Guyana Times -Wednesday, August 09, 2023

Guyana, Dominican Republic ink MoU for establishing oil refinery

…2 countries agree to collaborate on agriculture, tech transfer & other areas

$387.6 Billion from oil revenues in NRF as of July

…Fund received $26.6B in profit oil, royalties in 1 month

Brothers aged 3 and 6 die in Moblissa fire

4 die in horrific EBD accident as truck slams into ‘U-turning’ car

…7-year-old in coma

Dead: Eric Christopher Thomas Dead: Evette Domingo Dead: Annette Williams

Dead: Lynette Chapel

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, Aug 9 – 11:30h –12:30h and 23:00h – 00:30h and Thursday, Aug 10 – No retraction.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, Aug 9 – 10:35h – 12:05h and Thursday, Aug 10 – 10:45h – 12:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be sunshine and thundery showers during the day. Expect clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to South-Easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 10:28h and 22:48h reaching maximum heights of 2.2 metres and 2.24 metres.

Low Tide: 16:17h reaching a minimum height of 1.06 metres.

Guyana, Dominican Republic ink

MoU for establishing oil refinery

…2 countries agree to collaborate on agriculture, tech transfer & other areas

By Jarryl Bryan

President Dr Irfaan Ali, who arrived in the Dominican Republic (DR) on Tuesday for an official two-day visit, has signed several agreements with his DR counterpart, Luis Abinader, including one for the joint establishment of an oil refinery in Guyana.

Over the past few months, ties between Guyana and the DR have grown closer as the leaders of the two countries met at various forums. On Tuesday, President Ali continued those bilateral efforts when he and First Lady Arya Ali arrived in the Dominican Republic for their visit along with a large delegation of Government officials and members of Guyana’s private sector.

An extended meeting between both delegations was conducted, as well as a ceremony to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for an oil-refinery to be built in Guyana, which could refine at least 50,000 barrels of oil per day.

As per the terms of the agreement, the DR will have 51 per cent ownership of the refinery. At present, the Government has gone out to tender for proposals to build a refinery in Berbice with a 30,000-barrels per day (bpd) capacity. Last month, it had been revealed that four out of the 11 companies that had submitted proposals last year have been shortlisted.

LOTTERY NUMBERS

The agreements signed on Tuesday also include one for DR to examine the feasibility of exploring for oil offshore Guyana and for cooperation in tourism. Meanwhile, the establishment of a petrochemical plant and collaboration in agriculture were discussed. Following the signing, President Ali spoke about the significance of the MoUs.

“These MoUs position us very strategically as two countries in this Region. The value creation is enormous, both for Guyana and for DR. We have, with investment in the petrochemical plants, we can target not only the markets of Guyana and the Dominican Republic and the Region, but more importantly northern Brazil.”

“Northern Brazil is a high consumer of agro-chemicals and they require it from all over the globe. It would take them a very long time, transport and logistics. With an investment like that in Guyana, in 48 hours we can meet the market. So, the value creation in these agreements is enormous,” Ali said.

According to President Ali, the value creation from these partnerships would lead to the creation of specialised, high-paying jobs. He also spoke of the potential that can come from Guyana and DR partnering in tourism.

Agriculture

When it comes to agriculture, it is understood that joint production of agricultural products such as corn and soybeans, as well as partnerships in the poultry sector, were discussed. According to President Ali, the agreements inked in agriculture between the two countries will ensure their prominence at the table whenever food security is discussed.

“When it comes to food security, with the partnership we’re establishing with the Dominican Republic today, the transfer of technology, knowledge, the building of capital, the integration of markets, the integration of our food systems and agriculture portfolio, there will be no conversation on food security, especially in this Region, without the two countries being a part of it.”

According to President Ali, record-breaking trade is already being recorded between the two countries. He was optimistic that this would only improve over the coming years. In particular, the President said that they

are targeting markets such as aquaculture. He stressed, however, that the two countries are not limiting themselves to the traditional sectors.

“For Guyana, there are a few agricultural products that we’re targeting, that do have a massive market. So, the market opportunities, for example aquaculture. Aquaculture is an enormous opportunity. We are four times more competitive in aquaculture than any other country in the Region, including Brazil.”

“We are not limiting ourselves to the six areas. The working group will be looking at additional areas, through which we’ll collaborate. Especially given the fact that we’re now operating in a new world where digitisation, AI is going to play a greater role. We’re going to start conversations around these important global issues,” President Ali said.

At a planned business meeting, members of the private sector from both countries will meanwhile meet and discuss investment op-

portunities. Presentations are also expected from GO-Invest CEO Dr Peter Ramsaroop and his DR counterpart Biviana Riveiro.

In June 2023, President Abinader had himself arrived in Guyana for a one-day visit where talks progressed about potential collaboration. Following bilateral talks between President Ali and President Abinader at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in Greater Georgetown, senior Ministers from the two nations signed three pacts to strengthen collaboration, including a MoU on cooperation in energy-related matters.

This MoU had established a framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector of the two countries based on equality and mutual benefit. It had included the promotion of investments in each other’s countries, as well as technology transfer, research and development, the building of human resources and collaboration in the natural gas sector. (G3)

President of Dominican Republic Luis Abinader and Guyanese President Dr Irfaan Ali

Editor: Tusika Martin

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International

Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples

Today, Guyana joins in the observance of International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples 2023, themed: “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination.”

On August 9 each year, this worldwide celebration is observed as on this date was held the first meeting in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations. This Working Group was created to provide an opportunity for Indigenous people to share their experiences and raise their concerns for the attention of the international community.

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, in her message, said: “Indigenous youths have been taking their rightful place in advocacy and as agents for change in the promotion of Indigenous peoples' rights in Guyana. More and more, we are seeing Indigenous youths being voted into offices and endowed with decisionmaking powers as Toshaos and Councillors. At the national level, the President of Guyana, recognising the huge power youths have as agents of change, has established a National Youth Council with advisory powers to ensure that there is inclusivity, encapsulating the Indigenous youthful voice in policy-making at the highest level. The Government of Guyana is invested in ensuring that it hones and builds the skills and capacity of our youths. Indigenous youths are primary targets in this developmental approach towards furthering meaningful change and development in their villages and communities.”

If one can recall at the launching of Amerindian Heritage Month after he was sworn into office in 2020, President Irfaan Ali laid out his Administration’s plans and programmes for the development of Guyana’s Indigenous peoples for the next five years.

It was indeed a detailed plan which included several critical components aimed at ensuring that Guyana’s First Peoples are not excluded in any way from the national development agenda.

To its credit, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government has acknowledged that land is central to indigenous peoples’ development and always treated Amerindian lands demarcation and titling as a priority.

Further, it was very encouraging that since taking office the PPP Government has restored several development projects which were scrapped by the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government. These include: rehiring the approximately 2000 Community Support Officers (CSOs) who were terminated by the previous APNU/AFC Government when it took office in 2015; reintroducing Community Development Plans (CDPs) to ensure that Amerindians are able to determine the sustainable livelihoods they desire; and returning to the ground-breaking partnership forged through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and advancing the innovative “optin” feature which allowed villages to benefit directly from the proceeds of carbon trading services.

In his address, the President had also promised that Amerindians can look forward to improvements in social services such as education, health care and water. He said that health facilities will be increased, upgraded and better equipped to provide enhanced and more accessible health care across the hinterlands. This indeed was badly needed as many hinterland residents at the time had to travel extremely long distances to access basic medical services.

Many of the health institutions in the hinterland for years did not offer the level of services required by patients and hence they were forced to travel to Georgetown at a very high cost. However, to its credit the telemedicine programme along with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded new hinterland hospitals will greatly enhance healthcare in these far-flung communities.

The same situation had existed as it relates to educational opportunities for Amerindian students. However, this has changed significantly. However, we must note that many hinterland schools still do not have a full complement of trained teachers.

That said, we believe there is need for more collaboration between the Government and other development agencies to support and fund community development projects, skills training, etc, that would see Amerindians having better access to opportunities to advance their lives. This, along with the benefits from the carbon credits sale which will see millions of dollars being directed to these communities by the Government, is hope for a brighter future for our Indigenous communities.

By Mads Flarup Christensen

Asimple cottage stands in the Norwegian mountains, about four hours north of Oslo. Electricity is supplied by a solar panel and a battery, and water comes from a nearby well. The area is normally quite green in the summer and attracts farmers who bring their animals to graze. In the winter, heavy snowfall would often block the roads so one would have to ski to get to this humble dwelling.

My family and I have been going there for more than 20 years, travelling overland from Sweden. It is where we would spend time reconnecting with each other, taking a break from our busy cosmopolitan lives.

Norway is my wife’s home country and one of the least impacted places on the planet when it comes to heat and drought, and yet even here, close to the Arctic, my loved ones and I are witnessing a dramatic transformation. The constant quiet rain during the summer has been replaced by increasingly longer periods of drought, resulting in empty wells and dried-up grass and forcing farmers to rely on feed for their cattle.

Extreme weather events show us that in the midst of our dual climate and biodiversity crisis, the complex cycles of nature, of which we are a part, are drastically out of balance. Protecting

and restoring nature is vital for our physical and mental health, food security, water supply, and so much more.

But it becomes even more important as nature restoration is one of our most effective tools in mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis and a heating planet. When we are in harmony with nature, it protects us. But we have allowed giant fossil fuel, industrial food and financing conglomerates to dictate our priorities – to view our natural treasures as mere resources to be commodified for obscene profits and economic growth at the expense of life in all its forms.

Restoring nature is fundamental, as it is our shield against heatwaves, forest fires, droughts, and floods – climate cataclysms we are seeing more and more often all around the world. What we need more than ever is a radical shift in our consciousness, where we reject the illusion that we are separate from the natural world, because we are nature.

We are deeply and undeniably interconnected to the web of life. And when given a chance, our forests, savannahs, lakes, and wetlands can spring back to life. We need a mass social movement for nature restoration and we need bold leadership to implement laws that enable an age of renewal.

Recently, we have seen crucial steps being taken to

push nature and biodiversity loss to the top of the political and economic agenda. Last December, nations agreed at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference COP15 in Montreal to ambitious conservation and restoration efforts regarding land and coastal areas and the restoration of degraded ecosystems. They also recognised the rights and roles of Indigenous peoples as the guardians of nature and the need to phase out billions in tax-funded subsidies for extractive industries.

In July, the European Parliament adopted a new Nature Restoration Law, a major piece of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Although it is a good first step forward in achieving the European Union’s biodiversity commitments, the legislation that was passed was very diluted compared to its original draft.

To truly protect what is left and restore nature, the world’s Governments need to implement binding national legislation in line with their pledges in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). In late 2024, nations will convene again at the UN Biodiversity COP16 to present their action plans.

Now is the time for nations to start a race to the top to demonstrate they are serious about addressing the dual climate and nature

crisis. We need leaders who dare to make decisions that benefit the whole of humanity.

These goals and targets are crucial for making our planet more resilient, for guarding against future extreme weather events, and nurturing all life in the decades to come.

In addition to a consciousness shift and courageous leadership, the world needs one thing more than any other: hope for the future. We need a mass movement for nature on the scale of movements for civil rights, climate action, and global justice. When people unite to protect and restore their only home, new possibilities open up and flourish. The journey ahead is monumental, but together, we can create a world where nature thrives and we will thrive with it, be it in Norway, Namibia or Nauru. (Al Jazeera) (Mads Flarup Christensen is the Interim Executive Director of Greenpeace International. He has worked across the global network, including 15 years as the Executive Director of Greenpeace Nordic and leading the mission to free staff and volunteers arrested in Russia for peacefully protesting, known as the Arctic 30. Mads is on the board of GAME, a Danish NGO focused on social change, youth sports and culture.)

College students wearing traditional Punjabi attire celebrate the Teej festival in Amritsar, India (AFP photo)

Extreme weather: Nature holds the keys of resilience and hope – ahead of Biodiversity COP16, Governments have to show courage in making decisions that benefit the whole of humanity rather than a select group of corporations

Fatal mining pit probe

“Stop Work” notice served on 7 mining camps

The Labour Ministry through its Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department in a media statement on Tuesday related that an investigation is underway into the fatal accident which occurred at Moonlight Backdam, Kamarang, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), on Wednesday last.

The accident has claimed the lives of 38-year-old Trayon Hastings of Kamarang Landing, Upper Mazaruni, and his employee, 20-yearold Rocky Norton of Isseneru Village, Middle Mazaruni.

However, following reports of the accident, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Officer Naipaul Persaud along with officials from the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, the Natural Resources Ministry, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and regional officials visited the worksite.

During the investigation, seven mining camps within the immediate vicinity were issued a “Stop Work” notice to allow the team to carry out a thorough inspection of their respective working environ-

ment to provide a safe and healthy workplace for workers.

Thus far, two of the seven mining camps have been allowed to resume their operations while the remaining camps must complete several remedial works before they can resume operations.

Follow-up visits will be done to ensure that the recommendations made were implemented at the remaining camps.

It was reported that at the time of the accident, the men were reportedly working in the mining pit when it sud-

denly collapsed and buried them.

Further, the Police had stated that a miner from Kitty, Georgetown, who was in a nearby camp, noticed the mining pit caving in and raised an alarm.

A search party was immediately organised, and with the help of two excavators, the motionless bodies of the two men were finally retrieved at about 12:30h and 01:20h the following day.

Meanwhile, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton extended heartfelt sympathy to the grieving relatives,

co-workers, and friends of the two men.

He also took the opportunity to remind both employers and workers of the importance and need for good safety and health practices in the workplace so that similar incidents/ accidents which can result in the loss of lives of loved ones can be avoided.

Investigations are ongoing.

Officials inspecting the mining camp where the accident occurred

Lines of symmetry

By Olive SeniOr

In this fun and easy science experiment, we’re going to explore and investigate centrifugal force and motion.

String

Tennis ball

Knife

Materials:

Adult supervision is needed

Instructions:

Have an adult cut a hole through

a tennis ball. Push the string through the hole and tie a knot on the opposite end to keep the string from pulling back through.

Leave about four feet of string hanging from the tennis ball. Go outside.

Hold the string by the loose end and swing around in a circle.

The centrifugal force will pull the tennis ball up.

How it works:

Centrifugal force is the energy of an object trying to stay in a straight line while traveling in a circle. This is actually not a force at all but a result of inertia, which is the tendency of an object to resist rest.

Make this a science project: Try different lengths of string. Try different types of balls that are heavier or lighter. (sciencefun.org)

WORD SEARCH

$387.6 Billion from oil revenues in NRF as of July

benefit from ten more lifts as seventeen were projected for 2023. To date, Guyana obtained twenty-nine lifts of profit oil since the inception of the Fund.”

Government’s spending from the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) is overseen by the NRF Fund Boardwhich consists of five members, as well as the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee (PAOC), which comprises nine members, and the Investment Committee, seven members.

good governance, transparency, accountability, and international best practices, including the Santiago Principles.

The Natural Resource Fund (NRF) ended the month of July with a balance of $387.6 billion (US$1.85 billion), as revenues from oil and gas, specifically profit oil and royalties, continue to flow into the fund.

According to the latest details on the fund’s financial position and performance released by the Bank

of Guyana, Guyana received $11.3 billion in royalties and $15.3 billion in profit oil in just one month.

This amounts to $26.6 billion in inflows for the month of July, while $1.6 billion in total investment income was recorded. The fund ended July with a balance of $387.6 billion, having started the month with an opening bal-

ance of $359.3 billion.

During the second quarter of the year - April to June, Guyana had lifted five 1-million-barrel (approximate) oil cargoes as its share of profit oil. This was an increase compared to the two lifts for the previous quarter.

According to the second quarterly report for 2023, “the country is expected to

Brothers aged 3 and 6 die in Moblissa fire

lost their lives in a fire in Belmont, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.

The fire occurred while their mother briefly left home to run an errand, leaving the girls alone. Despite neighbours’ valiant rescue attempts, locked doors prevented their escape.

Since passage of the NRF Act in 2021, Government has gone on to establish the Natural Resource Fund Board. Following parliamentary approval, the Government has made several withdrawals from the fund, amounting to tens of billions of dollars, which were transferred to the Consolidated Fund to finance national development priorities.

Section 3 (1) of the NRF Act 2021, Act No 19 of 2021, which was assented to by President Dr Irfaan Ali on December 30, 2021, establishes the NRF to manage the natural resource wealth of Guyana for the present and future benefit of the people in an effective and efficient manner and in accordance with the principles of

The funds from the NRF have their origins in the Stabroek Block – Guyana’s only block currently producing oil. The Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Exxon, through its local affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd (EEPGL), is the operator and 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.

ExxonMobil has said it anticipates at least six projects offshore Guyana will be online by 2027, with possibly 10 FPSOs operational by 2030. 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 turn out to be the single largest development so far in terms of barrels per day of oil, with a mammoth 250,000 bpd targeted.

The Uaru oil development, which will be the fifth one for the company offshore Guyana, is targeting between 38 and 63 development wells, including production, water injection, and gas re-injection wells. Exxon had previously also made known that they anticipate first oil from the Uaru development by late 2026 or early 2027. (G3)

Ahouse fire on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway has claimed the lives of two young brothers - six-year-old Demario Skellekie and three-year-old Debron Skellekie. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning at the Moblissa home.

According to reports, the fire occurred while the siblings were home alone. Their mother, Latoya Skellekie, was not at home at the time of the tragedy. Reports are that she was out selling fruits to earn a living.

While an official report from the Guyana Fire Service has not yet been released, Guyana Times was told that the charred remains of the brothers were found after the fire was extinguished. Their mother is currently in Police custody, cooperating with the ongoing

investigation. The two boys are Skellekie’s only children. This fire is among a recent spate of fire-related child fatalities, pushing the death toll to six within the past two months. In June, three-year-old Shameena and nine-year-old Animika

Another tragic incident occurred on June 30, when a fire engulfed an apartment building, claiming the lives of 40-year-old Michael Richards and his two children - six-year-old Somaya Richards and four-year-old Supreme Richards

The charred remains of the victims were found among the debris after the fire was extinguished. The origin of this fire was determined to be electrical, according to the Guyana Fire Service. (G9)

Six-year-old Demario Skellekie and three-year-old Debron Skellekie, who reportedly perished in the fire

The debris among which the boys’ bodies were found after the fire

The Bank of Guyana

Wanted bulletin issued for suspect in miner's murder

Awanted bulletin was issued by the Police for Eliuge Allicock, a 26-year-old miner hailing from Hubu, Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and also associated with Issano Landing, Middle Mazaruni, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

Allicock is being sought in connection with the murder of Calvin Nelson, a 39-year-old miner of Bartica. The incident occurred on Saturday around 02:30h, at Honey Camp Backdam, Middle Mazaruni River.

Police reports indicate that after the murder, a 22-year-old female cook from Tasserene village, Middle Mazaruni River, was contacted regarding the incident. She revealed that she is currently in an intimate relationship with the sus-

pect, Allicock.

She informed the Police that she had a prior relationship with the deceased, Calvin Nelson. According to her account, on Friday, she and Allicock ventured to Honey Camp Landing, where they consumed alco-

holic beverages and became intoxicated.

The drinking continued when they visited Clive Smith's Shop around 01:00h on Saturday. It was at this point that Nelson approached her, sparking a conversation that triggered Allicock's agitation. The situation escalated into a physical altercation when Allicock grabbed and assaulted the female.

Nelson intervened, leading to a scuffle between him and Allicock. During the confrontation, Allicock drew a knife and inflicted two stabs on Nelson.

Following the altercation, Nelson sought refuge at Michael Bacchus' shop, which is located a short distance away. There, he recounted the distressing events to Neville Critchlow,

Keep on… …drilling!!

Very early in the day of their term, which finally started in Aug 2020, VP Jagdeo articulated the PPP’s policy on the rate of production of oil that’s most feasible for our country’s development. The “depletion policy”, as it’s called, was simple: get it out from under the Atlantic as fast as we can, and pocket our 14.5%! But we all know the woke brigade woke up and – safely ensconced in the developed countries that became so by burning fossil fuels for two hundred years!! – came out of the woodwork to not just denounce the policy, but to demand we leave the oil under the Ocean!!

a 65-year-old construction worker.

Critchlow accompanied Nelson in a vehicle en route to the Issano Health Post. However, Nelson was later pronounced dead on arrival. Investigations are ongoing. (G9)

One of the latter just penned another (poetic!) letter to explain why we should do that: “But fossil (and all fossil extractives) are not mere commodities. Economic development (if there is any) must be weighed while acknowledging the symbiotic relationship with the ecosphere. One must quantify any disastrous fallout. Everything is connected…(as per) the wisdom of Chief Seattle: The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. All things are connected, like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.”

So, this interconnectedness is our responsibility when the country the fella migrated to and dumped Guyana for wiped out Chief Seattle and his people to pump oil from under their reservations?? And continue to do so whichever FRACKING way they can!! And haven’t kept their “commitment” to help wean poor countries like ours off fossil fuels??

Now, the only rational reason you’d want to pump oil out slower is if we can sell it at a higher price in the future – we’d be stretching out, and even increasing, your income stream. More bang for the fuel!! But since the woke brigade have ramped up their activism to ensure that prices aren’t going to rise, isn’t it best to take the money now and put it in the bank??

And from everything the developed countries are doing – from G7 and G20’s refusal to give their word to stop producing fossil fuel – to them even drilling more wells, like Britain in the North Sea – we gotta be a bunch of morons to take the world’s burden on our shoulders like a modern Atlas!! The law of this world is “Look out for #1, baby!!’ And that’s why the West’s guiding philosopher of economic development wrote “Atlas Shrugged” more than half a century ago.

The developed world followed her advice, dropped the world’s burden off their shoulders, and lived happily ever after!!

Why shouldn’t we?? Drill baby, drill!!

…with democracy

We invented this thing called “elections”, where - after much struggle - all adults vote for “Representatives” who’d make decisions on their behalf on matters confronting the nation. And as we know, this can get messy sometimes –especially when you got a party like the PNC!! They invented “party paramountcy” and a 28-year-old dictatorship as an alternative!!

But as Churchill - the veteran British politician - once pointed out in a debate in Parliament after WWII! “Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government, except all other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Now, whatever we may think of that old arch colonialist, we gotta admit his advice is solid. He was talking to “his own”.

Even those fanatic, PNC myrmidons gotta admit Burnham’s excesses plunged us below Haiti with his experiments and excesses!!

…reducing road fatalities

Yesterday’s papers alone reported five road fatalities. And your Eyewitness asks, “How many more, Jah…how, how many more??” - as he raises his hands to the skies and hopes someone up there is listening. Clearly, Guyanese motorists aren’t.

Wanted: Eliuge Allicock

Dead: Calvin Nelson

4 die in horrific EBD accident as truck slams into ‘U-turning’ car

…7-year-old in coma

Atragic accident on Craig Public Road, East Bank Demerara, has resulted in the deaths of four persons and left a child in a coma.

Dead are Eric Christopher Thomas, 60; Annette Williams, 56; and Lynette Chapel, all of Charity Squatting area, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), and Evette Domingo, 53, a housewife from Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The collision involved a motor lorry, GYY 9560, driven by Tyrese Bess, and a motor car, PPP 3034, operated by Stanley La Cruise, 57, of Mon Repos.

According to the Police report, the accident occurred around 20:00h when the motor car driven by La Cruise and containing five other passengers, was travelling south along the eastern side of the Craig Public Road.

However, La Cruise contradicted the Police's version, asserting that six people were in the car with him, not five. Notably, among the victims was Evette Domingo, a 53-year-old housewife from Mon Repos, East Coast

Demerara, who happens to be La Cruise's wife.

She was among those injured in the accident and was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital in serious condition. However, Domingo subsequently died while receiving medical attention.

In the aftermath of the collision, La Cruise revealed that his now deceased wife’s seven-year-old nephew is currently in a coma, battling for his life. It was also revealed that at the time of the accident, Chapel was pregnant with her second child.

Survivor’s story

Recalling the moments leading up to the accident, an emotional La Cruise shared, "My wife was there. We were in our bed when they called me to pick them up from Mon Repos and take them to Diamond on the East Bank. Now they've died and my wife is dead."

While the Police's preliminary findings suggested that La Cruise attempted a dangerous U-turn, he contested this, explaining that he was already across the road when the motor lorry

struck him from behind.

He recounted, "I missed the corner, so I went through the street and turned back to take them to the right corner. I saw the truck some distance away, so I crossed the road because from where he was, I could have crossed over. I was already over the road, and the truck hit me from behind. It came with speed."

The impact inflicted severe injuries on all occupants of the motor car. The occupants were all transported to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre for medical attention. Thomas and Williams succumbed to their injuries at the scene of the accident, while Chapel died

while undergoing treatment. Domingo, La Cruise's wife, was admitted to Georgetown Public Hospital in serious condition but died on Tuesday.

La Cruise also shared his ordeal with law enforcement, revealing that despite his injuries, the Police took him into custody without providing necessary medical attention.

He shared, "I got hit in my chest. I am in pain, my whole face swelled up. ...they [the Police] told me they would take me to the hospital, and up to now, I haven't been taken. I didn't even get to see my wife; my daughter called me and told me my wife is dead,” the

man told this publication on Tuesday.

Thomas, Williams and Chapel recently travelled to Georgetown to attend the

cricket games at the Guyana National Stadium. Police have since launched an investigation. (G9 &G14)

Dead: Eric Christopher Thomas Dead: Evette Domingo Dead: Annette Williams

Dead: Lynette Chapel

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

Govt increasing focus on housing development along ECD – Croal

…as close to 50 new housing developments implemented since 2020

With house lot allocations on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) reaching saturation levels, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government is increasing its focus on accelerating housing developments on the East Coast. This is according to Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal.

During a recent interview to mark three years in office, Minister Croal spoke about the Government’s efforts to develop infrastructure in new housing areas. Specifically, Minister Croal revealed that almost 50 new areas have been developed during that period.

“When I talk about infrastructure, we’re talking about the establishment of new areas across the country. I can safely say in this short three years in office, we have established close to fifty locations of new areas, as part of our development. So, you see allocations being done. And then you see the infrastructure follow.”

“In our case when we got into office, we had to address allocation exercises that were done under the previous Government tenure, for which no infrastructure work was done. We had to ad-

dress that. We’ve done that,” Minister Croal said.

According to Croal, every region has in fact seen the development of new areas. But with space on the East Bank running out, the Government is also concentrating on development on the East Coast.

“Let’s picture this scenario. Pick any area that you know, whether it’s on the East Coast since we’re concentrating a lot on the East Coast now. Because the East Bank has reached that point of saturation.”

“You go there, one the land was lying there previously with no development or it was used for sugar cane development. But the bottom line is, zero development. Virgin land. That’s the first thing.”

According to the Housing

Minister, this complicated the PPP/C Government’s own work when they inherited Government from the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government. In addition, it meant the PPP/C had to devote even more of the budget towards infrastructure development in housing areas.

“So, you have to build access roads. That is why our infrastructure costs for development of these areas is much more. Because we’re starting from scratch. It’s not where we talk about rehabilitation. This is new development. So, on average, it’s about $3 million to $3.5 million is estimated for the infrastructure cost for every lot that is developing within the space you live.”

Minister Croal had recently revealed that three years of governance under the Irfaan Ali-led Administration has seen the delivery of over 24,000 house lots to Guyanese. Moving closer towards fulfilling its manifesto promise of 50,000 house lots in five years, the Minister had revealed, “On the eve of our third anniversary in Government, 24,116 house lots were delivered to date.”

Compared to the APNU/ AFC’s delivery of 7534 lots in its entire five-year term,

Croal had remarked that 1987 was distributed as a ‘gimmick’ leading up to the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

A breakdown of Government’s distribution reflected 719 in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 5099 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 15,010 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 956 in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), 1254 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne),

598 in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and 471 in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

He had pointed out that only three housing areas were developed under the former Administration – sections of Peters Hall, Prospect and Providence. Drawing contrast, the PPP/C Government has pushed aggressively to develop housing schemes in Onderneeming, Charity, Edinburgh, Cornelia Ida,

Meten-Meer-Zorg, Anna Catherina, Stewartville, Great Diamond, Little Diamond, Non Pareil, Enterprise, Hope Cummings Lodge, Lusignan, Good Hope, De Endragt Golden Grove, Le Ressouvenir, La Reconnaissance, Blairmont, Shieldstown, Burma, Fort Ordnance, Number 75 Village, Number 76 Village, Lethem, Amelia’s Ward, among several areas, excluding areas under the 2023 work programme.(G3)

Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal

Guyana earns over $750M from brackish water shrimp in 7 months

Between January

and July 2023, Guyana has earned $764 million in revenue from the production of brackish water shrimp.

President Irfaan Ali updated on Tuesday that production increased to 448,250 kilograms, reflecting a 19 per cent increase over the same period in 2022.

According to Ali, this success is a result of the Government’s investment of over $400 million in the industry since 2021.

It was previously reported that under this

earning over $274 million. These tubes will be used to enhance the ponds for proper drainage and to

sued an invitation for bids for the supply of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tubes for the brackish water shrimp project in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) at an estimated cost of $24.5 million.

This comes from a total of $349.6 million allocated in this year’s budget to support the further improvement of the fishing industry.

has been able to construct 133 ponds, resulting in them exceeding initial production figures.

operational cost.

project, farmers were able to produce 182.89 metric tons (182,890 kilograms) of blackwater shrimp in the first quarter of this year,

take in water, so that farmers could grow the larvae to come into shrimp.

A few days ago, the Agriculture Ministry is -

Initially, the objective was to increase production to 500,000 kilogrammes annually. The launch of this project in 2021 along the Corentyne Coast saw significant interest from stakeholders to take advantage of the seafood potential here.

To date, Government

In advancing the country’s agriculture sector and strengthening its food security, the Government has been working to revitalise its aquaculture industry, expending over $500 million last year to do so. Further, another $750 million in cash grants were distributed to aid fishermen as they tackle the rising cost of living, low catch resulting from global warming, and increases in

The production of prawns and the lucrative marine cage project are expected to further boost the country’s aquaculture sector significantly, since they will be expanded countrywide. For 2023, another 50 cages will be set up.

These efforts have been amplified with the commitment to increase cage culture to about 50-75 cages this year, improve the facilities of some 75 landing sites, and increasing the production of brackish water shrimp.

Earlier this year, the Ministry also collaborated with the Food and Agriculture (FAO) Organization and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to develop and receive several manuals to address critical aspects of the fishing industry: the FAO-led Seabob Management Plan (20222027), the WWF-produced Guyana Marine Industry Management Plan (20222027), and the Agriculture Ministry’s new Brackish Water Shrimp Production Manual. (G12)

Brackish water shrimp produced in Guyana

Official visit to the Dominican Republic

President Dr Irfaan Ali, First Lady Arya Ali and a high-level delegation arrived in Santo Domingo on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic (Office of the President photos)

Updated aerial land imagery for Guyana underway

…as GLSC workers trained in LiDAR technology

Through Medici Land Governance (MLG), employees of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) have completed a critical training phase in which laser imaging, detection, and ranging technology (LiDAR) was used to develop accurate contemporary maps of the country’s land surface.

These efforts materialized in conjunction with Guyana’s Sustainable Land Development and Management (SLDM) Project, which aims to modernize land management and update its national map to meet objectives in urban

growth, economic development, and a growing population.

MLG led a group of 25 trainees in advance implementation of LiDAR technologies, applications for land administration; and tools and workflows for acquiring, processing, and analyzing LiDAR data. The group comprised Geographic Information System (GIS) analysts and technicians, and surveyors of the Commission.

The training complements the aerial data acquisition phase by MLG and its partners for Guyana’s Mainstreaming SLDM Project, which is fund-

ed by the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) and implemented by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

MLG is leading the production of updated map data, and will process aerial imagery data to produce digital terrain models and map imagery for extracting infrastructure, water features, and 3D building models. The data representing terrain, aerial imagery, and extracted features will become key layers in the national map. The project covers 545 km2 of the urbanized area and another 15,736 km2 of rural area.

Senior Cartographer (ag), Land Information and Mapping Division, shared, "The LiDAR introductory presentation session was well presented and quite informative. It was fascinating to view the 3D elevation models for the DSM and DTM overlayed, then separately during the practical sessions. The ortho-imagery had the highest observed resolution, which will be very useful for precise map updating."

LiDAR’s mapping capabilities are achieved by emitting laser pulses from an aircraft or ground-based system and measuring how long it takes for the light to bounce

back to a sensor. With these data points, LiDAR can generate a precise three-dimensional map of the land and everything on it, including trees, buildings, easements, walls, and rivers. LiDAR is a cost- and time-efficient alternative to traditional mapping methods.

Medici Land Governance aims to promote economic development and full financial inclusion by helping individuals establish formal ownership of their homes and land. They are poised to achieve this mission by designing and providing a comprehensive suite of user-friendly emerging technologies and

services for modernizing and expanding land administration systems and their public services.

Such technologies are related to carrying out hybrid mapping and image surveying programs such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and cryptography; supporting Government agencies to digitize land and other public records, and supporting platform and mobile applications to facilitate public records’ coordination and transaction services, including revenue collections and payments up to, and including, blockchain implementation. (G12)

Aerial mapping conducted at Bartica

3D digital model produced as part of the project in Bartica

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

Rejecting Henry Jeffrey’s racist dishonesty – the PPP is not a minority party

Ihave always had much disagreement with Henry Jeffrey’s positions. But, because we were once colleagues, I have studiously avoided responding to the many absurd positions he has adopted. In a long diatribe – “striving for an effective democracy” - that was published in the Kaieteur News of August 7, focusing mainly on Israel, he described the PPP as a “now substantial minority party”.

There are many things in the article that I disagreed with, but my column is limited to a certain number of words. Therefore, I will simply deal with this statement. For Jeffrey to describe the PPP as “now a substantial minority party”, he has gone stark crazy, living in la-la land. This is what hate does to a mind – he is now incapable of seeing the truth, or incapable of admitting the truth.

The PPP easily won the March 2, 2020 elections. Just past one week more than three years since those elections, the PNC, Jeffrey, and the other sycophants cannot bring themselves to admit that the people of Guyana rejected them and chose the PPP with an overwhelming majority on March 2, 2020. Since then, two things have become apparent. First, the PPP has attracted more support in Guyana, even making significant inroads into the support base of the PNC. Since then also, the other political parties in Guyana have virtually disappeared. The AFC is “dead meat”, just as had been predicted by its leader in early 2015. The WPA has been long dead. The other parties are nothing more than paper parties. The PPP is now a much larger majority party in Guyana than it was on March 2, 2020 when it won back the Government. The second thing that is apparent is that the PNC is now even more a minority party than it has ever been.

If anyone examine the facts, hard cold facts, the recent local government elections strongly confirmed that the PPP is growing in strength, with increasing support in every region of Guyana. At the same time, the recent LGE 2023 showed that the PNC is losing support in its base. The PPP won 67 of the 80 local government areas, with the PNC holding on barely in some of the thirteen local government areas that it still controls. The PNC could not even find candidates to compete in the majority of the 610 constituencies, being able to field candidates in merely 44% of all the constituencies in which local government elections were held. The PPP, on the other hand, for the first time in local government elections, fielded candidates in every single one of the constituencies, winning more than 75% of the seats. Of the five municipalities that the PPP traditionally win in, they held those with increasing majorities. The PPP now also control the municipalities of Mahdia and Bartica, two towns in Regions 7 and 8, both of which the PNC traditionally controlled. The PPP almost doubled its seats and more than doubled its votes in Georgetown. From one seat in Linden, the PPP now has two seats. The PPP nearly beat the PNC in New Amsterdam, where the PNC barely held on with an 8 to 6 seat distribution.

Examine the trajectory of elections in Guyana since 2018. PPP won more than 64% of all seats available in LGE 2018. The PPP won more than 51% of the votes in the March 2 general and regional elections. The PPP won more than 75% of all seats in the LGE 2023. What therefore would possess anyone to describe the PPP as a “now substantial minority party”? Somebody must have gone stark mad, or that someone is being dishonest. Maybe that someone is so filled with hate that he or she chooses to be a fool.

But while Henry Jeffrey treats us all as fools, we know that he is playing the fool. The truth is that his statement is not merely foolish, it is wicked and it is racist. He might be playing the fool, but we see what he is trying to do. What, in fact, he is getting at is that the PPP is nothing but an Indo-Guyanese party, and that the Indo-Guyanese population is now a minority in Guyana. While it might be true that the PPP is the party of choice for the majority of Indo-Guyanese, the PPP is also the party of choice for a significant majority of Amerindians, and the party of choice for a growing number of other ethnic groups in Guyana.

Outside of 1953, the PPP has never enjoyed more support from Afro-Guyanese than it presently enjoys. It is why the PNC knows that it cannot rely on winning New Amsterdam, which it has controlled since colonial days, either in the 2025 general elections or in the next LGE. It also knows that in the next general elections and in the next LGE, it might very well lose in Kwakwani for the first time.

There is a reason why the majority of young people, regardless of race, are now gravitating to the PPP. There is a reason why so many veteran politicians who have served the PNC all their lives have abandoned the PNC. It is because they see the PPP as growing from strength to strength; it is because they see the PNC as a sinking ship. Henry Jeffrey’s dishonesty is too transparent, and everyone sees it. It is nothing but racist rant hidden in some intellectual mumbo-jumbo.

Health Minister visits 12-year-old

Mahdia fire survivor in New York …as team prepares for her return home

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has visited the 12-yearold burn victim of the Mahdia fire tragedy who was flown to the United States for specialized treatment two months ago, and she has shown positive signs of recovery that will allow her to be home in a few weeks.

After the May 21 incident that claimed the lives of 20 students, the 12-yearold suffered severe burns to more than 40 per cent of her body. She was air dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), and soon after transferred to the United States to receive comprehensive burn care at Northwell Health’s Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH).

“The patient suffered second and third degree burns to approximately 40 per cent of her body… Her injuries required extensive skin graft surgeries, 24/7 pain management, physical therapy and counselling,” explained Director of the Regional Burn Center, Dr Michael Cooper.

Burns can be very complex injuries that require a slow healing process. The patient has begun to walk about 10 to 15 feet, but doctors would like to get her to around 40 before discharging her home, which will likely be in a few weeks.

Vice President of Northwell Health’s Center

for Global Health, Dr Eric Cioe Peña, expressed, “To see her smile is emotional. The physical recovery is the first part, but the psychological recovery is so important and can be even harder with emotional scars…This child’s recovery is a sign of hope for Guyana and, God willing, will help the healing process for the country.”

Dr Anthony visited the patient alongside her care team to discuss her ongoing treatment and prognosis.

In preparation for her return to Guyana, the team discussed the next steps in transition of care and their commitment to making the integration as seamless as possible between the two institutions.

“We had a national tragedy, but I was glad to see her today. When she left Guyana, she was unconscious, and today she is smiling. Over the last couple of weeks, she has made significant progress…I am grateful to the staff at Northwell for the care, experience and expertise they have put in to make sure she is getting the best outcome. We’re excited to bring her home,” the Minister voiced.

On May 27, the critically injured teen was picked up by the Global Rescue Ambulance via the Air Ambulance at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and taken to the Northwell facility – which waived all costs for medical care.

While at GPHC, she underwent two surgeries, and her condition, though critical, improved steadily. She was the only victim to be taken out of the country to seek further care.

The fire that engulfed the Mahdia Secondary School girls’ dormitory in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) has claimed the lives of 19 of her friends and a five-year-old boy.

Following Police investigations, a 15-year-old student was charged for murder and remanded at the Juvenile Holding Centre.

A Commission of Inquiry (CoI) will be sworn in this week to probe the circumstances of the Mahdia tragedy. (G12)

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony meeting with officials from the Regional Burn Center of SIUH

Sherwin-Williams paints looking to further tap into Guyanese market

With US-based paint company, SherwinWilliams aiming to expand its reach within Guyana, a lunch and learn event on Tuesday, facilitated by its Guyanese authorised distributor Atlantic Marine Supplies Inc (AMSI), offered local stakeholders within the construction industry the chance to learn more about their products.

Sherwin-Williams has been in existence for some 150 years, broadening its scope to reach international markets over the recent decades before making its way to Guyana through AMSI in 2019.

“It’s only natural that at some point, we would’ve gotten to Guyana. It just so happens that Guyana is at a stage now where the economy is expanding and taking off because of the oil boom, SherwinWilliams’ Architectural

Account Executive, Omar Mohamed said. While Sherwin-Williams products have been well-received over the four years in Guyana, the Tuesday event was a chance for engineers, architects and other persons working within the construction industry to learn more about the company’s gener-

ic coating systems, including architectural, light industrial and high-performance flooring.

“It’s easy to say it’s paint because that’s what everybody knows. But coating systems vary according to the application and the intent. So architectural paints could be

for residence [and] commercial properties,” Mohamed explained.

“And then you move into the light industrial – that could be hospitals, hotels, manufacturing facilities. And then you go into heavy industrial, like protective [coating] on marine, and that’s where we see that is a very good relation that we’re forging with Atlantic Marine to get our products to the Guyanese public,” Mohamed said.

Lancelot Gordon, AMSI’s Business Development and Customer Relations Manager, noted that the company’s products are available for use across sectors, with efforts being made recently within the marine industry.

“We are now introducing [the Sherwin-Williams] marine protective coatings to companies that operate the rigs, the companies that op-

erate the support vessels and even those [with] equipment that goes subsea,” Gordon said.

Gordon added that AMSI is also working to provide Sherwin-Williams paints within the construction industry, most notably the ExxonMobil Guyana headquarters currently under construction in Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

He noted that the products have been well-received by locals since its introduction into

the Guyanese market, with hopes for its reach to continue to expand.

“The response has been tremendous. People are excited that we now have US-made products, something that stands up to our conditions, that is durable and is cost-effective,” Gordon said. AMSI will also be facilitating a hands-on expo today at AMSI’s Rome facility to demonstrate the application of the Sherwin-Williams coatings.

Govt exploring black-eyed peas production in Region 1

As Guyana embarks on an aggressive food security drive, the Government is now looking to ramp up black-eyed pea cultivation on 1000 acres of land in Region One (Barima-Waini), which could eventually supply the Caricom market.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha made the disclosure on Monday on the sidelines of the handing over of inputs to farmers at the National Agricultural

Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).

This, he said, aligns with President Dr Irfaan Ali’s vision of positioning Guyana as a hub for food production and reclaiming its title as the bread basket of the Caribbean Region.

“We can produce all the needs for the Caribbean [and so] we are looking to start some cultivation. First of all, we’ll look at the areas in Region One. We are looking to

build facilities in Region One as long as the soil type is good there and hopefully, we can start large-scale production of black-eye peas, coming out of Region One,” the Minister is quoted as saying in DPI report.

According to the Minister, Guyanese investors have already signalled interest in making investments in this large-scale production.

Additionally, with the newly commissioned $1.2 bil-

lion MV MA Lisha now traversing the Georgetown to Region One route, Minister Mustapha noted that exporting crops from the region to the Caribbean will be made easier. “We have enough transportation that can bring out crops to Georgetown. Of course, from Region One to Trinidad also, it’s very close and we can get transportation from Region One to Trinidad to export crops from Region One,” Mustapha explained.

The Ministry is also looking to ramp up spice production in the Barima-Waini region by providing technical support to farmers.

“Already, NAREI would have started out there. We had technical teams in that region, they have been working with farmers in this region, we have been providing planting materials. The last time we donated $20 million of ginger planting material to the farmers in Region One,” he

disclosed.

Government is making major investments in large-scale agricultural production so that Guyana and the Caribbean can produce its own food and reduce the large food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

The Administration led by President Ali is also pumping investments in high-value crops such as broccoli, cauliflower as well as non-traditional crops like corn and soya, and wheat, among others.

AMSI Business Development and Customer Relations Manager Lancelot Gordon

Sherwin Williams Architectural Account Executive Omar Mohamed

1st off-road ATV adventure to Moraikobai a success

The Indigenous community of Moraikobai in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) last weekend welcomed tourists who travelled there by All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) on an adventure trip organised by Savannah Tours.

Savannah Tours, with support from the Guyana Tourism Authority, on July 29 took persons on an offroad adventure to the village.

The group of nine travelled from Yarrowkabra on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway through the savannahs first to St Cuthbert’s Mission, a report from the Department of Public Information (DPI) stated.

“It’s always a privilege to have tourists, both local and international, passing through our village. Tourism

is something that we are focusing on right now,” said St Cuthbert’s Mission Toshao, Timothy Andrews, as he welcomed the visitors. After leaving St Cuthbert’s Mission, the group travelled another 140 kilometres to Moraikobai, through various terrains and changing weather.

The tourists arrived in the village as the commu-

nity was hosting its village day activities and were happy to indulge in the festivities.

They spent the night in the community and were ready to hit the trail again on Sunday, July 30.

“I choose to bring my wife along with me on an ATV trip and I totally, totally recommend an ATV tour with Savannah Drive, it was worth every penny,” said Nicholas Persaud. Persaud’s wife, Joan, was thrilled to be a part of the maiden trip.

“It was an excellent trip; we really enjoy it. (Travelling on] the ATV, I was scared to be honest, but it was really fun, we enjoyed ourselves …and we recommend the public to come out when we have tours with ATV. It’s really fun, take it

Youths learn steelpan, music theory in Govt’s music literacy camp

Young people countrywide have been learning the art of the steelpan through the “Right Start Pan Minors Music Literacy Camp,” which was launched last month by the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry in collaboration with Republic Bank.

Aiming to develop a new generation of steelpan players, this camp has been open to selected youths in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) since July 24 and will continue until Friday.

In Region 10, the participants learning at McKenzie High School in Linden, shared their experiences.

Though 14-year-old Akira Campbell has been playing steelpan within her school band at Queen’s College, she saw the opportunity to expand on her abilities during this camp.

“I wanted to come to this programme because I wanted to broaden my horizons. There are different pans and I wanted to try something new and share my passions with others,” Campbell said.

“This is a great initiative by the Government because it will help to spread awareness. Most people don’t know about steelpan and I’m really glad to see we have a good amount of people here to have fun and play together,” Campbell said.

While each camp has the capacity to cater for 35 children, Campbell is among the 19 who have been partaking in the Linden-based camp.

Echoing her sentiments, thirteen-year-old Tavia McPherson also expressed appreciation for the opportunity to gain new skills and encouraged others to partici-

pate when the camp reopens for new entries.

“The experience is very fun. I like the instrument, I like the people and I like the instructor,” McPherson said.

Meanwhile, the camp’s youngest participant, eightyear-old Aden Adams, already had some familiarity with the steelpan as he plays the instrument at his school – Watooka Day Primary School.

“[I like steelpan] because it teaches me a whole other level of music and because I have a big band of friends so they could help me learn about new notes,” Adams said.

“I feel happy because if [this camp] was not here, [my brother] Amar and I would just be stuck home doing nothing so I’m happy that it’s here so we all could

play steelpan,” Adams said.

Instructor Daniel Daly has been playing the instrument for some 15 years, having been a member of the Buxton Pride Steel Orchestra before joining the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

He has been teaching steelpan for five years now and expressed his hope for the eventual creation of a Linden-based steelpan band.

“Personally, you have to have the love for it. Steelpan, in Guyana, is not a big thing as it is in Trinidad but as instructors, we’re trying to push the art form to another level, trying to put more bands in schools and if I can do more community work in schools, it would be better for me,” Daly said.

from me, and I’m shy, not so adventurous but I think I’m getting into it now,” she is quoted by DPI as saying.

First-time visitor to Moraikobai, Thiago Thomas also spoke of his experience.

“It was fun coming in with Savannah Tours and the road was rough, the road was really hard, but we made it here. It was a nice experience for me coming

to Moraikobai for the first time. I really like the place, I like the creek, I like the people, it’s awesome here,” he shared.

The Moraikobai Village Council is also working to develop its tourism product, to improve the local economy.

Village Councillor Collin Adrian noted, “The Savannah Drive was actually one of the first persons

to highlight that we have potential and now I would say that we are in partnership. I would say it’s a welcomed initiative in getting this work finished that we can be able to move tourism across the board, not only in Moraikobai, but across the country.”

Toshao Derrick John was also pleased with the initiative.

Music literacy camp participant

Tavia McPherson

Music literacy camp instructor Daniel Daly

Music literacy camp participant Akira Campbell

Music literacy camp participant Aden Adams

Toshao of Moraikobai Village, Derrick John

Regional Amazon nations fail to agree on deforestation goal at summit

leftist President Gustavo Petro's ongoing campaign to end new oil development in the Amazon. In his speech on Tuesday, Petro likened the left's desire to keep drilling for oil to the right-wing denial of climate science.

He said the idea of making a gradual "energy transition" away from fossil fuels was a way to delay the work needed to stop climate change.

"What we are discussing in Brazil today is research of an extensive and large area – in my vision perhaps the last frontier of oil and gas before ... the energy transition," Brazilian Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira told reporters after Petro's speech.

Silveira said they should conduct research into what oil is there in order to make a decision on the issue.

The final joint statement, called the Belem Declaration, strongly asserted Indigenous rights and protections, while also agreeing to cooperate on water management, health, common negotiating positions at climate summits, and sustainable development.

Amazon nations agreed to a list of unified environmental policies and measures to bolster regional cooperation at a major rainforest summit in Brazil on Tuesday, but failed to agree on a common goal for ending deforestation.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has staked his international reputation on improving Brazil's environmental standing, had been pushing for the region to unite behind a common policy of ending deforestation by 2030 –one he has already adopted.

Instead, the joint declaration issued on Tuesday in the Brazilian city of Belem created an alliance for combating forest destruction, with countries left to pursue their own individual deforestation goals.

The failure of the eight Amazon countries to agree on a pact to protect their own forests points to the larger, global difficulties of forging an agreement

to combat climate change. Many scientists say policymakers are acting too slowly to head off catastrophic global warming.

"The planet is melting, we are breaking temperature records every day.

It is not possible that, in a scenario like this, eight Amazonian countries are unable to put in a statement – in large letters – that deforestation needs to be zero," said Marcio Astrini of environmental lobby group Climate Observatory.

Lula and other national leaders left Tuesday's meeting without commenting on the declaration. Presidents from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru attended the summit, while Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela sent other top officials.

Bolivia and Venezuela are the only Amazon countries not to sign onto a 2021 agreement among more than 100 countries to work toward halting deforestation by 2030. A Brazilian

Government source told Reuters in the lead-up to the summit that Bolivia, where forest destruction is surging, is a hold-out on the issue.

Bolivian President Luis Arce did not address the 2030 commitment in his speech on Tuesday.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said in a press briefing that the issue of deforestation "in no way whatsoever will divide the region" and cited "an understanding about deforestation" in the declaration, without elaborating.

This week's summit brought together the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) for the first time in 14 years, with plans to reach a broad agreement on issues from fighting deforestation to financing sustainable development.

But tensions emerged in the lead-up to the summit around diverging positions on deforestation and oil development.

Fellow Amazon countries also rebuffed Colombian

T&T Judge grants temporary reprieve for Venezuelans: Hinds can’t deport 64

ATrinidad High Court Judge has granted temporary reprieve to 64 Venezuelans held during a raid at a St James bar early last month, by preventing their immediate deportation.

On Tuesday, Justice Ricky Rahim restrained National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds from enforcing the deportation orders for the 64, pend -

ing the determination of their judicial review claim, which he permitted them to file.

He also ordered the Minister to issue orders of supervision for the 64.

The matter was also deemed fit for hearing during the court’s vacation period. Dates and times for the hearing will be set by the docketed judge, Justice Avason Quinlan-Williams.

The 64 were held on July 9 at the Apex Bar in St James during a Police raid. In total, almost 200 were detained.

Since their detention, they have been kept at the immigration detention facility at the heliport in Chaguaramas. Between July 13 and 24, they were issued with deportation orders. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Brazil is weighing whether to develop a potentially huge offshore oil find near the mouth of the Amazon River and the country's northern coast, which is dominated by rainforest.

Beyond deforestation, the summit also did not fix a deadline on ending illegal gold mining, although leaders agreed to cooperate on the issue and to better combat cross-border environmental crime.

As Reuters previously reported, the declaration additionally established a science body to meet annually and produce authoritative reports on science related to the Amazon rainforest, akin to the United Nations' International Panel on Climate Change. (Reuters)

Notorious Colombian drug trafficker sentenced to 45 years in US

Notorious Colombian drug trafficker Dairo

Antonio Usuga David, known simply as “Otoniel”, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison by a federal judge in the United States.

Otoniel had previously pleaded guilty to charges of drug distribution and running a criminal enterprise in a court in Brooklyn, New York.

During Tuesday’s sentencing, the 51-year-old admitted his responsibility in running a vast network of criminal operations and cocaine smuggling, as leader of the violent paramilitary group known as the Clan del Golfo or the Gulf Clan cartel.

“I apologise to the Governments of the United States and of Colombia and to the victims of the crimes that

I have committed,” Usuga said through a court interpreter.

The US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn had requested the 45-year sentence, saying

Usuga had led a “terrorist and paramilitary organisation” for nearly two decades and opted not to demobilise through a Government-led peace process. (Excerpt from Aljazeera)

Ecuador names new prisons director following July violence

Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso on Tuesday named a new director for the country's prison agency, SNAI, following renewed violence in one of the nation's most violent prisons.

Lasso has regularly declared states of emergency in prisons as he tries to tackle violence that has surged

since 2021, claiming the lives of at least 400 prisoners.

The latest 60-day emergency declaration began in late July, after violence at Guayaquil's Penitenciaria del Litoral.

Luis Ordonez, a retired soldier and intelligence expert, will replace Guillermo Rodriguez as the prison head, Lasso's press office said

in a statement. Rodriguez resigned last week amid criticism that he failed to make various improvements to the prison system.

Ordonez is the sixth director of the agency in Lasso's two-year tenure. An early presidential election to decide Lasso's successor will take place on August 20.(Reuters)

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addresses the audience at the summit of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO), in Belem, Brazil, August 8, 2023 (Ricardo Stuckert/Brazil Presidency/Handout via Reuters)

Colombian drug trafficker Dairo Antonio Usuga David, aka “Otoniel”

Around The World OIL NEWS

Pakistan: Imran Khan barred from politics for 5 years

The former Prime Minister of Pakistan,

US crude output to rise to record 12.76M bpd in 2023 – EIA

US crude oil production is expected to rise by 850,000 barrels per day to record 12.76 million bpd in 2023, according to a monthly report from the Energy Information Administration on Tuesday.

Crude oil production is expected to rise by 330,000 barrels per day to 13.09 million bpd in 2024, EIA data showed.

The last record output was 12.3 million bpd in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic crushed demand and prices, and drillers were hit by higher costs that squeezed profit margins and investor demands to limit spending.

The increases in forecasts are due to come as a result of higher expected well-level productivity and higher crude oil prices, the EIA said.

Global benchmark Brent crude oil prices are due to average US$86 per barrel in the second half of 2023, up about US$7 per barrel from the previous forecast, the EIA said. US GDP growth is expected to rise increase by 1.9% in 2023, up from 1.5% in last month's forecast, the EIA said.

Crude prices have been rising since June, primarily because of extended voluntary cuts to Saudi Arabia's crude oil production as well as increasing global demand.

"We expect these factors will continue to reduce global oil inventories and put upward pressure on oil prices in the coming months," the EIA said.

Rising global oil production in 2024 is expected to keep pace with oil demand and put downward pressure on crude oil prices beginning in the second quarter of 2024, it added.

US total petroleum consumption is forecast to rise by 200,000 bpd to 20.5 million bpd in 2023, and is forecast to rise by another 200,000 bpd to 20.7 million bpd in 2024, the data showed.

The EIA has reversed its forecast of a supply deficit in the global oil markets for 2023, with the agency now expecting a sharper increase in non-OPEC OECD output than earlier. It had last month forecast that world petroleum consumption would outpace production this year.

In the natural gas market, US production and demand will rise to record highs in 2023, the EIA said in the same monthly report.

It projected that dry gas production will rise to 103 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2023 and 104.12 bcfd in 2024 from a record 98.13 bcfd in 2022.

The agency also projected that domestic gas consumption would rise from a record 88.53 bcfd in 2022 to 89.34 bcfd in 2023 before sliding to 87.88 bcfd in 2024. (Reuters)

Imran Khan, has been barred from holding public office for five years by the country's electoral authorities.

The decision was announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan three days after Khan was sentenced to three years in prison for corruption.

Tuesday's announcement also means Khan will be dismissed as an MP.

He maintains the charges are politically motivated, but the Pakistani Government denies this.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, Pakistan's Minister of Information and Broadcasting, told the BBC before the announcement: "You have to be accountable for your deeds in law. This

has nothing to do with politics. A person who has been proven guilty by the court has to be arrested."

Khan, 70, was elected as Pakistan's leader in 2018, but was ousted in a no-confidence vote last year after falling out with the country's powerful military.

His guilty verdict on Saturday was centred on charges he incorrectly declared details of presents from foreign dignitaries and proceeds from their alleged sale.

The gifts - reported to be worth more than 140M Pakistani rupees (US$635,000; £500,000) - included Rolex watches, a ring and a pair of cufflinks.

Local media reported that Khan's disqualification from running in any elec-

tions for five years was in line with that guilty ruling.

Under Pakistani laws, a convicted person cannot run for public office for a period set out by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

His legal team has chal-

lenged the guilty verdict and the case will be heard in the Islamabad High Court today.

The former Prime Minister is currently being held in a prison near Islamabad. (BBC News)

India bars makers of military drones from using Chinese parts

India in recent months has barred domestic manufacturers of military drones from using components made in China over concerns about security vulnerabilities, according to four defence and industry officials and documents reviewed by Reuters.

The measure comes amid tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours and as New Delhi pursues a military modernisation that envisages greater use of unmanned quadcopters, long-endurance systems and other autonomous platforms.

But as the nascent Indian industry looks to meet the military's needs, the defence and industry figures said India's security leaders were worried that intelligence-gathering could be compromised by Chinese-made parts

in drones' communication functions, cameras, radio transmission and operating software.

Three of these people and some of the six other Government and industry figures interviewed by Reuters spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to the media or because of the topic's sensitivity. India's Defence Ministry did not respond to Reuters questions.

India's approach, reported by Reuters for the first time, complements phased import restrictions on surveillance drones since 2020 and is being implemented through military tenders, documents show.

At two meetings in February and March to discuss drone tenders, Indian military officials told potential bidders that equipment

After attacking Ukraine wheat exports, Russia faces own shipping challenge

Russia's lack of ships and Western grain traders' shrinking appetite for business with Moscow are adding to rising costs of moving Russian wheat, at a time when the war in Ukraine has spilled perilously close to vital Black Sea supply routes.

President Vladimir Putin promised to replace Ukrainian grain with Russian shipments to Africa after Moscow in July ended an arrangement that gave Ukraine's food cargo safe passage in the Black Sea, imposing a de-facto blockade on its neighbour and attacking storage facilities, in an escalation of the war. Ukraine's response, seadrone attacks on a Russian oil tanker and a warship at

its Novorossiysk naval base, next door to a major grain and oil port, has added to these new dangers for transport in the Black Sea.

Eduard Zernin, head of Russia's Union of Grain Exporters, cited a potential aggravation of what he called "hidden sanctions" that "may lead to an increase

in freight and insurance costs" for Russia.

This "will be reflected in the price level of wheat and other grains on the world market", Zernin told Reuters.

Even though agriculture exports are not subject to direct European and US sanctions imposed after

Russia invaded Ukraine last year, Moscow says restrictions placed on banking and Russian individuals are "hidden sanctions" on the food trade.

The financial and security risks associated with trading with Russia - compounded by the Black Sea corridor collapse - are driving up costs of freight for Moscow and pushing it toward older and smaller vessels run by less established shipping operators, Reuters reporting based on conversations with 10 marine insurers, traders and shipping companies showed.

The situation is raising doubts about whether Russia can keep up a record pace of exports and if not resolved could push global wheat prices higher, the sources said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

or subcomponents from "countries sharing land borders with India will not be acceptable for security reasons", according to minutes reviewed by Reuters. The minutes did not identify the military officials.

One tender document said such subsystems had "security loopholes" that compromised critical military data, and called for vendors to disclose components' origin. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Portugal battles wildfires amid

3rd

heatwave of the year

Firefighters in Portugal are battling to contain wildfires engulfing thousands of hectares amid soaring temperatures.

Around 800 personnel attended a fire near the southern town of Odemira overnight on Monday, with more than 1400 people having to evacuate.

At least nine firefighters have been injured tackling the fires.

Temperatures in excess of 40C (104F) are expected to hit much of the Iberian peninsula this week.

Three major fires that scorched hundreds of hectares in Spain over the weekend have been brought under control, but weather alerts remain in place across much of the country.

In Portugal, Monday saw a temperature of 46.4C (116F), the hottest of the year so far, recorded in Santarém.

The fire near Odemira

began on Saturday and was driven south into the hilly interior of the Algarve, Portugal's main tourism region, by strong winds.

It has so far destroyed some 6700 hectares (16,600 acres) of land, while a total of 19 villages, four tourist accommodations and a camping site have been evacuated.

The town's Mayor, Helder Guerreiro, has said the situation is "critical, difficult, and complex".

In the centre of the country, other major fires prompted the closure of several stretches of motorway, including parts of the A1 between Lisbon and Porto.

Sixteen waterbombing aircraft have been deployed to support firefighting efforts across the two areas.

Authorities have declared more than 120 municipalities across Portugal at maximum risk of wildfires. (Excerpt from BBC News)

A file photo of Imran Khan before his arrest in Lahore, Pakistan, March 2023

View of the damage at a grain port facility after a reported attack by Russian military drones in the Odesa region, Ukraine, August 2, 2023

Firefighters worked to contain the flames in Odemira on Monday

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Refrain from signing up for something you cannot afford or that risks injury. Protect against people trying to coerce you. Focus on self-improvement and personal happiness.

(March 21-April 19)

PICKLES

(April 20-May 20)

PEANUTS

(May 21-June 20)

Offer only what you can deliver, and be prepared to give a play-by-play overview for those who need extra input. How you define yourself and what you offer will make a difference.

Be a good listener and decide what others want from you before you engage in plans that leave you at a disadvantage. Work by yourself to achieve the most with the least amount of interference.

Someone will take advantage of you if you let them. Veer toward unusual situations that offer lessons, experience and connections. Use your skills to make home improvements.

(June 21-July 22)

When in doubt, refrain from making a promise. A reserved approach will buy you time, offering the space you need to consider what’s best for you. Make stress relief your priority.

(July 23-Aug. 22)

Let your intuition guide you to what and who can help you succeed. A medical or financial situation will cause uncertainty if not handled with care. Don’t share personal information.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Declutter your life and lower your overhead. A definitive attitude will help you refurbish your life and set higher standards. Surround yourself with people who share your concerns.

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Consider what you want and must do to position yourself for success. Don’t give others the impression you are flexible when you are not. It’s up to you to make things happen.

(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)

Be honest with yourself and others, and take the initiative to do things for yourself while being considerate of others. Protect your heart from anyone who sends mixed messages.

(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)

Speak up, run the show and embrace changes that help you live the life you long for. Don’t give anyone the right or means to dictate your next move. Have no regrets, and be true to yourself.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Refuse to let the changes others make or the temptations you encounter throw you a curveball. Let your heart be the judge. With patience as your barometer, you’ll find peace and happiness.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Don’t allow anyone to use emotional manipulation to lead you astray. Use your intuition, experience and intelligence to maintain equality and take control. Map out the path that suits your needs.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

Digicel final spots on the line today

There will be all to play for at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Carifesta Avenue this evening when four schools battle for two available spots in the Digicel Schools Football tournament’s national championship final, slated for this Sunday.

Of the four schools set to compete today: Waramuri Top Primary, Carmel Secondary, D.C. Caesar Fox (Waramadong) Secondary and St. Ignatius Secondary, one is set to etch its name in history as new first-time champions.

First on the cards this evening is a clash between D.C. Caesar Fox Secondary of Region 7 and Georgetown’s Carmel Secondary at 17:00hrs.

While Waramadong has proven their mettle by emerging as regional champions, Carmel upset the Georgetown Champions, Dolphin Secondary, in the quarterfinals, proving they are a silent assassin.

On Waramadong’s end, Bevon Jones, Captain Bruce Williams and Anthonio Isaacs will be a trio to look out for, but Carmel have magicians of their own in Ian Daniels and Shem James.

“At the beginning of the match, it was really tough, the other team had the control of the ball, but with positive minds, we had confidence that we would win this game. So, we had to work together as a team, and that’s how we’re successful,” Waramadong Captain Bruce Williams shared about their quarterfinal win.

Quizzed about their semifinal opponent, Williams responded, “Well, they have played good against the other schools, but I know we can do our best. I want to wish them good luck as our opposition, but we’re going to try our best and be successful, hopefully.

“It’s going to mean a lot to my school, because they have supported us; our teachers, our coaches, even our colleagues, our parents also,” Williams went on to add about what a victory would mean to his school.

Carmel’s Ian Daniels expressed similar sentiments about his team going all the way in the tournament, stating, “Carmel Secondary School never win a Digicel competition before, and we always want to reach there.”

When asked about their upset of the Georgetown champions, Daniels shared, “Well, coming into the game, we know it was a difficult match. As a team, in train-

GBA eyeing establishment of new gym in Linden

Anew day will dawn for the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) this Saturday, when they commence their official registration drive for the opening of a new gym in the mining town of Linden. Activities will take place at the Mackenzie Car Park from noon (12pm) to 6pm.

The registration period and the eventual opening of the gym, which will be located at the Bayroc A, is part of the GBA’s objective to resuscitate boxing in the Linden.

Initially, the GBA had conceptualised two smaller registration periods on August 3rd and 4th respectively. However, a major registration drive will now be conducted, which would also feature an exhibition of activities at the Mackenzie Car Park. Approximately 30 individuals will form the machinery for the registration process and the exhibition exercises.

The quartet of Seon Bristol, Lennox Daniels, Lancelot ‘Wild Pine’ Easton and Cuban national Francisco Roldan are tasked with supervising the impending cataloguing procedure on behalf of the GBA, while 20 fighters from various gyms will be utilized during the exhibition segment.

Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer Bristol stated, “The registration drive on Saturday will target all ages. This is just the start, because there will be a continuous registration process when the gym becomes operational in 4-6 weeks. Linden doesn’t have an active gym at the moment, and that is sad."

According to Bristol, “In addition to the registration process, exhibitions, demonstrations, and training exercises will be staged during this period. We are going to take the ring to Linden, and conduct these exhibitions and exercises during the registration period, which will provide a preview of what is to be expected at the gym when it becomes operational. At the official opening of the gym, a national tournament featur-

ing we spoke before: just come out and play our football how we know how to play, and come out victorious again.

“The team strong, they have good communication with each other, and we will work on that in training,” the Carmel player went on to state.

He further added about what Carmel needed to work on for today’s game, “Mostly, the team need to work on their discipline and little bit more communication.”

Meanwhile, at 19:00hrs, Region 9 Champions St. Ignatius Secondary will come up against Waramuri Top, who are making the most of their wildcard opportunity.

Characters like the St. Ignatius Akon Albert, Romel Ernest and Morgan Taruma and Waramuri’s Zundel Abrams and Bruce Vincent will be the ones to look out for tonight.

In a chat with this publication, St. Ignatius Captain Reyaz Williams said about

today’s game, “We have a plan what we always work with, hence we’re going according to that.”

He went on to add about the significance of the team’s performance thus far, “St. Ignatius never been back here where we reach now, we never been here in the last few years. So, it’s like setting history. It will mean a lot to our school and to our Region.”

On the other hand, Waramuri Top were over the moon after defeating Santa Rosa Secondary, who pipped them on penalty shots in the

Regional tournament.

“We performed to our best, and we played very well. I think this is a great win for us,” Waramuri Captain Odell Holmes shared about the quarterfinal win. “We are very proud. I’m very proud of the guys, they put in all of their effort,” he added. Holmes went on to state, “I am very confident we will make it to the finals and take home the trophy.” The Digicel Final is scheduled for Sunday, August 13th. (Jemima Holmes)

ing all the major gyms will be staged.”

He further said, “Linden is a very important region in boxing. They have always had world-ranked fighters, and many of the top prospects in history have emanated from Linden. They have a strong history of building quality fighters, and we cannot ignore that. We cannot afford to forget this region, because they have made significant contributions in both the amateur and professional ranks.” Meanwhile, GBA President Steve Ninvalle affirmed, "Linden, as a community, is unquestionably revered in the local sporting landscape. In boxing, their athletic achievements are storied, and this move, which is of developmental enterprise, has the sole objective of resuscitating a sport that produced and unearthed notable talents from that fertile soil.

“The GBA has a commitment to develop every aspect of the discipline, from its physical structure to its soft infrastructure. That is our mandate. We endeavour to restore prominence to the community that has a storied boxing tradition, which will be to the overall benefit of the discipline and the nation. That is national development!”

A glimpse of what to expect in today’s semifinals

Seon Bristol

Guyana Amazon Warriors overseas players to join team in St Lucia

By Brandon Corlette

The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) overseas and international players will join the team in St Lucia for the opening fixture of the 2023 Republic Bank Limited Caribbean Premier League (RBLCPL), which starts on August 16.

Some of the local players began training this week at the Everest Cricket Club, and according to Coach Rayon Griffith, the focus is on getting the players’ confidence level high and getting them into good rhythm.

“The focus is about getting some of the guys who are not playing cricket into good rhythm heading into the tournament. There are some who are not playing a lot of cricket. If you look at young Junior

Sinclair, Keemo Paul and some others…,” Griffith said. Griffith, who has a wealth of experience at the top level with West Indies, also disclosed that Gudakesh Motie joined the camp in Guyana yesterday (Wednesday, August 8) and the overseas players, the cur-

rent West Indies players, and Consultant Coach Lance Klusener will join the team in St Lucia.

Speaking on the composition of the squad, Griffith said it is a good core. “The core is there from last year. We do have some local spinners in the Sinclairs, Motie,

Amsterdam in gold medal contest tonight

…Guyanese boxing duo qualify for Pan Am Games

Guyana’s Desmond Amsterdam will have the opportunity to clinch gold for Guyana, while his countryman Keevin Allicock has had to settle for silver at the ongoing American Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Youth, Junior Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships being hosted in Cali, Colombia.

The Guyanese duo of Amsterdam and Allicock began their campaigns in the Round of 16 of the Light Heavyweight class (7580kg) and Quarterfinals of the Featherweight class (54-57kg) respectively over the weekend. On Saturday, Keevin Allicock got his first win against Juan Reyes Donis of Guatemala to advance to the semifinals, while Amsterdam defeat-

ing for the semifinals, both Amsterdam and Allicock have secured their tickets to the Pan American Games 2023, set for October 20th to November 5th in Chile.

On Monday night, both boxers geared up for their semifinal bouts, but for-

and Imran Tahir.

“Top-order batting we did not click much last year, so we focused on getting some more batters who could play that role, and to make it a bit more competitive, so no player can come this year and say this position belongs to them. We want to make it challenging for them, so when they have their opportunity, they will be ready,” he explained. Speaking about Consultant Coach Lance Klusener, Griffith said, “I expect him to bring his experi-

ence. He played a lot of whiteball cricket for South Africa. He has been around coaching T20 leagues as well, so we are looking forward for his experience to add to our set-up,” Griffith said.

The 2023 RBLCPL bowls off on August 16 in St Lucia with GAW playing their first match against St Lucia Kings on August 19.

Additionally, the Guyanese core of the Amazon Warriors Womnen’s team also began training this week, and under the guidance of Coach

Griffith and Ryan Hercules, the players are engaged in intense training sessions.

Guyana Amazon Warriors squad: Imran Tahir, Shimron Hetmyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd, Azam Khan, Shai Hope, Gudakesh Motie, Dwaine Pretorius, Kevin Sinclair, Keemo Paul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Ronsford Beaton, Kevlon Anderson, Matthew Nandu, Junior Sinclair, Saim Ayub and Muhammad Haris.

ed Eliezer Omar Brito Caraballo of Puerto Rico in his Round of 16 bout.

In the Light Heavy quarterfinals, Amsterdam overpowered Haiti’s Cedrick Belony-Duliepre on account of points. The Judges’ scorecards read 29:27, 29:27, 29:27, 28:28 and 28:28, with Amsterdam earning passage to the semifinal round.

On account of qualify-

tunes for the Guyanese duo were mixed. Allicock took on Puerto Rico’s Caleb Josue Pagan in the Featherweight semifinal, but lost on points, 29:28, 28:29, 29:28, 29:28 and 29:28. On the other hand, Amsterdam gained a walk over into the final, instead of having to trade punches with Trujillo Barillas Wyatt Denzel of Guatemala in the Light Heavyweight semifinal.

As such, Amsterdam will be tasked with defeating Gustiniano Abel Mina Caicedo of Ecuador in order to clinch the continental gold medal. That fight will take place tonight.

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Guyana Amazon Warriors players ahead of the session

Keemo Paul preparing to bat during a training session at Everest (Brandon Corlette photos)

Keevin Allicock

Yadavs steal the show as India beat West Indies in third T20I

By Brandon Corlette at ProvidenCe

Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav were protagonists at Providence as India roared to their first win in the 5-match T20I series against West Indies.

Suryakumar slammed a classy 83 while Kuldeep claimed 3-28 on his return, as India won the third T20 by seven wickets.

West Indies still lead the five-match series 2-1, with two matches to be played in Florida.

India began their chase of 160 with the early loss of Yashasvi Jaiswal (01), removed by

Obed McCoy with the score at 6-1 in the first over; and Shubman Gill, who dominated the last Indian Premier League, continued to struggle, and made only six from 11 balls. However, Suryakumar and Tilak Varma took the game away from the West Indies with an 87-run stand for the third wicket. Suryakumar, who is well-known as SKY, displayed a wide array of in-

novative shots. His 83 runs included 10 fours and four sixes.

Alzarri Joseph who continues to impress with his pace, ensured SKY was removed for 83 from 44 balls. His innings was the highest by an Indian batsman at Providence.

At 121-3 in 12.4 overs, India were in the driver’s seat, and not even the rain could have saved West Indies.

Varma (49 not out) continued his consistent run, while Hardik Pandya (20 not out)

ensured no further hiccups as India clinched victory by seven wickets and 13 balls to spare.

Joseph ended with 2-25 in his four overs, while India ended on 164-3 in 17.5 overs.

West Indies, having won the toss, had opted to bat.

Jason Holder was absent from the team with a niggling injury, and Roston Chase was included. West Indies had a solid start, with openers Kyle Mayers and Brandon King con-

tributing 55 runs for the opening stand. While it was not a brisk start, the duo played some good shots and got value for their runs.

Mayers was the first to be dismissed, after making 25 runs; and 20 runs later, Johnson Charles’s struggle came to an end after he had made 12 runs from 14 balls.

The returning Kuldeep Yadav proved too hot to handle, as he mesmerised the bat-

Green Stand to cater to patrons at Kares One Guyana T10 on August 12

Patrons attending the finals of the Kares One Guyana T10 Blast are advised that the Green Stand at the National Stadium, Providence, will be the primary stand for seating on Saturday, August 12.

However, should there be an overfill, the Red Stand will open to accommodate patrons.

Below the Green Stand will be the Corporate Village, a wellstocked bar by Banks DIH, and various food concessions.

Persons are advised that while they can bring small coolers into the venue, they cannot bring glass bottles.

There will be a strict prohibition on the usage of glass bottles on Saturday.

In an aim by the organisers to keep all activities centrally located, the Free Kidz Zone will be at the back of the Green Stand. Children will enjoy free rides in the child-friendly zone, including a bouncy castle and free ice cream, soda, snacks, and water for the young.

Persons seeking private booths are asked to contact Azad Ibrahim on 624-3362.

The first semi-final pits the rampant Eccles All-Stars against Team Corruption from

14:00h, followed by V-Net Vipers, who ousted favourites Village Rams, coming against Tarmac Titans from 16:00h.

The Charity match will be at 18:00h, then the grand final will be played from 20:00h.

Admission to the venue is free.

Many players are ecstatic about playing Tape ball at Guyana’s premier sporting facility, and under lights.

According to the organizers, while they are confident of a thrilling end to the tournament, given the quality of teams present, they are happy to announce numerous fan prizes.

Persons will win CPL tickets; two persons will win cell

phones, compliments of ENet; two will win an overnight stay at Jaigobin Hotel in Essequibo; two gift vouchers from Pressy Gift Store and K-Tronics will be up for grabs; and persons can win lunch and dinner at Heliconia Restaurant.

The first-ever champions will pocket G$1M, while the losing finalist will collect G$300,000. The two losing semi-finalists will walk away with G$100,000 each. There will also be prizes for outstanding individual performances.

The tournament's Most Valuable Player will get a motorbike valued at over G$250,000, compliments of Assuria Insurance.

Additionally, there will be a celebrity match before the championship match, wherein the winning side will be rewarded with G$200,000, which will be donated to charity.

The competition is sponsored by Kares Engineering Inc; Mohamed’s Enterprise; GT Beer; Rainforest Water; Star Party Rentals; Avinash Contracting and Scrap Metal Inc; Enet; Regal Stationery and Computer Centre; Trophy Stall; Premier Insurance; Cricket Zone USA; Beacon Café; Continental Transport; Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; National Sports Commission; RS53 RestoBar and Lounge; Jacobs Jewelry and Pawn Shop; First Change Builders Inc; Impressions Inc; Sicko Mode; 94.1 BOOM FM; Assuria Insurance; Montra Restaurant and Longue; Gafoors, and Hard Rock Café.

Schedule of the Finals

Match 29: Eccles All-Stars vs Team Corruption - 14:00h

Match 30: V-Net Vipers vs Tarmac Titans - 16:00h

Match 31: Charity Match -18:00h

Match 32: Final- 20:00h

ters, trapping Charles at the wicket at 75-2 in 10.5 overs. King, who is no stranger to Providence, stood firm as he watched the in-form Pooran racing away. West Indies were 105-3 when Pooran departed for a shot-filled 20, ending his hot-streak at Providence where he scored three fifty+ scores in his three previous T20I games in Guyana.

King then offered a brisk return catch to Yadav, who made no mistake in ensuring the Jamaican was dismissed for a run-a-ball 42, which had five fours and one six.

Shimron Hetmyer was warmly welcomed to the crease by his home fans, but it was not his day to fire. At 123-5 after 17.1 overs had been bowled,

Hetmyer departed for nine, being caught at long-off.

Captain Rovman Powell, having witnessed some poor shot selection from his team mates at the other end, took matter into his own hands and slammed three sixes and one four in his 19-ball unbeaten 40, which took West Indies to 1595 in 20 overs. Powell’s best shot was a crisp six over extra cover which left the fans in awe.

The returning Yadav was the star with the ball for India as he claimed 3-28 in four overs.

The teams will now travel to Florida for the fourth T20I, which bowls off on Saturday, August 12. The final match of the series will be played in Florida on the following day.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies (20 ovs maximum)

Brandon King c &

b Kuldeep Yadav 42

Kyle Mayers c Arshdeep Singh

b Patel 25

Johnson Charles lbw

b Kuldeep Yadav 12

Nicholas Pooran † st †Samson

b Kuldeep Yadav 20

Rovman Powell (c) not out 40

Shimron Hetmyer c Tilak Varma

b Mukesh Kumar 9

Romario Shepherd not out 2

Extras (b 1, lb 3, w 5) 9

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 7.95) 159/5

Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Kyle Mayers, 7.4 ov), 2-75 (Johnson Charles, 10.5 ov), 3-105 (Nicholas Pooran, 14.1 ov), 4-106 (Brandon King, 14.5 ov), 5-123 (Shimron Hetmyer, 17.1 ov) • DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Hardik Pandya 3-0-18-0

Arshdeep Singh 3-0-33-0

Axar Patel 4-0-24-1

Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-33-0

Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-28-3 Mukesh Kumar 2-0-19-1

India (T: 160 runs from 20 ovs)

Yashasvi Jaiswal c Joseph

b McCoy 1

West Indies will need to win in Florida to clinch a rare series victory

Fans turned out at Providence on a hot Tuesday

Powell led West Indies past 150

Pooran was out stumped for 20

Kuldeep returned with three wickets

The Green Stand will be the main seating area for patrons attending the finals of the Kares One Guyana T10 Blast: 14:00h on August 12

Yadavs steal the show as India beat West Indies in third T20I

Gold, Silver, Bronze

History was made on Tuesday night when several of Guyana’s teenage track stars eclipsed their competition in the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games being held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.

Sprint sensation Tiana Springer became the first-ever Guyanese athlete to earn a Gold medal at the international Games since its inception in the year 2000. She has now added the Commonwealth Youth Gold to her South American Gold and CARIFTA Gold earned earlier this year.

In the Women’s 400M final, Springer clocked 53.55s to capture the Gold, while fellow Guyanese Narissa McPherson crossed the line in 54.82s for the Bronze medal. The Guyanese were punctuated by England’s Charlotte Henrich, who clocked 53.65 for the Silver medal.

In the Male version of that event, Malachi Austin again impressed on his way to a Silver medal. Austin sprinted to a personal best time of 47.97s to cop the

second position. He was bested only by Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi, whose 46.99s earned him the Gold. Third place went to England’s Alexander Beck in 48.20s.

Attoya Harvey was

in 4 minutes, 12.38s.

Earlier in the week, the Guyanese athletes impressed in the preliminary rounds of their events. Attoya Harvey was the first Guyanese to cop a spot in her respective final. Harvey

also in action on Tuesday in the Women’s 1500M final. However, her time of 4 minutes, 45.10s was not good enough for a podium position. The race was won by Kenya’s Nancy Cherop

crossed the line in 4:55.14 in her 1500M Heat to grab the last spot in the final.

Fellow 1500M contender Javon Roberts was not as fortunate, clocking 4:20.45 in Heat 2 of the male event.

In the 400M events, it was all glory from the Guyanese trio of Springer, McPherson and Austin. Springer was the first to hit the track, clocking a comfortable 54s in Heat 1 to advance to the final. Springer’s time was the best qualifying time in the preliminary round.

Then McPherson ran in Heat 2 of the same event, and crossed the line in 55.46s to secure her final

spot.

In the male event, Malachi Austin blazed to a season’s best 48.13s in the must-win heat to secure his spot in the final. With only the firstplace finisher in the heat being able to qualify, it came down to a photo finish in which Austin edged India’s Navpreet Singh and England’s Stanley Chevous by split seconds. (Jemima Holmes)

Malachi Austin (L) sharing a light moment with the 400M podium finishers Samuel Ogazi (C) and Alexander Beck (Kairibelle Sports Photo)