athlete Chilean Bernado Ibenez. Guyanese Level 11 IPF Referee Andrew Austin is at right

Leroy Trotman (2nd right), Chile’s Bernado Ibenez (centre), and Brazilian Denis Gibson are the top three athletes in the 93kg Open Class at the 10th FESUPO Championships in Peru

Mohamed Wazim breaking the deadlift record in Peru

Coco Gauff holding the trophy aloft (Photograph: Frank Franklin II/AP)

GAW Women crush TKR to book final spot in Massy Women’s CPL 2023

The Guyana Amazon

Warriors Women have recorded a dominant nine-wicket win against defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders to secure a final spot in the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League.

Led by Karishma Ramharack’s 3-12, Warriors restricted TKR to 72 all out, before Sophie Devine’s unbeaten 38 took the Warriors to victory at 78-1 in 7.3 overs.

TKR’s batting woes began with Marie Kelly first being removed by the impressive Sophie Devine for eight. Deandra Dottin was the lone batter to offer resistance with her 21-ball 25, in which she struck two fours and one six as she watched wickets tumble around her when the Warriors unleashed their spin weapons and destroyed TKR in their backyard at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

Ramharack was impressive with her 3-12 from four overs, but the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, Shreyanka Patil, claimed 2-10 in four top overs. Shenata Grimmond

had 1-18, while seamers Shakera Selman and Devine each took one wicket.

Warriors Women responded to the TKR challenge in such haste that it stunned the TKR supporters. Devine, who surpassed 200 runs this season, ended unbeaten on 38 runs from 19 balls in an innings laced with three sixes and three fours. Suzie Bates made a run-a-ball 18, while cap-

SCOREBOARD

Trinbago Knight Riders

Women (20 ovs maximum)

Marie Kelly c Ismail b Devine 8

Kycia Knight †c Bates

b Ramharack 13

Orla Prendergast st †

Campbelle b Grimmond 9

Deandra Dottin (c)lbw

b Ramharack 25

Mignon du Preez run out (McLean) 0

Kyshona Knight b Selman 3

Anisa Mohammed b Ramharack 4

Zaida James lbw b Patil 3

Fran Jonas run out (McLean/†Campbelle) 1

Shamilia Connell not out 3

Samara Ramnath b Patil 0

Extras (nb 1, w 2) 3

TOTAL 17 Ov (RR: 4.23) 72

Fall of wickets: 1-9

(Marie Kelly, 2.1 ov), 2-25

(Orla Prendergast, 4.3 ov), 3-52

(Kycia Knight, 9.3 ov), 4-52

(Mignon du Preez, 9.4 ov), 5-56

(Kyshona Knight, 10.4 ov), 6-60

(Deandra Dottin, 11.2 ov), 7-68

(Zaida James, 14.5 ov), 8-68

(Anisa Mohammed, 15.1 ov), 9-72 (Fran Jonas, 16.3 ov), 10-72

(Samara Ramnath, 16.6 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Sophie Devine 2-0-16-1

Shabnim Ismail 2-1-6-0

Sheneta Grimmond 2-0-18-1

Shreyanka Patil 4-0-10- 2

Shakera Selman 3-0-10-1

Karishma Ramharack 4-0-12-3

Guyana Amazon Warriors

Women (T: 73 runs from 20 ovs)

Sophie Devine not out 38

Suzie Bates b Dottin 18

Stafanie Taylor (c)not out 17

Extras (w 5) 5

TOTAL 7.3 Ov (RR: 10.40) 78/1

Fall of wickets: 1-38

(Suzie Bates, 4.3 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Fran Jonas 2-0-17-0

Anisa Mohammed 1.3-0-20-0

Shamilia Connell 1-0-7-0

Deandra Dottin 1-0-12-1

Samara Ramnath 1-0-15-0

Orla Prendergast 1-0-7-0

Karishma Ramharack was adjudged ‘player of the match’ for her 3-12

tain Stafanie Taylor scored 17 from eight balls, striking two fours and one six. Dottin was the lone wicket-taker, with 1-12 from one over.

Warriors Women will play Barbados Royals today, Sunday September 10, from 15:30h at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad.

(Brandon Corlette)

The Golden Arrowhead flying high at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba

Sophie Devine blazed 38

TKR fans were disappointed

Kycia Knight is cleaned up

Shreyanka Patil continued her wicket-taking ways

Warriors Women are into their first CPL final

swing, Guyana is experiencing the kind of problems ‘you want to have’, as the action-packed calendar creates a boom in the Tourism and Sport sectors.

The Cricket Carnival 2023 craze has been so demanding that hotel rooms have gone like ‘hot cakes’, as tourists, members of the diaspora, sport enthusiasts and other officials lock down their accommodations to witness the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League and the series of concerts and events on the Cricket Carnival calendar.

This revelation was made by none other than President Dr. Irfaan Ali himself, as he responded to an inquiry about the ongoing Cricket Carnival during a press conference on Saturday morning at State House on Main Street in

Georgetown.

“I don’t know if I should say this, if I’ll get in prob lems saying this,” the Head of State said with a laugh, “but we’ve been in an em barrassing situation in terms of hotel rooms. We’re completely out of hotel rooms, and we had major delegations that had to limit their stay in Guyana because of the lack of hotel rooms.

“From a situation when we were building the Marriott, when we were criticized and we were called all kinds of names; to now, when we’re embarrassed because we don’t have enough rooms in hotels, it's a big story,” the President said.

“And that is why these hotels that we’re building are so important. Not we, the Private Sector now, and

we have to en sure

that we expedite build -

ing of these rooms,” he disclosed.

In addressing the growth the Cricket Carnival has experienced, the Head of State shared a recent occurrence wherein the tourism boom was on full display at one of Guyana’s international airports.

“So, the arrival has been enormous. There is consistent growth, you know; we have different challenges with this.

Two nights ago, I was awakened by calls from the airport, persons from the diaspora who are coming in; and they were relating to me that you had about four flights coming at the same time, and you had more than 600 arrivals at immigration,” President Ali detailed. “And you had more than 600 arrivals at immigration, and they were lining up even outside onto

the tarmac,” he added. When it comes to the cricket aspect, the Head of State expressed his elation with the performances of local franchise the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) thus far. President Ali declared with a smile, “We are very, very excited. I know the Minister of Tourism is very, very pleased with what is taking place so far, and you know the mood is one of celebration. I hope the Amazon Warriors can keep that mood up until after the finals.”

Cricket Carnival began on Friday evening with the Chutney Concert, and will conclude on Monday, September 25th, with the highly anticipated Road Parade. The Guyana leg of the RBL CPL begins on Wednesday, September 13th, at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, and the CPL final is set for Sunday, September 24th. (Jemima Holmes)

Golden Jaguars begin CNL with commanding 5-1 victory

Afirst senior hattrick on the international stage for 19-year-old Omari Glasgow, on Saturday afternoon as Guyana opened her campaign in the CONCACAF Nations League 2023/2024, has led to the Golden Jaguars recording an emphatic 5-1 whipping of Antigua and Barbuda in their own backyard in the opening encounter of both teams.

Glasgow was the shining star, but Kelsey Benjamin was not to be left out, as he registered a clinical brace.

The game was played at the ABFA Technical Center in Antigua and Barbuda, and the Jaguars’ Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz opted for a starting lineup that boasted a majority of locally-based players. Thus Goal-keeper Quillian Roberts, Captain Daniel Wilson, Rishaun Ritch, Curtez Kellman, Jalen Jones, Jeremy Garrett, Liam Gordon, Elliott Bonds, Omari Glasgow, Stephen Duke McKenna and

Kelsey Benjamin took to the field.

Within 14 minutes of play, Guyana was discomfiting the opposition, compliments of the teenaged Glasgow. He keenly hunted down a back-pass from one of the Antiguan de fenders, and finding goalkeeper Zaieem Scott no match for his skills, easily won pos session and calmly led the ball into the back of the net.

Fifteen minutes lat er, Glasgow made it a 2-0 game by capitalising on a penalty opportunity which went the Golden Jaguars’ way by virtue of a handled ball in the net.

And as the Jaguars’ defense kept things tight at the back, Kelsey Benjamin joined the scoring party in the 33rd minute by firing a

shot across the face of the net.

The home side managed to pull one back before the first half expired when marksman Raheem Deterville’s perfectly executed shot from the top corner of the box found the back of the net in the 45th.

That solitary response did little to dampen the spirit of the ravening Jaguars, as they came out with all guns blazing in the second segment and were finally rewarded in the 62nd, when a long ball forward from Jeremy Garrett fell at the feet of Benjamin. Benjamin did well to

outrun the defense, and outfoxed the keeper in tucking the ball into the corner of the net for Guyana’s 4th goal.

In the 87th minute, Glasgow added insult to injury when he cut in from outside of the box to execute what by now should be considered his signature shot: bending the ball into the corner of the nets.

With a first victory in hand, the Golden Jaguars will now return to the Land of Many Waters for their second CNL 2023/2024 game, against the Bahamas at home. The encounter is set for the National Track and Field Center (NTFC) at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD) on Tuesday September 12th from 18:00hrs. (Jemima Holmes)

President Dr. Irfaan Ali addressing a press conference on Saturday morning

Omari Glasgow (on ball) led the charge for the Golden Jaguars with his first international hattrick