Guyana Times -Thursday, September 14, 2023.pdf

Spanish compulsory in schools

Students must be able to converse in Spanish – CEO to headteachers

The Education Ministry is moving forward with plans to implement Spanish mandatorily within the primary and secondary school curricula in the Christmas Term 2023, following President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s recent announcement.

According to a circular issued by Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain on Wednesday, this decision forms part of Government’s vision to provide students with a second language.

According to the circular, this is in keeping with the socio-cultural and linguistic realities existing within South America, as Guyana stands to be the only English-speaking country in a primarily Spanish-speaking continent. As such, students are expected to be able to converse in Spanish, and not only be exposed to the language on an academic level.

The circular also stated that, at the end of the term, a grade must be provided on the report card of each student, with assessments to go beyond written tests and include performance aspects such as reciting a poem, performing a scene in Spanish, singing a Spanish song, responding to situations in Spanish, completing a portfolio or creating an art piece.

To ensure the smooth

administration of this new subject, head teachers at the primary level are advised to confirm their schools using the renewed curriculum, expose Grades One to Four students to Spanish during one or two of the Beyond Core periods every week.

Meanwhile Grade Five students, who are using the Consolidated Curriculum, must do Spanish for at least one 30-minute period per week, while Grade Six students are expected to engage in studying the subject after they have written the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

“If possible, a school can use one or two teachers to teach Spanish throughout the school. These teachers

should not be given a fixed class. Rather, they should be classified as the school’s Spanish teachers,” the ministry’s statement read.

Secondary school level

At the secondary school level, headteachers are to ensure all students of Grades Seven to Nine are learning Spanish as a foreign language, though if a student intends to pursue French or Portuguese at Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) in Grade Ten, they may be exempted from doing Spanish in Grade Nine, upon their request to the school.

However, Spanish must be offered in each stream in Grade Ten, while headteach-

ers are required to do staff rationalisation to identify teachers who can teach the subject within the school.

“It is expected that the introduction of Spanish will provide an opportunity for students to develop an understanding and appreciation of the cultural and historical contexts of South America and the Caribbean, while acquiring the requisite skills, attitudes and knowledge for

social cohesion, social mobility and educational attainment,” the statement read.

During a press conference in July, President Ali had disclosed plans to introduce Spanish as a compulsory subject, given the influx of Spanish-speaking persons operating in the economy, as well as Guyana’s geographical position amidst a host of Spanish-speaking countries.

He had noted the importance of knowing a second language in order to compete internationally and secure jobs out of the country. As such, Ali had encouraged both private and public sector members to make efforts to learn the language as well.

In fact, during the recent presentation of State Commissions and State Warrants to a number of newly commissioned Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officers, Ali had noted that within their one year of rotation within the state, they are expected to learn and be competent in Spanish.

Last month, however,

Education Minister Priya Manckchand, noting the lack of trained Spanish teachers in Guyana, disclosed plans to source teachers from Cuba and Mexico, while Guyanese teachers receive training in the subject.

“We’re creating material through the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), through our Materials Production Unit, that would help us in the absence of a trained Spanish teacher, and allow a [generally] trained teacher to deliver Spanish to certain levels in primary school,” Manickchand had stated.

She had explained that the Ministry is also looking at offering courses that can be done through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme, at the University of Guyana (UG), or at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), to train as many teachers as possible to eventually deliver these Spanish lessons at a high quality. (G13)

New restaurants, lounges, kids’ area to enhance CJIA’s services

As works toward expanding the tourism sector and improving options for outbound travellers continue, plans to increase services in and around the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) are underway. During a celebration of Canada Jetlines and Fly Allways’ inaugural flight from Toronto, Canada to Guyana, Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill on Tuesday noted the Government’s intentions to modernise the CJIA facilities.

“Construction is ongoing currently for what will be called our supercentre. We should be able to accommodate another 20 concessions. Capacity to get to the various floors by way of escalators is already in place. It will mean that we will have more options for restaurants,” Edghill said.

“I have seen some comments about people arriving at the airport and they don’t have options. We will not forever be like this, we are improving,” Edghill said.

Further, he requested patience from travellers as the authorities move towards developing these facilities.

He added that there would also be options available for children who are travelling, while they wait on their flights, including play parks, play areas and games.

This expansion further involves making more space for airline offices, with plans to move the current offices out of the main terminal building and build new ones outside of the airport premises.

“So, where we currently have offices, we’d be able to have lounges. You don’t have to be travelling first-class to use a lounge in many airports. You can be an economy pas-

senger, but you’d like to have the comfort of a lounge. We want to be able to put that, so people can pay and get access to the services,” Edghill has said.

The Public Works Minister explained that airports are revenue generators, and with more people entering the country, the hotels, restaurants, tour operators, taxi drivers and other sectors of the economy are expected to greatly benefit.

As such, there are also plans to establish an area where locals can sell their products to new arrivals within the airport.

“As a Government, we are for business development, and in the near future, one of the things you’ll be seeing at the airport on the land side is the development of an area where people can actually sell their craft, paintings and other Guyanese-oriented artefacts, so that persons who are travelling can actually shop at the airport,” Edghill said.

Meanwhile, for those who are not travelling, but are simply visiting the airport with their families, Edghill noted that there will be access to restaurants for them as well.

Enhanced aesthetics

Recently, the CJIA also made efforts to enhance the aesthetics of the shops on airport lands by building a colourful wall. Edghill clarified that business owners actively participated in this process to beautify their facilities.

This area, he noted, is also one that had battled with squatting and security risks, thus steps were taken to provide a safe and secure environment for users of the airport. Expansion and renovation works have been progressing at the international airport for several years now, with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) last year completing an extension of the boarding corridor to accommodate two more passenger boarding bridges, thereby providing the airport with six bridges overall to facilitate larger Code D and Code E aircraft.

On Tuesday, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his delegation arrived in Guyana for a one-day visit on one of the world’s largest passenger planes, the Boeing 747-8, a Code F aircraft, according to Edghill. (G13)

Cheddi Jagan International Airport

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Wednesday, Sep 13 – 03:30h – 05:00h and Thursday, Sep 14 – 04:00h – 05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, Sep 13 – 16:00h – 17:30h and Thursday, Sep 14 – 16:25h – 17:55h.

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 23 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 16:25h reaching a maximum height of 2.55 metres.

Low Tide: 10:02h and 22:15h reaching minimum heights of 0.66 metre and 0.63 metre.

Pres Ali talks expanding trade, investments between Guyana & US

…meets Congressman Jason Smith

LOTTERY NUMBERS

With the aim of deepening the bilateral commercial relationship between Guyana and the United States, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday held discussions with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

The meeting was held at the Department of Commerce at the Herbert Hoover Building in Washington, DC.

During the meeting, discussions focused on the expansion of trade and investment between Guyana and the US.

A statement from the US Secretary of Commerce’s office revealed that during the high-level engagement, Secretary Raimondo formally announced that the Department of Commerce opened a US Commercial Service office within the US Embassy in Georgetown.

“This new office will provide on-the-ground support that can help promote inclusive economic growth. The two also discussed Commerce Department programming and technical support, such as the Commercial Law Development Programme, that can support the development of Guyana’s business climate and help create a favourable environment for increased trade and investment between our nations,” the missive detailed.

Secretary Raimondo was accompanied by the Executive Director for Western Hemisphere, Diane Jones; the Office Director of Latin America and the Caribbean, Alexander Preacher; the Deputy Director of Caribbean Affairs, Department of State, Michael Taylor; and other members from her team.

President Ali’s delegation included Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd; Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond; National Security Advisor, Captain Gerry Gouveia; Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chiefof-Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan and Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday afternoon,

President Ali met with the Chairman of the United States of America House Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman Jason Smith, at Capitol Hill, Washington.

The Head of State was joined by Ministers Todd and Walrond along with Foreign Secretary Persaud, Captain Gouveia and Brigadier Khan.

Back in March this year, Congressman Smith

According to the Guyanese Leader, these values are geared towards producing the best for the people of both countries, in terms of democracy and regional and global leadership. He had said that Guyana’s relationship with the US was based on principles and on respect and that “Guyana is and will continue to be an important strategic partner of the United States”.

“You are a trusted part-

Government’s mission was to catalyse the revenues from oil and gas to position Guyana to function in the world 2030 and beyond to ensure that the country was sustainable, resilient and competitive.

“For us to be a viable State, we must be able to be competitive; and that is what we are investing in, applying the technology that is applicable for a world in the future today,” he noted.

Also on Wednesday, President Ali – the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in Guyana – said that the new world could not develop defence strategies without factoring in the effects of climate change, especially in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

The Guyanese Head of State made this statement while delivering a presentation at the National Defence University in Washington, DC.

President Ali explained that in addition to climate security, food and energy security must also be prioritised when developing defence strategies. He also said that among the most important aspects of future defence and strategy are research, development and innovation.

and members of a bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) visited Georgetown to meet with Government and Opposition officials during which discussions were held on issues related to governance, economic matters, and the importance of bipartisan cooperation.

The CODEL visit sought to further examine bilateral and economic cooperation between the United States and Guyana.

At a reception hosted by the US Embassy in Georgetown, President Ali had called the USA a “trusted partner.” He had noted that the meeting between the Government of Guyana and the US Congressional House Committee on Ways and Means reinforced the values of the two nations.

ner…we are proud of our partnership and we are going to work together to make Guyana and the US stronger together,” President Ali said.

The President had noted too that the focus was to advance the strategic partnership on energy, climate, and food security.

Discussions during the meeting with the committee had also focused on housing, advancing human resource transformation, infrastructural development, healthcare and education. The President had also stated that the opportunities available in Guyana were open to the US Private Sector and that the Government of Guyana wanted to see more participation and collaboration.

He reiterated that the

The House Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest committee of the United States Congress and is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. Since 1795, the Committee has exercised jurisdiction over revenue and related issues such as tariffs, international trade policy, and the bonded debt of the United States.

President Ali is currently on a three-day visit to Washington, DC, where he is expected to meet with a number of stakeholders from the US Congress and the State Department.

The Guyanese Head of State is also scheduled to participate in a number of Private Sector meetings and visit several universities. He will also be making a presentation at the Organisation of American States (OAS). (G8)

President Dr Irfaan Ali and his delegation with Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman Jason Smith and officials from his office

President Dr Irfaan Ali with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo

Editor: Tusika Martin

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The power of the game

The Guyana leg of RBL CPL 2023 began on Wednesday at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence with the first of the home games for the local Guyana Amazon Warriors, even as Cricket Carnival events have already started. Fans, both here and from overseas, will once again savour the opportunities to experience and embrace all that has come to make up CPL.

Dubbed the biggest party in sport as cricket is played louder, CPL epitomises the positive evolution of world cricket, and further emphasizes the vibrancy of the game which characterizes the West Indian brand.

The natural enthusiasm through the vociferousness of fans in this part of the world, evident over the decades, has in many ways influenced the atmosphere in other places, notably England. The home of cricket has been known for its more subdued but overwhelming attendance, punctuated with a routine courteous appreciation of the art and showmanship of the game.

That has now changed, as fans have fully gotten into the game, bringing liveliness through infectious music and innovative celebrations. This change has been directly credited to T20 cricket, which again the West Indians have branded with their own flare of effervescence through a fusion of colour, music and rapturous involvement.

As interest in cricket waned in the past due to various factors, T20, through the CPL, has not only catapulted that interest, but transgressed the traditional fan base to overwhelmingly capture women and children. Among the many successes of T20 cricket, the ability to continuously and increasingly bring out women and children to the games is one of the biggest achievements.

This is what was needed for the sport, especially here in the Caribbean, as CPL has now become a much-anticipated family event. The names and prowess of the plethora of stars of the various teams easily roll off the tongues of women and children as interest and expectation grow rapidly. One of the many factors driving this within the CPL is the many fan-based promotions by the various sponsors.

This has ensured that fans are not only directly involved in the process of creating the pulsating environment for which the tournament has become known, but allows them opportunities to be the recipient of something tangible aside from the abundance of paraphernalia. This is where CPL has to be commended for making fans a priority in the process of building and sustaining interest.

That interest cuts across societal divides, as evident in the support for the Guyana Amazon Warriors. The Providence Stadium, since the inception of the CPL, has become known as a place sanitized of partisanship as Guyanese rally around their stars. Of course, naturally, there has been disappointment over the Warriors not yet claiming the title. However, that has never prevented the overwhelming support local fans have given the team, with Guyana probably having the highest fan turn out for the tournament over the years.

Fans rally when the team seems to be on the ropes, and never hold back in their unbridled celebration of the joys of a Warriors’ victory. With a sea of colours from the waving flags of the Warriors and that of the country, accompanied by the blaring rhythmic music, often drowned out by the collective deafening screams of fans, the positive influence of cricket through the CPL is pellucid. The power of the game to effect the bypassing of differences and for rallying in unison for a common cause is never in doubt.

The Providence Stadium, which has proven its worth over the years, has once again burst into life as cricket superstars from across the globe battle for supremacy.

The benefits of such international exposure are priceless, as are those that redound to the local economy from the hosting of CPL games.

Cricket has always been seen as a unifying force across the region. Here, at home, CPL and the exciting exploits of the Guyana Amazon Warriors have created a formidable platform for the furtherance of that process.

Mining in Amerindian villages

Dear editor,

1)The 2006 Amerindian Act makes provision, from Sections 48 to 53, for dealing with mining in Amerindian villages, and provides safeguards for the villagers if they allow mining activities within the boundaries of their titled villages.

Section 48 establishes the procedures any individual or corporate body wanting to mine in the titled villages must follow, while Section 49 sets out terms and conditions that could be included in any Mining Agreement between the Village Council and the prospective miner.

Section 50 allows the village to refuse its consent in respect to large-scale mining, while allowing the Minister responsible for mining to act in the public interest.

Section 51 deals with benefits-sharing, while Section 52 gives recognition to the traditional mining privileges of Amerindians. Further, this Section provides that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission shall be the Authority which, inter alia, facilitates, monitors, and regulates for sustainable utilization of Guyana’s mineral resources”.

Section 53 deals with some of the obligations of the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) if the latter “intends to issue a permit, concession, licence or other permission over or in (a) any part of village lands (b) any land contiguous to village lands; or (c) any rivers, creeks or waterways which pass through village lands or any lands contiguous with village

lands”.

In this regard, the GGMC also provides additional safeguards for the villages where mining is taking place.

Part XIV of the Mining Act 1989 sets out special provisions to treat with mining in the Amerindian villages and communities. These include, inter alia, the exclusion of areas from mining if these areas are officially earmarked for village title, extensions… Thus, implicit in this provision is the requirement that GGMC be informed of a clear intent on the part of the village to apply for a grant of title or an extension of land.

GGMC, as a precautionary measure, does enforce a buffer zone of one mile around the periphery of Amerindian titled lands. In addition, the Mining Act specifies that miners cannot exercise any right over, or interfere with, farming operations. This reduces the probability of mining concessions being granted in areas traditionally occupied by Amerindians but outside of the titled village.

The Mining Agreement

2) During my tenure as Advisor to the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, the Hon. Pauline Sukhai MP, we did cause to be prepared a mining template to guide the Amerindian Village Councils in preparing a mining agreement with an investor.

This template covers, inter alia, issues raised and concerns expressed over time by Village Toshaos, Village Councillors, the

Board of Directors of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, and consensus on how procedural issues must be addressed. In this regard also, reference was made to several relevant sections of the 2006 Amerindian Act, the 1989 Mining Act, the 1996 Environmental Protection Act, and the obligations of the contracting parties under these agreements.

Most of the mining activities on village lands are of a small and medium scale, and here the Village Council has power of veto under the 2006 Amerindian Act. Prior to the 2006 Amerindian Act, there was no legal requirement for consultation with the villages. Thereafter, persons wishing to mine in the Amerindian titled villages were required to consult with the Village and get the approval of two-thirds of the residents present at the village general meeting at which the mining application was considered.

Thus, no new miner could mine in a titled village without the expressed permission of the village.

Those miners who had already entered into agreements prior to the Act were allowed to complete the unexpired period of the agreement and were expected to enter into a new agreement with the village, or GGMC could not issue them with a mining permit.

Except for a small number of cases, miners were able to effect agreements

with Village Councils. The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs helped in some cases by providing advice to the Council, and seeking GGMC’s intervention when considered necessary.

For the first time, Village Councils could include in their agreements provisions to cover employment of persons from the village; purchases of food from the villages, provision of social services by the miner/ investor, a minimum tribute to be paid by the miner etc.

The implementation of the 2006 Amerindian Act, while providing more benefits to the villagers, has not been without several challenges:

A number of miners who were established before the 2006 Amerindian Act have successfully challenged the decisions of GGMC before the Court. These include:

i)Winston Rambarran against GGMC and the Micobie Village Council, before Justice Roxanne George in a decision dated 19/02/2009

ii)Lalta Narine against GGMC and the Isseneru Village Council of Region 7, before Justice Bovell Drakes in a decision dated August 18th, 2008

iii)However, it should be noted, in the case of Devroy Thomas and the Arau Village Council versus the Attorney General, that the Court ruled that “the applicants Devroy Thomas and the Arau Village Council were entitled to an environment that is not harmful to their well-being”.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Guyana, President Dr Irfaan Ali in photo with officials at the National Defence University in Washington, DC on Wednesday afternoon during a presentation where he said that the new world cannot develop defence strategies without factoring in the effects of climate change, especially in the Latin American and Caribbean region (Office of the President photo)

President Ali’s plan to engage teachers directly will be opposed by union

Dear Editor, A few days ago, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced his intention to meet with the nation’s teachers in order to discuss salary adjustments and other benefits. Such welcome news should be a cause for celebration, but knowing how certain persons operate, I wouldn’t be surprised if this move is rejected by certain persons in the leadership of the Guyana Teachers’ Union.

There is no doubt in my mind that, were the Head of State to embark upon the route of direct engagement with teachers, the Opposition politicians that comprise the GTU leadership would be upset. Why do I believe so?

Well, the answer is simple. If the President goes the route of engaging the teachers directly, it would take away from that clique the ability to sabotage the negotiation process with unreasonable

demands, so that they could play politics.

The GTU leadership are at risk of losing their ability to dictate which of their like-minded teacher-friends get the duty-free concessions. They will also lose the ability to discriminate against those who refuse to follow their anti-Government lead.

Many rank-and-file members have expressed their loss of confidence in

the union’s leadership. They are of the view that these officials are no longer working in their interest, but they are busy furthering the political agenda of the Opposition.

Over the next few days, we can look forward to attempts to thwart any direct engagement between President Ali and the nation’s teachers.

Yours truly, Alvin

Hamilton

Nationalisation of oil and gas industry ill-advised

Dear Editor,

Dark memories of the nationalisation of the sugar industry were commented upon by a writer comparing Booker’s Guyana with Exxon and the oil and gas sector, suggesting the latter's expropriation.

The suggestion of nationalisation of oil and gas is fraught with danger to the economy. The writer stated that Booker’s dominated Guyana’s economy through the sugar industry, resulting in the late dictator Forbes Burnham expropriating the multinational interests in Guyana in 1976. Is he advising or suggesting the nationalisation of the oil and gas industry using bullying tactics of the late dictator Forbes Burnham? We know how that went, and the consequences to Guyana – collapse of the economy and sanctions from Western countries.

For those who may be too young to know, Booker’s, as the British conglomerate was commonly known, operated the sugar industry in what was then British Guiana, continuing after independence in 1966. The sugar baron owned the estates and five Booker Line ships, in support of sugar exports as well as other business. It also owned estates in Guyana, Jamaica, and other territories.

Comparing the Booker’s dominance of Guyana to Exxon, the writer insinuates that the oil giant is able to do whatever it wants in the country, with the Government having no checks and balances and/or interest in keeping them in line within the law.

Exxon has largely operated within the law, and has no control over the judicial, legislative, and executive institu-

tions. Its actions have received Government approval.

With reference to Booker’s, the writer said Burnham “was intent on showing them who was boss, and so he decided initially not to nationalize them, but to instead impose a sugar levy which he announced in his New Year message in 1974.”

Notwithstanding the factual inaccuracy in the statement – the company was indeed nationalised – he admitted that this was a major economic (and political) blunder. He stated that “just about 10 years after nationalization, the Guyana sugar exports dropped from almost 300,000 tons per year to about half that amount…” So, by his own admission, nationalisation did not work out well.

Similarly, nationalisation of the bauxite industry led to the decline of production to half after a few years. And the same happened in the rice industry when Government went into cultivation and production. The private sector outpaced the Government in yield per acre in both sectors.

Nationalisation of sugar and other industries presented major challenges, because finding locals with the skills and knowledge of the said industry at the time was a tall order. One can only imagine, then, the dire consequences of nationalising the oil companies in Guyana – production would most certainly drop to zero overnight. Just look at neighbouring Venezuela, that produces a mere tenth of what it once did in the 1990s. And the Venezuelans have much more experience with oil than Guyanese.

Vieira made some bizarre statements. He penned: “Bookers owned significant as-

sets in Guyana, while Exxon owns not even one square inch of land or property…So when Exxon decides to leave Guyana, there will not be one square inch of fixed assets which we can seize in case they don’t keep their guarantees to us.”

That comment is not accurate, as Exxon has assets worth tens, if not hundreds, of millions in American dollars operating in Guyana’s jurisdiction.

But why this obsession with seizing foreign-owned assets in Guyana, as Burnham did “to show them who is boss”? Is he (inadvertently) advocating for Exxon to buy up lands and real estate at a time when assets are beyond the affordability of Guyanese? If Exxon acquires these assets, as he suggests, with its spending power, who will benefit the most? Won’t Guyanese be priced out of the market?

He noted that Bookers owned a multitude of ‘side companies’, which allowed them to buy all their raw material, products and services from themselves at an exor-

bitant cost to Guyana. Exxon has not been accused of operating in such crooked ways. News reports stated that Exxon contracts other companies – firms that have no connection to them – for supplies, services, and the like. These include drillers, vessel builders, caterers, transportation providers, and shore base services from local business operators such as the Guyana Shore Base Inc., and more recently the Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base that is being constructed.

Ensuring companies adhere to the laws of the land is a function of effective governance. We can all agree that this must be the environment in which all oil companies are made to operate. The Government must also uphold and adhere to the law, and not violate contracts.

The tactics of seizing assets and nationalising companies to teach them a lesson must be confined to the garbage heap of history.

Yours truly,

Vishnu Bisram

In our September 12, 2023 edition, in a story titled “Faster action needed to achieve agri 25 by 2025 goal – Caricom Manager”, we inadvertently indicated that Caricom’s Programme Manager, Shaun Baugh spoke at a recent forum hosted by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) in Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). In fact, it was Caricom’s Assistant Secretary General, Joseph Cox , who is in charge of economic integration, innovation and development, that spoke at the event. Guyana Times apologises for this mix-up.

Mining in...

The respondents GGMC and GoG “have a duty to make reasonable efforts to ensure that such mining activities, though outside the titled land, do not affect interim rights and the value to the land of the applicants.”

There have also been issues of the Village Council not wanting to renew agreements because of allegations of breach of faith by the miner viz: Wayne Vieira and the Chinese Landing Village Council of Region One.

Issues of pollution of river and creek water used by villagers -- in the Kariako and other villages of the Barama River of Region 1, and in the Arau Village -- continually engaged the attention of the Minister of Amerindian Affairs and the MoAA, the GGMC, miners working with the affected villages to address the village concerns.

Recall the training of persons identified by several of the titled villages to

serve as Community Mine Rangers for their villages: a commendable effort on the part of the GGMC, as these Rangers were tasked with assisting in monitoring mining activities in their respective villages. Yes, there are social and economic issues associated with mining activities across Guyana. And while we must address these issues/concerns, the social costs must be weighed against the opportunity costs. In this regard, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs/the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission /the Environmental Protection Agency/the Amerindian Village Councils/the miners themselves all have an important role to play.

Sincerely,

Norman Whittaker

Former Advisor, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Former Minister of Local Government & Regional Development

Prime and Composite Numbers

By HugH Sam

White sailed schooners dreaming up the river, White winged seagulls curving in their pride, Blunt nosed timber barges threaded like a bracelet Strung behind a small tug struggling ‘gainst the tide. Brown flows the Demerara, mud brown and tea brown, Brown are the mud banks where the mangroves sprawl, Proud are the white sails, red sails, grey sails, From wing-tailed fishing boat to schooner tall.

In this fun and easy science experiment, we’re going to explore and investigate weather by learning about water in the air.

Materials:

Empty tin can with the label removed

Food colouring

Ice cubes

Water

Instructions: Fill the can with ice cubes.

Now add a drop of food colouring and then fill the rest of the can with water.

After five to ten minutes, water droplets will begin forming on the side of the can.

The drops are not coloured so they could not be leaking from the can.

How it works: Water vapor in the air around the can has been cooled by the ice. Air molecules slow down when they become cold and move closer together and change into liquid form.

Make this a science project: Try this experiment with hot water. Try this experiment with a glass jar. Try adding salt to the water. (sciencefun.org)

Kings of the river are the bauxite steamers, Down and up the river with the ebb and flow, Queens of the river are the grave white liners Anchored by the roadway with the town below.

Wide is the mouth of the brown Demerara, Gracious are the small ships winged for the breeze, Fishing ships and trade ships and passengers from far lands, Homing up the river or out across the seas.

WORD SEARCH

IMF lauds Guyana’s transparency with oil money

…says new laws, PSA will increase Guyana’s share of profits

Guyana’s management of the oil and gas sector and the transparency with which the country has been handling oil revenues have come in for plaudits from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its concluding statement of its 2023 Article IV consultations.

According to the IMF team who met with Government officials and stakeholders during their visit to Guyana, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has made progress strengthening management and transparency in the oil sector. Reference was made to the Natural Resource Fund (NRF).

“The NRF Act, amended in 2021, enhanced transparency and accountability of the use of oil revenues. In 2022, the governance of the NRF was strengthened with the appointment of

three critical bodies: the NRF Board of Directors, the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee, and the Investment Committee.”

“The year 2022 was the first year when oil revenues were transferred from the NRF to the budget. The use of the funds is reported in the budget documents, and all receipts are published. The process continued with the 2023 budget,” the IMF team said.

The IMF further noted that progress has been made implementing the recommendations from the 2019 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) reports, notably on the reconciliation with the fiscal regime.

The EITI had allocated Guyana a score of 52 for implementing the 2019 standard, commending Guyana for the strides made to make information available and consult with

stakeholders, while also providing recommendations to further strengthen the system.

In its report, the EITI Board recommended, among other things, that Guyana ensure employment data as submitted by companies in the extractive sector are disaggregated by gender. They also recommended that Guyana ensure all legal or contractual mandates for companies to make social expenditures are disclosed, as well as the expenditures themselves.

It was further recommended that Guyana ensure both Government and companies in the extractive sector fully comply with all aspects of implementing the standard. This includes ensuring sufficient technical and financial resources.

Another recommendation, which EITI said is in accordance with Requirement 2.5, was for

Guyana to ensure that the beneficial ownership of all companies holding or applying for mining, oil and gas licences was comprehensively and reliably disclosed.

IMF support

The IMF also expressed support for Guyana’s efforts to address remaining gaps, including in moving towards electronic disclosure and adequate follow-up. It also referenced the updating of the 1986 Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, which was modernised and approved by Parliament in August 2023.

A key highlight of the new Act is cross-border unitisation. This empowers the subject Minister to consult with the Cabinet and engage in negotiations with neighbouring States regarding petroleum reservoirs that extend into their territories. The Act also mandates

licensees to apply for a geological storage licence for carbon dioxide. This allows licensees to explore potential carbon dioxide storage sites specified in their licences, develop underground storage facilities, and undertake operations incidental to carbon dioxide storage.

The legislation also prohibits Government officials, Members of Parliament, and their family members from acquiring or holding any legal, equitable, or beneficial interest in a petroleum licence granted under the new Act. This prohibition

is a crucial step towards preventing conflicts of interest and fostering a level playing field for all stakeholders.

According to the IMF, the new Act will enhance the regulation of the oil and gas industry, further paving the way for developing the industry. It was also noted that a new Profit-Sharing Agreement (PSA) was implemented and according to the team, will be used for the auction of the 14 new oil and gas blocks, which just came to an end, and increase the Government’s share of oil profits. (G3)

Govt takes action to correct salary disparities for teachers

Salary disparities for teachers who were being paid below their minimum salary scales are now being corrected as a Finance Ministry circular has come to light mandating these salary adjustments take effect from next month.

According to the circular dated September 12, 2023, the Government has approved salary adjustments for teachers who were being paid below their minimum applicable scale.

Now, salaries for eligible teachers and workers holding specified positions in the education sector will be raised to meet the minimum of the current scale. These adjustments, according to the Ministry, will take effect from October 1, 2023. Additionally, the Government has approved the one-off payment of arrears for eligible teachers for the period September 1, 2020 to September 30, 2023.

It was explained that the Accountant General Department will come up with the list of eligible employees for salary adjustments, which would be forwarded to the agencies by October 4, 2023. Budget agencies, according to the Ministry, will meet these expenses from their 2023 budget allocations.

“The agencies will be required to confirm the eligibility of employees for the salary adjustment and return the verified list to the Ministry of Finance by close of business on October 9, 2023… this revision in salaries is payable to the specified education sector workers who are employed as at October 2023 payroll.

“Payments must be processed in accordance with the Ministry of Finance pay dates for 2023 to ensure that arrears payments are paid on the October payroll. The heads of budget agencies should bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all relevant personnel in your organisation and ensure that the full and correct payments are made.”

It was explained by the Ministry that each budget agency head would be responsible for ensuring that all payments are made in line with the adjustments, accurately calculated and deadlines are met.

Coming out of a press conference last Saturday, President Dr Irfaan Ali had said that his office would be leading consultations for salary increases and benefits for teachers. Additionally, it was announced that consultations will commence when the President returns from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which is slated to be held between September 18 and September 26, 2023.

President Ali had further noted that the con-

sultations would provide an overall insight into the needs of teachers, not just salary bumps. He had assured that the aim is to look at all issues affecting educators and solutions to strengthen the sector.

In January, it was reported that money has been set aside to cater to teachers in the National Budget 2023. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had pointed out that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has increased wages and salaries by almost $11 billion more in just their third year in office than what the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) provided between 2015 and 2019. Additionally, the Vice President emphasised that providing benefits to the people was about more than money, it was about creating sustainable development.

In May, the VP posited that the Government was committed to addressing the anomalies in teachers’ salary scales, as was done for those in healthcare and the Joint Services. He further noted that those teachers who are advanc-

ing themselves academically will be adequately compensated.

Last November, the Government announced an eight per cent salary increase for all public servants, retroactive to January 1, 2022. These included teachers,

as well as members of the Disciplined Services, constitutional office holders, and Government pensioners.

Some 8000 members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Fire Service (GFS), and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) benefited from the salary in-

creases that amounted to more than $1 billion.

Then in December, the Head of State subsequently announced another $1.5 billion in salary increases for over 5000 healthcare workers ranging from 36.4 per cent to as much as 74.7 per cent. (G3)

The Finance Ministry

Linden farmer jailed for 7 years for killing couple

Berbice), was initially charged with the murders of Imogene Gordon, 49, and her boyfriend Royston John, 43, which took place on March 18, 2020, at the woman’s home.

At his arraignment at the Demerara High Court on July 17, Usher, upon consulting with his Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed, opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.

Tightening…

…Middle East relationships

Afarmer who admitted to killing his former reputed wife and her new partner was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on Wednesday by Justice Navindra Singh.

Fifty-one-year-old Maxwell Usher, formerly of Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-

In sentencing the confessed killer, Justice Singh commenced at a starting point of 24 years per deceased and went on to make deductions for mitigating factors and the early guilty pleas.

In the end, Usher was sentenced to seven years in prison on each of the two counts, and the sentences are to run concurrently. The Prison Service was ordered to credit him for time spent on remand. State Counsel Caressa Henry

prosecuted this matter.

The bodies of Gordon, of Lot 177 Prosville, Wismar, Linden, and John, of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), were discovered about 21:00h on March 18, 2020, at the woman’s home with multiple stab wounds after Police were summoned to the scene.

John was reportedly discovered lying on his back at the door of the lower flat of the incomplete two-storey building while Gordon was discovered lying face down in the lower flat.

Post-mortem examinations conducted on the bodies of the two revealed that they died as a result of multiple incise wounds which included cuts and stabs.

Police, who were summoned to the scene, had discovered a knife some six feet away from Gordon’s body. On the day in question, a neighbour had recalled hearing Gordon screaming prior to the bodies being discovered while indicating that calls to her cell phone went unanswered.

The neighbour then called the Wisroc Police Outpost and lodged a report.

Usher was arrested a day after the killings.

Guyana Times was informed that Gordon and Usher had shared a common-law union and that she had taken out a protection order against him.

As such, he was prohibited from occupying his own home, because Gordon was still residing there.

On the fatal day, he had reportedly gone to the premises to visit his farm, which is located on a plot of land at the back of his home, but John, who was at the time visiting Gordon, told him that he could not enter the yard. As such, Usher and John had a heated exchange of words which led to a scuffle.

Upon seeing this, Gordon reportedly rushed outside with a knife which she gave to John. Gordon and John reportedly teamed up and attacked Usher, who managed to disarm John. He then stabbed Gordon and her new partner.

Information revealed that about a week prior to her demise, Gordon had filed a Police complaint against Usher after he had threatened to chop off her hands and feet.

He was subsequently arrested and charged in connection with these allegations and was later jailed for six months and placed on a bond to keep the peace after pleading guilty. (G1)

With us receiving a stream of visitors and delegations from the Middle East – the latest being the Emir of Qatar - after years of courting relations with those oil-rich sheikdoms, it seems to be paying off!! Is it because we’ve now joined their exclusive oil-rich club?? Should we think about becoming a “sheikdom”, to further deepening our ties?? Maybe that’s why Pres Ali donned that red and white Ghutra –the traditional Arab headdress - when that Saudi Arabian delegation visited?

There were some snide remarks made then about “cultural appropriation” and such like – but what do those cynics say now that the Emir arrived in full western regalia?? The man was impeccably outfitted in a clearly bespoke suit straight outta Saville Row!! Was he culturally appropriating?? See?? We still have that colonial mentality where we see the western garb as “normal” and others as “ethnic” or “native”!! Hence “appropriation”. Anyhow, now that we’ve signed a MOU for increased relations, and may even have a diplomatic presence, we might finally be on the way to becoming the new “Dubai”, as so many are hoping. Success by access??

Now, your Eyewitness remembers Pres Ali visiting that cow farm in Qatar back in May, and he hopes the Sheik was taken for a look-see at how we’ve started implementing what we learnt. We’re supposed to be fulfilling our 25by25 commitment to Caricom, no? This is what your Eyewitness had written in case you forgot: “The Qatari farm was born out of necessity – but it shows what can be done when a country has money and political will. Which Guyana luckily possesses right now under the PPP. If it were the PNC, that’d be another story! Just SIX years ago, tiny Qatar and its 2.7 million people were importing most of their food from Saudi Arabia and surrounding Arab countries, like UAE. In that year, those countries imposed sanctions on Qatar after they accused the latter of supporting Islamic terrorism against them. So, what did Qatar do?? Went elsewhere, like Türkiye. But, more importantly, started trying to feed themselves.

They launched Baladna Farms outside their capital of Doha the same year - 2017 - on 240 hectares of desert. They constructed facilities to handle 24,000 cows –starting with 4000 that were flown in from Europe and Australia etc. So how do cows – which don’t perspire well - survive at 40°+ Celsius, which is equal to our 104° Fahrenheit?? Well, how about huge enclosed barns that have artesian wells, enabling the cows to be sprayed with water periodically and cool them down?? And feed?? Hay and other feedstock are supplied automatically to the cows that are in stalls.”

Like the Middle East, we gotta prepare for a life after oil!!

…climate resilience?

Your Eyewitness knows that you, Dear Reader, might think he’s becoming a tad obsessive about the richer countries doing something about global warming and its attendant climate change. But the eight devastating floods that unfolded on four continents in the first 11 days of this month focused his mind wonderfully – and makes him unrepentant!! Before Mediterranean storm Daniel sent floodwaters surging through Eastern Libya – taking 10,000 lives and counting! – there was inundation of parts of central Greece, northwestern Turkiye, southern Brazil, central and coastal Spain, southern China, Hong Kong and the southwestern U.S.!!

The bottom line is that, as more water vapour gets evaporated into the atmosphere because of the warmer conditions caused by the increased carbon dioxide - it becomes fuel for more powerful storms to develop!! Yet G20 – the group containing most of the countries that caused global warming in the first place – and those who’s doing their darndest to match them – have failed to commit meaningfully to reversing course.

It was straight ahead, Titanic!!

…traffic regs?

With the road carnage showing no sign of abating –and every sign of increasing – the Po-lice have resorted to their usual tactic: pulling more drivers over!! But all this does is to increase that take for the corrupt cops!!

Jailed: Maxwell Usher

Dead: Imogene Gordon Dead: Royston John

Conversation Tree road

T&T company retains contract amid warnings against delayed works

Tree to Dennis Street, Georgetown, Kalco Guyana Inc has since engaged with the Public Works Ministry and moved to being a performing contractor.

Guyanese company S Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc and Trinidadian-owned Kalco Guyana Inc were awarded the contract for the $1.8 billion road widening project.

Following concerns of their non-performance with the road widening project from Conversation

With Kalco being significantly behind schedule, they were asked to submit a revised work plan detailing how they can finish within the stipulated deadline of November 5.

During a site visit of the project in July, Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill had observed that though 65 per cent of the contract time

had elapsed, only 25 per cent of the work was completed. While S Jagmohan was making progress, Edghill had warned of a possible con-

tract termination between the ministry and Kalco given their lack of development on the project.

Following this, however,

Edghill on Tuesday told reporters that the Trinidadian company has now moved to being a performing contractor.

“The principals of Kalco came, we engaged with them and we made certain agreements. They have engaged Guyanese subcontractors to do specific aspects of the work so that there will be multiple things being done at the same time to move the project along,” Edghill said.

“What we’ve basically done is taken their revised work programme, in keeping with the suggestions that they’ve made with how they would move from being a non-performing contractor on that project into delivering it. They have asked to be removed from being non-performing to performing and they have shown how they intend to do that,” Edghill said.

The Public Works Minister clarified that the Ministry has made it clear that the company is to execute the project in keeping with the clauses of their signed contract.

“Work is apace. My engineers who are supervising the project have indicated that maybe about 90 per cent-plus of what [Kalco] said they will do, they are doing. They had to bring in additional resources from Trinidad in terms of personnel, they had to hire more people here in Guyana, put additional equipment onsite–things like that have happened,” Edghill said.

This project involves the construction of a four-lane carriageway from the East Coast Highway to Delhi Street and a double-lane carriageway on the reserve west of Delhi Street for northbound traffic.

It also involves concrete revetments between the East Coast Demerara Highway and Railway Embankment, concrete drains on both sides of the proposed roadway between the Railway Embankment and Delhi Street, and construction of two large concrete bridges to establish a connection to Dennis Street.

During the project launch last year, Edghill had emphasised that it formed part of the Government’s plan to provide alternative routes to persons entering and leaving Georgetown.

While Lot 8A of the project is being executed by S Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc at $1.066 billion, Lot 8B was awarded to Kalco at $830 million.

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill

Conversation Tree Road, Georgetown, which is part of the delayed works

“We are very happy with 8 bids received for oil blocks” – Pres Ali

…says Guyana went to auction at challenging time for oil producers

The Guyana Government is satisfied with the response received from the just-concluded oil blocks auction which saw bids submitted for eight of the 14 remaining blocks offshore Guyana.

This is according to President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday during an appearance at an event hosted by The Dialogue in Washington, DC.

Launched in December 2022 with 14 blocks offshore Guyana, the auction closed off on Tuesday after being extended twice as Government worked on improving the petroleum sector’s regulatory framework before potential investors put in their final bids.

At the time of the closure, there were bids from six bidders for eight of the 14 oil blocks.

During the event on Wednesday, President Ali was questioned about the outcome of the auction which he described as a tremendous accomplishment.

“We went out to an auction at a time when major economies in the world are basically saying to oil producers, ‘we’re not gonna finance you’. So, you’re going to a market where raising capital is an issue. Many countries went to the same market and got no response for their auction. We went to this market with 14 blocks and we got response for eight blocks. We’re very happy… That is significant. That cannot be minimised in any way, shape or form because there are many countries that went out and got no attraction,” the Head of State posited.

Over the years, several

of Guyana’s close bilateral partners have expressed interest in obtaining oil blocks here. However, there were no bids from any country.

Asked about this, the Head of State said that he was not disappointed, and noted that there were still avenues for collaboration with these nations in the oil and gas sector here.

“There are many countries that would’ve expressed a preference for Government-to-Government exploration and relation on this issue… that option is also there,” he stated.

Among the countries that have expressed a willingness to work at a Governmentto-Government level were India, Qatar and more recently, the Dominican Republic.

President Ali explained that before entering such an arrangement, his Administration wanted to ensure there was transparency is the award of the remaining oil blocks.

“What we said is first of all, we must put all the blocks out there and have an open, transparent public process, and that is what we’re proud of. We’re have been able as a newcomer in this business to demonstrate great transparency and openness in putting out the blocks for a public auction. And what we’ve seen is a number of major companies if you look at the consortiums,” the Guyanese Leader stated.

The 14 oil blocks that were up for tender included 11 in the shallow area and three in the deep-sea area, ranging from 1000 to 3000 square kilometres (sq km).

It is expected that the awarding of the new oil

blocks will be done by the end of this year.

US oil major ExxonMobil, which is already producing oil offshore Guyana, is one of the six oil companies that submitted bids for the blocks. The other companies are SISPRO INC (Guyana); Total Energies EP Guyana BV; Qatar Energy International E&P LLC; Petronas E&P Overseas Ventures SDN BHD (Malaysia); Delcorp Inc Guyana and Watad Energy and Arabian Drillers of Saudi Arabia; Liberty Petroleum Corporation of the US and Ghana-based Cybele Energy Limited; International Group Investment Inc and Montego Energy SA (London).

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had previously stated that when the auction wrapped up, evaluations and negotiations would follow before the blocks could be awarded. The Vice President had previously indicated that there were several areas offshore that were not

put up to be auctioned off in the current exercise.

Under new conditions, Guyana stands to benefit from signature bonuses as high as US$20 million for the deep-water blocks and US$10 million for the shallow-water blocks. Additionally, all future Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) will also include the retention of the 50-50 profit-sharing after cost recovery; the increase of the royalty from a mere two per cent to a 10 per cent fixed rate; the imposition of a 10 per cent corporate tax, and the lowering of the cost re-

covery ceiling to 65 per cent from 75 per cent.

Guyana, with ExxonMobil as the operator, began producing oil on December 20, 2019, in the Stabroek Block, which is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres).

Exxon, through its local subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), holds 45 per cent interest in the block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the

remaining 25 per cent interest.

Since last year, Guyana has been recording weekly lifts in the Stabroek Block with oil production now at 340,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the <<<Liza Destiny>>> and <<<Liza Unity>>> Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels. With EEPGL making weekly lifts, Guyana’s crude entitlement of one million barrels occurs monthly from the two FPSOs.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027. Production has already started in the second phase, with the <<<Liza Unity>>> FPSO vessel in operation.

The third project – the Payara development – will target an estimated resource base of about 600 million oil-equivalent barrels, and was at one point considered to be the largest single planned investment in the history of Guyana.

Meanwhile, the Yellowtail development, which will be oil giant ExxonMobil’s fourth development in Guyana’s waters, will target a mammoth 250,000 bpd. (G8)

President Dr Irfaan Ali at The Dialogue in Washington, DC

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police kill suspected bandit in Berbice shootout

…after security duct-taped as Region 6 RDC robbed of millions

B y A ndrew C A rmi C he A l

Asuspected bandit is now dead after a shootout with Police in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 13.

That shootout follows a robbery that occurred at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) building at Vryman’s Erven in New Amsterdam, Berbice at about 03:10hrs on that Wednesday.

Suresh Sooknanan, a 60-year -old security guard, told investigators that he was on duty at the RDC guard hut situated at the back of the main administrative building while three other security guards were on duty at other locations within the compound in the wee hours of Wednesday.

According to Sooknanan, some four men scaled the fence behind the building and dealt him a lash to his forehead with an object, causing him to receive injuries. He said his hands were then tied behind his back, and duct tape was placed over his mouth to silence him.

Sooknanan said nothing was taken from him, but he was left in the guard hut while the men disappeared. He told investigators that he made his way to the front, where he informed other security guards, who untied him and reported the matter to the Police.

reported missing.

Millions

Regional Chairman David Armogan has since said that accountants are checking to determine how much cash was stolen. However, he noted that there was money inside the department for payment to about 1000 Government part-time workers, who are paid $40,000 per month. This amounted to $40 million. "We have to await the findings of the Police to know how much money was lost, because the accountants are now working on that. They didn’t carry away all of the suitcases. Apparently, there was some money in another room, and they did not trouble that, but we don’t know how much money was

“It is obvious that the security system that we have here, with one stationary guard at the back, two at the front gate somewhere else in the compound, with no arms, that is insufficient. It is insufficient to deal with a set of men coming in with arms,” he said.

Injured security guard Suresh Sooknanan has been taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital for medical attention.

According to the Police, several surveillance cameras around the building will be viewed as investigations continue.

Previous robberies

In April of this year, bandits had escaped with $1.4M in cash after breaking into the Ordnance Fort Lands- Number 38 NDC

Shootout

On Wednesday afternoon, Police came into contact with suspected bandits at Heathburn, East Bank Berbice, and a shootout resulted that left the suspected bandits dead, while two

the river, while the driver lay on the ground.

While fleeing the scene, the three suspects discharged several rounds at the Police.

The ranks gave chase, but the suspects managed to escape.

He was rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The driver has since been identified as Tarrique Pollard, called 'Tari', a 33-year-old taxi driver from Mahaicony, East Coast

The Police have said that on arrival at the building, checks were made and two windows to the Accounts Department were seen open.

Entry was seen to a door where access was gained into the building, and inside a room where an undisclosed amount of cash was kept. The room had an access door with reinforced grillwork; that was seen broken off, and an undisclosed amount of cash was

in each room,” Regional Chairman Armogan told the media.

He added, “We have cameras, but they had gloves. One of them was at the door with a gun, based on the camera,” he explained.

Armogan said the Police have advised that better security arrangements be put in place at the RDC building, especially when large sums of money would be on the premises.

building. Most of the money was supposed to be paid to part-time workers. The bandits had also taken away $141,000 that had been property tax paid to the NDC.

On that occasion, the guard was held at gunpoint while the bandits had hammered their way through a grilled building. Central Government had subsequently reimbursed the money for the workers to be paid.

were subsequently arrested.

At about midday on Wednesday, ranks from the Central Police Station, acting on information received in relation to the RDC robbery, were going to Heathburn Village in East Berbice when they received information that motor vehicle PSS 3448 was proceeding north on the Heathburn Public Road. The ranks signalled the driver to stop, and he pulled to the western corner of the road and stopped. However, as the ranks were approaching the vehicle, the occupants therein shot at the Police and the vehicle sped off.

However, a rank returned fire in the direction of the fleeing vehicle, in which five occupants had been observed, and suddenly the vehicle stopped about eight hundred metres away. Police ranks gave chase, but before they reached the suspicious motorcar, they observed four persons exiting, three of whom ran to the western side of the road towards

Gunshots

According to eyewitness Roxanne Ward, she heard the sound of gunshots, and when she looked out, she saw three Police officers running towards the bush.

“I saw a black wagon car parked, and then the Police vehicle pulled up behind and a Police dismounted the vehicle and started running and he was shooting…Another Police vehicle came with three more Policemen and they all went into the yard over there, running behind whoever, but I didn’t see how many men ran in there, because they would have been ahead of the others,” Ward detailed.

When the Police looked into the vehicle, they observed a male seated in the front passenger seat with his body tilted towards the driver's seat. He had what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the back of his head, and there was blood on the floor of the vehicle. He was picked up, and a handgun was found next to the gear stick.

Demerara. He is presently in custody, assisting with the investigation.

As Police continued to comb the area, another suspect was captured and taken into custody to assist with the ongoing investigations.

Police have since identified him as Lawrence Van Lewyn, who has had several brushes with the law. He was slated to appear in a court in Berbice on Wednesday in relation to another armed robbery charge.

Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Van Lewyn in relation to a robbery committed in December 2022 at Sheet Anchor, East Canje.

The motor vehicle PSS 3448 is presently lodged at the Central Police Station, with the suspected firearm along with knives and a cutlass found in the vehicle.

This publication understands that several persons working at the RDC have since been taken into custody as the investigation continues.

Region Six Chairman David Armogan

The car in which the suspected bandit was shot and killed

The security hut where the guard was stationed, and the windows of the Accounts Department of the RDC building that were seen open

Police in search of some of the men who escaped from the car

Health care in Shulinab to be improved with new $7M doctors’ quarters

A$7 million newly constructed doctors’ quarters was commissioned on Saturday in the compound of the Shulinab Health Centre at Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), providing a home to doctors who travel to offer medical services to residents of Shulinab and contiguous areas.

This new facility forms part of the Government’s commitment to improve service delivery and access to healthcare across Guyana.

Labourer, driver get bail on separate rape charges

Rowel Reynolds, also known as "Gully", a 29-year-old labourer of Lima Sands, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was on Monday arraigned before Charity Magistrate Esther Sam on a charge alleging that he had sexually assaulted a female child in 2013. He has not been required to plead to the indictable charge.

On December 4, 2013, he had been placed on bail in the sum of $150,000 with the requirement that he keeps a 100-foot distance from the virtual complainant (VC) and refrain from contacting her or her family.

This matter will be called again on September 29 at the Anna Regina Magistrate's Court.

Meanwhile, in a separate matter, Selvin Singh, a 52-year-old driver of Lot 8 Zorg En Vlyght, Essequibo

Coast, has been arraigned before Magistrate Sam on Monday on a charge alleging he had raped a woman between May 31, 2022 and June 7, 2022.

This accused was also not required to enter a plea, and has also been placed on $150,000 bail. Like

Reynolds, Singh has also been ordered to stay 100 feet away from the VC, and not to make any contact with her or her family. This case has also been adjourned until September 29.

Both men face the prospect of imprisonment for life, the maximum sentence if convicted of rape. (G1)

During the commissioning ceremony, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony declared that with good working and living conditions within the hinterland communities, it will be easier to retain doctors and other healthcare workers who have moved to the area.

Shulinab Village is set to be further improved, with Regional Health Officer Dr. Cerdel McWatt disclosing plans to develop a seven-quarter staff complex alongside a Cottage Hospital for the community.

Meanwhile, in efforts to further improve access to care in these areas, Dr. Anthony noted, the Ministry is working closely with the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) to establish internet connectivity across the hinterland regions.

"We've been working closely with the NDMA, that's under the Prime Minister's Office, and they will be giving us 50 sites for the interior of Guyana to upgrade the connectivity,” Anthony said.

This can encourage the establishment of telemedicine sites that aim to bridge the gap between the hinterland and the coastland by allowing medical personnel in the hinterland to get real-time assis-

tance from those working in Georgetown.

These sites typically include a computer connected to the internet via satellite technology, a digital stethoscope, a pulse oximeter, an infrared thermometer, a blood pressure monitor, mobile ultrasonography, exam cameras and other equip-

ment.

Among those present at the commissioning of the Doctors’ Quarters were Indigenous Hinterland Coordinator Michael Gouveia; Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock; and Coordinator of the Pharmacy Assistants Programme, Sunil Singh.

Rape accused Rowel Reynolds Rape accused Selvin Singh

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

Newly-commissioned doctors’ quarters in Shulinab, Region Nine

AG offers recommendations to new City Council to get accounts in order

…council urged to consider outsourcing work on asset register

Months after Local Government Elections (LGE) 2023 and with a new Mayor in town, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has been given recommendations by Auditor General Deodat Sharma on the way forward to get its accounts in order.

For years, concerns have been raised by Auditor General Sharma about the lack of financial accountability at City Hall. In an interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday, the Auditor General revealed that he recently met with the new Mayor, Alfred Mentore, and his finance team.

During that meeting, Sharma explained that he gave City Hall a way forward to settle its accounts, which they will present to the Council and return with feedback to the Audit

Office.

“They’re taking it back to the Council. The Mayor himself was there. And the Chairman of the Finance Committee. So, we’ll explore different areas that they could look into, including I’ve advised them maybe they need to contract out: the idea of somebody coming in and doing

the asset register, etc.”

The Auditor General noted that at present, the City Council’s accounts carry a disclaimer. He explained that guidance was given to the City Council on the steps it needed to take to address this.

“One of them is they need to get their asset register. And I’ve advised

them that come the end of the year, what they intend to do. They need to do a stock count, cash count, a new financial statement so we can prepare that financial statement,” the Auditor General said.

“At present the City Council carries a disclaimer account. And some of the drafts for (previous) years are still a disclaimer. So, unless you fix those items, one of the major ones is the asset register. So, if you don’t have a proper asset register, you will continue to get a disclaimer.”

For consecutive years, Auditor General Sharma has repeatedly flayed City Hall for not submitting financial statements and documents necessary to fully audit the Council’s books. In fact, City Council did not submit financial statements to the Audit Office for 2006, 2008 to 2011, 2017 and

2020, making it impossible to effectively edit the millions of public funds that have passed through the Council’s hands.

In addition, a Special Audit Report of the Auditor General for the years 2019 and 2020, sent in April 2022 to Town Clerk Candace Nelson had stated “Financial statements were submitted for the year 2018 and 2019. However, they were subsequently returned to M&CC on 27 August 2021 for non-compliance with International Accounting Standards.”

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh had provided a breakdown of the financial support provided by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government to support the citizens of Georgetown.

During the period 2020 to 2022, the Government expended over $6 billion to construct and rehabilitate roads in Georgetown. Between 2020 and 2022, the Government expended $155 million to reconstruct and rehabilitate bridges, $1 billion to enhance the old Railway Embankment, $1.6 billion on enhancement works along Independence Boulevard, Cemetery Road, and internal roads, Albouystown, Georgetown; and $250 million on enhancement works along Kingston Seawall. Between 2021 and 2022, the Administration also expended $678 million to operate and maintain the main drainage system in the municipality and $600 million to upgrade the water transmission lines in Georgetown. It also stood the cost of $510 million for solid waste management.

(G3)

Guyanese woman shot dead in T&T; husband wounded

Police in the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

are actively investigating a tragic shooting incident that resulted in the death of

a Guyanese woman, identified as Seema Lilman, and critical injury to her com-

mon-law husband Rajesh Bridgelal.

The incident occurred on Tuesday morning along the 31/4 MM Penal Rock Road, and authorities are working diligently to uncover a possible motive.

According to reports out of the twin island republic, eyewitnesses reported observing two Spanish speaking men leaving the scene after the shooting. While robbery is considered a potential motive, as the couple had reportedly visited a bar where they won some money on gaming machines, no conclusive evidence has yet been found.

Some residents of the area are hesitant to speak with Trinidadian authorities due to concerns for their safety, highlighting

the unsettling impact this incident has had on the community.

One anonymous woman shared that her 12-year-old daughter was traumatised after hearing the gunshots in what is typically a quiet neighbourhood.

It was reported that the couple had been returning home from the wake of a family friend and schoolteacher when the tragedy occurred. It was reported that a white Nissan AD Wagon collided headon with their dark green Mazda 323 just a short distance from their rented home.

Gunmen from the white car opened fire on the couple before fleeing in a silver Nissan Note which had

been waiting nearby.

The Police arrived at the scene after receiving reports of gunshots. They discovered that the registration plate on the AD Wagon (PDD 1597) was falsified. Both vehicles involved in the collision sustained damage, with the Mazda (PBS 5840) showing signs of bullet holes in its front, and a shattered windshield. Lilman, was found dead in the left front passenger seat of the Mazda, her body bearing gunshot wounds.

A resident who was awakened by the sound of gunfire detailed seeing two men of Hispanic descent entering the Nissan Note, which drove away. He provided details about their appearance, noting that they were both unmasked.

Bridgelal, who suffered gunshot wounds to his face and body, was found staggering along the road shortly after the assailants had fled. He was assisted by a resident, but lost consciousness soon after sharing that he had been attacked and his wife shot.

Crime scene investigators in Trinidad and Tobago have said they collected several 5.56 shell casings, and a district medical officer pronounced Lilman dead at the scene. Her body was subsequently taken to the San Fernando General Hospital mortuary to await a post-mortem examination at the Forensic Science Centre in Port of Spain. (G9)

Auditor General Deodat Sharma (left) and Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore

Seema Lilman and her husband Rajesh Bridgelal

Suspect arrested over fire at TikTok personality’s home

A33-year-old individual has been arrested in connection with a fire that occurred last Saturday at Lot 79 Mosquito Hall, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.

That fire had tragically destroyed the residence of well-known TikTok personality Kubram Ramlall, also known as 'Rakah,' a 49-year-old male, along with the adjacent one-storey wooden home of his mother Shirley Pitamber.

Following extensive investigations, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has determined that that fire was an act of arson.

After that incident, the TikTok personality had taken to social media to express profound sadness over the loss of his home. He recounted seeing the alleged suspect approaching his residence with what appeared to be a container of liquid just before the fire erupted.

Shortly thereafter, his home was engulfed in flames, and the suspect was observed fleeing the scene.

The Fire Service has re-

ported that the incident occurred at 23:45h, with the two-storey wooden building having been occupied solely by Ramlall at the time it was intentionally set on fire. The flames subsequently spread to a nearby one-storey wooden house within the same premises and quickly consumed it. This forced the mother of the TikTok personality and another occupant to seek alternative accommodation.

Despite the swift response of fire tenders from the Mahaica Fire Station, the firefighters were unable to salvage the burning structures.

This fire was among four cases of suspected arson that occurred last weekend, leaving several individuals homeless along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and in the mining town of Linden.

Fire officials reported another act of arson at Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden, where an abandoned building was set alight. It was disclosed that the owner of the building had passed away sever-

al years ago, and over time, the property had become a frequent gathering place for individuals.

Further, Division 10 ranks have launched an investigation into the fire that severely damaged the first floor of another building.

In a separate incident, the GFS reported that a fire occurred at Mon Repos Squatting Area, ECD, at around 04:19h on Sunday. This fire, believed to be an act of arson, destroyed a one-flat wooden building, leaving its owner Kevin Mohamed displaced.

These fires occurred less than 24 hours after another house in Mon Repos, ECD, was destroyed. At that time, the house was occupied by Haemattie Mangal and her two sons.

These tragic incidents

add to the growing number of fires in 2023, with Fire

Chief Gregory Wickham revealing that the Guyana

Fire Service has responded to 1,347 fires, nearly double the previous year's figure of 771.

For this year so far, 42 lives have been lost in these fires, including 20 children in the Mahdia, Region Eight blaze. Wickham attributed most of these fires to malicious intent, negligence, and electrical issues.

2feared drowned in boat mishap

Two men are feared dead following a boat accident that occurred at Kurutuku Village in the Upper Cuyuni riverine community of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The missing persons are Kevin Musa, a 44-yearold miner of Pomeroon, and Alvin Jordan, a 41-year-old father of three of Fellowship/ Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara

Police have said the boat mishap occurred on Tuesday at about 18:20h. Investigations have so far revealed that Musa and six of his co-workers, including Jordan, were consuming alcohol at Kurutuku Village when they stopped a metal boat which was powered by a 75HP Yamaha engine and captained by Raul Jarvis, a 36-year-old resident of Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

They asked Jarvis for a drop to their mining camp, which is located about 20 minutes from Kurutuku Village, and he consented to their request. The boat was already transporting two passengers and 14 drums of fuel from Devil Hole Landing to San Martin Landing.

With Musa and his co-workers onboard, the boat set off again on its journey. Police said about ten minutes into their journey, the boat captain was navi-

gating a small rapid when the boat struck a rock, causing the vessel to take in water.

As a result, the occupants jumped out of the boat and swam to shore, leaving Musa and Jordan on a rock in the middle of the Cuyuni River.

Jordan and Musa were heard shouting for a few minutes before the shouting stopped. They are believed to have drowned.

An alarm was raised, and Police were notified. A search party was formed, which included Police and Army ranks, and the search is currently ongoing.

Only a week ago, Walter Da Silva Oliveira, a 49-yearold Brazilian mechanic, was reported missing after he disappeared during a river excursion. Reports are that the incident occurred at about 18:00h on Thursday last at the Suriname Landing in the Middle Mazaruni River.

According to reports from Police Headquarters, Oliveira had, on September 1, travelled from Kumung Kumung in the Puruni River to Suriname Landing in the Middle Mazaruni River, with his co-worker Gerson Alves DaSilva, to do some mechanical work for a woman named Francisca

Gonzales Leite. At about 17:40h on Thursday, Oliveira completed his work and borrowed Leite’s 15ft aluminum boat, which was powered by a 15-horsepower outboard engine, to take back some tools he had borrowed from a camp

about 10 minutes away along the Mazaruni River. At the time, he was the sole occupant of the boat.

An eyewitness at Suriname Landing said he heard a loud impact, and upon checking, he saw the boat “spinning” in the

river and a male shouting for help. An alarm was raised and checks were made in the area for the occupant, but he was not found. The matter was then reported to the Police. Investigations are still underway. ( G9)

The fire that destroyed the house at Mosquito Hall

Kubram Ramlall, the Tic Toker whose home was destroyed

Feared dead: Alvin Jordan

Regional Trials begin in Brazil for pro-Bolsonaro rioters who stormed capital

Brazilian judicial authorities have begun trials for those who stormed the country’s Government buildings on January 8 in the hope of prompting a coup, after former President Jair Bolsonaro was narrowly voted out of office.

Brazil’s Supreme Court Justices kicked off the process on Wednesday, hearing testimony from participants and weighing potential convictions.

“We have turned the page on the days of coups. Those who embrace the spurious idea that power can be won through violence and in violation of constitutional norms must respond for the resulting crimes,” Prosecutor Carlos Frederico Santos told the court.

The trials centre on the events of January 8, when thousands of Bolsonaro supporters amassed on the Three Powers Plaza in the capital Brasilia, breaking into the country’s Supreme Court, Congress and presi -

dential palace. The incident unfolded a week after Bolsonaro’s successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, had been sworn in as President.

The Government has since moved to hold those involved to account. Government officials have been fired in the aftermath, and investigations have been opened into pol -

Argentina inflation hits 124% as cost-of-living crisis sharpens

Argentina's annual inflation rate shot up to 124.4 per cent in August and hit its highest level since 1991, stoking a painful cost-of-living crisis in the South American country.

The soaring prices, which rose more than expected, are forcing hard-hit shoppers to run a daily gauntlet to find deals and cheaper options as price hikes leave big differences from one shop to the next, with scattered discounts to lure shoppers.

The August monthly inflation reading of 12.4 per cent – a figure that would be eye-watering even as an annual figure in most coun-

tries worldwide – is pushing poverty levels past 40 per cent and stoking anger.

"It's so hard. Each day things costs a little more, it's like always racing against the clock, searching and searching," said Laura Celiz as she shopped for groceries in Tapiales on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. "You buy whatever is cheaper in one place and go to the next place and buy something else."

Her husband, Fernando Cabrera, 59, was doing sums on a calculator to compare fruit and vegetable prices.

"In this way we try to beat inflation or at least

compete with it a little," he added.

A central bank analyst poll, released after the data, forecast inflation would end the year above 169 per cent, a sharp hike from its estimate a month earlier of 141 per cent. It predicted monthly inflation of 12 per cent in September and 9.1 per cent in October.

Argentina is caught in a cycle of economic crises, with a major loss of confidence in the peso driving steady depreciation, triple-digit inflation, negative central bank reserves and a flagging economy due to drought-hitting farming (Excerpt from Reuters)

iticians and on-the-ground participants.

The attack on Brasilia has drawn comparisons to the storming of the United States Capitol building by supporters of former President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021. That effort also aimed to roll back an electoral defeat.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Trinidad: 2 cops dead in apparent murder-suicide

The T&T Police Service was thrown into shock and mourning on Tuesday, after a Woman Police Constable killed a fellow Police Officer then turned the gun on herself in an apparent murder-suicide at her house in Chaguanas.

The dead officers were identified as WPC Josette Marshall and Corporal Dwight Skeete.

According to the head of Homicide South, Assistant Superintendent of Police Steve Persad, around 14:25h, Police received a report of a homicide at the corner of Opal and Kestral Boulevard at Edinburgh 500, a stone’s throw away from the Edinburgh 500 Government Primary

School. On arrival, Police discovered two bodies on the first floor of the two-storey house.

Officers believed that WPC Marshall, who worked at the Police Administration Building, Port-of-Spain, drew her personal 9mm firearm and fatally wounded Corporal Skeete, who worked at the Court and Process Branch in Port-of-Spain. She then turned the gun on herself. Skeete’s body was found in a bedroom while Marshall was found slumped in the corridor.

Police said further investigations would determine the cause of their deaths.

The deceased were said

State must compensate alleged rape victim, offer counselling for court delay

ATrinidad and Tobago High Court Judge has ordered the State to put mechanisms in place and allocate sufficient resources to ensure a rape trial is completed expeditiously.

Justice Avason QuinlanWilliams made the order as she declared that the failure to ensure criminal cases involving child victims were expeditiously concluded was a breach of their right to protection of the law.

to be in a relationship and

were involved in a domestic dispute at the time of the incident. However, Police did not reveal the nature of the dispute. Shocked relatives who were at the scene also did not speak with the media as they were overwhelmed by grief. They advised others to refrain from making any comments to the media.

A large crowd gathered outside the home of the deceased during the initial investigations into the incident.

In a news release hours afterwards, Commissioner of Police Erla HarewoodChristopher expressed deep sadness over the news of their deaths. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

After days of cabbie protests in Jamaica, unrest calms with intervention by MPs

After three days of protests by taxi operators in Westmoreland, Jamaica which disrupted the start of the school year, things are beginning to calm following the intervention by two Members of Parliament in the parish.

The taxi operators have been mounting road blocks along the Savanna-la-Mar to Grange Hill road since Monday in protest over poor

road conditions.

Communications Manager at the National Work Agency Stephen Shaw on Wednesday told the disgruntled cabbies that patching would be done in coming weeks.

Shaw said there was no money at present to fix that thoroughfare. However, work will be done under the J$40 billion Shared Prosperity through

Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network’ (SPARK) Programme that could commence next year.

"I understand the difficulty you guys are facing in terms of the roads. In the short term, we have some patching works we have actually procured in the section of Glasgow to Grange Hill," Shaw said.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Before the Judge was the constitutional claim of a rape victim who sued the State for the inordinate delay in treating sexual offences.

Sunday Newsday featured the victim’s story on May 8, 2022. Her constitutional claim called on the authorities to put mechanisms in place and allocate sufficient resources to ensure criminal matters can be concluded expeditiously.

“The criminal justice system is in crisis and the State has failed to put mechanisms in place and allocate sufficient resources to ensure that criminal mat-

Justice Avason Quinlan-Williams (Sureash Cholai photo)

ters can be concluded expeditiously,” the claim said.

This, she said, has caused her psychological harm. Her evidence in the civil matter said she cannot effectively receive treatment for the trauma caused by the attack until the case is concluded. She also said her alleged attacker was out on bail and she fears for her own safety.

“The law does not afford victims of crime the right

to be heard on case-management decisions. The law does not afford judicial officers to consider the rights of victims when making case-management decisions.

“The law does not provide victims of crime with any remedy for the failure of the courts to determine their cases expeditiously,” it said.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Emma Coronel: El Chapo

Guzmán's wife released from prison

Emma Coronel, the wife of jailed Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, has been released from jail in the US.

She pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and was sentenced to three years in jail in November 2021, a sentence which was later reduced.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed her release.

It is believed the 34-yearold left a halfway house in California, where she was moved from federal prison in June.

Her husband is serving a life sentence in a supermax

jail in Colorado.

Last month, he sent a handwritten letter requesting his wife and their two daughters be allowed to visit him in the maximum security prison.

El Chapo Guzmán, 66, was found guilty in 2019 of running the Sinaloa cartel.

The Mexico-based transnational criminal organisation is estimated by US law enforcement officials to have smuggled more than 1000 tonnes of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines and heroin into the US.

The cartel's hitmen kidnapped, tortured and killed members of rival gangs to

consolidate its power.

The Sinaloa cartel also bribed Police Officers and high-ranking politicians in Mexico and across Central America to turn a blind eye to drug shipments or even tip the cartel off about impending raids.

Emma Coronel first met Guzmán when she was 17 years old and competing in a local beauty pageant.

Her father, Inés Coronel, was a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa cartel who is currently serving a 10-year sentence in Mexico for drug smuggling. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro break into the Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia on January 8, 2023 [Eraldo Peres/AP photo]

Around The World OIL NEWS

Libya floods: 5300 dead amid calls for humanitarian support

Oil dips as surprise US crude stock build faces supply cuts

More than 5300 people are believed to have died after floods in the Libyan city of Derna, an official has said.

"The sea is constantly dumping dozens of bodies," Hisham Chkiouat, a minister in Libya's eastern administration said.

There have been desperate calls for more humanitarian support as victims lie wrapped in body bags and others have been buried in mass graves.

A tsunami-like river of floodwater swept through Derna on Sunday after a dam burst during Storm Daniel.

Rescue teams are digging through the rubble of collapsed buildings in the hope of finding survivors –

Oil prices edged lower on Wednesday, after earlier hitting a 10-month high, as a surprise build in US crude inventories offset expectations of tight crude supply for the rest of the year.

International benchmark Brent futures dipped 18 cents to settle at US$91.88 a barrel. Its session high of US$92.84 a barrel was the highest since November.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped 32 cents lower to US$88.52. Its session high of $89.64 a barrel was also the highest since November.

Front-month Brent futures contracts traded as high as US$4.90 a barrel above those for delivery six months further out, the widest spread since November, indicating tightening supply.

A lack of big price moves in recent weeks has cut Brent's historic or actual 30-day close-to-close futures volatility to its lowest since July 2021.

Prices gained despite Government data that showed US crude, gasoline and distillate inventories rose last week.

US crude inventories rose by four million barrels last week, confounding analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.9 million-barrel drop.

"US crude inventories have yielded a solid build despite refining activity increasing and Cushing, Oklahoma inventories dropping to their lowest level this year, due to much higher net imports," said Matt Smith, lead oil analyst for the Americas at Kpler.

Limiting price losses, Saudi Arabia and Russia have extended production cuts of 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude to the year end, which will lock in a substantial market deficit through the fourth quarter, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said.

The continuing supply cuts could lift Brent futures above the US$100 a barrel threshold before the end of the year, Bank of America analysts said.

US consumer prices rose in August by their most in more than a year, the Bureau of Labour Statistics said, driven by a 10.6 per cent increase in retail gasoline prices.

Excluding volatile food and energy components, the consumer price index rose by 0.3 per cent.

The US Energy Department has talked to oil producers and refiners to ensure stable fuel supplies at a time of rising gasoline prices, Jared Bernstein, head of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said on Wednesday.

Forecasters expect the European Central Bank to raise interest rates at its meeting today.

The IEA's fourth-quarter world crude oil demand growth forecast, meanwhile, was revised down by 600,000 bpd in what Investec analyst Callum Macpherson said was a significant adjustment.

"The deficit is now broadly equal to the Saudi additional voluntary cut," he said.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Tuesday stuck to its forecasts for robust growth in global oil demand in 2023 and 2024.

Four oil ports shut in by powerful storms in Libya reopened on Wednesday. (Reuters)

but hope is waning and the death toll is still expected to rise further.

Officials say at least 10,000 persons are missing, while 30,000 are estimated to have been displaced, the United Nations' International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Libya said on Wednesday.

Morgues and hospitals have been overwhelmed with bodies.

Libyan doctor Najib Tarhoni, who has been working in a hospital near Derna, said more help is needed.

"I have friends in the hospital here who have lost most of their families ... they've lost everyone," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One.

"We just need people who understand the situation – logistic help, dogs that can actually smell people and get them from under the ground. We just need the humanitarian help, people who actually know what they are doing."

There is also an urgent need for specialised forensic and rescue teams and others who specialise in recovering bodies, the head of the Libyan doctors' union Mohammed al-Ghoush told Turkish media.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Ukraine says Russian naval vessels badly damaged in Crimea attack

Ukraine said it seriously damaged two Russian naval vessels and struck port infrastructure in the Crimean city of Sevastopol early on Wednesday, in what appeared to be the biggest attack of the war on the home of the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet.

The strike on Crimea, seized and annexed by Russia in 2014, was confirmed by Moscow. It highlighted Kyiv's growing mis-

sile capabilities as Russia continues to bombard Ukraine from afar with longrange missiles and assault drones.

Ukrainian military intelligence official Andriy Yusov told Reuters that a large landing vessel and submarine had been hit in the strike, and later described the damage as "considerable" in televised comments.

"We can say now that it is highly likely (the vessels) are beyond repair," he said.

Mitt Romney to retire from US Senate after wild ride through Republican politics

US Senator Mitt Romney will not seek re-election in 2024, capping a roller-coaster ride through Republican politics from the height of his party's 2012 presidential nomination to the depths of tribal warfare in the age of Donald Trump.

Casting aside the hopes and appeals of colleagues, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, the 76-year-old Utah Republican said on Wednesday he would retire as a one-term senator when his term ends in early 2025, rather than seek another six years among a dwindling number of Republican moderates in Congress.

Romney stood out within his caucus as a rare critic of former President Trump, but his decision to retire effectively surrenders his Utah Senate seat to a successor who could be more closely aligned with Trump and the hardline conservative politics of the state's other US senator, fellow Republican Mike Lee.

Romney, nonetheless, said he believed it was time to go.

"At the end of another term I'd be in my mid80s. Frankly it's time for a new generation of leaders," Romney said in a video statement. "While I'm not running for reelection, I'm not retiring from the fight."

The son of a former Michigan Governor, auto industry executive and 1968 Republican presidential candidate, Romney became a multimillionaire in the private equity business and served as Massachusetts' Governor before mounting an unsuccessful challenge against President Barack Obama as the Republican party presidential nominee in 2012.

As a US senator since 2019, he has been an outspoken critic of Democratic President Joe Biden, but was willing to work with the White House and Democrats on issues, including infrastructure and gun control.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia's Defence Ministry said that Ukraine attacked a Black Sea naval shipyard with 10 cruise missiles and three uncrewed speedboats in the early hours, damaging two military vessels that had been undergoing repairs.

It said it downed seven of the incoming missiles and that the attack boats had been destroyed by a Russian patrol ship. It later said its two vessels would be fully repaired and return to service, contradicting Kyiv's account.

An image circulated online and verified by Reuters showed a docked vessel that had sustained serious damage.

Ukrainian military analyst Volodymyr Zablotsky told news outlet RBK Ukraina the damaged vessels were the "Minsk" Ropucha-class large landing ship and the "Rostovon-Don" Kilo-class attack submarine, which can carry Kalibr cruise missiles.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Kim Jong Un meets Putin in Russia as missiles launch from North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a rare summit on Wednesday at which they discussed military matters, the war in Ukraine and possible Russian help for the secretive state's satellite programme.

Putin showed Kim around Russia's most advanced space rocket launch site in Russia's Far East and discussed the possibility of sending a North Korean cosmonaut into space. Kim, who arrived by train from North Korea, asked detailed questions about rockets as Putin showed him around the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

After the tour, Putin, 70, and Kim, 39, held talks for several hours with their ministers and then discussed world affairs and possible areas of cooperation one-on-one, followed by an opulent lunch of Russian "pelmeni" dumplings stuffed with Kamchatka crab and then

sturgeon with mushrooms and potatoes.

Kim raised a toast with a glass of Russian wine to Putin's health, to the victory of "great Russia" and to Korean-Russian friendship, predicting victory for Moscow in its "sacred fight" with the West in the Ukraine war.

"The Russian army and people will certainly win a great victory in the sacred struggle for the punishment of a great evil that claims hegemony and feeds an expansionist illusion," Kim said, raising his glass.

US and South Korean officials have expressed concern that Kim could provide weapons and ammunition to Russia, which has expended vast stocks in more than 18 months of war in Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied such intentions.

Putin gave numerous hints that military cooperation was discussed but disclosed few details

(Excerpt from Reuters)

People walk between the rubble in Derna

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Put a spin on whatever you do. Your speed and agility will give you the edge in any competitive situation. Don’t waste your time or energy on anger caused by someone trying to make you look bad.

(March 21-April 19)

Use your time wisely. Put your energy into something that helps you get ahead. Call on trusted peers to contribute something worthwhile. Don’t be afraid to demonstrate what you have to offer.

(April 20-May 20)

Bypass unfair or overly dramatic situations. You’ll do best if you work alone and focus on getting things done on time. Verify information before you pass it along.

(May 21-June 20)

PEANUTS

(June 21-July 22)

CALVIN AND

HOBBES

SUDOKU

(July 23-Aug. 22)

Think before you respond. Look for positive solutions and be willing to compromise when dealing with complicated situations. An act of kindness will increase your support.

Pick up the pace and complete unfinished business. Clear some time to make plans and prep for something that excites you. Let someone special know how much you care. Take a look at your budget.

Scrutinize the information you receive. Find the best way to handle anyone trying to push you in a direction you don’t care to go. Adjust whatever’s necessary to get the changes you want in place.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

It’s time to engage in activities that get your heart pumping. Connect with like-minded people and see what develops. Expand your mind, pursue your dreams and be open to new beginnings.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Rethink your course of action, what you are trying to achieve and how best to present what you offer to the world. Mix originality with discipline and dedication to a cause that excites you.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Do your own thing and ignore those trying to mess with your mind or interfere with your plans. Trust your instincts, follow your heart and protect your interests.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Cut deals, sign contracts and invest in your home and lifestyle. Set the rules, live life your way and have no regrets. You are overdue for an overhaul.

Take a fresh look at an old idea and update it to accommodate your situation. An energetic approach to getting things done will help you draw positive attention and support.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Call on people you can count on and share your ideas. The input you receive will spark your imagination. A partnership looks promising. Set a budget that will help you succeed.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

WI U19 Tour to Sri Lanka…

Jordan Johnson hits magnificent 133

Jordan Johnson’s incredible purple patch with the bat continued on Wednesday, but alas, it might not be enough to save the West Indies U19 from defeat against their Sri Lankan rivals.

Johnson scored an unbeaten 133 to help the West Indies to 251-8 at stumps on the second day of their unofficial Test. This gives them a lead of just 51 going into Thursday’s third day.

Sri Lanka, resuming from their overnight score of 191-4 after dismissing

SCOREBOARD

West Indies Under-19s 1st Innings

Pascal lbw

b Thewmika 28 Steve Wedderburn c Pulindu Perera

b Thewmika 24 Joshua Dorne run out (Ruvishan Perera/†Shanmuganathan) 3 Jordan Johnson c Pulindu Perera b Thewmika 52 Mavendra Dindyal c Jayawardene

b Piyumal

Devonie Joseph † st †Shanmuganathan b Thewmika 0

Sealy (c) lbw

b Tharupathi 2

Tarrique Edward c Jayawardene

b Thewmika 0 Isai Thorne lbw

b Tharupathi 1 Deshawn James c Gamage

b Tharupathi 0

Tamarie Redwood not out 0 Extras (b 8, lb 9) 17

TOTAL 36.4 Ov (RR: 3.46) 127

Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Steve

Wedderburn, 16.4 ov), 2-65

(Joshua Dorne, 20.3 ov), 3-66

(Stephan Pascal, 20.5 ov), 4-69

(Mavendra Dindyal, 23.5 ov),

5-70 (Devonie Joseph, 24.2 ov),

6-89 (Nathan Sealy, 27.1 ov),

7-96 (Tarrique Edward, 28.3 ov),

8-123 (Isai Thorne, 35.4 ov), 9-123

(Deshawn James, 35.5 ov), 10-

127 (Jordan Johnson, 36.4 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Ruvishan Perera 5-3-9-0

Dinura Kalupahana 2-0-10-0

Kaveesha Piyumal 13-3-32-1

Vihas Thewmika 11.4-1-43-5

Malsha Tharupathi 5-1-16-3

Sri Lanka Under-19s 1st Innings

Reggae Boyz are heading in the right direction

Faced with the challenge of establishing a winning culture, Reggae Boyz Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson insists he is trying to do so in ways large and small.

Though his plans, where delivering according to expectations, are yet to really take flight, the Icelandic coach remains adamant that his brand is becoming increasingly evident on the Boyz since he took the reins late last year.

6

b Sealy

Extras (b 1, lb 4, nb 1) 6

TOTAL 77.5 Ov (RR: 4.18) 326

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Sineth Jayawardene, 3.4 ov), 2-63 (Pulindu Perera, 15.2 ov), 3-135 (Ravishan de Silva, 28.6 ov),

4-151 (Rusanda Gamage, 31.6 ov), 5-212 (Dinura Kalupahana, 57.2 ov), 6-213 (Diniru Abeywickramasingha, 58.3 ov),

7-233 (Sharujan Shanmuganathan, 63.2 ov), 8-314 (Malsha Tharupathi, 73.5 ov), 9-318 (Kaveesha Piyumal, 75.4 ov), 10326 (Ruvishan Perera, 77.5 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Isai Thorne 20-3-64-2

Deshawn James 10-2-39-1

Tarrique Edward 17-2-75-2

Nathan Sealy 20.5-1-82-4

Tamarie Redwood 8-1-53-0

Mavendra Dindyal 1-0-5-0

Jordan Johnson 1-0-3-0

West Indies Under-19s 2nd Innings

Stephan Pascal c †Shanmuganathan

b Piyumal 25

Steve Wedderburn c Jayawardene

b Thewmika 37

Jordan Johnson not out 133

Mavendra Dindyal c †Shanmuganathan

b Ruvishan Perera 15

Devonie Joseph † c &

b Thewmika 16

Joshua Dorne lbw

b Tharupathi 16

Nathan Sealy (c) c & b Thewmika 1

Tarrique Edward c †Shanmuganathan b Tharupathi 0

Isai Thorne lbw

b Piyumal 1

Tamarie Redwood not out 0

Extras (lb 6, nb 1) 7

TOTAL 63 Ov (RR: 3.98) 251/8

Yet to bat: Deshawn James

Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Stephan

Pascal, 9.3 ov), 2-110 (Steve Wedderburn, 25.4 ov), 3-158 (Mavendra Dindyal, 36.6 ov),

4-192 (Devonie Joseph, 41.5 ov),

5-237 (Joshua Dorne, 52.3 ov),

6-238 (Nathan Sealy, 53.4 ov),

7-239 (Tarrique Edward, 54.4 ov), 8-250 (Isai Thorne, 57.5 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

the West Indies for a mere 127, extended their lead of 64 to 199, having amassed a first innings total of 326.

The home side owed their commanding score to Maisha Tharupathi, who scored 70 batting in the lower order, and Rusanda Gamage, who got 58. There were also useful contributions from Ravishan da Silva (43) as well as wicketkeeper Sharujan Shanmuganathan (36), Dinura Kalupahana (33), and an unbeaten 31 from Vihas Thewmika.

Nathan Sealy was the best of the West Indies bowling attack, taking 4-82, while Isai Thorne took 2-64 and Tarrique Edward took 2-75.

Needing 200 runs to overhaul the deficit, the West Indies started well enough, reaching 110-2, with Stephan Pascal being the first to go, for 25 when the score was 39.

Johnson joined Steve Wedderburn at the crease, and together they took the score to 111 before Wedderburn lost his wicket for 37. From there the West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals, with Johnson providing the glue that kept the innings from falling completely apart against the bowling of Vihas Thewmika (355), Tharupathi (2-44) and Kaveesha Piyumal (2-55).

When play resumes on Thursday, Johnson will be hoping to significantly add to his 133, that so far includes 16 fours and a six, while hoping that Tamarie Redwood, who has yet to score, can stay with him long enough to give the West Indies a fighting chance to extend the game into Friday. (Sportsmax)

For Hallgrimsson, the manner in which the Boyz have started their Concacaf Nations League campaign is an extension of their Gold Cup semi-final run; and that, he believes, represents a step in the right direction.

The 58th-ranked Boyz currently head Group B on four points in League A competition, as they registered a 1-0 win over Honduras last Friday, followed by a come-from-behind 2-2 stalemate with Haiti at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

“Everybody has their opinion, and I cannot con trol what people feel about the team. The only thing I can say is that we will continue to work, and we will try to im prove. We all see football in a dif ferent way, with different eyes how we want foot ball to be played, but we are trying to develop our game, and that's the only thing we can do. We will continue to do what we have been trying to do,” Hallgrimsson has declared.

Having stressed that his is a culture that is about improvement, Hallgrimsson expressed pleasure with the Boyz’ display against Haiti, when compared to that against Honduras. In that opener against Honduras, the Boyz looked scrappy when in possession, as their passing, and by extension movements, off the ball was woefully lacking, and it took Demarai Gray’s solitary goal to spare their blushes.

While the Boyz looked much better in their attacking transition against Haiti, they were sloppy defensively, and that resulted in the opponents taking an early two-goal lead,

courtesy of Don Louicius, who struck in the 12th and 15th minutes.

However, Hallgrimsson’s side rescued a point through a 51st-minute own-goal and Bobby Reid’s 81st minute penalty.

“If we compare these two performances, we did much better this game than against Honduras. So, we need to be pleased that we are going at least right direction, even though we didn't win today (Tuesday).

I thought we had a much better game, even though we won against Honduras,” Hallgrimsson shared during a post-game press conferHe continued: “If we look at the results, I think it is good that we did not lose this game; and performance wise, I would say (that) even at two-zero, I felt that we were the better team in that moment. So, it (falling behind) was kind of a slap in the face, and if we take away those two/three mistakes, we didn't give them chances. I think we played a really good game.

“But a coach is always most pleased with the character and togetherness that they showed to win this game. They fought until the end. We wanted to win…I think everybody saw that we wanted to win, we pushed for the win. So, I'm mostly pleased with the

character in the team. We stood our ground, and I like that. We played in a high tempo, (and I) like that as well. And we should build on this performance, in my opinion.”

That said, Hallgrimsson pointed out that with the core of his team now identified, the expectation is that the Boyz’ hustle and competitiveness would remain on the upgrade, especially as they hunt qualification for next year’s 48th edition of the prestigious Copa America, to be staged in the United States.

Their next assignments will be away to Grenada on October 12, before visiting Haiti in the Dominican Republic on October 15. To get to Copa America, the Jamaicans are required to finish in the top six. As such, they will need to secure one of two spots from their group to progress to quarter-finals.

Should they do so and go on to win their quarter-finals fixture, the Boyz would automatically secure berth to Copa America. However, if not, they would take the playoff route for a second shot at qualification.

“We're always looking to improve. I said it in the last press conference: we're happy with what we have, but we're always looking out for improvements in every area of our game for players, but also how we play or we work together etc.

“So, we just have to improve how we do things, and do as much as we can. We try to analyze the opponent, where the weakness is, and I felt we had a chance to punish them better than we did. But the only way you can improve your conversion rate is to train it day after day,” the tactician ended. (Sportsmax)

Johnson during his 133 not out against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Jamaica's Demarai Gray (right) and Haiti's Steven Seance challenging for possession during their Concacaf Nations League fixture at the National Stadium on Tuesday. Inset is Jamaica's Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson

– but Windies facing uphill battle

– says Coach Hallgrimsson

“Better Guyana play our home games away from home”

Golden Jaguars Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz

There was something awfully disconcerting about the Golden Jaguars’ response to their 3-2 victory over the Bahamas on Tuesday night. There were taps on the back, handshakes, and a smirk here or there, but it was not the expected reaction from a team that had just secured a full 6 points in their first two games of the CONCACAF Nations League 2023/2024.

Maybe it was because the senior men’s national football team had felt they could have beaten their opponents by a much larger margin, or maybe it was the discomfort they had to en dure in order to churn out that win.

While seeing is often re garded as believing, there were no assumptions to be made about the pitch at the National Track and Field Center at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD). After all, it was deemed suitable for in ternational football. But, as we later learnt, it was not to the liking of ther team on the

Head Coach of the Golden Jaguars, Jamaal Shabazz, was so moved by

the situation that he could not bring himself to focus on an assessment of the win when addressing the media after the 90-minute game was over. Foremost on his mind was the beige-coloured

grass pitch that had seemingly made it difficult for his team to

“Well, very happy for the win, putting us 6 points. Ummm, I would have preferred to play on another ground in another country, and give up our home advantage for a good pitch for our players to play on. We must think about fa-

cilities, this was a horrible pitch, and I think it solely affected the way we wanted to play.

“The job of the player is to play. The job of the coach is to try create a team that could win and do the best. Whose job is it for us to have a proper facility to play?” The Head Coach boldly enquired when probed on his thoughts about Tuesday night’s game.

Of course, Shabazz has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind during his various stints at the helm of the national team, and he continued to do just that, after highlighting the issue. He declared, “This is terrible! This is totally unacceptable! And I’d prefer until we get better fa-

cilities, better Guyana play our home game away from home.”

Asked whether assumption can be made that the state of the surface had contributed to the performance, or lack thereof, of the Golden Jaguars, Shabazz responded, “Every player struggled! Every player complained! This is not what a coach would like to be talking about at the end of a game.

“Of course, it’s easy to say we barely win 3-2

against Bahamas! Okay! You can write that, but what’s the reality? Would you guys go on the pitch?”

Drawing comparison to their most recent outing, wherein the team defeated Antigua 5-1, Shabazz rated the local pitch below par.

“We just come from playing Antigua on a beautiful ground in hot conditions, but you know what, we were able to play football, and one of the fundamental things for playing football is a foot-

ball pitch, and we don’t have that. And that’s so unfortunate,” he declared.

“The blame game could start from now, it’s not my business! I dream of the day when Guyana would have a proper surface to play football on. I cannot answer anything else about football, because I didn’t think that much football was played on this surface. I’m so sorry!” a visibly disappointed Shabazz added. (Jemima Holmes)

4 Guyanese in WI Women's Squad for Australia tour

The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel has announced the 15-member squad for the tour to Australia in October.

The six-match Series comprises three T20 Internationals and 3 One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Following the West Indies Women’s clean sweep of the CG United ODI Series and the T20I Series against Ireland in Saint Lucia earlier in the summer, the panel has named an unchanged for the Australia tour der the leader ship of Captain Hayley Matthews.

will be the first for new Head Coach Shane Deitz, who rived in the West Indies at the end of August.

Stars’ quartet of Ashmini Munisar, Djenaba Joseph, Zaida James, and Jannillea Glasgow will see some of our youngest talent in the

team having their first opportunity to test their skills against the current T20I and 50-Over World Champions, Australia. Lead Selector for Women’s cricket, Ann Browne-John, said, “The selection panel has chosen to maintain most of the players who were victorious in the home series against Ireland. Jannillea Glasgow, after having an outstanding Rising Stars Women’s Under-19 tournament, has been included in the 15-member squad, and we see the return of Karishma

Ramharack.”

Browne-John added, “This team is one we believe will continue to build and develop as our game evolves in the rapidly growing landscape and high-performance setting of women’s cricket. We have continued to confidence in some of the developing players. Several of the players are coming off title-winning performances in the Massy Caribbean Premier League, so we are expecting them to continue their good run of form. This is a team we believe can

produce competitive cricket against a top team like Australia, under the guidance of the new Head Coach and led by the captain Hayley Matthews, who’s enjoying a very productive 2023 thus far.”

The ODI series against Australia is West Indies’ fourth fixture in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-2025, after playing New Zealand, England and Ireland. Each match provides West Indies with opportunity to win valuable points to climb the Championship table, where they currently lie 9th out of ten teams (see table here).

Following the Australia Series, West Indies Women will have four further threematch ODI series to play over the next two years. At the end of the cycle, the top five teams in the ICC Women’s Championship will book a berth for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025, as well as hosts India. The remaining teams will have to go through the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

Full Squad

* Hayley Matthews (captain)

* Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain)

* Aaliyah Alleyne

* Shamilia Connell

* Afy Fletcher

* Cherry-Ann Fraser

* Shabika Gajnabi

* Jannillea Glasgow

* Chinelle Henry

* Zaida James

* Djenaba Joseph

* Ashmini Munisar

* Karishma Ramharack

* Stafanie Taylor

* Rashada Williams

Match Schedule

October 1: 1st T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney

October 2: 2nd T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney (night)

October 5: 3rd T20I

at Allan Border Field, Brisbane (night)

October 8: 1st ODI at Allan Border Field, Brisbane

October 12: 2nd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne

October 14: 3rd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne

Golden Jaguars Head Coach, Jamaal Shabazz

In spite of the surface, the Golden Jags pulled off a 3-2 victory

West Indies Women

Unstoppable Amazon Warriors beat Tallawahs

-to claim 6th RBL CPL win

The Guyana Amazon Warriors remain unbeaten in the 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League, having registered a dominant win against defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs.

Saim Ayub, who scored

Amazon Warriors had won the toss and opted to bowl first. Matthew Nandu made his debut, while Junior Sinclair was the lone change from the last game for the Warriors.

Tallawahs openers

Brandon King and Alex

85 and went past fifty for a third successive time this season, ensured Warriors won by seven wickets.

Tallawahs posted 1525 in their 20 overs, while Warriors reached 155-3 in 18.3 overs. Warriors had a brilliant start to the chase, with openers Matthew Nandu and Saim Ayub adding 51 runs in the first six overs. Nandu looked busy, while Ayub was finding his groove. The left-handed duo played some elegant shots to delight the packed Providence Stadium.

Warriors were standing firm at the half-way stage, with the score on 89-0 after 10 overs. Ayub was on 49 while Nandu was solid. Ayub reached his fifty from 34 balls, and continued to light up Providence with his brilliance.

Nandu was eventually bowled for a composed 37 made from 35 balls. By then the Amazon Warriors openers had added 112 runs in 12.5 overs to put the Guyanese franchise in the driver’s seat. Ayub

Hales started with boundaries, but Hales made only nine before giving the Warriors their first wicket on home soil this season. Hales was bowled by Shepherd with a back-ofthe-length delivery that kept low.

slammed five sweet sixes and five timely fours in his 85 made from 53 balls. And when Azam Khan was bowled for one at 146-3 in 18 overs, Warriors needed only seven runs in two overs.

Earlier, the Guyana

At 23-1, Kirk McKenzie partnered King. The Tallawahs skipper looked at home at Providence, a venue where he scored two CPL centuries. Tallawahs raced to 50-1 after 5.3 overs, with King dealing in boundaries. At the power-

play, Tallawahs were 551, with Odean Smith yielding 17 runs in his opening over.

McKenzie, the latest Test player from the West Indies, played some delightful shots in his run-aball 13, including a six over cover. Captain Imran Tahir then outfoxed McKenzie, who was caught at longoff. King and McKenzie added 50 runs for the second wicket. Imad Wasim was promoted, and he partnered King with the score on 73-2 in 8.2 overs.

King reached his fifty from 29 balls, but was

bowled all ends up by the ever-impressive Gudakesh Motie at 77-3 in 9.3 overs. King struck 52 from 32 balls in an innings which was decorated with ten classy fours and one six.

Shamarh Brooks and Wasim then looked to rebuild the innings with caution. Warriors bowlers kept it disciplined, and Tallawahs were 110-3 in 15 overs. Dwaine Pretorius then returned in the 16th over and sent back Wasim for 18 from 26 balls, and Brooks for 10 from 12 balls. Tallawahs slumped to 111-5 after the end of

16 overs, and Fabian Allen was tasked with the job of propelling the Tallawahs score.

Allen was destructive, hitting a ball into the Media Centre and slamming Imran Tahir into the VIP Suite for a 103-metre maximum. Reifer (20 from 14) and Allen (21 from 14) added 41 runs from 27 balls as Tallawahs posted

152-5 in 20 overs.

Pretorious ended with 2-33 from his four overs, while Tahir had 1-19 from his four overs. Motie had 1-29 and Shepherd had 1-19 from two overs.

Warriors will return to action tonight, Thursday September 14, against St Lucia Kings from 19:00h Eastern Caribbean Time.

Brandon King was all class

Guadkesh Motie et al celebrating the wicket of King

The Warrior nation erupted

Nandu looked comfortable on CPL debut

Alex Hales is bowled all ends up

Third fifty for Ayub in as many matches