Guyana Times Epaper Wednesday, December 14, 2022

"Islamic State" comments against President Widespread condemnation, calls for Mayor Ubraj Narine’s resignation

…Deputy Mayor distances self from Narine’s utterances

Remarks uttered by Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine, accusing President Dr Irfaan Ali of creating an Islamic State, was on Tuesday vehemently condemned by Government, the private sector, civil society among others.

While protesting against the removal of vendors on New Market Street, Georgetown, Narine descended into making a series of serious accusations against the Guyanese President, which was met with immediate backlash and calls for his immediate resignation on the grounds that he was unfit to hold such office.

Narine went to the area after the Public Works Ministry initiated actions to remove vendors who are occupying spaces along New Market Street, between Thomas and East Streets as of Monday, following notices that they were impeding traffic flow in the vicinity.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Tuesday said Mayor Narine’s remarks were “wholly unacceptable, vile, obnoxious, religiously offensive and highly provocative personal statements”.

The private sector said it is appalled at these statements, calling the Mayor unfit to hold such high office. It also recognised that Narine, having realised that his statements were immediately rejected out of hand as offensive and dangerously divisive by the Christian, Muslim and Hindu organisations of the country, belatedly, attempted an apology.

“The private sector is of the view that, given the high of-

fice and responsibility of the Mayorship of our capital city, Mr Ubraj Narine has proved himself to be unfit for this office and is left with no alternative but to immediately resign.”

Religiously and racially prejudicial

Like the PSC, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) said it is aware of statements of “a religious and racially prejudicial nature made by His Worship, Pt Ubraj Narine, Mayor of the city of Georgetown.”

GCCI noted that the body assiduously disapproves of all forms of marginalisation, bigotry and discrimination perpetrated against any group of people. Within this context, the chamber is also gravely concerned with the frequent trend of politicians making statements with the potency to incite unrest through racism.

“GCCI strongly condemns any hate speech or actions, that attempt to incite racial and religious tension and by extension division in our

nation. GCCI is firmly persuaded that at this juncture of Guyana’s economic transformation, unity in diversity should pervade the nation’s landscape and airwaves,” the GCCI said on Tuesday.

Biased accusations

Meanwhile, a statement from the Viraat Sabhaa Guyana opposed the remarks made by the Mayor and his expression of degrading the President as a racist and Muslim leader who wants to create a Muslim state in Guyana.

“The Sabhaa has confirmed that since President Ali ascended to his position, his agenda of uniting Guyana took precedence over everything else. For he is firm in his conviction that only a united Guyana could accelerate the progressive attitude of our people,” the organisation relayed.

“President Ali has never deliberately absented himself from any Hindu festivals. As a matter of fact, this year he was personally involved in the Diwali celebrations in Georgetown and other parts

of the country. His passionate celebration of Phagwah and his personal visits to various mandirs is a testimony of his support for the Hindu religion. His contribution to the strengthening of the social and religious fabric is being admired by all with whom he would have come into contact.”

“The Mayor in effort to explore possibilities for the vendors has allowed his emotional overdrive to ventilate these bias accusations of the President. The Viraat Sabhaa denounces such expressions and calls on the Mayor to tender his resignation with immediate effect for making such dangerous statements.”

Distances

Amid the series of events, Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore distanced himself from the Georgetown Mayor's comment on President Ali.

“Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore wishes to distance himself from the unfortunate utterances made by the Mayor regarding President Ali, with specific reference to comment pointing to a ‘Muslim State’,” a missive indicated.

Mentore said the comments made by Mayor Narine does not reflect his own views and that of some other Councillors but added that the decision to remove the vendors should have been a collaborative effort between the Mayor & City Council and the Ministry of Public Works.

“As a Council we are prepared to work with any religious group, organisation, denominations and Central Government at large. As our motion only [Monday] spoke

to collaboration and dialogue and the extension of an olive branch to endorse the term of a (One Guyana) which will create Local and Central Government working in collaboration to build this nation.”

‘Spectacle of himself’ Minister within the Housing Ministry Susan Rodrigues condemned his actions, lamenting that the Mayor “made a spectacle of himself”.

“It gets more and more disgusting…I condemn this in the strongest terms. This Mayor is unfit and should not be in the position that he is in. He should be removed. He should resign. It is wrong what he did and we all know that you can-

not accuse our President or this Government of showing any bias or discrimination,” she voiced.

The Minister went on to add that the President’s character speaks for itself, having displayed intentions of bringing the country together through his One Guyana banner.

“Imagine a President with the calibre like Dr Irfaan Ali, who everybody living in Guyana and overseas, know about the type of leader that he is. They know where they can find him. They can find him in places of worship, under people’s bottom houses, in every single community all across this country.”

President Dr Irfaan Ali

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Wednesday, Dec 14 – No closure and Thursday, Dec 15 – 10:15h – 11:45h and 22:00h – 23:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, Dec 14 – 08:20h – 09:50h and Thursday, Dec 15 – 09:20h – 10:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be light rain showers during the day. Expect partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to Northerly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 08:18h and 20:34h reaching maximum heights of 2.21 metres and 2.27 metres.

Low Tide: 14:06h reaching a minimum height of 1.03 metre.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2022 |

Govt signs landmark US$759M agreement for gas-to-shore, NGL power plants

The Government has officially signed a contract with CH4 and Linsayca, for Engineering, Procurement and Construction Services for the US$759 million Integrated Natural Gas Liquid Plant & 300-Megawatt Combined Cycle Power Plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

During the signing of the contract on Tuesday, which took place at Office of the President, Head of State Dr Irfaan Ali noted that the project will be a transformative one. Ali also noted that it took much collaboration and bringing the best technical minds together, to be able to formulate the project.

“Let me say how very pleased I am to be part of this significant moment for Guyana. Significant from many perspectives. One, this is the largest project that we would have embarked on as a company,” the Head of State said, adding “and that brings with it, its own challenges. But it also gives us an opportunity to build capacity. And I’ve seen unparalleled dedication from the Vice President, the team from the task force, Exxon, in getting this done within a miraculous timeframe.”

Attention to deadline

Meanwhile, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo noted that the Government will be paying keen atten-

tion to the project deadline. He explained that this project will allow businesses to benefit from reliable and cheap energy, all wile conforming with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.

“Timelines are important for us. The quality of the work is important. And staying in budget. These are three things that we will look for and monitor carefully. This allows us to fulfil one of the things that we mentioned in our manifesto, when we were contesting the elections. That we wanted to ensure that the people of this country, the business sector, could have reliable, cheap power.”

According to the VP, with the hydro, “that is coming hopefully soon, the next project we’ll probably go out back for, and with the solar panels that we’ve already tendered for, we’ll be able to triple installed capacity in Guyana and cut emissions by 70 per cent. So it is along the lines of our Low Carbon

Development Strategy.”

Additionally, US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, in her comments on the contract, noted that the US company emerged as the most technically qualified for the project. She was optimistic that the company will continue the trend of US companies delivering quality service and noted that this will only encourage more US companies to come and invest.

“I’m also excited to congratulate the Government of Guyana on a tender process that was open, that was fair and enlisted the support of international partners. I was also so pleased that you chose to hire a second firm for the oversight of the project, allowing your Government and the people of Guyana, to know that the work will be done to the highest standards.”

Agreement

The signing ceremony took place between Guyana and US-based compa-

ny LINDSAYCA, partnering with local firm – CH4 Group. The Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister, Derrick Cummings and representatives of LINDSAYCA/CH4 signing the agreement.

The gas-to-shore project will include the power plant and a NGL plant, all of which will be constructed within the Wales Development Zone (WDZ). When it comes to the construction of a combined cycle power plant, this will generate up to 300 megawatts (MW) of power, with a net 250MW delivered into the Guyana Power and Light Grid at a sub-station located on the East Bank of the Demerara River.

The Guyana Government has already invited interested parties to make investments in the WDZ, which will be heavily industrialised and for which approximately 150 acres of land have been allocated.

…will deliver cheap, reliable energy; Govt to pay keen attention to timeline

President Dr Irfaan Ali; Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo; Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips; Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat at the signing. They are flanked by officials from the gas-to-shore task force, Exxon and LINDSAYCA/CH4 among others

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Confront domestic violence

Domestic violence has been described as “behaviour which causes one partner in a relationship to be afraid of the other”. Domestic violence can take the form of physical or sexual abuse, and forced social isolation away from friends and family members. However, domestic violence has many victims besides spousal partners.

The laws of Guyana prescribe one’s rights regarding this issue, which are laid out in the Domestic Violence Act (1996) as “recognised under the law and law enforcement agencies, such as the courts”, and stipulates that the Guyana Police Force must help to enforce the rights of, and offer protection to, any man, woman, or child who may be experiencing domestic violence.

Some signs of domestic violence are described as persistent verbal abuse, such as quarrelling and cursing (one can add to that derogating one’s character and making unjustifiably insulting remarks about one’s self and one’s loved ones); threatening the person with physical violence (threatening to hit the person with hands or objects), as well as actually hitting the person; damaging the property of a person (such as breaking a person’s cellphone, tearing or burning a person’s clothing, among other things); following a person from place to place, even though that person does not want to be followed; hiding clothing or property used by the person (for example, hiding a person’s cellphone, their clothing, their identification card, their passport, and even their money); making persistent and/or unwelcome contact with the person (such as calling the person on their cellphone or home phone many times per day, watching the person’s house, waiting for the person to leave work or place of study, following the person from home or work, even though that person does not want to be followed or watched); and using abusive language to a person, or behaving towards a person in such a way that could result in that person being ill-treated. For example, cursing and quarrelling with a person in front of others, and then encouraging others to do the same to the person.

An initiative started some time ago in Guyana to deal with the scourge of domestic violence suggested actions one should take to protect oneself (and possibly others) from domestic violence, and to provide a descriptive analysis of a Protection Order. One of the suggestions made is to make a report to the nearest Police station, and therein lies a conundrum.

Those who are supposed “To Serve and Protect” most often have provided the catalyst for a tragedy to occur by their attitude, attention or lack thereof, behaviour when a complainant drums up the requisite courage (most often with great difficulty) to lodge a complaint.

Guyanese have stopped being our brothers’ (and sisters’) keepers, because, in many communities, neighbours witnessing a continuum of, and escalating instances of, abuse refuse to become involved. They prefer to enjoy the enfolding tragedy, even adding to it with malicious rumour-mongering and strife-making, because the titillation of feuds and wars within families finds a corresponding resonance in the dark nuances resident in every soul, and the average person refuses to rise above their more decadent equivalencies to achieve a higher plane of thoughts and actions enough to maybe intercede and probably save a family from ultimate destruction. And one wonders what part the church bodies and religious leaders play in melding communities into units cohesive enough to fashion strategies for interventions within families and the general society in efforts to divert energies into more productive and peaceful approaches to conflict resolution –even to the point of empowerment.

The acceleration in violence-prone conflicts within families and societies is spiralling out of control, to the extent where many lives have been lost, with many more dislocated, and there seems to be no end in sight.

Unless there is a holistic, proactive approach, where all stakeholders in the nation are made aware that this cause and this fight is a national one, every effort made – valiant and committed as they may be – would prove woefully inadequate, because domestic violence is a national tradition entrenched in the Guyanese psyche.

Persons within communities most often do not think it is their business to report instances of abuse, and many women and children have suffered violations and even been murdered when a timely intervention could have saved someone’s life.

Evil can only be perpetuated if good people think it is not their business to confront it, so unless we return to the era when each of us was our sisters’ or brothers’ keepers, there will be many more victims who would suffer even more tragic outcomes to their lives.

Guyana’s carbon credit economics, human security

Dear Editor, In 1994, the UNDP produced what must be the most consequential report by a UN agency in the post-1945 multilateral universe. The report introduced a paradigmatic shift in security and development through the overarching concept of human security. The gist of the new paradigm is sustainable human development.

I suggest that human security as the anchoring concept in sustainable human development is most apposite to Guyana. Wherever one might stand in politics, ideology, or party affiliation, I recommend we consider the substantive points related to a human security-driven paradigm, underpinned as it were by our LCDS.

Readers should know that the two leading thinkers behind the human security paradigm were from the Third World, namely Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sen, both economists. Professor Sen won the Nobel Prize in economics in 1998, and Dr. Haq served as the Minister of Finance in Pakistan and was a world-renowned development economist.

Two key components in the human security paradigm: freedom from fear, and freedom from want, have origins in a State of the Union Speech to the US Congress by President Franklin D Roosevelt on January 6, 1942.

The restructuring of the world order after the fall of the Soviet Union partly precipitated the emergence of human security as a central articulating idea. During the Cold War, economic underdevelopment and global human welfare, especially in the poorer parts of the world, were secondary to the high politics of interstate competition, expressed first in the balance of power, and then the balance of terror, which came with the advent of nuclear weapons and their strategic deployment.

The 1994 UNDP Report turned the problematic of security upside-down. Three major shifts occurred. Firstly, human beings, instead of states, should be the ‘referent object’ of security. The new referent object in this case means that individuals and their communities should be the primary targets of physical protection and socio-economic advancement. Gender inclusion and empowerment are key components in this pillar of human security.

Secondly, rather than conceiving threats as coming from external sources only, internal threats to human welfare should also be taken into consideration. The sources of threat here could be from undemocratic authoritarian states, and/or groups within a country that cultivate fear, instability, and violence.

Thirdly, while military threats are significant at the inter-state level, there are other sources of threats to communities and individuals. These include endangerment from global phenomena such as climate change and global economic inequality, to small arms and light weapons’ proliferation, or the trafficking of women and girls in the global sex industry. Critics of neoliberalism usually include corporate globalisation, which is exploitative.

In order to improve human security, and in order to jettison the privileges given to ‘national security’ narrowly defined, the UNDP envisages investing in human development, rather than arms.

Empowering multilateral institutions to “promote and sustain development” and expansion of the forms of capital inflow with less stress on aid was also emphasised.

It is noteworthy that previous reports had emphasised the relationships among development and environmental sustainability. The Brundtland Report (1987) of the World Commission of Environment and Development, for instance, observed that “[t]he downward spiral of poverty and environmental degradation is a waste of opportunities and of resources.”

The report, appropriately titled “Our Common Future”, stated that “[w]

hat is needed…is a new era of economic growthgrowth that is forceful and at the same time socially and environmentally sustainable.”

Robust multilateral agendas, including the Millennium Development Goals (2000) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (established in 2015), have emphasised the linkages among economic well-being and environmental sustainability. The former registered only partial success, and the latter is in serious trouble due to the pandemic, war, geographical and sectorial imbalances in development financing, and predictable crises in the world economy.

It is important to note that “[s]o far, only five countries have met or exceeded the target set by the UN General Assembly in 1970 for developed countries to give 0.7% of their GNI in ODA.”

Guyana is, and has been, well ahead of the development-sustainability curve, due to our LCDS approach to development and its associated economic models. Our carbon sink credit model is based on a complex of factors comprising the urgent need for carbon sequestration and the equally urgent need for development financing to address the clear and present danger emanating from climate change.

Public Service Minister Sonia Parag spreading Christmas cheer to children in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) during visits to Seafield/ Tempe and Belladrum/Paradise villages, West Coast Berbice (Public Service Ministry photo)

Mayor Narine unfit for his post, should demit office

Dear Editor,

We continue to watch in dismay as members of the Aubrey Norton Opposition and leading PNC Local Government officials - in municipalities and other local democratic organs that are controlled by the Opposition - continue to engage in vulgar obstructionist behaviour in an unpatriotic campaign to undermine national governance and transformation of our nation.

We witnessed this recently at Belladrum and Mocha Arcadia, now the hooliganism has come to the heart of the capital, brought by none other than Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine. The Mayor, who has been consistently neglecting his duties to run the country’s capital in a responsible and efficient manner, is now physically joining his PNC comrades in illegal attempts to obstruct the actions of the

Central Government. This past Monday night, the nation witnessed a most despicable demonstration of irresponsibility by Mayor Narine, as he threw himself bodily in the path of government vehicles which were executing a legitimate operation to clear illegal structures from the vicinity of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The Mayor, who has abandoned his duties to maintain good order and functional efficiency across the municipality he controls, is now seeking to prevent the Central Government from doing what he is failing to do. Not only did the Mayor become one of the obstructionists in Georgetown that night, but he also chose to engage openly in a vile attack on President Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali and the State, with unfounded accusations of racism in the handling of the

illegal structures’ removal exercise, coupled with the most irresponsible religious hate utterances heard in this country since independence.

The Mayor, who is a practising Hindu Pandit, used a live streaming social media platform to sow seeds of religious hate among a very tolerant and harmonious religious Guyanese community. His decrying of the President’s religious faith as being antithetical to the Guyanese society, and his accusations of the imposition of a Muslim state on the Guyanese people by President Ali were most despicable and highly unacceptable for any elected official.

Guyana has long enjoyed, and boasted of having, one of the most tolerant, multi-religious societies in the world, with governments and politicians across the political

divide treating the issue of religious tolerance among Guyanese as a sacrosanct non-political issue.

Mayor Narine’s attempt to breach the public peace through incitement of religious intolerance and hate among Guyanese is wholly unacceptable, is a dereliction of his sacred public office, and is an offence against the State and people of Guyana. We therefore demand unequivocally that Mayor Ubraj Narine apologise to the President and citizens of Guyana, withdraw his religious hate pronouncements, and resign his position as Mayor of Georgetown forthwith.

Mayor Ubraj Narine is unfit for his post, and should demit office!

Sincerely, Association for Democracy and Human Rights

Govt signs landmark US$759M...

Those lands were previously used by the Wales Sugar Estate.

Head of the Gas-toShore Task Force, Winston Brassington has previously stated that ExxonMobil Guyana, which is funding the pipeline aspect of the project out of cost oil, has found that there would be substantial savings from combining these two facilities.

The scope of the approximately US$900 million gas-to-shore project also consists of the construction of 225 kilometres of pipeline from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana,

where Exxon and its partners are currently producing oil.

It features approximately 220 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore that will run from Liza Destiny and Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to the shore. Upon landing on the West Coast Demerara shore, the pipeline would continue for approximately 25 kilometres to the NGL plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The pipeline would be 12 inches wide, and is expected to transport per

day some 50 million standard cubic feet (mscfpd) of dry gas to the NGL plant, but it has the capacity to push as much as 120 mscfpd.

The pipeline’s route

onshore would follow the same path as the fibre optic cables, and will terminate at Hermitage, part of the WDZ which will house the gas-to-shore project. (G3)

Guyana’s carbon credit...

The model has elements of national (economic) interests, multilateral efforts at climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the need for innovative ways in balancing energy production while reducing or ‘offsetting’ carbon emissions.

The IPCC has noted that while the rate of GHG emissions slowed down between 2010-2019, “[w]ithout immediate and deep emissions’ reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is beyond reach”. At the same time, Vida Carbon, a leading carbon investment company, has determined that “[e]conomic models predict that voluntary carbon markets are expected to increase 15x by 2030

and 100x by 2050, with growth projections of up to US$180 billion annually by 2030. https://vidacarbon.com/carbon-markets/.

Our carbon credit economics is based on the convergence of factors outlined above. The crux of our model is to enhance national development while simultaneously contributing to global efforts in dealing with climate change. In a follow-up article, I will show how Guyana’s carbon economics, at the national level, would enable us to address the goals set out in the UN’s Agenda 2030, with the LCDS as the leading edge.

Sincerely Dr Randolph B Persaud

Christmas craft

Button if toppers

Yes, you can hot glue buttons right on top of gift-wrapping for an impressive presentation. Be sure to go for buttons in an assortment of colours and sizes to make a statement. (goodhousekeeping.com)

By The BroThers Grimm

CONTINUED FROM TUESDAY

Popsicle window ornament This festive craft makes it more fun to put a personal photo on display. For every ornament,

US Ambassador lauds Govt on recent salary increases

…says increases key for retaining critical talent

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has come in for praise from the US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, for the spate of recent salary increases, including the one for health workers that was announced on Monday.

On Monday, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced $1.5 billion in increases for over 5000 health workers. The US Ambassador took time to laud the move, while delivering remarks during the signing of an agreement for the gas-to-shore project at Office of the President on Tuesday.

“While slightly unrelated to today’s (Tuesday) signing ceremony, I have to congratulate the Government on increasing wages for the health sector workers and public servants recently,” the Ambassador said.

“We know very well that Guyanese are smart, capable professionals who need to be paid fairly for their work. And steps like the one you took yesterday are key for retaining key and critical talent in Guyana to aid with this rapid economic transformation.”

Meanwhile, the Ambassador further noted that the US Embassy remains committed to helping improve Guyana’s prosperity and deepening bilateral relationships.

In a national address, the President revealed that medical officers will now have their current minimum salary increased from $219,878 to $300,000, representing a 36.4 per cent increase.

Meanwhile, medical officers who have completed one year of post-employment experience will now have their current minimum salary adjusted to $351,204.

He also announced that medical officers who have completed two years of post-employment experience will now have their current minimum salary adjust-

ed to $414,032 in line with the current practice at the GPHC.

Additionally, medical officers who have completed three years of post-employment experience will now have their current minimum salary adjusted to $446,160. The increases for the medi-

imum salary increased from $151,374 to $200,000, representing a 32.1 per cent increase.

Nurse aides and patient care assistants will meanwhile have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $80,892 to $100,000. This represents an additional 23.6 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to each worker.

Nursing assistants will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $88,525 to $115,000. This represents an additional 29.9 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a nursing assistant.

Midwives will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from

minimum salary adjusted upwards from $127,963 to $195,000. This is an additional 52.4 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a staff nurse/midwife.

When it comes to ensuring that the public healthcare system is supported by adequately qualified technicians and allied health professionals, the Government is adjusting the salaries for several categories of these workers.

This includes pharmacy assistants, who will now all

have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $84,662 to $100,000, which is an additional 18.1 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to these workers.

Dental aides and laboratory aides will meanwhile have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards, from $80,892 to $100,000. This represents as much as an additional 23.6 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to these workers.

Community health work-

ers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $88,525 to $100,000. This represents an additional 13 per cent increase on the current minimum salary.

Medex will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $152,420 to $200,000. This represents an additional 31.2 per cent increase on the current minimum salary. The President made it known that over 5000 people will benefit from these increases. (G3)

cal officers are all in line with the current practice at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Specialist doctors, such as gynaecologists and endocrinologists will now have their minimum salaries increased from $276,536 to $450,000. This represents an additional 62.7 per cent increase on the current minimum salary. On the other hand, medical interns will now have their current min-

$96,974 to $169,438. This represents an additional 74.7 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a midwife.

Staff nurses will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $111,628 to $169,438. This represents an additional 51.8 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a staff nurse.

Staff nurses/midwives will also have their current

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch

Some healthcare workers attached to the Infectious Disease Hospital

GPF’s development will be technologically driven – Pres Ali

…state-of-the-art Police headquarters to begin next year

President Dr Irfaan Ali lauded the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for its “tremendously enhanced” output, which he said can be seen by all.

During the annual Commissioner’s Christmas Breakfast on Tuesday morning at the Police Officers Mess, Eve Leary, the President commended the GPF and congratulated the senior officers for the way that they approach their work and the execution of their duties.

The Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces added that members of the Force and other Joint Services members are highly regarded at the regional and international levels.

release from the Press and Publicity Unit at the Office of the President.

To enhance collaboration, he said that plans are

New form and evolve

He also spoke about the Force’s leadership system and said that while historically it has been stratified, hierarchical and pyramid-like, there is a need for a more interconnected and cross-connecting system.

He said that leadership and management must take on a new form and evolve where it is centred and focused.

technology, that can house our human resources, that can put us strategically in a position to deliver better to the people of our country.”

This, the President explained, will be inclusive of ranks being retrained and retooled to function in the modern policing environment.

The new strategies will have Police officers more community-based with bold

Increases…

…for health workers

While there was a lotta grumbling about the 8% retroactive wage increase for all Government workers – which gave them a nice lump sum for Christmas shopping – the follow-up increases going forward for each category of workers possibly took the sting off the termite of inflation which eats away at our wages and salaries!! But one category of critical workers, vital to the literal wellbeing of the nation, was left out –with promises of “later” for them… Anticipation gnawed at their stomachs!! After all, most folks think that health workers make a ton of money – not unreasonably considering all the training they have to do before earning their stripes!! But what’s the reality?? Did you know that all that swotting for seven years to get into med school by the “best and brightest” is just a start?? That’s followed by one year as an intern – where they begin to realise what kind of life they’ve signed up for – meaning NO LIFE outside the hospital, after all the weekly 70+ hours they have to put in!!

Then they proceed for another year as a General Medical Officer (GMO) employed by either the GPHC or the MoH…where the former had a higher salary scale but the latter had better benefits, such as holidays etc. Then they have to undergo a FOUR-YEAR residency programme, which means heavy studies, exams etc –while being “on call” for over 30 hours once or twice a week. And that just makes them qualified to APPLY to become a Registrar!! After God knows how many years – or a tad quicker, if you have a godfather and have published research - you become a “Consultant”!!

“One of the things that you don’t get to hear much, but I get to hear when I meet international stakeholders is the respect and regard they have for our officers generally,” President Ali is quoted as saying in a

in place to have the entire senior command of the Joint Services together with his Cabinet on a two-day forum to devise and explore the country’s national development strategy.

Additionally, he reminded that the development of the GPF will be technology-driven to increase efficiency and productivity.

“One of the things we are starting next year is the rebuilding of a modern Police headquarters, a modern state-of-the-art headquarters, that can house our

and innovative ideas, which will lead to better relationships with citizens, and the strengthening of integrity and accountability.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, Acting Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken along with senior ranks of the GPF were also at the event.

Well, President Ali just announced the raise for them. And while it sounds like a lot in percentage terms, laypersons would have finally realized how little doctor and nurses make!! All of them were just brought up to the salary scale of the GPHC staff – which was nothing to write home about!! Can you imagine your lives are literally in the hands of folks who don’t earn much more than, say, a garbage worker in the US?? Your Eyewitness just hopes they take their Hippocratic Oath seriously!!

Unfortunately, some of the big consultants think it’s a “Hypocritic Oath” - the way they combine their private and public practice!!

Be that as it may, it’s a good start, and your Eyewitness expects that as more private hospitals open up, the competition would force the Government to at least match the salaries of medical workers in Barbados or Trinidad! After all, the developed world has already been openly poaching those who’re willing to move!!

But your Eyewitness is somewhat confused. Did the doctors employed by the GPHC receive a second round of prospective raises?? They’re supposed to be the front liners, no??

…and decreases

While Guyana’s now the fastest growing economy in the world, let’s remind ourselves that it’s just a nominal metric brought about by oil!! And most of THAT money, we know, doesn’t stay in Guyana!! We were warned by all and sundry that depending on one resource is the way to economic hell. So, our leaders swore, “Diversify, diversify, diversify”!!

And as far as our historically largest agricultural industry – sugar – after the PNC’s unilateral shuttering of half of the plantations, the diversification was to package sugar, produce ethanol, use the bagasse to generate electricity, and also produce plantation white sugar. Sounded good. But before you can do any of that, you gotta produce sugar cane – and for a host of reasons, we haven’t been able to do that.

It was just announced that, for the year, we’ll produce a miserly 46,800 tonnes. When the “white man” used to produce 360,000 tons!! Shouldn’t we produce at least half? Oh, how the mighty have fallen!!

…in clean-up?

Your Eyewitness is waiting with bated breath on the outcome of the Mayor’s challenge to the Government in regard to moving all those vendors from outside the “Big Hospital”. The scads of doctors and nurses sampling the fare wasn’t approval enough?

President Dr Irfaan Ali speaking at the Police Officers Mess, Eve Leary, on Tuesday

Housing Ministry hits 10,000 house lot target for 2022

The Housing and Water Ministry is wrapping up 2022 with the success of distributing more than its targeted 10,000 house lots for the year.

On Tuesday, the final “Dream Realised” Housing Drive for the year was rolled out at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica)

With a plan of allocating 50,000 house lots in its five-year term in office, this translates to 10,000 per year. Housing Minister, Collin Croal shared that Government has already surpassed its annual target.

He announced, “To date, we have allocated more than 10,000 in this calendar year. By the time we’re finished on December 31, we are hoping to end the year with a total allocation of 20,500.”

Since Government took office in 2020, the Ministry has started the process of establishing about 16 new housing areas across Regions Three, Four, Five and Six. For just the East Coast, where seven of these schemes are being developed, some $10 billion has already been expended for first phase infrastructural works.

Nevertheless, he contended, “Government has ensured that the commitments we have made to reduce the backlog in application for house lots is kept. To do this, we introduced more home construction to meet the demands of citizens and despite these key interven-

tions, more need to be done to improve the lives of our citizens.”

Apart from housing, strides are made to enhance the overall living conditions of persons across the region. Within the next 12 months, an estimated $13 billion will be invested in Region Four to provide reliable water supply, expected to benefit 300,000 citizens.

Some 179 contracts are to be signed to the value of $5.9 billion for the upgrade of 257 roads amounting 113,000 metres across Region Four in areas such as Eccles, Farm, Covent Garden, Herstelling, Prospect, Good Hope, Lusignan, Diamond, Non Pareil, Perseverance among others.

Minister within the Housing Ministry Susan Rodrigues highlighted the advantages of acquiring a plot of land, adding that the value will only increase.

“From the time you ac-

quire your house lot and the value that you pay, it is already worth more than you paid for it because it is heavily subsidised by the Government. You are making an instalment. You are making an investment that from the time you achieve it, it is already worth more.”

During the exercise, some 600 persons were allocated lots at Plantation De Endragt, between the Mon Repos-La Reconnaissance area, which has capacity for 1000 residential lots, commercial and industrial lots, space for schools, and places of worship. The lots ranged from low, middle and moderate income.

Permits, single window

Meanwhile, the Housing Minister also announced that the online portal for the single window construction permit mechanism will be ready soon.

“By the end of this week,

we are expected to sign a contract that will deal with the electronic aspect of it, that is, a dashboard so when you have an application, one can be able to login at any particular time. You can know the status of your application or at which agency we are expecting a response or feedback.”

Last week Monday, the Planning and Development Single Window System Bill of 2022 was presented in the National Assembly by Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal. When passed, it would create a central point at which persons can process construction documents and expedite the building process.

Commenting on this development, he shared, “I don't think persons really understand how much im-

predictability so that those of you who are embarking on specific construction do not have subjectivity of having to depend on any officer.”

“It is also intended to

in that will be the regulations that will find and state the particular time by which we must have response.”

According to the particulars of the Bill, it is the creation of a single window electronic processing system to increase business efficiency, as the housing and construction industries are expanding rapidly.

The Bill will also provide for the establishment of the Planning Oversight Committee, the functions of which are defined in the document. It is envisioned that this committee will centralise functions relating to land use preparation and development and matters associated with it.

pact this Bill will have on the people of Guyana. This single window is to aid in ensuring that we have efficiency in our system; we have

tackle the issue of when you're seeking approval from local authorities, one of the bugbears is waiting on the no objections from the local authorities. Enshrined

Officials have noted the increase in applications for permits, a significant portion of which were for the oil and gas sector. This increased workload necessitates an automated system.

One of the allottees draws her new lot address with the help of Minister Collin Croal

Minister within the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues shares a light moment with one of the allottees

A section of the persons at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre

GuySuCo workers to receive 8% retroactive payments by Friday

…as labour agreements signed with GAWU, NAACIE

Collective Labour Agreements were on Tuesday signed with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association for Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) for the eight per cent retroactive salary increase for GuySuCo employees.

The ceremony, held at GAWU's Kingston Office,

was signed in the presence of Chief Labour Officer Dhaneshwar Deonarine, who welcomed parties that act in good faith.

Four bargaining units were signed: two for GAWU and the other two for NAACIE. The company has already made provisions for the retroactive payments to be made by Friday. Apart from the eight per cent increase, also agreed upon were

some fringe benefits for employees.

The CLO stated, “We always encourage negotiations to be done in good faith and for there to be agreement for whatever you’re negotiating, whether wages and salaries or other matters concerning conditions of work.”

Chief Industrial Relations Manager at GuySuCo, Deodat Sukhu said across the four units,

about 15 meetings were facilitated to reach an agreement.

“During those meetings, we had some agreements in respect to wages, salaries, salary scales and some fringe benefits. Those agreements and fringe benefits that we have, we have them penned in these documents.”

From NAACIE's end, the move to pay workers without any strike actions or resistance were lauded.

GAWU President, Seepaul Narine expressed that when GuySuCo was approached for an increase for workers, the company shared that it wasn't in a position to do so. However, he recognised Government's efforts in making such a reality.

“It was Government

that had to approve the money for the eight per cent to be paid, which we are signing off on here. It’s not funds coming from GuySuCo. It had to be provided by the Government because while we were in the negotiations, we had the financial presentation, which indicated to us that the company that was not in any position to meet this increase,” Narine disclosed.

Last month, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced a retroactive across-theboard salary increase of eight per cent for all public servants. This pay raise was expected to be paid to eligible employees together with their December salary.

Additionally, the Head of State had indicated that

further announcements will be forthcoming regarding specific categories of public sector employees. In fact, he has already rolled out salary adjustments for members of the Joint Services that will see ranks getting pay raises ranging from 5.8 per cent to 21.7 per cent for different levels of ranks from the various law enforcement agencies.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo noted just a few days ago that the inclusion of sugar workers represents the Government’s continuous interventions for the sugar industry to revitalise it to a state of viability. Only last week, the Government secured an additional $1 billion in supplementary funding to advance works at GuySuCo. (G12)

Officials of GAWU, NAACIE and GuySuCo at the signing ceremony

Gold miner dies after pinned by falling tree

A26-year-old gold miner is now dead after he was pinned by a tree on Monday at a mining backdam in Region Seven (Cuyuni -Mazaruni).

Dead is Ravin Moses of Charity, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

Police in Regional Division Seven said the incident occurred at Kupang Backdam, Cuyuni River.

According to reports, at about 19:00h on Monday, Mark Samaroo, a 47-yearold miner, went to the 70KM Police checkpoint and reported that he has a mining operation at the Kupang Backdam that consists of an 8-inch land

dredge, one excavator, and ten workers.

He reported to Police that earlier on Monday, at about 10:45h, Phillip Wilson, a 38-year-old excavator opera-

tor, was clearing the land near the pit when the excavator suddenly developed mechanical problems and ‘cut off’ while he was felling a tree and it fell toward the pit, striking Ravin Moses and his brother, Shane Moses.

Several workers ran to assist, but Ravin Moses was motionless after he was pulled him from under the tree.

He was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival while his brother, Shane Moses, was taken to Suddie Hospital with multiple injuries to his body.

A post-mortem examination (PME) is expected shortly. Police have since launched an investigation. (G9)

20-year-old allegedly drowns in Essequibo River

The Guyana Police Force has launched an investigation to determine what might have led to the alleged drowning of Nyron Parke, a 20-year-old labourer of Lot 31 Section B Hype Park, East Bank Essequibo.

The incident occurred on Sunday at about 08:30h.

Reports are that Parke, who was employed with Archie’s and Son Stone and Supplies at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, left on Saturday at about 11:00h, with his employer and other co-workers to visit another work location located at Manaka, Essequibo River, where they spent the night.

The following morning at about 08:30h, Parke along with his co-workers, and his employer boarded a speed

boat at Manaka en route to Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

However, before moving off, Parke went back on the barge to collect his bag and did not return.

As a result, his co-workers went in search of him but he was not found. A search party was then formed and Parke’s body was fished out of the river in the vicinity of the barge. The body, which was motionless, was transported to

Parika by his co-workers and examined by a Police rank for marks of violence and none was seen.

Parke’s body was escorted to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was formally pronounced dead on arrival.

The body was further escorted to the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination. An investigation has been launched. (G9)

Dead: Ravin Moses

Murder-suicide sends shockwaves through Canal No 2 Polder …as barber shoots reputed wife before dying by suicide

Ayoung barber on Tuesday shot and his reputed wife and later turned the gun on himself at Clear Brick Road, Belle West, Canal No 2 Polder, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

Dead are 30-year-old Attorney-at-Law Asasha Ramzan called “Sasha”, and Peter Charles. Ramzan was a State Counsel attached at the Attorney General’s Chambers.

According to reports, the bodies were found in a parked Nissan X-Trail Sport Utility Vehicle, with licence plate number PAB

6812, not far from the couple’s residence.

Ramzan’s body reportedly bore two gunshot wounds, while the barber’s body bore one.

At the time the bodies were found, Charles was seated in the driver’s seat while the woman’s body was in the front passenger’s seat. The two were both fully dressed for work.

The circumstances that led to the death of the young couple remain unknown. However, this newspaper understands that Charles is a

licensed firearm holder. Several family members and friends of the couple expressed their shock on social media over the incident.

Energetic, focused, ambitious Attorney General Anil Nandlall on Tuesday said that his chambers along with the Legal Affairs Ministry is deeply saddened by the passing of the young State Counsel, who was employed with the chambers from October 2020 to date.

Dead: Asasha Ramzan and Peter Charles

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

Our President and Government ignite more hope and optimism among Health Workers

Here is the bottom line:

the total employment cost budget for health care workers in Budget 2022 was $15B. After the eight percent pay increase, the total employment cost in Budget 2022 for the health sector escalated to $22.2B. When the final figures are calculated, the revised cost for 2022 will be in excess of this amount, because the number of health care workers employed has also increased in 2022. With the adjustment of salaries for doctors, nurses and allied health workers, the minimum employment cost for the health sector for 2023 would rise above a minimum of $23.7B. This is because President Ali announced salary adjustments for doctors, nurses and allied health workers.

Budget 2023 employment cost for the health sector would further increase once we take into consideration cost for the increased number of persons being employed in the health sector in 2023, and further annual increases that are almost guaranteed under a PPP Government. This employment cost in the health sector is far more than the total health sector budget for any year before 2018. It is a measure of the improvement in salaries from which health workers have benefitted.

In just some of the workers in one sector, an additional $3B has been added to people’s pockets through the eight percent salary increase and the adjustment of salary scales. This additional flow of money in the communities drives other economic activities and adds to the overall lifting of people’s living standards. While workers across the board would always want more, the health workers have acknowledged that President Irfaan Ali and his PPP Government are doing as much as is possible to improve their condition. They understand that, together with the eight percent increase announced earlier, they have received an early Christmas gift from President Ali and the PPP Government.

But the usual suspects will be out with their usual nastiness and sour grapes.

Last Monday, President Irfaan Ali announced adjustments of salaries for health workers amounting to more than $1.5B more in the pockets of health workers for 2023. This is in addition to the eight percent increase in salaries announced for 2022. Health workers around the country lauded the President and the PPP Government. Since August 2020, President Irfaan Ali has, in myriad ways, demonstrated commitment to workers. In just over thirty months, the salaries of Public Servants have dramatically changed. Yet, the Government’s policies and action and President Ali’s own style of governance have also created hope and optimism among workers, who now believe that this is only the beginning. There is an optimism among workers, a feeling that dramatic things are in the works. While there is much appreciation, workers have become extremely optimistic that, by 2025, their lot will be significantly better, far more than they could have imagined before August 2020. Each and every day workers find another reason for optimism.

Two weeks ago, the President announced adjustments for salaries for members of the Joint Services. Last week, the Vice President announced increases in salaries for sugar workers, ensuring that sugar workers benefit from the same eight percent increases in Public Servants’ salaries. This week, it was the health workers’ turn. Before long, it would be the turn of the teachers. None of this is unexpected, because the PPP has retained its working-class credentials. The PPP Government has always placed workers at the centre of its development agenda. It is why the PPP has a history of granting a pay increase every single year it has been in Government.

Of course, some will insist that the Government should and could do more. This is natural. But contrast what has happened since August 2020 to what happened soon after the PNC-led, David Granger-led APNU/ AFC Government came into power in May 2015. Almost immediately after taking over the Government, the PNC-led APNU/AFC Government increased their own salaries by between 50 and 100%, including allowances and other benefits. They also had the audacity to tell the workers that they must be patient and await their turn. David Granger told the workers he had to ensure he paid his Ministers so they do not become corrupt. But soon after those hefty salary increases for Ministers were given, Guyana experienced some of the most blatant acts of corruption ever. Moses Nagamootoo told the workers they must await their turn. Harmon told the workers that the Government was bankrupt, but still could afford increases in Ministers’ salaries and benefits. Under the PPP, no Minister is benefitting from increases in salaries and benefits that ordinary workers are not benefitting from. Our Government has rejected the George Orwell statement “we are all equal, but some are more equal than others”.

But in the two full years it has been in Government, President Ali’s Administration has provided other benefits. The opportunity to own their own homes is the most aggressive home ownership programme for workers in any Caricom country. Thousands of young professionals in the Public Service are owning their own homes. Every passing day, more young professionals and other Guyanese are finding it easier to own their own homes. At the same time, thousands of scholarships are being given to young professionals. No country in this region, on a per capita basis, has provided more educational and training opportunities for its people. The people of Guyana are at the epicentre of Guyana’s development agenda.

Widespread condemnation calls...

“It is President Ali who talks about love and uniting this country, and not only talks about it. He does it. He walks the walk. He is a man that has been delivering for every single Guyanese in this country,” Rodrigues asserted.

Warrant legal interventions

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn denounced these utterances in a statement, adding that it prevented the Police from conducting their lawful duties in respect of the removals of vending huts, carts, caravans and stalls illegally placed along the main access road into the Georgetown Public Hospital.

ing that in the years that he has been at the helm of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, Narine has done absolutely nothing to lend to the development of Georgetown.

which includes Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG); Muslim Youth Organisation, Guyana Islamic Trust among others, unequivocally condemn what it called a “reckless outburst” from the Mayor.

Islam and Muslims, and they must be condemned in the strongest terms.”

FROM PAGE 3

He said that the “antics and public expressions” of the Mayor were totally uncalled for and could have been resolved in a more dignified manner.

Additionally, Minister Benn said the statements made by the Mayor about President Ali are outrageous, egregious and warrant legal interventions from the relevant authorities. Ubraj’s remarks drive with envy, malice, and religious and racial hatred.

He added that the Guyana Police Force has been requested to review the “antics and utterances” of the Mayor for breaches of the peace and the law.

Nurturing mischief

In addition, Public Service Minister Sonia Parag also condemned the Mayor’s comment about the President and Guyana.

“Telling lies, spreading untruths and nurturing mischief have long been the modus operandi of the People’s National Congress and all of its aliases over the years. Having despicably overplayed the race card, the heavily disgraced APNU+AFC has now descended to a new and untouched level of low,” Minister Parag said on Tuesday.

She added that whilst Guyanese can all agree that Guyana has a history of racial tensions, “we have always been able to pride ourselves on being a nation that can genuinely be described as the epitome of religious harmony – accepting and appreciative of all religions, faiths and spiritualities, and even the lack thereof.”

He noted that the revolting utterances of Pandit Ubraj Narine, is nothing short of “wicked and vile.”

“As a man who purports to be of faith, Narine seems to harbour much hate and resentment in his heart, perhaps too weak to separate his political bitterness from the noble practices of Hinduism,” the Minister noted.

She noted that the Mayor continues to blatantly fail the people of Georgetown, add-

Provoked and instigated Adding its voice to the widespread condemnation, the International Centre for Democracy (ICD) said that it condemned the behaviour and allegations that was made by Mayor Narine. It noted that as an elected official, Mayor Narine is expected to conduct himself in accordance with the law, his oath of his office and more importantly be a role model for the citizens of Guyana. The comments made by the Mayor provoked and instigated racial and religious division –and from his actions and behaviour could have resulted in devastating civil unrest.

The ICD demanded that “Mayor Narine immediately apologise to His Excellency of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana President Irfaan Ali, the citizens of Georgetown and to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for his unprofessional behaviour and comments, obstructing and preventing the GPF from carrying their duties.”

Reckless

Meanwhile, in a joint statement, the Islamic organisations of Guyana,

The organisations noted that in a world characterised by epic political, social and technological transformations, there has never been a greater need for responsive and responsible leaders. “Some of today's dominant models of leadership struggle to reconcile both qualities. The actions and utterances of Mayor of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine, outside the Georgetown Hospital last night make him the embodiment of what contradicts these principles,” the joint statement read.

It noted that the insinuation that President Ali is working towards the establishment of a dictatorship and an Islamic State, could lead to religious strife in Guyana.

“We the Muslim Organisations, view these statements as utterly irresponsible, amounting to no more than a pathetic political stunt to incite the emotions of people and garner support for himself. Such outbursts are foolhardy and very dangerous, and feed into the Islamophobic agenda which seeks to incite fear in the hearts of people regarding

It noted that from the President’s actions and engagements with the various religious groups Guyana, it is clear that no single religious denomination can claim to be less favoured by the President.

“So far, by the Grace of God, our Guyanese community has been free from religious discord and our people continue to coexist with religious harmony and tolerance,” the organisations said.

Pandits Council

Meanwhile, the Guyana Pandits Council and its affiliates vehemently condemned the utterances made by the Mayor.

“We believe strongly that his words were inappropriate and highly disrespectful to the President of Guyana, His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali and the Muslim community. Guyana is a country in which all religions are treated equally and allowed to practice their ideals and principles freely. Let us spread love, tolerance and unity instead of hate and divisiveness,” the Guyana Pandits Council said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Opposition, APNU/AFC in a statement said it reaffirms its total confidence in the stewardship of the Mayor. (G12)

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Public order, safety must not be mingled with partisan politics – Edghill to Mayor

When it comes to public order and safety, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has issued a stinging rebuke to Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine, reminding that partisan politics and religious bigotry have no place in Guyana.

In a statement on Tuesday, Edghill said that the matter of ensuring the free flow of access to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), has now gone into deep politics, bordering on racism and a diatribe loaded with religious bigotry.

According to the Public Works Minister, Narine

and other APNU/AFC activists seem to have forgotten that health and access to healthcare, when

required, is not something that should be determined by political action.

Murder-suicide sends...

The Attorney General said that having completed her Legal Education Certificate at the Hugh Wooding Law School, Ramzan was called to the Guyana Bar in November 2020.

“She joined the Litigation Department of the Attorney General’s Chambers and distinguished herself as a confident, hardworking, able, and driven attorney-at-law. Ms Ramzan brought the highest levels of professionalism and proficiency to every matter in which she was involved, and was concerned especially about the plight of the ordinary Guyanese,” Nandlall said in a statement to the media.

He noted that Ramzan was actively involved in numerous public outreach programmes, including assisting with the land regularisation

programme of the Ministry.

She often accompanied Nandlall at public and community outreaches, as part of her demonstrable commitment to assist the ordinary Guyanese.

Ramzan also worked closely with the General Register Office (GRO), providing legal advice on a ready basis to the Registrar on a variety of legal matters.

“Asasha will be remembered by her colleagues as

FROM PAGE 13

energetic, focused, and ambitious in all of her professional pursuits. Her dedication to her work is a hallmark of her tenure at the chambers, for which she stands recognised.

These character traits equally applied to the vigour with which she spearheaded cultural activities within the Ministry…”, the Attorney General said as the chambers extended condolences to the family and loved ones of Ramzan. (G9)

The scene of the murder-suicide

…obstruction by vendors now a life-threatening situation – GPHC …says request for vendors’ removal fell on deaf ears for years

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine, prostrating himself infront of a truck to prevent encumbrances in front the hospital from being removed

Region 8 gets new vehicles to boost transportation

As per the request of the residents, the Amerindian Affairs Ministry on Saturday handed over a tractor to the residents of Brian Sucre Junction, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

The tractor will prove useful for agriculture, tourism, and village infrastructure.

Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai said the tractor is an indication of the PPP/C Government’s willingness to meet the needs of every community.

Moreover, she noted that the initiative aims at fostering development in hinterland communities.

“Our Government continues to work for people, and what you see here to-

day is just an extension of that work for Guyana. Our President is very passionate about building a One Guyana, and passionate about our people benefitting from the resources, and passionate about the vulnerable communities, ensuring their concerns are addressed,” the Minister is quoted as saying in a DPI report.

The Minister also stressed the importance of residents working along with the Government to bring development to their communities.

“We have to stand up and represent ourselves. You have a more responsive Government because we believe that everyone must benefit, and everyone’s life must be improved.”

A sum of $44.2 million

was allocated in the 2022 budget to advance the tractor distribution initiative, and benefit 71 hinterland communities. It is intended to promote food sustainability and agriculture.

Meanwhile, Minister Sukhai handed over a boat and engine to the residents of Mousse Landing.

Additionally, as part of the launch of the Mahdia Youth Initiative Transportation Service, the Amerindian Affairs Minister handed over a bus to the Community Service Officers of Mahdia. She said this is in keeping with the Government’s manifesto promises.

The Minister said, “We are going to address opportunities in education, entrepreneurship, and devel-

opment of skill. Our small villages are not going to be left behind. We are going to ensure that every community benefits from the resourc-

es of this country.”

The Minister’s outreach to the region also featured a series of gift distribution activities to the

children of the various communities of Campbelltown, El Paso, Mahdia, Micobie, Princeville, and Mousse Landing.

Public order, safety must not be mingled...

The Minister made the statement in reference to the ongoing dispute with vendors outside the health institution impeding the free flow of traffic. Final notice of removal was served on the vendors on Monday. However, on Monday evening, there was a confrontation between the Mayor of Georgetown and the workers along with Police officers who were trying to remove the caravans along the roads.

The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works in collaboration with many public and private sector stakeholders, has embarked on a mission to promote environmental health and safety and to prepare the country for its next level of development. Edghill noted the importance of ensuring the street is clear of encumbrances outside the hospital.

“For our continual growth and progress, we simply cannot keep practicing that which we have become accustomed to, especially when it is the wrong thing. The removal of encumbrances along New Market Street needed to be done, it was only a matter of when, and this action will

serve in the best interest of every Guyanese who must use our premier health facility, even those who seem to want to politicise this matter.”

“Why are they trying to prevent the entrance to our main hospital from being access free? Opposing the Government’s action should at the very least have a good reason,” Edghill said, labelling those who prevented the removal of the encumbrances as “anti-progress” and “anti-development”.

GPHC

The GPHC sent out a statement of their own, in which they noted that they

have been trying, to no avail, to get the vendors to move for years. They noted that successive GPHC Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) have written to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on the issue.

“Our records show that the relevant authorities were written to in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2022 regarding this issue, sighting the threat posed by the obstruction of the traffic, particularly for ambulant vehicles and patients who are seeking care at the GPHC,” the hospital said.

According to the hospital, while the requests for relocation of these vendors

predate the current discourse, the situation has worsened over the years and now requires urgent and tactical action. It noted that the obstruction that vending on New Market Street between Thomas and East Streets causes has become a life-threatening situation.

According to the GPHC, this has always been a matter of access to care. They explained that the presence of vendors along these streets has often delayed, particularly ambulant patients, from accessing the services they need in a timely manner.

“As the primary trauma care provider in the city, we

cannot underscore enough the importance of having unincumbered access to our facility for our patients and their relatives. The risk that this obstruction poses is too great to ignore; for ambulant, pregnant and trauma patients, time is a critical determinant in their medical management and any imminent delays should be abated.”

The hospital noted that the inundation of unauthorised street vending along the New Market and East Street pavements not only congests the pathways for ambulances and ambulant patients but also poses a challenge for keeping the hospital’s environs clean and impacts noise nuisance for patients in the hospital.

GPHC also noted that the life-threatening situa-

tion is further compounded because the obstruction also delays staff from accessing the hospital compound. According to them, such conditions are not conducive to the effective functioning of any medical facility, particularly the GPHC.

“We understand that the vendors must make a living, but the presence of vendors on New Market Street between Thomas and East Streets now constitute a real life-threatening situation,” GPHC said.

The uncontrolled vending on New Market Street, the hospital said, is a real detriment to staff, patients, and their relatives. “The GPHC looks forward to a swift solution by removing the obstruction that presently affects easy access to the hospital.”

The Amerindian Affairs Ministry also handed over a bus to the Mahdia CSOs

A boat and engine were handed over to the residents of Mousse Landing

A tractor for residents of Brian Sucre Junction

Vending along New Market Street

Regional

Bolsonaro supporters who rioted in Brasilia will face punishment, says future Minister

Brazil's next Justice Minister on Tuesday vowed accountability for supporters of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who burned buses and attacked Police on the day authorities certified the victory of leftist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Flavio Dino also told GloboNews that any authorities found responsible for failing to contain rioters in Brasilia on Monday night would also face punishment, with no "magic amnesty", as questions mounted about the official response to the violent protests.

Senior members of Brazil's Supreme Court (STF) and Federal Electoral Court (TSE) believe Brasilia's security forces were too lenient and should have acted more forcefully, two court sources told Reuters, in the latest example of tensions between the Judiciary and the federal district's law enforcement.

In an interview late on Monday, Brasilia security chief Júlio Danilo denied security failures, saying that those involved would be identified and held accountable.

Monday's protests in the capital, in which Bolsonaro supporters set fire to cars and buses after trying to invade the Federal Police headquarters after the arrest of a protest leader, capped weeks of post-election tensions.

Although he has not blocked the handover of power, Bolsonaro has refused to concede defeat, and some supporters have camped outside army bases urging the military to overturn the result of October's presidential vote,

citing conspiracy theories that the election was "stolen".

Dino said he hoped the protesters would now see the futility of their actions, and urged them to return to their homes.

"It's over, the page has been turned, let's look ahead. In 2026, there will be fresh elections," he said.

Yet that may be optimistic, public security experts told Reuters, with even the short-term outlook appearing complicated. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Bankman-Fried denied bail in Bahamas Magistrate’s Court

Former

FTX Chief Executive Officer

(CEO) Sam Bankman-Fried's lawyer on Tuesday requested bail for the one-time crypto magnate after Chief Magistrate JoyAnn Ferguson-Pratt ruled that Bankman-Fried had the right to apply for it.

US prosecutors on Tuesday accused BankmanFried, the founder of crypto currency exchange FTX,

of fraud and violating campaign finance laws and a Judge in the Bahamas denied him bail, sending him to a local correctional facility instead.

The former FTX CEO, who was arrested in The Bahamas on Monday, lowered his head and hugged his parents after the Judge refused bail citing a "great" risk of flight.

He was ordered remand-

Haiti prepares to roll out 1st cholera vaccines

The Haitian Government is expected to launch a cholera vaccination campaign this week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and local officials have said after the Caribbean nation received its first shipment of jabs.

Haiti has been struggling to contain an outbreak of the disease amid a recent surge in gang violence that led to fuel and electricity shortages, including at hospitals and other health facilities in the capital, Portau-Prince.

The country received an initial shipment of approximately 1.17 million cholera vaccines on Monday, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the

regional WHO branch, said in a statement.

Authorities will focus early vaccination efforts on people over the age of one living in areas that have reported the most cholera cases to date, it said. That includes the Port-au-Prince neighbourhoods of Cite Soleil and Delmas, among other places.

“The arrival of oral vaccines in Haiti is a step in the right direction,” the Director of Haiti’s Public Health and Population Ministry, Laure Adrien, said in the statement. “We hope this first shipment will be followed by others so that the vaccine is available to all populations at risk in Haiti.”

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ed to a correctional facility in the island nation until February 8, where he will initially held in the medical department, according to a local official.

The day's events capped a stunning fall from grace in recent weeks for the 30-year-old, who amassed a fortune valued over US$20 billion as he rode a cryptocurrency boom to build FTX into one of the world's largest exchanges before it abruptly collapsed this year.

Bankman-Fried has previously apologised to customers and acknowledged oversight failings at FTX, but said he does not personally think he has any criminal liability.

Earlier on Tuesday, US Attorney Damian Williams in New York said Bankman-Fried made illegal campaign contributions to Democrats and Republicans with "stolen customer money", saying it was part of one of the "biggest financial frauds in American history".

"While this is our first public announcement, it will not be our last," he said, adding BankmanFried "made tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions."

(Excerpts from Reuters)

Griffith encouraged by injunction against FUL report

Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith has said that a ruling by the High Court Judge Devendra Rampersad to grant an injunction against Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley taking the Firearm Users Licence Audit Report before the Parliament, has reconfirmed his commitment to continue fighting for what he sees as a 'democratic democracy'. The Court issued the ruling on Tuesday.

Griffith gave the following remarks after the ruling.

"Today’s ruling by the High Court of Justice, grant-

ing judicial review pursuant to part 56 of the Civil Proceedings Rules 1998, and the Judicial Review Act, Chapter 7:08 reconfirms my commitment to the ongoing fight against what can only be construed as ‘democratic dictatorship’.

“It must be noted as a matter of comfort, that our judicial system remains an avenue for redress, and remedy, when it can be construed that many other supposedly independent bodies in our nation appear to be penetrable to political influence.

The Attorney General’s

subsequent statement, post this ruling, remains mind boggling as it demonstrates either a lack of appreciation of what ‘due process’ relates to, or more disturbingly, a lack of appreciation of the edict of separation of powers. What also borders on comedic, is the AG’s assurance to the public that the matter will be appealed. I am certain, the public he refers to can be identified on one hand, in fact, one individual, for whom this specific ruling has caused to halt in his track.” (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Peru’s fiery protests as anger over political crises ignites

As Peru careers from one political crisis to another, the country has exploded in protest, with at least seven dead in the last week and the smoke of fires and tear gas hanging over city streets. A way out seems distant.

The spark of the current unrest was the ouster and arrest of leftist leader Pedro Castillo after he tried to dissolve Congress illegally. It followed a months-long standoff where lawmakers impeached him three times, the final time removing him from office.

Peru has been one of the economic stars of Latin America in the 21st century, with strong growth lifting millions out of poverty. But the political turmoil is increasingly threatening to derail its economic stability, with ratings agencies warning of downgrades, blockades impacting major mines in the world's number two copper producer, and protesters demanding Congress and new President Dina Boluarte step down.

For those watching closely it should be little surprise. Voters are fed up with the constant political

infighting that has seen six Presidents in the last five years and seven impeachment attempts.

The heavily fragmented unicameral Congress is loathed – with an approval rating of just 11 per cent, according to pollster Datum. That is below Castillo's, which despite a string of corruption allegations was 24 per cent just before he was removed.

"The Peruvian people are just exhausted from

all the political machinations, the crime, uncertainty and stalling growth," said Eric Farnsworth, a Vice President at the Council of the Americas and Americas Society.

He said Boluarte's pledge to hold early elections in April 2024 could help calm things in the short run, but that would not solve entrenched issues of a divided electorate and infighting between the presidency and Congress.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Skerrit names Cabinet

Prime Minister

Roosevelt Skerrit

Monday night announced a 13-member Cabinet, less than a week after his ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) comfortably won the general election that was boycotted by the major Opposition parties there.

The new Cabinet, which was scheduled to be sworn in on Tuesday, includes nine former Government Ministers; former National Security Minister Rayburn Blackmoore, who did not contest the election and Melissa Skerrit, the wife of the prime minister, who will be the Minister

for Housing and Urban Development.

Skerrit had called the December 6 poll, two years ahead of the constitutional deadline, saying it was important for there to be a reset of the country’s socio-economic policies, while the Opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and the Dominica Freedom Party (DFP) urged supporters to stay away from the polls in protest of the lack of electoral reform.

The DLP won the election by a 19-2 margin with the two independents winning in traditional Opposition stronghold constituencies of Salisbury and Marigot.

Skerrit in a broadcast on state-owned DBS radio, said that he was pleased that the preliminary reports of the several international observer teams and missions, had “given a resounding nod of approval to the open and transparent manner in which these elections were conducted, and the overarching conclusion that the will of the people of Dominica was manifested and determined, fairly”.

He insisted that the election was called to “trigger a national reset” adding “these are not just empty words or a new catch phrase that sounds good when we say it.

(Excerpt from CMC)

A Police Officer stands near a bus on fire as supporters of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro protest after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered a temporary arrest warrant of Indigenous leader Jose Acacio Serere Xavante for alleged antidemocratic acts, in Brasilia, Brazil, December 12, 2022 (Reuters/ Ueslei Marcelino)

Police confront demonstrators protesting to demand the dissolution of Congress and to hold democratic elections rather than recognise Dina Boluarte as Peru's President, after the ousting of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, in Lima, Peru, December 12, 2022 (Reuters/Sebastian Castaneda)

Oil rises to over US$80/bbl as dollar slumps on slowing inflation

Oil rose to more than US$80 a barrel on Tuesday, on track for its biggest daily gains in over a month, as investors bought up risk assets after US data pointed to slowing inflation.

The market was also buoyed by concerns about supply disruptions, including the ongoing shutdown of the Canadato-United States Keystone crude pipeline following a massive leak last week.

Brent crude futures were up US$2.76, or 3.5 per cent, to US$80.75 a barrel by 1:57 pm EST [1857 GMT]. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained US$2.40, or 3.3 per cent, to US$75.57.

If those levels hold at settlement, both contracts would record their biggest gains since Nov 4.

The dollar index plunged after data showed that underlying US consumer price inflation rose less than expected last month, reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve will slow the pace of its interest rate increases today.

A weaker dollar makes oil cheaper for holders of other currencies, which can boost demand.

"Nobody really saw that number coming in below expectations - a possible demand-positive event that put a bid in the market," Mizuho analyst Robert Yawger said.

However, traders said the oil supply concerns have been around for a few days now, suggesting Tuesday's rally may be down to broader 'risk-on' sentiment after the inflation data.

"This is just a dollar-based broad rally," said Eli Tesfaye, senior market strategist at RJO Futures. "Given the sustained drop in the market, any positive news will lift oil, but it remains to be seen if these rallies will hold."

Tuesday's rally could also be due to traders closing out short positions - speculative bets that the price of a commodity will decline - after both benchmarks fell more than 10 per cent last week.

"People are definitely pulling out of short positions, and that is probably helping things," Yawger said.

The market had been sinking of late on pessimistic outlooks for demand. The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Tuesday trimmed its first-quarter absolute oil demand forecast and said the global economic slowdown is becoming evident.

Chinese leaders reportedly delayed a key economic policy meeting due to surging COVID-19 infections, adding to concerns about demand recovery in the world's biggest crude importer.

TC Energy Corp's Keystone Pipeline, which ships 620,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Canadian crude to the US, remains shut after a spill last week, which could reduce overall US inventories, particularly at the Cushing, Oklahoma, hub, the delivery point for US futures contracts.

US crude inventories were forecast to fall by 3.6 million barrels last week, according to a Reuters poll.

Industry data from the American Petroleum Institute is due at 4:30 pm ET (2130 GMT), followed by Government data today. (Reuters)

Around the World

Breakthrough in nuclear fusion energy announced

major breakthrough has been announced by US scientists in the race to recreate nuclear fusion.

A

Physicists have pursued the technology for decades as it promises a potential source of near-limitless clean energy.

On Tuesday researchers confirmed they have overcome a major barrier - producing more energy from a fusion experiment than was put in.

But experts say there is still some way to go before fusion powers homes.

The experiment took place at the National Ignition Facility at the

Burning through ammo, Russia using 40-year-old rounds,

US official says

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California.

LLNL Director Dr Kim Budil said: "This is a historic achievement… over the past 60 years thousands of people have contributed to this endeavour and it took real vi-

sion to get us here."

Nuclear fusion is described as the "holy grail" of energy production. It is the process that powers the Sun and other stars.

It works by taking pairs of light atoms and forcing them together - this "fusion" releases a lot of energy.

It is the opposite of nuclear fission, where heavy atoms are split apart. Fission is the technology currently used in nuclear power stations, but the process also produces a lot of waste that continues to give out radiation for a long time. It can be dangerous and must be stored safely.

Nuclear fusion produces far more energy, and only small amounts of short-lived radioactive waste. And importantly, the process produces no greenhouse gas emissions and therefore does not contribute to climate change. (Excerpt from BBC News)

India and China troops clash on Arunachal Pradesh mountain border

Russia is turning to decades-old ammunition with high failure rates as it burns through its stockpiles to carry out its nearly 10-month-old invasion of Ukraine, a senior US military official said on Monday.

"They have drawn from (Russia's) aging ammunition stockpile, which does indicate that they are willing to use that older ammunition, some of which was originally produced more than 40 years ago," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The United States accuses Russia of turning to Iran and North Korea for more firepower as it exhausts its regular supplies of ammunition.

The senior US military official assessed that Russia would burn through its fully-serviceable stocks of ammunition by early 2023 if it did not resort to foreign suppliers and older stocks.

"We assess that at the rate of fire that Russia has been using its artillery and rocket ammunition in terms of what we would call fully serviceable artillery and rocket ammunition. They could probably do that until early 2023," the official said.

Using the older stocks carried risks, the official said.

"In other words, you load the ammunition and you cross your fingers and hope it's going to fire or when it lands that it's going to explode," the official said.

Iran has transferred drones to Russia for use in Ukraine, US and Ukrainian officials say. Moscow is also attempting to obtain hundreds of ballistic missiles from Iran and offering Tehran an unprecedented level of military and technical support in return, Britain's envoy the United Nations said on Friday.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

India says its forces have clashed with Chinese troops in a disputed area along the border, the first such flare-up in more than a year.

The nations had been working to de-escalate tensions since a major clash killed at least 24 troops in 2020.

But on Monday, the Indian army said there had been a clash in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh state last Friday, the eastern tip of India.

Both sides were involved with a few soldiers suffering minor injuries.

Reuters reported an Indian army source saying at least six Indian troops were injured.

"Both sides immediately disengaged from the area," the Indian army said.

It added that commanders from both sides had held a meeting immediately after "to restore peace and tranquillity".

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who addressed lawmakers in

Parliament on Tuesday, said the encounter started when Chinese troops "encroached into Indian territory" and "unilaterally tried to change the status quo" along the disputed border near the Yangtse area.

He said the Indian solders responded with firmness and prevented the Chinese army from "transgressing into our territory", and forced them to return to their posts.

Singh said that some soldiers from both sides had been injured in the skirmish but no Indian soldiers had been "hurt or seriously injured" in the clash.

He said that local military commanders met on Sunday to discuss the dispute, adding that the incident has been taken up with the Chinese side "through diplomatic channels".

China's foreign ministry gave no details on the incident but said that according to their knowledge, the situation on the border with India was "generally stable".

(Excerpt

from BBC News)

Iran protests: 400 people sentenced to prison over Tehran unrest

Courts in Iran's capital have handed prison terms of up to 10 years to 400 people arrested at anti-government protests, a judiciary official said.

Tehran's prosecutor-general said 160 "rioters" were sentenced to between five and 10 years, 80 to between

two and five years, and 160 to two years or less, the Mizan news agency reported.

Another 70 were fined, Ali Alqasimehr added, without providing any details.

It comes a day after authorities hanged a second man convicted over the unrest.

The judiciary announced on Monday morning that Majidreza Rahnavard, 23, had been executed in public in the north-eastern city of Mashhad.

A Revolutionary Court convicted him less than two weeks ago of the charge of "enmity against God" af-

ter finding he had stabbed to death two members of the paramilitary Basij Resistance Force.

Amnesty International said he was subjected to a sham trial and that the judiciary was "a tool of repression sending individuals to the gallows to spread fear

and exacting revenge on protesters daring to stand up to the status quo".

Iran has been engulfed by protests against the country's clerical establishment for almost three months.

They erupted following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old

woman who was detained by morality police in Tehran on September 13 for allegedly wearing her hijab, or headscarf, "improperly".

Authorities have portrayed the protests as foreign-backed "riots" and responded with lethal force.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

A view shows remains of MLRS shells used by Russian troops for military strikes of the city and collected by sappers in Kharkiv, Ukraine, November 29, 2022

The interior of the target chamber at LLNL, where nuclear fusion takes place

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Take the high road if someone spews negativity in your direction. A kind word will make a difference and help change the atmosphere in the room. Put your energy into tidying up loose ends.

(March 21-April 19)

(April 20-May 20)

A little festive cheer with clients, colleagues or a loved one will get you in the festive spirit. Touch base with people you won’t see over the holidays or volunteer to help those in need.

Take a moment to think about what’s happening around you. Be safe instead of sorry when dealing with weighty matters. Question everyone and everything before you shift into high gear.

(May 21-June 20)

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

Stretch your mind, be innovative and update your skills to fit today’s trends. You have plenty to gain if you set a course that takes you from beginning to end. It’s time to get things done.

Stick to your plan and carry on, regardless of what others do. By putting your heart and soul into things that matter to you, you’ll get meaningful results. Don’t let uncertainty slow you down.

Don’t disclose your feelings. An opinionated approach when dealing with others won’t help you get what you want. The way to bring about change is through positive action and hard work.

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

Walk on eggshells. It will be easy to disrupt domestic situations if you don’t choose your words wisely. Focus on being helpful, positive and patient, and you’ll dodge an emotional bullet.

Keep your life simple. Don’t change anything that’s not necessary. Clearing up time-sensitive business will help stabilize your life. Touch base with an older friend or relative.

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

Leave nothing to chance. Have patience with others, but don’t take on responsibilities that belong to someone else. Take precautions when faced with controversy.

You’re on a roll, and nothing can stop you. Challenges will be easy for you to handle. Share your vision with people who can help you achieve your goal. Mix business with pleasure.

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)

Volunteer for something, and you’ll meet someone interesting. A proactive approach will ensure you get things done on time and to your liking. Do something that reflects the spirit of the season.

Share your thoughts and feelings with a loved one and resolve differences. Keeping the peace will help you sail into next year with the hope of good things to come. Anger will not help you.

(Feb. 20-March 20)

ARCHIE PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

DILBERT

UG, GTI crowned respective category winners

…UG Coach ends year on positive note

Several avid basketball fans were able to witness “the show of a lifetime” last Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, when the grand finale of the Titan Bowl XI and the Tertiary Knockout Competition got underway.

Winner of the Titan Bowl XI was the Government Technical Institute (GTI), while winner of the Tertiary Knockout was the University of Guyana.

The Government Technical Institute had a thrilling encounter with an Aroaima team in the Titan Bowl XI, but managed to defeat that team 76-68. The back-and-forth encounter had seen the scores tied at 65 after regulation time, but GTI managed to dominate in extra time.

Scoring for GTI, Martin Edwards produced 12 pts and 16 rebounds; Rescan Barnwell produced 14 pts; Daniel Howell produced 12 pts; while Kofi Hassanah and Jayden Jones each produced 11pts and 6 rebounds.

Scoring for Aroaima, Kelon Phillips produced 39 pts, 11 rebounds and 6 steals,

ers were: Charles Williams, with 26pts, 6 rebounds; Richard Semple, with 13pts, 14 rebounds; and Joshua Thompson, with 13 pts, 4rebounds and 4 steals.

Charles Williams was adjudged tournament MVP.

Speaking on behalf of the University team, Head Coach

fensively and score on possession.

“I really didn’t panic, but it was alarming to see the run that New Amsterdam was on. Because of the culture that I am trying to build for the University, the guys are really (bound) into something that is different, and not the

and Kasim English produced 17 pts, 5 rebounds and 7 steals.

Kelon Phillips was adjudged tournament MVP.

In the Tertiary Knockout competition, the University of Guyana and New Amsterdam were neck-and-neck in terms of points. Both teams gave it their all, but UG managed to hold their nerve and take the win 61-60. Scoring for UG, Alroy Nurse produced 12pts, 11 rebounds; Jether Harris produced 10pts, 8 rebounds; and Jushawn Bayley produced 12pts, 4 rebounds.

New Amsterdam’s scor-

Warren Wilson said, “As far as feelings go, I am satisfied to end the year on such a positive note. I am really thankful

to the administration and the rest of Guyana for giving us another opportunity to represent the institution. I am happy that we were able to give them something to feel proud of, and I am extremely grateful to God for His guidance”.

Further, he noted that the closeness of the scores worried him, as he felt the players did not focus on what he had told them in the huddle. He explained that with three minutes remaining and the UG side being ahead, he had relayed that there was no need to push the pace and force scoring, but to play de-

run of the mill team. They continue to build a great brotherhood, and Shaquan’s (Shaquan Gill’s) leadership has rallied them to understand that, first and foremost, you need to be willing to learn and adapt to our culture,” Wilson shared.

Wilson also explained that the rainy season had caused a lack of practice venues, hence the UG team didn’t get the chance to train before the com-

petition. He added that while the players may have had two training sessions, even those had not been full sessions.

Wilson divulged that he has asked the University administration to continue supporting the Sports Department, especially the basketball programme, as it is becoming more robust and things are beginning to work. He noted that for there to be the full results he is anticipat-

ing, resources would have to be expended on the team.

Dellon Davidson, Sports Commission Member, presented trophies to the Tertiary Champion. While Rayad Boyce, YBG CoDirector, presented awards to the Titan Bowl Champions.

This tournament was sponsored by ExxonMobil Tertiary Knockout, Titan Bowl XI, Trophy Stall, and the NSC.

Chanderpaul impresses Gray during tough Aussie tour

FORMER Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies fast bowler Tony Gray has commended the efforts of opening batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who was a bright spark in what was an otherwise disappointing tour of Australia for West Indies.

The regional team lost the two-match Test series 2-0 on Sunday. Australia won the first Test at Perth by 164 runs, and the second by 419 runs at the Adelaide Oval.

At stake was the (Sir) Frank Worrell Trophy, which Australia continue to retain.

The left-handed Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul, made his debut in the opening Test match, and was ready for the occasion, scoring 51 in his first innings. In the second innings, he continued to demonstrate his ability with 45. In the second Test, Chanderpaul scored 47 and 17 to end the series with 160 runs at an average of 40.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul played confidently at times, ending with a strike rate of 47.76 in the series. Only captain Kraigg Brathwaite scored more runs for West Indies in the series, as the right-hander made 196 runs at an average of 49. Before the Test series, Chanderpaul scored 119 and 56 in a practice match against a Prime

Minister’s XI.

“First of all, Chanderpaul was very impressive…he scored a 50 in his first Test innings in Australia on a bouncy, fast track in Perth,” Gray said.

Gray said hitting a century and a half century in the warm-up match was also a commendable effort. “That is an absolutely brilliant tour for him, because obviously it is his first tour, he is playing in Australia, (who is) perhaps the best-balanced team in world Test match cricket…they have perhaps the best all-round bowling attack in world cricket at the moment, because you have three fast bowlers (Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood) who can be legends at the end of their careers.”

Gray said Australia also have capable all-rounder

Cameron Green and the best off-spinner in the world in Nathan Lyon. “That is a formidable bowling attack on pitches that suit their type of bowling, which is an aggressive type, direct bowling. Chanderpaul has done a marvellous job, fantastic job…he has come from slow, low wickets (in the Caribbean and) he has been able to make that mental and technical transition very quickly against a potent bowling attack.”

Gray said Brathwaite showed a patient temperament, but was satisfied that he was more attacking. Most of the West Indies batsmen struggled during the tour, and Gray said their flaws were exposed by Australia.

“The other batsmen clearly (have) technical issues. If you have technical issues, you are not going to have confidence, especially against

the likes of Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood; and then you have Cameron (Green)… and then you have the likes of Nathan Lyon.

"The West Indian batsmen, first of all, have to improve on their back foot technique against the faster bowlers. Chanderpaul showed us that type of batting technique like (Brian) Lara had…he (Chanderpaul) had extreme movements, so he could pull the ball, he could hook the ball, he can play over point, and the rest of batsmen not moving their back foot enough.”

Some of the commentators during the series did not hold back on their comments concerning the performance of the West Indies team. Former Australian batsman Mark Waugh lambasted the effort of the West Indies bowlers and the effort of the fielders.

“I don’t think there’s any sort of reason behind what they’re doing at the moment; they’re just hoping for a mistake somewhere," Waugh said during the first Test.

“Just change it up. At the moment, it’s far too easy. I’m not sure how they can get him out bowling this…it’s not Test match cricket. This is not Test match quality.”

Gray was not surprised by the comments, saying Australian commentators are “forthright”. (Newsday)

The University of Guyana have emerged the Tertiary Knockout champions

UG Head Coach Warren Wilson (at centre) speaking with his players

The victorious Titan Bowl winners, Government Technical Institute (GTI)

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Titan Bowl XI, Tertiary Knockout basketball competitions…

"Madness; More Madness & Hope for 2023!!" (Part 2)

Usually outspoken, former West Indian pacer Colin Croft has lamented the current state of West Indies Cricket on the heels of an embarrassing loss to Australia by 419 runs in the Test match format.

Below reads the second part of Croft’s musings on the current state of West Indian Cricket.

Croft wrote, “I also augmented those hundreds of miles with zillions of skips - very few of our present cricketers even know how to skip at all - and regular light gym work! That skipping was done on high recommendations from three main people - Roy Fredericks, late former Guyana, Glamorgan and WI opening batsman; Geoffrey "Reds" Murray, former Guyana wicket-keeper, and also one of my Air Traffic Control Managers at Timehri - Cheddi Jagan International Airport; and Michael "Joey" Carew, late former T&T and WI opening batsman. That advice has been invaluable.

“Even now, at nearly 70, and when my shoulders can take the pains, I still skip!!

Check Joe Louis, or Sugar Ray Leonard, or Muhammad Ali, or Michael Jordan, or Cheryl Swoopes - any really successful professional sports people; they ALL skipped very well. Yes, it can be done if

you make the time!!

“In any case, I had to be quite fit, especially playing and bowling for Guyana, opposite bowlers like off spinners Roger Harper and Clyde Butts, and leg-spinner Deryck Kallicharran, Alvin's younger brother, all of whom delivered most six-ball overs in 90 seconds or less!! Papa - those guys were really quick slow bowlers!!

“If you noticed the WI Academy team in the recent Caribbean 50 overs 2022 tournament in Antigua & Barbuda, you will have seen that especially if they fielded second, their energy levels sapped appreciably after the first 20 or so overs in the field. Simply, they looked dead on their feet after about 30 overs fielding second, misfielding much, dropping catches and wandering around.

“But how could this be, remembering that these guys are ‘in a learning environment in WI's Academy’?

Eating and sleeping, and especially hydrating properly, are all parts of proper fitness. These are the bases of all physical activities and high achievements. Eating regular fast food is eating very empty, useless calories; drinking sodas regularly (is) even worse!!

“Also, while doing that recent Caribbean 50-overs competition in ANU in November, I noted that most, if not all, of the play-

ers seem not to know and understand the very basics of cricket. Most of them cannot correctly call runs when batting, seemingly not knowing or understanding the dynamics and responsibilities of each batter at the crease.

These are things that we learned, as aspiring youths, on the beach, or playing in the streets, or in primary school. We had no "real" academies!!

“That visage was quite appallingly poor in ANU.

They cannot even correctly field well. But every, and I mean EVERY, player in that competition has been playing regular, organized cricket for at least five (5) years now, from under-15 level to under-19 level, to CPL or IPL, to representative regional cricket and/or even playing in some format and age group for WI. So, most of those so-called "young men" at 21 or 22 or 25 years old had already played more organized cricket games over the recent five years of their lives than Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft had played collectively before we had played our first Test match.

If you remember, Holding, aged 21, had only three first class (List A) games before his first tour to Australia 1975/6. Garner, 23/24, had four games, and Croft, 23/24, had six such "List A" games

before we played Test and ODIs for WI vs Pakistan in 1977.

“We actually learned to play cricket well while playing for West Indies, as our real coaches were already the teams' older players. Nowadays these guys have so many games long before actually playing for WI, and they still do not know the basics. About 75 to 90% of current Caribbean Cricket's representative players seemingly did not know how to simply call for a run!!

What the hell is wrong with this picture????

Anyway, one very lucky break for West Indies Cricket before ICC CWC 2023 in India late next year is that, after that tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa in January-March 2023, West Indies has a massive lull, until India comes to the Caribbean and USA around August 2023.

CWI must, not MAYBE, but MUST, immediately after that Zim/SA tour, name 40 or so players to be prepared in a proper camp somewhere, from April to July, for ICC CWC 2023.

“If required and asked, I am fully available to really be involved in pushing them hard, not to pamper them for fear of losing jobs, as I think many of our present coaches do. I am an honest Analyst and Coach. I am not a Cheerleader, and I do not need friends!!

“CWI will probably play

Terrence Alli National Open Championships this weekend…

its Regional Four Day tournament during that time too.

MAYBE?? Those months MUST be used to properly prepare about 20 eventual players for ICC CWC 2023 if WI's team could even be competing to get to semi-finals at least.

This ‘jump up and kiss me’ approach of using CPL and IPL tournaments to select for especially ODIs does not and has not worked. Quite simply, it is madness!

“Again I ask: How in God's name does one fool oneself in believing that a 20 game - where any bowler bowls a maximum of only four overs - prepares any player to play properly

2 Surinamese boxers coming, 2 female fighters likely coming from T&T

in a 50 overs game??

Absolute madness!!

“2023 cannot come fast enough. WI's 2021 and especially 2022 cricket has been pot-holed, like driving along the roads in some parts of the Caribbean. A few good games here and there in the last two years have been severely overwhelmed with our obvious embarrassments and massive underachievements.

Right now, in all aspects and in all formats, West Indies Cricket is running on fumes!!

Retooling and refuelling and inside refurbishing are urgently required; immediately, if not sooner!!

But if all that fails, then, as John Belushi suggested in his great film

- "National Lampoon's Animal House" - we should all start drinking very, very heavily!!”

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As the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) prepares for resumption of the Terrence Alli National Open Championships this weekend -- after a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic -- it has been disclosed that the tournament is set to feature more than just the best of Guyana’s amateur boxers.

In a comment invited from the President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, this publication has been made to understand that boxers from Suriname have confirmed their participation, while the GBA would know today whether two female fighters from Trinidad and Tobago would be participating in the Championships. It is antic-

ipated that these countries would be sending their best boxers to punch it out with the Guyanese fighters who would be on show.

“This tournament that starts on Friday also expects to have international flavour. Suriname has confirmed two boxers, we are still trying to have two female fighters from Trinidad. This will be known (today), confirmation (today), but Suriname has confirmed two fighters; they’re expected in Guyana on Wednesday,” Ninvalle related to <<Guyana Times Sport.>>

Aside from the international touch, Ninvalle has good reason to tout the Terrence Alli National Open

as historic for the Caribbean Region. This is owing to the cash prizes that would be given to the top three finishers in each weight class of the elite division.

“We are just following on the footsteps of IBA. They have started rewarding boxers at the World Championships for winning gold, silver and bronze with US$200,000, US$100,000 and US$50,000 respectively. It’s being done at the Confederation level, so

we thought it fit to do it,” Ninvalle explained.

“Of course, we would not be able to rival the amount of money IBA is paying, but it’s a significant move, a significant shift in amateur boxing in Guyana and across the Caribbean,” he added, as he described the move as historic, since Guyana would be the first territory in the Caribbean region to implement the initiative for a local tournament.

It has also been disclosed

that this decision was inspired by IBA President Umar Kremlev’s move to increase the prize pool by a mammoth 50% for the 2023 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from May 1st to 4th.

The Terrence Alli National Open Boxing tournament is scheduled to run from Friday, December 15 to Sunday, December 18 at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue in Georgetown.

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- Colin Croft lambastes state of West Indies Cricket

Former Guyana and West Indies quick, Colin Croft

GBA President Steve Ninvalle

A glimpse of what to expect at the Terrence Alli National Open this weekend

Semifinal stage: Argentina vs Croatia…

Messi, Alvarez fire Argentina to World Cup final

Adazzling performance from Lionel Messi has led Argentina to their sixth World Cup final with victory over Croatia at Lusail Stadium. Messi now gets one last chance to win that piece of silverware that has eluded him in his trophy-laden career.

Manchester City's 22-yearold striker Julian Alvarez also shone, as Argentina ensured they would return here on Sunday to face either France or Morocco.

Argentina's little genius Messi looked to be struggling with a hamstring problem early on, but recovered enough to break the deadlock from the penalty spot after 34 minutes, following Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic's foul on the marauding Alvarez.

Alvarez doubled Argentina's lead five minutes later when he took Messi's header just inside Croatian territory and embarked on a slaloming run, aided by fortunate bounces off Josip Juranovic and Borna Sosa, before beating Livakovic.

There was no fortune involved in a brilliant third after the break, as Messi mesmerised Croatia's excellent defender Josko Gvardiol on the byeline before playing in Alvarez for the finish.

Messi will now have the opportunity to make amends for the bitter disappointment of losing the 2014 World Cup final to Germany in Rio's icon-

ic Maracana.

Messi's last crack

World Cup glory

at

When Messi stretched and clutched the top of his left hamstring 19 minutes into this World Cup semi-final, there was a fear the dream for Argentina and their iconic number 10 might have the nightmare ending. Instead, Messi recovered after a spell at walking pace to inspire Argentina as they go in search of a third triumph in the tournament, following victories in 1978 and 1986.

And what a far cry it was from when Argentina were the victims of what is still the biggest shock of this World Cup in Qatar, when they lost their opening game 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, despite Messi

putting one of the pre-tournament favourites in front. It was in 1990 that Argentina were stunned in similar fashion by Cameroon in their first game, and went on to reach the final, losing 1-0 to West Germany. Now they have the chance to go one better as the World Cup reaches its climax. And Messi can finally claim the crown in his final tournament.

Argentina used this meeting with the stubborn, resilient, and talented 2018 finalists Croatia to produce their most convincing performance of this World Cup, suggesting Lionel Scaloni's side are hitting their peak at the perfect time. Messi, inevitably, was at the heart of it all, and was involved in every goal; but Alvarez has shown in Qatar

KFC Goodwill International Football tournament rescheduled

The KFC Goodwill International Football tournament, initially scheduled to be kicked off this afternoon, will now commence on Thursday, December 15, 2022.

This is according to the Petra Organization, whose Co-Director, Troy Mendonca, made this announcement during an engagement hosted at the KFC’s Vlissengen Road Head Office on Tuesday afternoon.

Several players, representing the tournament’s 6 teams, got the opportunity in that engagement to interact with each other and with KFC company executives, and to share their thoughts on the tournament.

Mendonca informed that Wednesday’s kickoff at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Carifesta Avenue would now be shifted to Thursday at the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF’s) National Training Center (NTC) at Providence.

The opening game, set to pit Milo and Guyoil Champions Christianburg Wismar against KFC defending Champions Annai Secondary will now occur at 14:00hrs; while

game 2, featuring Golden Grove Secondary and D.C Caesar Fox (Waramadong) Secondary, would be played at 16:00h.

As such, games scheduled for Friday, December 16th would now be played on Saturday, December 17th, while games set for Sunday, December 18th, will now be played on Monday, December 19th. These games would be played at the same venue.

The playing days for the semifinal and final, on December 21st and 23rd respectively, would remain unchanged, with the Petra Organization yet to make a decision on whether to return to the MoE Ground for those games.

Meanwhile, KFC’s Marketing Manager Pamella Manasseh has encouraged the players present by committing the company’s support for future tournaments. “It’s a privilege for KFC to be part of Petra and the KFC Goodwill sponsorship for football. We look forward for more things from you, adding to what you have done, and we say to ourselves, ‘You know what, ‘we’re here to stay’,” Manasseh shared.

She added, “We’re going to make sure that all…we are doing with these young athletes…they’re making an example to follow, that we will encourage them, support them. And I hope you guys are leading by example, because guess what, we want the best out of you.”

The KFC Goodwill International Football tournament will feature six teams in two groups battling to advance to the knockout stages. In Group A are St. Benedict’s College of Trinidad and Tobago, Golden Grove Secondary and D.C. Caesar Fox (Waramadong) Secondary. In Group B, Christianburg Wismar Secondary, Annai Secondary and SVB Academy of Suriname will do battle.

that, barring accidents, he has a wonderful career ahead of him. Much has been made of Manchester City's big spending over the years, but what

a coup it was to sign Alvarez from River Plate for the bargain price of £14.1m.

Croatia bow out with heads held high

Croatia were undone, like so many before them, by the brilliance of Messi - as well as his young partner Alvarezafter making a confident and composed start to this World Cup semi-final. Their defence was exposed in uncharacteristic fashion for Argentina's first two goals, and there was little even their outstanding young defender Gvardiol could do about Messi's twisting run that set up the third.

Croatia, however, have had an outstanding tournament once more, as the country with a population of only four million followed up their appearance in the final in

Russia in 2018 with a place in the last four in Qatar. If Argentina have Messi, then Croatia have their own master footballer in Luka Modric, and he received warm applause from all parts of Lusail Stadium when he was substituted with nine minutes left. He, like Messi, had his sights set on a World Cup triumph after experiencing the same pain of final defeat, but it was not to be.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic and his players can be proud of their efforts, despite being well beaten here; and in 20-year-old RB Leipzig defender Gvardiol, they have unearthed one of the break-out stars of this World Cup, who will serve them well for many years, and is already a serious target for Europe's elite clubs. (BBC Sport)

GAPLF Senior National Championships…

Tyrell, Hunter, Sanmoogan dominate as records tumble

Dominic Tyrell, Romeo Hunter and Sarah Sanmoogan were most outstanding in their participation in the Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation’s (GAPLF’s) Senior National Championships staged at the St Stanislaus College on Sunday last. They each shattered records in an awesome display in their respective categories.

Competing in the 74kg class, Tyrell lifted a mammoth 310kg (682lbs), more than four times his bodyweight. It was the most for any lifter of the day, and produced an unofficial sub-junior world record.

Earlier in the day, Tyrell recorded a best bench press of 140.5kg (309.1lbs) and a best squat of 235kg (517lbs) for an

eye-popping total of 685.5kg (1508lbs). These are all records for his 74kg junior class, and his IPF points of 100.63 was the best of all the lifters on the platform.

Despite injuring his groin, 16-year-old Romeo Hunter also worked wonders with his lifts. Competing in the 83kg class, the Unity Gym’s “Teen Machine” squatted 252.5kg (555.5lbs), benched 167.5kg (368.5lbs) and had a best deadlift of 220kg (484lbs), for a total of 640kg (1408 lbs).

A muscular fifth form student of the Apex Academy, Hunter tallied 92.122 IPF points to break a total of six national records.

Not to be outdone by her male counterparts,

the 20-year-old Sarah Sanmoogan produced the best performance of all female participants. Doing the Saiyan Fitness Club proud, Sanmoogan recorded a total of 79.79 IPF points after squatting 142.5kg (313.5lbs), benching 72.5kg (159.5lbs), and dead-lifting 162.5kg (357.5lbs). Her total of 377.5kg (830.5lbs) in lifts are all national records.

These elite lifters used the platform on Sunday to secure qualifying totals that would enable them to be shortlisted for the national team that would be participating in upcoming international competitions in 2023.

The next GAPLF event, the Novices and Juniors Championships, are tentatively set for February 2023 at the same venue.

Motorcycle for tournament’s ...

Group A comprises Regions Four, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine, while Group B consists of Regions One, Two, Three, Five and Ten. Apart from the NTFC venue tonight, the competition would see action at the Georgetown Football Club ground; at Number 5 ground; and at Albion and at Bartica, while the organisers are lobbying for the final to be played at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.

This tournament has an incentive budget that exceeds $30M, and the MVP is set to be awarded a house lot. Among the sponsors of this tournament are

look at what to expect at the NTFC, Leonora tonight

Caribbean Airlines, New GPC, Ansa McAl, GTT, Digicel, E-Net, Edward B. Beharry Group, Sterling Products Ltd, Banks DIH (tentative), Tiger Rentals,

and Marics & Company Ltd.

Admission to tonight’s matches costs $1000 for adults, but children would be allowed entry free of charge.

KFC Marketing Manager Pamella Manasseh

Argentina are now into their 6th World Cup final

A

FROM BACKPAGE

The victorious Dominic Tyrell (Emmerson Campbell photo)

Romeo Hunter was in a class by himself

Sarah Sanmoogan stood atop the podium every time her name was announced during the awards’ presentation (Emmerson Campbell photo)

tournament…

Motorcycle for tournament’s highest goal-scorer

…competition continues tonight with Linden, Georgetown in action

Guyana’s footballers now have more to play for in the One Guyana President’s Cup tournament, as another incentive has been announced on Tuesday. This time, the tournament’s highest goal-scorer stands to benefit from Marics and Company’s timely donation of a motorcycle.

This motorcycle was presented to Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde on Tuesday at the Marics company’s Charlotte Street location, where Forde highlighted the existing relationship between the sport and the mode of transportation while extending gratitude to the company.

“I want to also punctuate the fact that the owner (of Marics), Mr. Permaul, has been supporting football development for several years. As you may have witnessed during several of our tournaments, we have been putting motorcycles on display because many of our footballers use motorcycles as their primary means of transportation,” Forde shared.

The GFF President further stated, “I want to first and foremost say, ‘Thank you’ on behalf of the football players and the football fraternity, to the management for yet again making another contribution to the first One Guyana President’s Cup tournament.”

Marics’ Inventory Control officer

Khemraj Jaikaran expressed the company’s elation at being involved in the tournament. “I must say that Marics and Company, the home of Honda in Guyana, we’re very pleased to have this opportunity to give, or donate, the motorcycle for the first One Guyana President’s Cup football. Marics and Company, of course, has been support ing events around football, and we’re extremely pleased to yet again be part of it.”

Meanwhile, on-field action in the inaugu One Guyana President’s Cup football tourna ment will con tinue tonight at the National Track & Field Center (NTFC) at Leonora, WCD instead of at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) venue, as was initially publicised. This evening, day two, will feature another dou ble-header, with powerhouses Regions Four and Ten spring ing into action following Regions Nine and Three securing wins on the opening night.

First whistle, at 18:00hrs, will see Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region

10) and Mahaica-Berbice (Region 5) matching skills in a Group A clash. Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four) would be pitted against CuyuniMazaruni (Region Seven) in the feature match (Group B) that kicks off at 20:30hrs.

This second-leg of the President’s Cup is being

played in the round-robin knockout format, with the two best teams from Group A and Group B advancing to the semifinals that are scheduled to be played on December 28th. The grand finale and third place playoff are set for January 1st, 2023.

Semifinal stage: Argentina vs Croatia…

Messi, Alvarez fire Argentina to World Cup final

One Guyana President’s Cup football

Marics’ Khemraj Jaikaran handing over the keys to GFF President Wayne Forde

Lionel Messi won the battle of the

10s’ against Luka Modric