Guyana Times Thursday, May 23, 2024

Ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) during an exercise while Chief of Defence, Brigadier Omar Khan conducted another strategic command visit. According to the GDF, Khan shared his strategic vision and fostered dialogue for enhanced operational readiness. Brigadier Khan met with infantry soldiers and received a comprehensive briefing on current operations through the model display. He emphasised the importance of awareness

in ongoing missions, the GDF said (GDF photo)

1 killed, 1 injured in 2-vehicle collision

Amotorcyclist was killed and a pillion rider injured following an accident along the Liverpool Public Road, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Tuesday evening.

Dead is Zameer Alli, of Letter Kenny Village, Berbice. The 25-yearold was pronounced dead at the Port Mourant Hospital on Tuesday evening following a collision with a motor car on the Liverpool Public Road.

The crash also resulted in 23-year-old Samuel Anderson of Rose Hall Town, who was the pillion rider, being injured.

According to the police, the crash involved motor car, HD 3517, which was being driven by a 48-year-old man of Limlair Village.

Police said that motor car, HD 3517, was proceeding west along

Liverpool Public Road Corentyne Berbice and attempted a right turn north when the black XR motor cycle with the rider and pillion rider both without safety helmets was in the process of overtaking.

As a result, the front portion of the motor cycle collided with the rightside front portion of the motor car. This caused the motorcyclist and pillion rider to fall on the road surface. They were picked up and taken to the Port Mourant Public Hospital, where Alli succumbed while receiving medical attention.

Anderson was later transferred to New Amsterdam Public Hospital suffering from a fractured right foot and abrasions to both hands. His condition is regarded as stable.

Meanwhile, an autop-

Dead: 25-year-old Zameer

sy was conducted on Alli’s body on Wednesday and the cause of death was given as cerebral shock with hemorrhage and fracture to the cervical spine.

The driver of the car remains in custody as police investigate.

According to Jenny

Fredricks, the wife of Alli, the motorcycle involved in the accident was not the one her husband was on when he left home. The woman said that he left home with an e-bike for Rose Hall Town to meet with a cousin.

“He said he was going to be back early because yesterday (Monday) was my grandmother’s funeral. A little after he left, he called me and said that the scooter-bike battery died and so he want to leave it by one of my brother’s friends. I said it was okay and told him to go and call. When he go he said that everywhere lock up so I said to him ‘just put the bike, it will be okay’. He said that he would get a car to take him to Rose Hall and then get a car to come back home,” the woman related.

She said she subse-

quently made contact with Alli, who said he was at Rose Hall in the company of his cousin and promised to be home in half an hour.

“I called him just after 6:30 and he said for me to give him half an hour because he was talking with his cousin. I gave him about an hour and then called back but got no answer.”

According to the woman, said she thought that he might have gone to a nearby shop to play online games and probably did not hear his phone ringing.

Meanwhile, according to Fredricks, she subsequently learnt that there was an accident and went to the Port Mourant Hospital.

“I did not know that it was he involved in the accident but when I reached the hospital, I see him lie

down there,” she added.

Fredricks said she does not know when her husband would have passed their Letter Kenny home on his way to Liverpool when the crash occurred. She also said that she does not know whose bike he was riding.

The couple has been together for a year and a half.

There has been 11 deaths on the roads in Region Six for the year so far; eight being motorcyclists. For the corresponding period last year, there were 8 road deaths in the region.

Nevertheless, the police are reporting an overall 51 percent decrease in road accidents in the region with a 40 percent decrease in serious accidents, a 27 percent in minor accidents and an 83 percent in accidents classified as damage. (G4)

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Thursday, May 23 –04:00h-05:30h and Friday, May 24 – 04:00h-05:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.

Slow pace of local banks does not match dynamism in economy – Pres Ali

Thursday, May 23 –16:35h-18:05h and Friday, May 24 – 17:00h-18:30h.

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery to light rain showers are expected to prevail during the day and at night, with sunshine in the late afternoon. Temperatures should range between 24 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to Easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 16:32h reaching a maximum height of 2.55 metres.

Low Tide: 10:05h and 22:16h reaching minimum heights of 0.52 metre and 0.69 metre.

…calls for operation mode review, raps failure to heed calls to innovate

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday reiterated disappointment in the local banking sector’s failure to meet expectations in Guyana’s growing economy and called for a review of its operations in order to exploit opportunities in the country.

The Head of State made these remarks at the Private Sector Commission’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), where he recalled issuing a challenge to the banking industry to be more proactive in seeking out and facilitating investment opportunities locally and abroad to help expand Guyana’s economy.

“I also challenged the banking sector to do much more, to be more innovative, to be more proactive. We can also evaluate how well the banking sector has performed in this challenge. The banking sector has been given one of the most dynamic platforms to support capital formation in this country; yet to date, the banking sector has not responded to the speed, efficiency, reliability and time to exploit the opportunities that are here in Guyana,” he noted.

According to President Ali, in a rapidly growing economy such as Guyana’s, the local banking sector needs to take more risks. He argued that the role of the banks is not just to take deposits and lend in a low-risk environment.

“The role of the bank is also to seek opportunity, to understand where the economy is going, should create an eco-system to support where the economy is going, and to build on what is happening in the country,” the Guyanese leader added.

He pointed out that while some banks have been working with government to roll out some initiatives, the drive to match the accelerated pace of the local business community is not there

within the banking sector.

Mode of operations

On this note, the Guyanese leader called for a review of the mode of operations within the banking industry.

“The speed at which the bank has been operating and processing does not match the type of dynamism that is in the economy. And I’m not saying this to be critical of the bank but for us all to review our mode of operation and to find, as we confront these challenges… a new sense of purpose in realigning our outlook in the banking sector and our management in the banking sector to match what is required in the economy,” Ali posited.

Only last month, during the second Local Content Summit 2024 held in Georgetown, President Ali spoke of the need for banks in Guyana to evolve their attitudes and way of thinking, noting that many regional opportunities are waiting for not just local businesses, but banks, to tap into.

In fact, he had disclosed that at least one indigenous bank that was expanding its footprint in the Caribbean. It was subsequently reported that the bank in question is Demerara Bank Limited.

According to the bank’s 2023 Annual Report, a subsidiary of the indigenous Guyanese bank will be established

in St. Lucia. The report indicated that the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) has already approved the bank’s establishment on the island.

“The board of directors approved the establishment of a subsidiary in St. Lucia as part of the bank’s broader expansion plans. This coincides with the bank’s strategic plan which includes the expansion of our services and diversification of our business,” the report states.

Private Sector performance

Meanwhile, the Head of State urged members of the PSC at Wednesday’s AGM held at the Marriot Hotel to assess the performance of the local private sector, which he says has “grown tremendously” especially when it comes to the types of services being offered to not just the oil and gas but other industries. “We have to review the scope and scale through which the local private sector is allowed to operate especially in services for the oil and gas sector. I believe that in many areas, we’re training very competent Guyanese in areas of Oil and Gas Management, Environmental Management, Sustainable Management, Oil and Gas Engineering; and we have to ensure that those skills when they come together whether in consultancy or services, are fully deployed and deployed in a way that is fully integrated into the oil and gas

sector,” he posited.

In December 2021, the National Assembly passed the historic Local Content Act which outlines 40 different service areas that oil and gas companies and their subcontractors must procure from Guyanese and Guyanese-owned companies.

These include 90 per cent of office space rental and accommodation services; 90 per cent of janitorial services, laundry and catering services; 95 per cent pest control services; 100 per cent local insurance services; 75 per cent local supply of food; and 90 per cent local accounting services.

However, Government has already said it will revise these carved-out areas and expand them to allow for Guyanese to benefit from more opportunities in the petroleum industry.

In fact, during the recently held Local Content Summit at the Pegasus Hotel and Suites, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC, said this review could happen later this year. He explained that the government is currently waiting on the Local Content Secretariat to complete its review of the sector’s performance, which includes consultations with stakeholders, and produce its report. Nevertheless, reflecting on the performance of the Private Sector over the past year, President Ali highlighted that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) grew to more than $7 billion from $4.3 billion; private sector credit went up by 14.4 per cent; real estate loans increased by 22.5 per cent; loans to the construction and engineering sector rose by 21.7 per cent while lending to the mining industry grew by 18.1 per cent, agriculture by 14.7 per cent and manufacturing sector by 5.3 per cent. (G8)

President Dr Irfaan Ali speaking at the Private Sector Commission’s AGM on Wednesday at the Marriott Hotel

Editor: Tusika Martin

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Remembering our past

This weekend, we are commemorating the 58th Anniversary of our Independence from Britain. This usually highly-celebrated event comes just days after the 1st anniversary of the nation also remembering the death of the 20 children who tragically lost their lives in the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire in May 2023.

Whenever we examine events that occurred in the past, we must acknowledge that we inevitably do so from the present, in which we are enmeshed. This implies that, no matter how hard we try, we cannot totally escape being influenced by the challenges and opportunities that confront us contemporaneously. It behooves us to consider that context in looking backward.

The Dutch, English and French established colonies in what is now known as Guyana, but by the early 17th century, the majority of the settlements were Dutch. During the Napoleonic wars, Britain took over the Dutch colonies of Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo, which became British Guiana in 1831.

British Guiana became a Crown colony in 1928, and in 1953 it was granted home rule. In 1950, Dr Cheddi Jagan became the leader of the newly-formed People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which struggled for human rights and Independence. In the 1953 elections, Dr Jagan was elected Chief Minister. The British, however, suspended the Constitution and Government within months, and installed an interim Government. In 1955, the PPP split, with ambitious member LFS Burnham breaking off to create the People’s National Congress (PNC). In 1961, Britain granted the colony autonomy, and Dr Jagan was elected Prime Minister (1961- 1964). Strikes and rioting, later proven to be the result of covert operations, forced Dr Jagan to make compromises inimical to his leadership in efforts to save his supporters from destruction.

In 1964, Burnham succeeded Dr Jagan as Prime Minister, a position he retained after the country gained full Independence on May 26, 1966.

British Guiana was renamed Guyana after Independence.

Guyana was a land roamed by its Indigenous Peoples, who comprised several tribes that lived sustainably in the rainforests. However, man’s lust for adventure and wealth brought the Europeans to these shores. With initial cajolery and barter, then trickery when they discovered the rich agrarian lands in these regions, the European nations tried to enslave the freedomloving native tribes, with scant success, to farm the riverine areas.

Subsequently, enslaved Africans were transported to these colonies to work on the sugar plantations. After manumission, satisfying their desperate need for freedom, with monies they had saved literally from the sweat of their brows, they bought lands and contrived village structures, and their endeavours at farming provided sustenance out of the plantation landscape.

This left the plantocracy in a quandary. They needed a workforce that could withstand the burning sun and labour-intensive work of sugar cultivation and production; heralding the indenture of Chinese, Portuguese and Indians. However, only the Indians had the fortitude to work under the gruelling conditions imposed on the indentured servants. The Chinese and Portuguese became the merchant class. These are the peoples who comprise the Guyanese nation.

The fact is that, even with the granting of the Instruments of Independence by Great Britain, this country did not achieve real freedom, but was ruled by an iron fist under a dictatorship. Down the corridors of Guyana’s history, the dictatorship continued to act in ways inimical to Guyana’s developmental trajectory, because the Guyanese people had become mere statistics, in the words of one politician, collateral damage in the drive of pseudo-leaders for self-aggrandizement/empowerment and wealth-acquisition.

After 28 years of PNC rule, October 5, 1992 heralded the dawn of a new era, as a PPP/C coalition Government a combination of the PPP political construct and civil society, took the reins of administration, subsequent to which the country’s developmental paradigm began climbing on an upward trajectory that was near-miraculous.

The vehicle taking this nation on an inexorable climb toward the eventual attainment of individual and national progress and prosperity was taken over by the PNC-led APNU/AFC in 2015. Many questionable things happened during the period 2015-2020, forcing much discussion in Guyana as to whether the country was once again seeing the ghost of the dictatorship of the past.

When PPP/C was restored to the Government after agonising postelections of 2020, the Irfaan Ali-led administration once again was constrained to clean up the Augean Stables, which is the aftermath that is Guyana under PNC rule.

The success of this Herculean task is clearly visible, as the visionary PPP/C leadership continues to guide this nation’s fortunes inexorably on an upward trajectory of social development and economic stability and growth.

Amid

global polarisation, the pandemic agreement encourages cooperation

By Dr TeDros ADhAnom GheBreyesus

For more than two years, countries of the world have worked together towards one historic and generational goal – to ensure we are better prepared for the next pandemic by learning lessons from the devastation caused by COVID-19.

At a time when conflicts, politics and economics have wrought destruction, discord and division, sovereign governments have found a way to work collaboratively to forge a new global agreement to protect the world from inevitable future pandemic emergencies.

This essential effort, being driven by hundreds of negotiators tasked by over 190 nations, was launched in the middle of the most devastating event in our lifetimes.

Based on official counts, COVID-19 left more than 7 million dead. But the real death toll is likely much higher. The coronavirus pandemic also wiped billions, if not trillions, from the global economy. Social upheaval – from job losses to school closures – scarred communities worldwide. At the height of this disaster, with hospitals around the world crowded with patients being cared for by overstretched health workers, more than two dozen world leaders came together to issue a global call for unity.

They said the world must never again be left so vulnerable to another pandemic. They concurred that governments must never again fail to cooperate in sharing vital information, medical equipment, and medicines. And they stressed that never again can the world’s poorest countries and communities be left at the end of the queue when it comes to access to life-saving tools like vaccines.

Equity, we said then, and continue to say now, must be our guiding light.

What was needed, the presidents and prime ministers said then, was a historic compact that commits countries to work together, across frontiers, recognising that deadly viruses do not respect the borders, do not see race, and do not recognise wealth.

This spurred a decision by the 194 Member States of the World Health Organization to undertake two landmark parallel efforts: to start negotiating a first-ever pandemic agreement to prevent, prepare for, and respond to, pandemics, while at the same time making a series of targeted amendments to the existing International Health Regulations, the global playbook which countries use to detect, alert, and respond to public health emergencies.

These efforts were launched during a time when social and political division and polarisation were creating seemingly impenetrable barriers between many countries. But rather than succumb to geopolitical pressures, these government-led efforts have brought nations together to make the world safer from the next pandemic.

The outcomes of these vital negotiations are scheduled to be considered at the 77th World Health Assembly that will open in Geneva on May 27. With the finishing line so close, the stakes facing the world have never been higher. Key issues remain to be resolved; above all, how the pandemic agreement will ensure equity for all countries when it comes to making them ready to prevent or respond to the next pandemic.

“Operationalising” equity has been a regular refrain during the talks. This entails ensuring countries have assured real-time access to the capacities needed to protect

their health workers and communities from a pandemic threat, so that we do not see a repeat of the inequities in access to vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, personal protective equipment, and other vital tools.

Operationalising equity is also about making sure all countries have strong health systems that are prepared to respond to future pandemics wherever they may emerge.

Global health security depends on ensuring there are no weak links in the chain of defence against pathogens with pandemic potential. Global health equity is key to ensuring that every link in the chain is strong.

All of this requires collaboration between countries to share what is needed, from pathogens and diagnostics, to information and resources. And this can be secured only if political leadership focuses on global cooperation, not narrow nationalism.

The pandemic agreement provides the foundation on which to build the world’s future collaborative approach to prevent the next pandemic threat. It is not a piece of paper. At its heart, it is a life-saving instrument that will set out how countries will engage with each other to protect their populations, strengthen public health, and avoid unnecessary disruptions to societies and economies.

At a time of such global friction and tension, I salute all efforts by the international community to grasp this unique opportunity to make the world safer from pandemics. The weight of this shared responsibility is matched by the benefits that a strong agreement will provide for the health and security of all. (Al Jazeera)

(Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is Director-General of the World Health Organisation.)

A family travels along the Bonasika Creek, Essequibo on Tuesday (Office of the President photo)

Controlling Indentureds: Hospitals and Asylums

By Ravi Dev

t cannot be emphasised enough that the institutions that were introduced in post-emancipation Guyana were ultimately geared towards producing a more efficient workforce – more work for the least expenditure.

In 1848, a year after the 1847 Hospital Ordinance was passed to provide a hospital on each plantation, there were only 98 hospitals on the 220 working sugar plantations. For example, on the 27 plantations on West Demerara between Philadelphia and Den Amstel, there were only 5 hospitals, with 77 beds for some 2000 persons. By 1895, with the huge influx of indentureds, there were 10 hospitals with 518 beds, attended by 4 doctors. The impetus was to get the worker back into the fields, and not stay in hospitals.

In the beginning, medical care, such as it was, had doctors generally treating all plantation workers, indentured and nonindentured alike. They were controlled by the plantation managers, but gradually this changed. The 1859 Ordinance to provide for the better management of estate hospitals shifted inspection of the hospitals to the Immigration Department. This was further expanded in 1873, after the COI into the Leonora strike, when the Government, through the Immigration Department and salaried medical practitioners, became nominally less dependent on the plantation managers.

Doctors were now District Medical Officers, and by 1886, Government Medical Officers.

With new statistics available, new interventions were implemented to maximise labour efficiency. For instance, where mortality on a plantation exceeded double the average death rate among immigrants over the previous five years, allotments of immigrants were suspended.

When higher-than-average mortality rate was discerned on particular plantations, the managers became liable for dispensing daily rations - including rice, dhall, ghee, curry stuff, sugar and saltto new arrivals, the cost of which was met from the wages earned by the immigrant.

Asylums were another institution to control the immigrants, especially those who broke under the pressure of disorientation in new surroundings and the constant harassment from the overseers and could not work. One was first founded in Georgetown in 1842, housing some 17 mostly African patients, but was found deficient, and a new structure was built in 1859, where 60 patients of various ethnicities were accommodated. Finally, in 1867, it got a permanent location near the Canje Bridge, and a professional doctor, Dr Robert Grieve, was appointed its head.

Without irony, the Berbice Gazette of 23 April 1881 spoke of Dr Grieve’s work by noting how “an Institution which in former days was looked upon with horror as a place where cruelty and torture was inflicted on its unhappy inmates now appears as a pleasant Sanatorium for well fed and well-tended imbeciles”.

Oil money explained: income and expenditure

Dear Editor,

Over the coming months, ‘oil money’ will be the biggest topic as political parties and aspirants manipulate facts to sell the electorate (you) their plans and vision based on our income from oil sales. I

Here are a couple of graphics that show how Guyanese benefit from Local Content Laws:

Cost Oil Explained: A portion of produced oil that the operator applies on an annual basis to recover defined costs specified by a pro-

have prepared this poster so that anyone can fact-check with ease.

Guyana’s invest-

commitment to date (6 projects): USD 55 billion

Guyana should be “cost-current,” meaning the Stabroek Block Coinvestors will recover as they spend (much less than the 75% allowed) by the end of 2026 or in 2027, depending on the price of oil, the pace of investment, etc.

I urge all Guyanese to cut this page out of the newspaper and paste it somewhere in your

duction sharing contract, including monies invested in exploration and development of new

ment to date: USD 0.00

Guyana’s Income to date (18.05.24): USD 4,700,000,000.00 (Four billion, seven hundred million)

Local Content Explained: Local content is the value that an oil project brings to the local, regional, or national economy beyond the resource revenues.

wells.

Exxon/Hess/CNNOC investment to date:

• Total investment by year-end 2023: ~ USD 29 billion

• Total costs recovered by year-end 2023: ~ USD 19 billion

• Remaining cost bank YE23: $10 billion USD

• Total investment

home, school or workplace. Refer to it periodically or when someone tries to sell you negatives about Guyana’s trajectory in the world. Let us all become guardians of our income and aware of demands that would increase the cost of oil. Remember, we, Guyanese, pay the ‘cost of oil’ bills.

Sincerely, Robin Singh

The Lunatic Asylum at Canje, Berbice

A plantation hospital

Page Foundation

CSEC MATHS

Read the following poem carefully and answer the questions.

Local Private Sector needs to be aggressive against non-tariff barriers in Region – PSC Chair

With Guyana’s manufacturing sector on the cusp of a massive transformation, outgoing Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Komal Singh, has called for the local business community to be aggressive against the non-tariff barriers that hinder the free movement of Guyanese goods within the Caribbean region.

His remarks come on the heels of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) recently blocking the importation of millions of dollars’ worth of dairy products from Guyana –something that sparked widespread outrage in the local business community.

At the PSC Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, Singh emphasised the need for the local private sector to play a role in ensuring that these non-tariff barriers are removed. This, he noted, will be especially important with the impending operationalisation of the Regional Ferry Service between Guyana and Trinidad, and later on to Barbados, that will open up trade opportunities within the Caribbean.

To this end, he noted that the PSC will continue to work with the Guyana Government and other regional stakeholders to remove all the non-tariff barriers that prevents Guyanese goods and services from entering other markets when the Guyanese market is open to almost any goods and services that comes here.

“We from the private sector need to be very aggressive going forward to make that whatever non-tariff barrier that exists that prohibits our goods from other markets, we need to go and analyse those and work aggressively to make sure

we have them removed as quickly as possible. We do not want that non-tariff barrier to exist when our industries start growing rapidly from the manufacturing sector… Our private sector and other members will continue to review those non-traffic barriers and to look at means and ways, where we can remove and work with government and the other countries to have those removed as quickly as possible,”

Singh posited.

For years, Guyanese companies have been complaining bitterly about the trade restrictions encountered with the Twin-island Republic, which is allowed to freely export its products to Guyana with ease.

Only Guyana

In fact, President Dr Irfaan Ali, while delivering the feature address at the PSC’s AGM, argued that “There is one country in this region that has always allowed the full and free movement of capital, people and of goods and services. And that is Guyana… and we can put this to the test.”

“How many regional contractors operate in Guyana freely, and we welcome them. We welcome everyone but how many Guyanese contracting entity, that has built tremendous capacity, operate outside of Guyana?” Ali stressed.

He went on to highlight a complaint he recently received from a farmer during a visit to Bonasika, who is experiencing “tremendous difficulty” in getting his produce into regional markets. To this end, the Head of State instructed the Agriculture Ministry to use the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) as a vehicle to consolidate local production, go after markets and then be the bridge that allows the flow of Guyanese produce into all those markets.

Moreover, President Ali said as the current Chair of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Guyana has committed, before the next Heads of Government meeting, to collectively sign onto free movement within the region.

Under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the implementation of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) to which both Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana subscribe, requires free movement of goods and services.

However, only last week, it was reported that Trinidad had refused millions of dollars worth of milk and water products from Guyanese company Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

At a press conference, DDL Chairman Komal Samaroo revealed that four 20 ft shipping containers of packaged milk and bottled water were recently blocked by Trinidadian authorities from entry. Samaroo explained that the milk, worth $20 Million, was sent back, while the sale of the water was restricted.

Local private sector bodies were outraged over the situation, which the T&T Trade and Industry Ministry blamed on the absence of the requisite regula-

tory documentation. It added that there was no prohibition on the importation of animal products into Trinidad and Tobago from any Caricom Member State, including Guyana.

But the Guyana Government, through the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry, slammed Trinidad’s decision to refuse the Guyanese goods. While it acknowledged that regional products must satisfy sanitary and other rules, the Ministry noted that

the dairy products were in full compliance with these regulations and were even accepted in other Caricom Member States.

Meanwhile, weighing in on this situation, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo last week reiterated calls for the fair treatment of commodities from Guyana, warning of similar restrictions of exports coming here.

“We will insist upon full reciprocity in matters of trade … the way our goods and our exports are treat-

ed across the Region –but in this particular case in Trinidad and Tobago – the same way their goods entering the Guyanese market will be treated. [There will be] full reciprocity on all of the issues, because if they can insist on a phytosanitary test that we don’t implement on their goods, but that they want to conduct on our goods before they enter into their market, then we will have to deal in the same manner as they’re doing.” (G8)

PSC Chair Komal Singh

A section of the gathering at the Private Sector Commission’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown

Baramita students being empowered through STEM

In a bid to transform educational opportunities in Baramita village, Region One (Barima-Waini) the Food For The Poor (Guyana) Inc’s Learning Pod Program has implemented a cutting-edge initiative to nurture the minds of 20 students.

Collaborating with STEM Guyana, the program goes beyond traditional subjects by offering comprehensive education in Mathematics, Science, English, and Social Studies while also delving into the realms of technology and engineering through the Robotics

Component. By immersing students in interactive and interdisciplinary learning experiences, the program aims to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and hands-on engagement, FFTP said, adding that not only does this approach boost motivation and collaboration among students, but it also instills confidence and self-esteem in each participant.

Moreover, early exposure to STEM disciplines, the organisation pointed out, paves the way for a future generation of professionals equipped with in-demand skills like coding, engineering principles, and digital literacy. This, in turn, opens doors to lucrative job opportunities and empowers youths to become valuable contributors to society.

According to FFTP, by integrating STEM programs, particularly robotics, into Baramita's educational framework, the initiative seeks to nurture well-rounded individuals primed to make a positive impact on their community and beyond. The program stands as a beacon of hope, ensuring that all children in Baramita have equal access to quality education and are well-equipped to embrace lifelong learning opportunities, aligning perfectly with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Four.

Who’s…

…taking on the PPP?

From where your Eyewitness sits (on a high perch, like those tennis umpires!!), it’s clear to him that much of the hysteria from the Opposition side to select a new leader is because they’re deathly scared the PPP’s use of oil revenues would win over scads of their constituency - making them irrelevant!! And the PPP’s clearly bent on doing that – pointing out it’s what democracy’s all about!! You get into government with a manifesto that attracts a majority of the voters and by delivering the goods (literally!), and you expect to win new converts by delivering goods to a wider set of voters come new elections!!

The PNC had their opportunity when they were voted in back in 2015, and if they were rational, they’d have done exactly what the PPP’s now doing. Now, you may say they didn’t have oil revenues to spend and hand out goodies like Santa “PPP” Claus. True, but shouldn’t they at least have tried to keep the voters who’d put them in office? In our ethnically divided country, that means holding on to the Indian Guyanese votes brought in by Naga and Ramjattan. But NO!! Granger just had to pi55 them off (and worse) by firing 7000 of their sugar worker cohorts!! Did he have a political death wish for the PNC??

Anyhow, the PNC and its troglodytes can jump high or they can jump low, but they ain’t gonna change the PPP’s push to secure a majority to return them in the driver’s seat, come 2024. Now, what can the PNC do about it? Right now, seems they’re focusing on which leader might best undermine the PPP’s programme of delivering the good life. And they’ll do this by invoking the race card. So, it doesn’t matter what the PPP does, African Guyanese are told they’ve been subjected to “racism” and discrimination every step of the way!! The PNC figures if they throw enough mud in the PPP’s direction, some of it gotta stick!!

And it will - after years of conditioning by hearing those accusations from both sides of the divide! Most folks are predisposed to believing them: “Cognitive bias” and all that!! But isn’t it time the PNC quits this negative politicking?? One of the new wannabe leaders can easily move from the negativity to outline a vision that involves and includes all Guyanese. And if they are correct in their assessment of the PPP, then the votes will come!

After all, what will be gained by further polarising the Guyanese people, when votes from the “other side” are needed?? Ain’t we now a nation of minorities, where we need to step beyond our boundaries to reach that 50 percent plus one??

…working?

Becoming “free” - for us, we know - meant that the planters were now free to look for the cheapest form of labour to do the work the slaves used to do. So, from then on, the so-called “free workers” have been agitating and striking to improve their wages and conditions of work. We all know the indentured labourers who replaced the slaves – in a “new form of slavery”, according to some – protested and were killed throughout the 79 years of indentureship.

Against that background, it was rather shocking to your Eyewitness to discover, two years ago, that 4847 work permits had been issued to foreigners to take up employment here!! That there were 9270 applications is even more worrisome!! Did anyone realise there were so many furriners working in jobs that demanded work permits – meaning they weren’t your minimum-wage gigs – in our fair land??

There’s gotta be more than twice that number of jobs at the lower end filled by Venezuelans. So, what’s the position right now?? Furriners still pouring in??

…the frontrunner?

Your Eyewitness understands that bets are being placed on who’s gonna win the PNC’s leadership sweepstakes at the end of June. Norton’s the frontrunner: he controls the election machinery!!

Students from the Baramita village, Region One who are part of the STEM initiative

GDF ranks swear allegiance to Guyana’s Constitution not political party – AG to Opposition

Secretary to the Defence Board and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall has rejected claims that the government is politicising the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). This claim was made by Opposition Parliamentarian Amanza Walton-Desir during a recent sitting of the National Assembly.

“I want to reject absolutely the allegations made by Walton-Desir in the Parliament, in relation to the Government’s attempts and the President’s

attempts at politicising the force and undermining the professionalism of the force,” Nandlall said during his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesday.

Nandlall noted that the primary function of the GDF is to protect Guyana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty for which it must swear allegiance to the Constitution of Guyana. However, he said in so doing, the members of the force do not swear allegiance with any serving political party.

“In bearing loyalty and pledging allegiance to the Constitution of Guyana, that defence force must not necessarily pledge allegiance to the Government of the day, though it must support the government of the day,” AG said.

Walton-Desir drew her conclusion from an engagement between the President and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr Irfaan Ali on his birthday. The engagement involved the sharing of birthday cake with the leaders of the army.

The Defence Board Secretary said there is nothing implicative of the event.

“Historically, every commander has had engagements of an open nature, of celebratory nature, of a social nature with the GDF, they have had breakfast, lunches, they have had cocktails, they have had parties, they have had a variety of social and other engagements and Commanders-in-Chief and the Forces that they command have that relationship anywhere in the world,” he pointed out.

Traffic strategy in place for Independence weekend, ICC T20 local games

As Police anticipate an influx of commuters along the roadways during the Independence weekend celebrations as well as during the ICC T20 World Cup games in Guyana next week, the Traffic Department of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has developed a plan to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles and pedestrians during the busy periods.

Guyana is preparing for its 58th Independence Anniversary celebrations this weekend and will be hosting the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup games from June 2 to 8, followed by semi-final on June 27.

Traffic Chief Senior Superintendent Mahendra Singh in giving an insight of the force’s comprehensive strategy during the recent "Traffic and You" program said that the unique challenge posed by the convergence of Independence cel-

He further stated that parking management is another critical aspect of the plan. Temporary parking restrictions will be enforced in key areas to prevent obstruction of traffic flow, with additional parking facilities designated near event venues.

According to Nandlall, who boasts of having lived his entire life in Guyana, the GDF is more professional than it has ever been in the history of Guyana. He also mentioned the Guyana Police Force (GPF) which he says is more resourced than it has ever been with the highest level of morale among ranks.

Motorcyclist killed in LBI accident

Amotorcyclist lost his life on Tuesday night following a collision involving a truck on the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

Dead is 29-year-old Kareem Josh Jeffrey of Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.

The fatal accident occurred around 11:30h as Jeffrey was riding a motorcycle, CL 3120, when he was struck.

According to Police reports, the truck, GAG 6017, was traveling west at a fast rate of speed.

The truck driver, a

30-year-old resident of South Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown, reported to Police that he felt a bump and noticed a motorcycle skidding past his vehicle. Upon stopping and exiting the truck, he discovered Jeffrey lying on the road with severe injuries.

Emergency services were contacted, but Jeffrey was pronounced dead at the scene.

A breathalyser test administered to the driver revealed no presence of alcohol. He remains in police custody as the investigation continues. (G9)

ebrations and the Cricket World Cup, which are expected to attract massive crowds and significantly increase traffic volume.

“When we have an event or a lengthy weekend, people want to drive at all manners of speed, and it doesn’t serve their interest… they need to put a stop to it”, he said. One of the key measures involves strategic road closures and diversions. Singh explained that certain roads will be temporarily closed or restricted near event venues and celebration sites.

An increased number of police officers will be stationed at critical intersections and high-traffic zones to manage vehicle flow and assist pedestrians.

“There will be no confusion… our ranks will be in full communication mode from the time they go from point A until they get to the stadium. They will be guided as well”, the Traffic Chief explained.

With these strategies in place, the police are confident that the Independence Day celebrations and the Cricket World Cup will proceed smoothly without significant disruptions to traffic and public safety. (G9)

APNU MP Amanza Walton-Desir

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent, Mahendra Singh

2024 Caribbean Investment Forum Investments will be sought for major projects in Guyana – CEO of GO-Invest

Guyana will position itself as a hub for business collaboration and sustainable development initiatives at the 2024 Caribbean Investment Forum slated for July 10 to 12, at the Arthur Chung Conference

Centre (ACCC). It is the third time the forum will be held in the Caribbean, and as this year’s host country, Guyana plans to center discussions on crucial topics such as sustainable agriculture, transitioning to a green

economy, and the digitalisation of business operations.

In this regard, agriculture and food security are high on the list, along with the target of achieving cheaper energy by 2025 to facilitate large-scale agro-processing and sustainable farming.

Guyana Times was told that an average of 400 to 700 bankable investors from the region will be attending the event, which includes an exposition for local private companies.

In fact, Chief Investment Officer and Head of the Guyana Office for Investment, Dr Peter Ramsaroop told this publication that investments will be sought

for major projects such as the building the infrastructure of different ports, among others.

“With the President’s 2030 plan, we are going to be showcasing much more manufacturing opportunities in Guyana, such as moving to the bigger projects, which is the glass initiative, whether it’s solar panels to the alumina plant or gold refinery, building out the infrastructure of the different ports that the President spoke about, and the connection with Brazil…Guyana would like to own the region when it comes to agriculture, when it comes to manufacturing because of our energy costs going down,” Dr Ramsaroop said.

CIF Guyana 2024 will feature a special app that will allow attendees to book B2B sessions with investors and business leaders. Attendees will participate in plenary sessions, gain insight into thoroughly vetted, bankable projects, and learn more about regional products and services through an investment village and expo which will include booths from companies and start-ups

from across Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

Its objectives are to: raise the visibility of the region as an investment destination; assemble the international investment community so that agreements can be forged on key priorities that will fast-track the region’s transition and work towards attaining the sustainable development goals focused on poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, decent work and economic growth.

It will also be used as platform for businesses to showcase their development plans and projects to potential investors, given that another key objective of the forum is to foster joint ventures and partnerships, particularly in sectors like tourism, to enhance collaboration and product offerings.

As a result, government is planning to partner with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) to guide the local private sector and prepare them for the conference requirements.

“I mean, we’re asking businesses in Guyana to really get on board, get

their business plan ready, be ready to meet with an investor in any one of the sectors, eco-tourism, agriculture, you know, canning of goods. They should be ready to have a serious conversation with financiers that may be coming into Guyana… So, we’re spending time with businesses, helping them understand what is required when you say you want a partner or you want an investor in your company. And it’s a transition of Guyanese businesses in that matter,” he added.

Registration for the 2024 Caribbean Investment Forum is open and Guyanese, especially the business community are encouraged to secure tickets.

President Dr Irfaan Ali is slated to deliver the keynote speech on Day one of the event while panel discussions will be held for the remainder.

Moreover, the investors will tour landmark and tourism sites in Guyana such as the Kaieteur falls, Bimichi Eco Lodge and the Essequibo River, as part of their package for attending the forum. (G1)

Guyana Office for Investment Chief Executive Officer, Dr Peter Ramsaroop

Police College in Berbice opens doors to international students

With its recent accreditation, the Felix Austin Police College in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), known for law enforcement training, is now poised to welcome international students.

This achievement marks a significant milestone in the college's history, validating its rigorous training programmes and attracting a global cohort of officers eager to benefit from its enhanced educational offerings.

According to Woman Assistant Superintendent Althea Solomon, who is in charge of this facility in Berbice, the college has undertaken substantial changes to meet international standards following its recent accreditation.

Speaking on the police radio programme ‘Police and You’, Assistant Superintendent Solomon highlighted one of the most notable changes: the transition from traditional paper-based examinations to an online testing system. This shift, she said, aligns with contemporary educational practices and provides a more efficient, secure, and accessible means of evaluating students.

“The journey to acquiring that accredita-

tion was not a walk in the park; it was a lot of hard work. Several policies we had to put in place. We had our entire infrastructure rearranged,” she explained.

Academic standards, curriculum

The college has introduced a revised curriculum that emphasises a comprehensive approach to police training. Police officers are now required to achieve a minimum pass rate of 70 per cent across four critical modules. These modules cover a range of subjects, including law enforcement fundamentals, community policing, information technology, and specialised skills. The integration of information technology into the curriculum is a significant advance-

ment, in that it prepares officers to handle the technological demands of modern policing.

To deliver these enhanced courses, the Felix Austin Police College has partnered with experts from the University of Guyana. This collaboration ensures that students receive top-tier education from some of the best minds in their respective fields, further elevating the quality of training provided.

International recognition, employment opportunities Asst Superintendent Solomon further stated that academy graduates will now leave with an accredited certificate, a credential that holds significant value both locally and internationally.

This accreditation

Labourer jailed for wounding Essequibo Coast man

A20-year-old man was on Tuesday sentenced to two years in jail for wounding another man.

Keron Dexter, a labourer, of Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) had committed the act on Delney Gonsalves, a 59-yearold self-employed resident of Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast.

Reports are that the incident occurred on September 16, 2023, in Dartmouth. The charge

ensures that graduates are not only prepared to serve within Guyana, but are also competitive candidates for law enforcement positions in other countries with accredited organizations.

"Since we received our accreditation, we've seen officers from other countries coming here to train alongside our junior ranks," Solomon shared, highlighting the growing reputation of the college on the international stage.

With its doors now open to international students, the Felix Austin Police College is poised to become a hub of cross-cultural exchange and professional development. The diverse student body would enhance the learning environment, fostering a global perspective in policing strategies and community engagement.

Accreditation

In September last year, the GPF Academy was officially accredited by the National Accreditation Council

(NAC), thus clearing the way for enhanced training for police officers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police ‘Admin,’ Calvin Brutus, in his remarks, noted that the accreditation marks a significant milestone in the Force’s journey towards excellence in law enforcement education and training.

Providing further context on what it took for this achievement to be realized, Brutus noted that the process began on September 22, 2022, when the GPF received the Certificate of Registration, a crucial

step in its pursuit of excellence. This, he said, laid the foundation for the rigorous process that has led the Force to this achievement. Further, he noted that, as the academy begins its transformation, it would be elevating the Force’s entrance examination standards from a primary education level to a post-secondary education level.

Simultaneously, a stringent marking and grading system would be introduced for all programs available at the academy. (G9)

was laid under Section 50 of the Criminal Law Offences Act, Chapter 8:01.

The case was heard on Monday, at the Anna Regina Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Tamieka Clarke. Dexter was not required to enter a plea initially. However, after the prosecutor applied the Administration of Justice, Dexter pleaded guilty to the charge and was subsequently sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Assistant Superintendent Althea Solomon

Charged: Keron Dexter

The tour of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 trophy in Guyana began on Tuesday. The trophy is in Guyana to usher in the event, which is carded to start on June 1 in the US and June 2 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. From June 1 to June 29, 45 matches will be played in the US and the Caribbean with Guyana hosting a semi-final and five group games, including two West Indies matches (Office of the President, Office of the First Lady and CJIA photos)

The tour of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 trophy in Guyana began on Tuesday. The trophy is in Guyana to usher in the event, which is carded to start on June 1 in the US and June 2 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. From June 1 to June 29, 45 matches will be played in the US and the Caribbean with Guyana hosting a semi-final and five group games, including two West Indies matches (Office of the President, Office of the First Lady and CJIA photos)

Duo remanded for harbouring wanted man …

"Labba" charged for attempted murder of GDF rank

Two men were remanded to prison on Tuesday after being charged with harbouring Dexter McDonald, known as 'Labba', who is wanted by the police for multiple crimes, including the attempted murder of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rank, Azim Khan.

Wayne Summer, 58, and Shawn Baynes, 45, both of Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court. They pleaded not guilty to the

charges and were remanded to prison. The case will continue on June 18.

The duo was arrested on Friday last by police. The arrest occurred after Regional Division 4C officers (East Coast Demerara), acting on a tip-off, intercepted a silver vehicle, PAD 1112, at Belfield, East Coast Demerara. Baynes was driving, and McDonald was in the front passenger seat.

McDonald, a construction worker of Buxton Middle Walk, ECD, had been wanted since March 2023. Both

McDonald and Baynes were taken to the Cove and John Police Station, with Summer being arrested shortly after.

On Tuesday, McDonald was also remanded to prison after being charged with the attempted murder of Khan and two counts of burglary against police officer Junior Blair. The charges involve the theft of a firearm, ammunition belonging to the Guyana Police Force, and several personal valuables.

McDonald, who appeared before Magistrate Azore at the Vigilance Magistrates’ Court,

pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Khan, who was shot during a home invasion at Mon Repos, ECD, on May 6. Bail was refused, and his case was adjourned to June 20.

Police reported that during the home invasion, Khan and his family were attacked by two masked intruders who tried to steal cash and jewelry. Khan resisted and was shot near his heart.

McDonald also faced two additional charges stemming from burglary committed on police officer Junior Blair, whose firearm and ammunition belonging to the Guyana Police Force, along with several of his personal valuables, were stolen.

He denied those allegations and was remanded to prison. The matters were adjourned to June 18 and 20, respectively.

McDonald had previously been on the run

in 2018 but was arrested in Annandale, ECD, for a series of robberies. At the time, he was found with 29 grams of cannabis packaged in small Ziplock bags. Despite an arrest warrant, McDonald managed to evade justice for a significant period. Prior to his 2018 arrest, he had been charged with rape and granted bail, though the status of those cases remains unknown. (G9)

Man shot during confrontation over stolen bicycle

Carl Cato, a 42-year-old man of Vryheid's Lust, East Coast Demerara, is currently hospitalized after being shot in the leg by a security officer employed by a popular security service.

The shooting incident occurred on Tuesday at around 14:50h, when the guard accused Cato of stealing a bicycle. The injured Cato was riding a bicycle on Carmichael Street in Georgetown when the 28-year-old security guard confronted him and claimed the bicycle Cato was riding had been stolen from another employee of the service. A confrontation ensued that led to a scuffle, during which Cato allegedly tried to disarm the security guard. In the struggle, the firearm was discharged and Cato was struck in the left leg. Police were called to the scene, and Cato was

taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he is reported to be in stable condition. The security guard has been arrested, and the firearm and one spent shell have been seized. The bicycle has also been lodged with the police. (G9)

Remanded: Dexter McDonald, known as "Labba"

Charged: Wayne Summer and Shawn Baynes

Injured: Private Azim Khan, who is still in critical condition in the ICU, being visited by ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF photo)

Welder found dead in car at Corentyne backlands

The body of a Corentyne welder was on Wednesday morning discovered in the backseat of his car on a dam in the cultivation area at Letter Kenny, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

Dead is 25-yearold Joshua Hardatt of Bloomfield Village.

The body had what appeared to be a wound to the neck.

The discovery of the car on the lonely dam at Letter Kenny, Corentyne, about 400 meters into the rice cultivation area was made

Duo remanded on separate robbery charges

Two men were remanded to prison on Monday and Tuesday when they appeared at the Diamond and Anna Regina Magistrates’ Courts to answer to separate robbery charges.

Delon George, a 23-year-old of Section B Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was arrested on Friday, for the offense of robbery under arms.

It is alleged that on May 7 he robbed Wen Qing Lou, the owner of Good Life Supermarket located at Grove Public Road, EBD.

George appeared at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court on Monday, before Magistrate Dylon Bess. He was charged under Section 222(c) of the Criminal Law (Offenses) Act Chapter 8:01. The charge was read to him, but he was not required to enter a plea. Bail was refused, and George was remanded to prison. The

Remanded: Delon George and Dwayne Harris

matter was adjourned to June 28.

In a separate case, Dwayne Harris, a 20-year-old laborer of Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) was charged with robbery with violence.

The offense was committed against Sharple Khansinally, an 80-year-old of Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast, on March 30. Harris appeared at the Anna

Regina Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, before Magistrate Tamieka Clarke.

He was also charged under Section 222(a) of the Criminal Law (Offenses) Act, Chapter 8:01. Harris pleaded not guilty after the prosecutor applied the Administration of Justice Act. Bail was objected to by the prosecutor, and Harris was also remanded to prison. The case was adjourned to June 13, at the Suddie Magistrate's Court.

be a wound to the back of his neck.

Hardatt had left home the evening before.

His mother, Lalita Hardatt who could not hold back her emotions said it was unusual for him to stay out all night, explaining that it was at about 19:00h that he left home promising to return in two hours.

at around 08:00h, as persons were making their way to work.

The car was locked and police were able to get it opened after a few hours of trying. Hardatt was lying face down in the back seat with what appeared to

“So after 9 O’clock I started to call him on his phone and it turn off. I see that he was not online but I still tried calling and I keep calling until 11 O’clock. At 11 O’clock a girl called me and she asked for him. I told her that he was not at home and asked what she wanted. She said that he has to do some work for her. She said she is from Albion. She tell me to let him call her when he come home,” the woman related.

His mother said it was only a few days prior that her son told her

that he was threatened by a man who was released from prison on Saturday.

“Sunday night he went out and drink and when he come home he tell me that [mentioned name] what to knock him with a hammer and kill him,” the woman said as she cried in grief.

Referring to the man, she said her son claimed he had made threats at him. According to the woman the man and her son once worked together.

Police are looking for a person of interest as they continue their investigations. (G4)

Dead: 25-year-old Joshua Hardatt

Grieving mother Lalita Hardatt

The car on the dam

Police at the scene after the car with Joshua Hardatt’s body

Govt appeals High Court Judge’s ruling that striking teachers be paid

The Guyana Government is moving to reverse the decision of High Court Judge Justice Sandil Kissoon, who had ruled just over a month ago that teachers who were on a fiveweek strike should be paid, and that the Education Ministry must continue to deduct union dues on behalf of the Guyana Teachers Unions (GTU).

On Wednesday, one day after receiving the written High Court judgement, the Attorney General’s Chambers filed the challenge in the Appeal Court, seeking “…an order setting aside the whole of the decision of the Honourable Mr. Justice Sandil Kissoon…”

In a marathon ruling last month, Justice Kissoon found that the recent five-week GTUled strike action by teachers across Guyana was “legal and legitimate.”

Initially slated for two weeks but ending

up running for over a month, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) organised the countrywide strike, which started on February 5, calling for better pay and working conditions.

Government had labelled the industrial action as illegal, and consequently announced plans to cut the salaries of those teachers who did not show up to work for over a month, and to also stop deducting union dues from the wages and salaries of teachers.

However, the High Court Judge, in his April 19 ruling on the case, filed by the GTU to challenge the Government’s decisions, had found that the teachers were justified in their strike action, since there was no proper collective bargaining between the Education Ministry and the union, which had a multi-year agreement that included salary increases for the period 2019 to 2023.

The High Court

judge found that any move to deduct or withhold the salaries of those teachers on strike would be “arbitrary, unlawful, unreasonable and unconstitutional.” Similarly, he also ruled that Government acted “arbitrarily” when it halted the deduction of union dues from teachers’ salaries.

According to Justice Kissoon, “…the right to strike, like the right to engage in collective bargaining, is firmly embedded in the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to every citizen of Guyana under the Constitution…”

Grounds of appeal

However, the AG argued in his grounds of appeal that the High Court Judge “erred and misdirected himself in law when he, having found that the Applicant’s pleadings could not withstand judicial scrutiny, failed and/or refused to strike out the pleadings as being frivolous, vexatious,

and as disclosing no cause of action… Erred in law in considering issues which were not properly and adequately pleaded or pleaded at all, and which did not fall to be determined by the Court.”

The grounds of appeal added that the judge also erred “… when he held that the 'no work no pay’ principle was raised by the pleadings as an issue to be determined” and “… when he found that there is no difference between a right to strike and the freedom to strike, notwithstanding that the Constitution of Guyana, Chap. 1:01 does not provide for a right to strike; rather, the freedom to strike is expressly guaranteed by Article 147 of the Constitution.”

The appeal document further detailed that “The Learned Trial Judge erred and misdirected himself in law when he held that the strike action called by a trade union was 'justified', and that the 'no

work no pay' principle had no applicability, and that the employer was required to pay wages which had not been earned, contrary to and in contravention of the provisions of the Labour Act, Chap. 98:01.”

Another ground in the appeal was that “The Learned Trial Judge erred in law and fact when he found that the Government's discontinuation of the gratuitous deduction of union dues and the remittance of the same to

the Respondent Guyana Teachers Union constituted a direct interference with the Union's right to collective bargaining as guaranteed by Article 147 of the Constitution.”

Even as the Government is moving to appeal this matter, teachers have again resumed strike action to again pressure the Government into negotiating increased salaries from 2019 to 2023, a position that the Government has already rejected.

The Education Ministry this week released a statement insisting that the GTU acts in good faith and honours the 1990 agreement that the reconciliation process be followed. The ministry said, “Conciliation cannot commence until the strike has ended and a state of normalcy returns.” It reiterated its readiness to work together to determine a multi-year agreement from 2024. (G8)

PME for man found dead in car on Heroes Highway inconclusive Motorcyclist injured in Albouystown collision

Two days after police found a man dead in a car while patrolling in the vicinity of the Heroes Highway on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) on Sunday, a post-mortem examination failed to reveal the cause of death.

The autopsy was performed by Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary, who reported that the cause of death of Kevon Josiah was undetermined.

It was reported that the officers observed a

silver-gray motorcar parked with the engine running. Upon closer inspection, they found a man in the driver’s seat

with blood on his mouth and flowing from his nostrils. Blood was also visible on the floor behind the driver’s seat.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) were called to the scene. They examined the man and pronounced him dead.

Further inspection of the vehicle revealed a Guyana National Identification Card, along with a divorce petition between the dead man and a woman residing in the United States.

Police are continuing their investigation. (G9)

Aserious accident that occurred on Tuesday at the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Hill Street, Albouystown, Georgetown has left a motorcyclist with significant injuries.

Injured is Nicholie De Souza, 19, a mechanic of D’Urban Street, Lodge, Georgetown. The collision involved motorcar, PAE 3982, that was driven by a 28-year-old deliveryman of Norton Street, Werk-

En-Rust, Georgetown. The other vehicle was an unregistered motorcycle driven by De Souza.

Police investigations revealed that the deliveryman was driving west along the southern lane of Independence Boulevard, while De Souza was traveling east at a high speed on the northern lane. As they neared the intersection, the deliveryman made a right turn onto Hill Street, crossing into De Souza's path.

As a result, the front of De Souza's motorcycle

collided with the left passenger door of the car.

The force of the impact threw De Souza into the air, causing him to land on the road with multiple injuries. He was conscious when emergency services arrived and was transported to Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was treated for abrasions to his forehead and a broken left leg.

The driver of the car is currently in police custody, assisting with the investigation. (G9)

Dead: Kevon Josiah

High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon

Sand Creek residents complain of challenges faced to attend court

Following a recent outreach to residents of Sand Creek, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) by members of the Judicial system and the Guyana Police force (GPF) significant attention was drawn to the physical challenges faced by residents, who often have to travel long distances to access court services.

This information was revealed by Magistrate Omadatt Chandan during the Police’s ‘Radio Eve Leary’ interview on Friday.

The objective of the outreach was to outline services in which the court provides.

According to Chandan during the outreach a question was asked about if persons who do not show up to court will be penalised for their actions.

“I know that might be a difficulty, as a matter of fact, a question was asked as to if they don't attend

court, what would happen, Of course, the matter could be done in their absence, secondly, an arrest warrant could be issued, and it could be sentenced, which is quite serious,” he stated.

Further, Chandan stated that he indicated to the residents that if the persons cannot attend court that he would normally stand down the matter.

“Of course, I indicated to them that even if they came late to court of course most of the matters

when I see persons don’t come to court, I would stand down the matter,” he stated, adding that on that outreach, ranks of the Guyana Police Force as well as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP’s) Chambers were present because the judicial system sees the office of the DPP as a very important stakeholder.

Residents used the opportunity to highlight the challenges and difficulties they face to travel to attend court.

Meanwhile, he highlighted that a recent outreach was held moments after the outreach with the resident where they went at Sand Creek Secondary School where they highlighted to students plans for expanded collaboration with the Guyana Police Force, particularly in tackling serious crimes such as domestic violence and sexual offenses.

“By forging stronger ties with law enforcement agencies, the court aims

to strengthen efforts to reduce these persons' societal issues and ensure justice for affected individuals.”

Region Nine Commander, Senior Superintendent of Police, Raphael Rose told the students that, “Sometimes you don’t know where the help is going to come from but I want to assure you today, there is help in all areas and once you give us that information and allow us to be a part of whatever is affecting

you, you will have help,” he stated.

Expressing similar sentiments Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards, who presented on sentencing and how the justice system works, said that, “Our institution, the courts will come in, in terms of sentencing a person if that person is found guilty after a trial. You know sentences can be very long, it can be hard, you can be sent away from your home, from your community and you can be sent to institutions which you would not like to be in.”

Following the interaction with the students, students were notified about their rights and were encouraged to ask questions and share concerns during the interactive and informative sessions of the outreach. They were assured that any information received would be kept in confidence as it was a safe space. (G2)

Govt to establish model farm for persons living with disabilities

The Government through the Agriculture Ministry is set to establish a state-of-theart model farm at Mon Repos, East Coast of Demerara, which will be uniquely managed by persons living with disabilities. The model farm will feature essential components including a storage room, shade house, cattle pen, composting

house, feed formulation, other pens for small ruminants and black giant chickens, and electrical and water supply networks. The InterAmerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is playing a key role in the implementation of the model farm.

This information was announced by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha,

during his outreach in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) last week.

According to Mustapha this initiative forms part of the government’s strategy to implement plans that benefit all sections of society. Furthermore, he stated that it will provide individuals who are differently abled with an opportunity to earn an income and gain access to sustainable and integrated farming practices.

“We have already cleared the lands, they will now build out that farm there for differently abled persons in our country, they will have a profit coming out of that farm and would be able to earn to enhance their livelihoods. That is the kind of advancement that we are making in this sector,” Minister

Mustapha asserted.

High-tech model farms will also be constructed in other regions nationwide, as part of the government’s commitment to modernising the agriculture sector, fostering sustainability, and ensuring food security.

This project is already bearing fruit through a collaboration with the agricul-

ture ministry’s agency the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities.

It was initially launched in March, to aid in the exchange of knowledge and a detail way to develop a comprehensive strategy for managing farmlands, crops, livestock, and forests that counteracts the negative impacts of climate change on agricultural productivity, among person with various disabilities

As a result, beneficiaries have attained knowledge on how to utilise farming methods such as shade houses and vertical gardening to garner economic opportunities through sustainable food production.

Training Manager at NAREI, Warren Barlow explained that the goal is to ensure persons living with disabilities gain financial independence, and contribute effectively in decision-making to truly benefit from economic, social, political and cultural life.

He made this comment during a recent broadcast off the Disability and You programme.

“The spin-off of this is that those persons with disabilities, now they can work in their comfortable confines in that particular facility. Because it is shaded you can set your beds in such a way… that those persons can easily move throughout the shade house and can be able to their cultivation practices in a very suitable and simple manner,” Barlow said. (G2)

Magistrate Omadatt Chandan

Regional Police Division nine Commander Senior Superintendent Raphael Rose

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

A section of the model farm at Fort Wellington in Region Five

Regional

Trinidad Police warn about Facebook Marketplace scams

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Cyber and Social Media Unit (CSMU) on Wednesday warned of the prevalence of scams targeting unsuspecting online buyers, particularly those using Facebook Marketplace.

In a statement, the CSMU said that criminals were exploiting this platform to orchestrate robberies, a trend not unique to Trinidad and Tobago, but prevalent worldwide.

“The CSMU expresses concern over numerous reported cases where individuals advertising goods online fall victim to robberies or more serious crimes after being deceived by criminals posing as buyers

as well as sellers,” it said, adding that these criminals arrange meet-ups under the guise of purchasing items, such as electronics or vehicles, advertised on Facebook Marketplace.

But CSMU said what initially appears as smooth transactions, take a dangerous turn when the suspects brandish firearms and demand cash and other valuables from the victims.

It said that the modus operandi often entail the seller creating fraudulent Facebook and Instagram accounts. It also includes communication initiated by a female via WhatsApp, luring victims to a specific location where two to three male accomplices, armed with firearms, carry out

the robberies.

“Despite these incidents, it’s crucial to emphasise that the CSMU is actively assisting investigators in the ongoing investigation of such occurrences. While the CSMU does not dissuade the public from utilising online advertising platforms, caution must be exercised to avoid becoming a victim.

“We strongly urge individuals to utilise designated “Safe Exchange Zones” when meeting up for transactions initiated through online market platforms,” it said, adding that these areas, include police stations, well-lit areas, and those equipped with CCTV cameras. (Excerpt from Reuters)

As Brazil copes with floods, officials face another scourge – disinformation

The floodwaters in southern Brazil lapped near rooftops, turning roads into rivers and engulfing entire towns. More than 2.3 million persons have felt the effects of the rising waters. A total of 161 persons have been confirmed dead, with more bodies expected to be found.

Officials have called the torrential rains and flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul “the worst climate disaster” the area has ever seen.

But they have said the tragedy is being ampli-

fied by another phenomenon: disinformation, intentionally designed to mislead.

Some articles, videos and posts claimed that the Government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had blocked shipments of aid and medicine to the region.

Others said Lula deliberately slowed the arrival of supplies so he could present them in person.

Still more asserted that Government rescue workers were pulling out of southern Brazil, leaving residents to fend for themselves.

All three claims are

false. But experts in media and political science told Al Jazeera that the disinformation has nonetheless continued to spread, often with real-world ramifications.

“I’m very concerned about it,” said Rogerio Christofoletti, a media professor who studies ethics and transparency at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, just north of Rio Grande do Sul.

“The volume of the fake news is very large, and it can foster a climate of mistrust.”

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Colombia’s Petro orders the opening of Embassy in Palestinian territory

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has ordered the opening of an embassy in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo told Journalists on Wednesday.

“President Petro has given the order that we open the Colombian Embassy in Ramallah, the representation of Colombia in Ramallah, that is the next step we are going to take,” Murillo said.

Murillo added he believes more countries will soon begin backing the recognition of a Palestinian State before

the United Nations, efforts Colombia has already supported.

At the beginning of this month, Petro, who had already recalled the Colombian Ambassador from Tel Aviv, said he would break diplomatic relations with Israel over its actions in Gaza.

The Embassy was closed on May 3.

Petro has heavily criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has requested to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ac-

cused Petro of being “antisemitic and full of hate” following Colombia’s decision to cut ties with the Middle Eastern country, saying the move was a reward for Hamas. Ramallah, in the West Bank, serves as the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority.

On May 10, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognising it as qualified to join and recommended the UN Security Council “reconsider the matter favourably”.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Antigua, a landmark country in Oceans Court ruling on greenhouse gas pollution

On Tuesday, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS,) an independent judicial body established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), expanded the definition of marine pollution to include greenhouse gases.

Twenty-one Judges agreed that excessive production of greenhouse emissions is a marine pollutant and is harmful to marine and human life. The tribunal ruled that nations signed-on to the Sea Convention, therefore, have a legal obligation to prevent, reduce, and control marine pollution linked to greenhouse gas emissions which are largely absorbed by the ocean.

The first-of-its-kind decision was declared in Hamburg, Germany to clarify the specific obligations of States to protect the marine environ-

ment according to the interpretation and application of the 1970s Convention.

Championing the cause is Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne alongside the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Kausea Natano who are both cochairs of the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS).

It is a small victory for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Antigua and Barbuda which are affected by rising sea levels, coral bleaching, and ocean acidification. In 2022, Antigua and Barbuda became one of the first members along with Tuvalu and Palau to champion these concerns.

(Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

Prime Minister Gaston Browne delivering oral pleadings of the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law in September 2023 (Photo credit: Office of the Prime Minister)

Around the World OIL NEWS

Democrats send Big Oil investigation to Justice Department

Democrats are asking the US Department of Justice to investigate major oil companies and their trade groups following a congressional probe that concluded the industry spent decades deceiving the public about climate change.

The three-year investigation, started by Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, accused ExxonMobil Corp, Chevron Corp, Shell Plc, BP Plc, the American Petroleum Institute and US Chamber of Commerce of engaging in a public relations “campaign of deception and doublespeak” while internally acknowledging that fossil fuels caused climate change since the 1960s.

“We believe that there is adequate evidence that fossil fuel industry companies and trade associations may have violated one or more federal statutes and that, accordingly, further investigation is warranted,” Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Jamie Raskin wrote in a May 22 letter to the Justice Department.

The lawmakers are “setting a dangerous precedent by attempting to leverage federal law enforcement agencies to settle policy disputes”, Neil Bradley, the US Chamber of Commerce’s chief policy officer, said in an emailed statement.

The American Petroleum Institute criticised the move by Democrats as “unfounded political charade to distract from persistent inflation and America’s need for more energy, including oil and natural gas”, according to a statement from spokeswoman Andrea Woods. “US energy workers are focused on delivering the reliable, affordable oil and natural gas Americans demand, and any suggestion to the contrary is false,” she said.

The 65-page report was released by the two committees last month along with hundreds of pages of subpoenaed corporate documents. It accused the oil companies of a range of misdeeds including offering public support for the Paris climate agreement while internally acknowledging their business models were at odds with such a scenario.

It also said the companies erroneously touted natural gas as a bridge fuel to a cleaner future while ignoring its significant climate impacts; and it said the industry poured money into universities around the world to win support for the idea of fossil fuels being part of an energy transition.

“Our investigation into the fossil fuel industry calls to mind the historic congressional investigation into deceptive practices of the tobacco industry and its trade associations, which led to investigations and litigation by several state attorneys general and the Department of Justice,” Whitehouse, who leads the Senate Budget Committee, and Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said in their letter.

The Justice Department said it received the letter, but declined to comment further. (Bloomberg)

Israeli forces move deeper into Rafah in night of heavy battle

Israeli tanks advanced to the edge of a crowded district in the heart of Rafah on Wednesday during one of the most intense nights of bombardment of the southern Gaza city since Israel launched its offensive there this month.

Israel’s assault on Rafah on Gaza’s southern edge has set hundreds of thousands of people fleeing in what had been a refuge for half of the enclave’s 2.3 million persons. It has also cut off the main access routes for aid into Gaza, drawing international fears of mass casualties and famine.

Israel says it has no choice but to attack the

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, May 22, 2024 (Reuters/Hatem Khaled photo)

than before along the southern border fence with Egypt, and were now stationed on the edge of the Yibna neighbourhood at the centre of Rafah. They had not yet entered the district as fighting had been intense.

Hamas’s armed wing said it had struck two armoured troop carriers at a gate along the border fence with anti-tank rockets.

city to root out the last battalions of Hamas fighters it believes are sheltering there. Its troops have been slowly moving into the eastern outskirts of Rafah since the start of the month.

Zelenskiy says Ukraine needs system to defend against Russia’s guided bombs

President Volodymyr

Zelenskiy issued a fresh plea on Wednesday for upgraded defence systems to protect Ukraine’s cities against guided bombs, which he described as the “the main instrument” now used by Moscow in its attacks.

Zelenskiy has long called for improved air defences as Russia intensifies its assaults on energy and other infrastructure. Russia says it does not deliberately target civilian sites, but thousands have been killed and injured since its February

2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking in his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said Ukraine had made progress in developing electronic weaponry, “but in countering Russian bombs, much remains to be done”.

“There can be no alternative. Ukraine needs systems and tactics that will allow us to protect our positions, our cities, and our communities from these bombs,” he said.

“This is now practically the main instrument of Russian terror and in the occupiers’ advances.”

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Norway, Ireland, Spain to recognise Palestinian State

The leaders of Norway, Ireland and Spain have said their countries will formally recognise Palestine as a state next week for the sake of “peace in the Middle East“, prompting Israel to immediately recall its envoys.

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said on Wednesday that a two-State solution was in Israel’s best interest and the recognition of Palestinian statehood would come as of May 28.

“There cannot be peace in the Middle East if there is no recogni-

tion,” he said in Oslo.

Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris made a similar announcement in Dublin, as did Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid, to applause in Parliament.

“In the midst of a war, with tens of thou-

sands killed and injured [in Gaza], we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis and Palestinians alike: Two States, living side by side, in peace and security,” Gahr Store said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Residents and militants said tanks had taken up new positions on Wednesday further west

Palestinian residents said Israeli drones were firing into the Yibna suburb and had opened fire overnight on fishing boats on the beach of Rafah causing some to catch fire. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Iran Supreme Leader leads prayers at Raisi funeral as election looms

Iran’s

Supreme Leader led prayers in Tehran on Wednesday at the funeral of President Ebrahim Raisi as the clerical establishment hurried to organise the election of a successor, which could further erode its legitimacy amid growing public discontent.

The June 28 vote to replace Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday, will need to galvanise a population that showed little interest in the 2021 ballot that gave the hardline cleric the presidency, a role that oversees dayto-day government.

Raisi died at a time of worsening strains between the clerical lead-

ership and wider society, aggravated by tightening political and social controls and a declining economy. Growing numbers of voters have shunned recent elections, a worrying sign for the leadership, which sees turnout as a credibility test for the 45-year-old Islamic Republic.

State TV showed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei leading prayers as tens of thousands of mourners thronged streets at the funeral in Tehran. Raisi was to be buried in his eastern home city of Mashhad today.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Palestinian kids stand in a house destroyed by an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the

Mourners attend a funeral for victims of the helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and others, in Tehran, Iran, May 22, 2024 (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)

DAILY HOROSCOPES

You have the drive and desire to get things done. Stay focused on your goal. It's time to finish what you start and to have a little fun while you're at it.

Take the initiative and stand up for your beliefs. The only way things will get done is if you do them yourself. Make a change that leads to new beginnings and opportunities.

Put a plan in place that allows you to fulfill your dreams and take care of your responsibilities. Leave no room for your critics to point the finger or dismantle your plans.

Keep an open mind, learn as you go and put your imagination to good use. What you discover about yourself will prove valuable. A change will lead to an unexpected opportunity.

Keep moving forward until you are satisfied with the results. Refuse to let anyone stand between you and your objective. Trust your intuition regarding joint ventures, finances, health issues and love.

Rely on facts and control your emotions. Taking a walk down memory lane will provide a valuable reminder. Work on getting things done and taking care of business.

Don't stop yourself from having fun. Engage in activities that stimulate your mind and encourage you to look your best. Share your feelings and intentions with someone special.

You'll feel discombobulated if you don't take control of a tricky situation. Step outside your comfort zone if that's what it takes to get things done to your specifications.

Gather the facts and act accordingly. Problems at home or with someone close to you will require time, energy and redirection to remedy. Think outside the box, and you'll find workable solutions.

Try something new and let your imagination wander. An incident will give you the push to bring about positive change and encourage you to take better care of yourself.

Recognize what's happening and work to bend events to your liking. Don't let anyone stand in your way or cause you to miss out on something you want.

Rise above inevitable situations and live in the moment. Take in the positive and release the negative. An attitude change will help you address what is no longer working for you.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Rajasthan Royals eliminate Royal Challengers Bengaluru

– to set up Friday’s knockout against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) came into the IPL 2024 Eliminator with six successive wins behind them, and Rajasthan Royals (RR) came in with five successive winless games. There, however, is really no such thing as momentum in sport, and certainly not in a sport as fickle as T20. Royals won an important toss, and their bowlers delivered a superb performance to restrict RCB to 172 at a venue where dew makes chasing significantly easier than setting targets.

It was a game of two halves, as RR got over the line with an over to spare, despite a number of nervy moments in their chase. It was also a game of two ends: one square boundary in Ahmedabad was signifi-

when RR chased.

RR are now through to Qualifier 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Chennai on Friday. For RCB, this is another trophyless season, but one that will be remembered fondly for many years to come.

Trent Boult vs RCB

The game of two ends began early. Boult swung the new ball in an opening spell of three overs, and was inch-perfect with his lines and lengths. He gave no room for the batters to free their arms, and there were no slot balls or long-hops. He conceded just six runs and two leg-byes in those three overs, and had du Plessis caught at deep midwicket to end an opening stand of 37.

At the other end,

cantly longer than the other, and the RR bowlers used this asymmetry brilliantly. RCB scored 51 for 6 in their odd-numbered overs when the longer boundary was to the leg side for the righthand batter, and 121 for 2 from the other end.

It wasn’t a coincidence that Trent Boult, R Ashwin and Avesh Khan, RR’s best bowlers on the night, did the bulk of their bowling from the favourable end. The imbalance existed even when RR batted: 111 for 1 in ten overs from one end, and 63 for 5 in nine overs from the other. It helped RR that they had right-left pairs occupying the crease for longer than RCB did, but not to a massive extent. In the end, it came down to the total RCB put on the board.

RCB captain Faf du Plessis admitted that they were about 20 runs short. He felt it was a 180 pitch when RCB batted, and a significantly higher-scoring one, thanks to the dew,

fallen to Yuzvendra Chahal. Kohli’s slog-sweep has been one of the stories of IPL 2024. The shot, brought out of cold storage after many years, has allowed Kohli to overturn a long-standing issue of slow scoring against spin, and given him an extra gear through the middle overs. On this day, though, he was out to his first slogsweep, caught on the midwicket boundary.

Ashwin, Avesh keep RCB in check RCB kept playing their shots when they could at-

though, RCB clattered 42 in three overs. Virat Kohli, using his feet routinely to step out or make room, looked ominous while rushing to 30 off 19 by the end of the powerplay.

Chahal gets Kohli, Ashwin applies the squeeze

Boult gave way to Ashwin from the end with the long leg-side boundary (for the right-hand batter), and that end continued to be hard to score from. Ashwin bowled beautifully, bowling at high pace either into the pitch or right at the batters’ feet, offering no room, and primarily using his carrom and reverse-carrom variations against RCB’s righthand batters.

But he was also aided by the end he bowled from, and the fact that his first two overs came soon after RCB had lost big wickets. He bowled the seventh over soon after Boult had taken out du Plessis, and the ninth immediately after Kohli had

for six and picking out longon.

Chahal bowled another expensive over, conceding 19 in the 14th, and when Patidar hooked Avesh for six at the start of the 15th - it was RCB’s first boundary in an odd-numbered over - it looked as though a total in the vicinity of 190 was possible. But Avesh got a shortish delivery to get big on Patidar next ball, and Patidar miscued to a backtracking mid-off fielder.

Avesh could have had two in two. He produced a perfect first-ball inducker to have Dinesh Karthik ad-

tack the short leg-side boundary, and took Chahal for 13 in the tenth over and Avesh for 13 in the 12th. In between, Dhruv Jurel, running in from long-on, put down a sitter to reprieve Rajat Patidar when he miscued a big hit off Ashwin. But Ashwin didn’t let RR worry about that miss for too long. He induced a mis-hit from Cameron Green in the 13th over, his fourth, and following up with the dismissal of Glenn Maxwell, who ended a lean season with the bat by attempting to hit his first ball

their total of 172 seemed inadequate at the innings break.

Jaiswal puts Royals on track

There were two dropped chances early in the chase. The first was a difficult one, in which Green threw himself to his left at slip and put down an edge from Yashasvi Jaiswal in the third over.

The second was a sitter, in which Maxwell shelled Tom Kohler-Cadmore at deep square-leg in the fifth. The two openers peppered the boundary on either side of those misses, and Yash Dayal was particularly unfortunate to concede three fours to Jaiswal soon after having him dropped off his bowling. RR ran to 45 for no loss by the end of the fifth.

Lockie Ferguson ended the powerplay with an excellent sixth over, conceding just two and bowling Kohler-Cadmore with a slower yorker. RR were still well on top, though, a fact they emphasised when Jaiswal and Sanju Samson took 17 runs - including a six and two fours, all towards the shorter boundary - off Swapnil Singh’s left-arm spin in the seventh over.

Royals stutter, but complete the job

Green came on in the tenth over and began to make a serious impact with

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R Virat Kohli c sub (D Ferreira) b Chahal 33

Faf du Plessis (c) c Powell b Boult 17

Cameron Green c Powell b Ashwin 27

Rajat Patidar c Parag b Avesh Khan 34

his hard lengths. He conceded just 11 runs in three overs while having Jaiswal caught behind in attempting a scoop. He also helped run Jurel out, fumbling a brilliant one-bounce throw from Kohli in the deep, but somehow managing to break the wicket with the ball still in contact with his hands.

At the other end, RR lost Samson, who left his crease too early and was stumped off a deliberate off-side wide from Karn Sharma. At the end of the 14th over, Royals were four down and needed 58 off 36. One big over would close that gap, and it came in the 16th, with Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag took 17 off Green’s fourth. Then Hetmyer hit Dayal for a pair of fours in the 17th, which brought the equation down to 19 off 18.

There was still time for one last twist, however. Mohammed Siraj bowled Parag for 36 with a full, straight one that he played across; and Siraj finished the over by inducing a miscue from Hetmyer. It left Royals needing 13 from 12 with two new batters at the crease, and an unlikely RCB win was still on the cards.

Rovman Powell, though, finished it off, finding a bit of luck early in the 19th with a pair of edged fours off Ferguson, before completing the job with a stylish straight six. (ESPNCricinfo)

judged lbw, only for the decision, reviewed by the batter, to be overturned when the third umpire seemed to mistake bat hitting pad for an inside edge on to pad.

Karthik remained scratchy while scoring 11 off 13 in what is likely to be his final innings at the senior level. Avesh eventually got him with a hard-length legcutter that climbed steeply on him in the 19th over.

Mahipal Lomror gave RCB a bit of impetus towards the end with 32 off 17, which featured two legside sixes off Chahal, but

Glenn Maxwell c Jurel b Ashwin 0 Mahipal Lomror c Powell b Avesh Khan 32

Dinesh Karthik † c Jaiswal b Avesh Khan 11

Swapnil Singh not out 9

Karn Sharma c Powell b Sandeep Sharma 5

Extras (lb 2, w 2) 4

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 8.60) 172/8

Did not bat: Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj, Lockie Ferguson

Fall of wickets: 1-37

(Faf du Plessis, 4.4 ov), 2-56 (Virat Kohli, 7.2 ov), 3-97 (Cameron Green, 12.3 ov), 4-97 (Glenn Maxwell, 12.4 ov), 5-122 (Rajat Patidar, 14.2 ov), 6-154 (Dinesh Karthik, 18.2 ov), 7-159 (Mahipal Lomror, 18.5 ov), 8-172 (Karn Sharma, 19.6 ov) •

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Trent Boult 4-0-16-1 Sandeep Sharma 4-0-48-1 Avesh Khan

Rajasthan Royals (T: 173 runs from 20 ovs) BATTING R Yashasvi Jaiswal c †Karthik b Green 45 Tom Kohler-Cadmore b Ferguson 20 Sanju Samson (c)† st †Karthik b Sharma 17 Riyan Parag b Mohammed Siraj 36 Dhruv Jurel run out (Kohli/Green) 8

R Ashwin was thrilled after getting Glenn Maxwell for a golden duck

Trent Boult with the new ball and Virat Kohli at the non-striker's end

Mahipal Lomror carried RCB after a flurry of wickets

“WE ARE NO WALKOVERS”

United States all-rounder

Harmeet Singh has declared the team will not be “walkovers” at the T20 World Cup, having scored a huge upset over Bangladesh on Tuesday.

The USA, who sit 19th in the T20 world rankings and will co-host next month’s World Cup alongside West Indies, chased down a target of 154 for a five-wicket win in the first of four warm-up matches in Dallas. Harmeet was named ‘man of the

match’ after teaming up with Corey Anderson to get USA over the line with three balls to play, smashing 33 runs off 13 deliveries. Speaking after the win, Harmeet said the USA had sent out a message ahead of their home campaign, which begins against Canada on June 2.

“You don’t always get an opportunity to win a game against a big side like this every day,” Harmeet said. “The way the boys have been training, it is a person-

al effort from everybody. It means a lot to us to put on a show against Bangladesh. We are no walkovers. I think our potential is immense. We have a lot of match-winners in the team. It gives us the edge. We bat as well now. I told the guys before the game that Bangladesh are a good team on paper, but if we go down without a fight, it won’t send a good message.”

Harmeet also thought Bangladesh may have taken their hosts lightly,

Tatum, Brown key to

Celtics' OT win in opener

Jayson Tatum scored 10 of his 36 points in overtime, and the Boston Celtics capitalised on some sloppy play by the Indiana Pacers for a 133128 victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night.

Jrue Holiday had 28 points and Jaylen Brown added 26, none bigger than his tying 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left in regulation.

The Celtics finished with 11 steals - three each by Brown, Tatum and Holiday. They became the first team in NBA playoff history to have three players record 25 points and three steals in a game.

Game 2 is on tonight in Boston.

Tyrese Haliburton had 25 points and 10 assists for the Pacers, who scored 56 points in the paint against a Celtics team missing injured 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis. The Pacers, though, committed 21 turnovers.

Indiana twice turned the ball over with a threepoint lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation. Brown’s 3 from the corner with Pascal Siakam in his face tied it at 117.

Tyrese Haliburton sank three free throws after he

was fouled with 1:46 to go in overtime, to put the Pacers ahead 123-121, but Tatum completed a three-point play 34 seconds later to give Boston the lead for good.

Tatum’s 3 following another Indiana turnover with 43 seconds left extended the lead, and he hit two free throws with nine seconds left to seal the win.

'Welcome to the playoffs' – Brown

Jaylen Brown hailed the Boston Celtics' neversay-die attitude after his last-gasp 3-pointer teed up their overtime win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Indiana Pacers were just 6.1 seconds away from a 117-114 road win in the opening game of the series on Tuesday, only for Brown to sink a 3 over Pascal Siakam from the corner to level things up.

Two Tyrese Haliburton free throws put the Pacers back in front in overtime, but Jayson Tatum scored 10 of his game-high 36 points in the additional period as Boston triumphed 133-128.

Jrue Holiday supported Tatum with 28 points, while Brown added 26.

Each of these three players finished with three steals, as Indiana committed 21 turnovers. Speaking after the dramatic finale, Brown said: "Welcome to the NBA playoffs! You've just got to manage your emotions. Anything can happen. It's not over until the final buzzer sounds. It's not over until it’s over. We found a way to win the game at the very end."

Holiday echoed those sentiments, adding: "We've seen crazy stuff happen all the time. We don't think we've lost a game until we've actually lost the game. That's part of the reason why we were so resilient towards the end. A couple of turnovers, a great shot, a great look by JB, or at the other end if we make a couple other shots that were wide open, it could be a completely different game.

We're just the type of team that's going to keep on fighting, no matter how long and no matter what it takes."

The Celtics host Game 2 today as they target a first NBA Finals appearance since 2021-22, when they were runners-up to the Golden State Warriors. Asked how Boston will approach Game 2, Tatum said: "Don't relax, it'll be different circumstances. The first two rounds we won our Game 1 by a wide margin, so maybe human nature played into that.

"But tonight being a close game, going into overtime, we certainly felt like we should have won and we could have played better."

(Sportsmax)

– declares USA star Harmeet after shock win over Bangladesh

particularly when choosing the wrong end for Mustafizur Rahman to bowl from, and giving the USA’s batters the advantage of high winds against other bowlers.

Mustafizur conceded 32 runs within the space of two overs before changing ends.

“When I saw him bowl from the other end, with the wind, I thought we had a chance to sneak in a 20-run over from the other side,” Harmeet said. “I think either they took us lightly or, I don’t know, they didn’t have bowlers to bowl with from the other side.”

Smooth transition anticipated with introduction of legislation to govern horse-racing

It is expected that legislation governing the sport of horse-racing in Guyana would be enacted before the Guyana Cup is run off on August 11 at the Rising Sun Turf Club in Region Five.

There exists in draft form legislation aimed at establishing a recognized Guyana Horse Racing Authority that is tasked with regulating major stables, officials, jockeys and handlers. Horsemen across Guyana have welcomed this initiative to have legislation in place, because they anticipate it would be a big boost for the proverbial sport of kings.

Veteran trainer and horse owner Fazal Habibulla is also urging promoters to educate horsemen from now. He believes this would allow a smooth transition when legislation is enacted. He has said: “I know for sure the Government of Guyana is playing their part. We need to start sensitizing horse owners from now.”

Young horse owner Zahir Khan has expressed positive sentiments in this regard, noting that legislation would attract more foreign horses to race in Guyana and return abroad. “I think that is where we

must go,” he has said.

“That is the direction. It will also encourage horses to come into Guyana, race and return. We cannot have these big races, paying a lot of money and a person would bring a horse into the country and know they cannot take it back,” Khan has said.

Trinidadian horse owner Densil Raghoo has lauded the vision of the young horse promoters in Guyana. He declared: “I have seen that the Government is doing their part in the regulation of races. There are different things that can be done to get expenses from the owners. It is also good to know that the Honorable President (Dr Irfaan Ali) is a lover (of) horse racing.”

The initiative in regard to legislation comes after previous attempts had been in 2014, and key elements include provisions to address violations, expand the Authority’s membership, introduce term limits, and implement licensing for owners, jockeys, and trainers. This development is expected to bring clarity, structure, and oversight to the horse racing industry in Guyana, marking a significant step toward its formal recognition and regulation.

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USA pulled off a 5-wicket win against Bangladesh earlier this week

Jayson Tatum is pumped up

The horse racing legislation is expected to be enacted from the upcoming Guyana Cup in August

Thirteen attend GFF’s first all-female referee workshop

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) held its first all-female referee workshop from May 17 to 19, and it was attended by 13 enthusiastic participants from across Guyana.

The three-day ground-breaking seminar, led by Concacaf Elite Assessor/ Instructor Diane Ferreira-James, took place at the Federation's National Training Centre at Providence, East Bank Demerara. Referees comprising both officials with some experience and several newcomers to the profession from Georgetown, Linden, Bartica and Berbice were in attendance.

The workshop included both theoretical and practical sessions covering refereeing laws, game management, challenges, nutrition, and match preparation, along with fitness and technical drills. Head facilitator Diane Ferreira-James created an inclusive environment wherein participants felt at ease sharing their concerns and offer-

ing suggestions. Drills were also designed to cater to both experienced referees and newcomers.

“It's new to them,” Ferreira -James explained. “At first, we had a little difficulty with them adapting and understanding the requirements. For example, as an assistant referee, it is required that you do lateral movement, and turn into your jogging and staying aligned with the second last opponent.” However, she explained that after the second drill, “they started to adapt, and that is important.”

She emphasised that, “Going forward, continuity is very important, so we need to ensure that the instructors continue teaching them about the basics. It’s all about the basics.”

New referee Ackema Thomas from Linden said the seminar was "very informative. I’ve learnt to stretch (in) ways I didn’t know I could have stretched. And it shows me that I need to do more.”

GFF Head of Referees Department, Lenval Peart, described the programme as "ground-breaking." Peart noted that there has been a significant increase in women joining the profession over the last few months, and he highlighted that the Concacaf training was a follow-up to the Referee

Introductory Course. He shared that participants displayed strong camaraderie and aptitude for understanding and respecting the game. “We have great potential here. It tells us that there is growth, there is room for international growth, and there’s room for improvement; and we will continue to do that

through the GFF Referees Department,” he said.

GFF President Wayne Forde stressed that the Federation continues to “invest heavily in the development of match officials, with a particular focus on increasing the participation of female referees.”

“The GFF has come a far way, and today the

national football space is a much safer place for females when compared with what obtained in the past. However, while this is worthy of celebration, we must remain ever vigilant in ensuring that the right conditions are in place so that girls and women can continue to play, enjoy, and learn about our beautiful game in a wholesome environment,” Forde said. Forde also revealed that the Referee Department's recruitment efforts would soon be shifted to secondary schools as part of the FIFA Football for Schools Programme (F4S).

GFF Referee Instructor/ Assessor Natasha Lewis contributed to the classroom sessions, while FIFA Fitness Instructor Kelesha Antoine oversaw the fitness component of the workshop. And FIFA Assistant Referee Mijensa Wrench from Suriname shared her insights and experiences from the 2022 Under-20 Women's World Cup.

Chance for discards, out-of-formers to make ...

The trouble is that he hasn’t done much since.

In eight T20I innings after that, Charles has been dismissed in single figures four times, and gone past 30 only once. There are signs that could change, though. He was the West Indies ‘A’ team’s leading run-scorer on a recent tour of Nepal, and would want to build on that form ahead of the T20 World Cup.

In the opposition camp, South Africa have concerns around Quinton de Kock, who has had three poor T20 league campaigns on the trot since retiring from ODI cricket last November. He was particularly out of sorts at the BBL, where he scored 104 runs in six innings, and then made 213 runs in 12 innings at the SA20 and 250 runs in 11 innings at the IPL, though that did include three fifties. At least his numbers have improved slightly at each tournament.

De Kock was selected in the World Cup squad on reputation, not form,

T20I debut didn’t go too well, but he has shown promise

Seamer Matthew Forde, a new kid on the block, faced a baptism by fire when he made his T20I debut in December against England. He finished with figures of none for 54 in three overs, but has shown that he has what it takes to be international quality.

at the expense of at least two other candidatesMatthew Breetzke and Rassie van der Dussenand in what could be his last international assignment, he would want to come good.

Discards with a licence to dream

The ICC only expects confirmed squads on May 25, so there’s a tiny bit of time (and perhaps one game) left for those looking to force their way into the final squads; or if that isn’t possible, just make a point about what their teams might be missing.

Kyle Mayers has to be one of them. He scored no T20I fifties in 11 innings since touring South Africa in 2023, and was dropped thereafter; but made 243 runs in six innings at the BPL, and boasts a T20 strike rate above 150 this year and above 143 from 40 matches last year. With power-hitting among the most-talked-about attributes of top-order batters, this is his chance to show he still has it.

The same will be in the back of Rassie van der Dussen’s mind. Despite being the second-highest run-scorer in T20 crick-

et this year, behind Babar Azam, van der Dussen could not find a T20 World Cup place ahead of de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton, but accepted the role of standin captain for this series, and would want to lead from the front in all aspects of his game.

And Lungi Ngidi, who recovered from a lower back injury which kept him out of the IPL, although he has made a decent comeback at the CSA T20s, would also want to prove the worth of his variations in the Caribbean.

Ngidi took eight wickets in eight matches in South Africa’s domestic competition, but Anrich Nortje, who conceded at more than 13 runs an over in the IPL, was preferred over him for pace.

There are also some bowlers who might feel aggrieved at their omission. Such as Obed McCoy, who is one of the highest wicket-takers in T20Is this year, but found no space in a squad that has Alzarri and Shamarh Joseph, Russell, Holder and Shepherd. However, he has an opportunity to show what he can do in home conditions.

In the ODI series that preceded the T20Is then, Forde took 3 for 29 in the series decider, with all three strikes coming in the powerplay to reduce England to 49 for 5. West Indies went on to win the series, and Forde would hope to build on that promise.

From South Africa, legspinner Nqaba Peter earned his first international call-up after just one season in the domestic top tier, where he took 20 wickets in the Lions’ run to the T20 title at an average of 9.50. Peter bowled exceptionally in the big moments, including taking 4 for 18 in the semi-final, and could provide South Africa with an attacking slower bowling option in the future. (ESPNCricinfo)

GFF’s all-female referee workshop in session

Obed McCoy is the sixth-highest wicket-taker in T20Is this year, but he is not in West Indies’ World Cup squad

Matthew Forde’s

Chance for discards, out-of-formers to make statements in WI vs SA

Atrio of T20Is the week before a T20 World Cup seems like a good idea, except perhaps if half your squad is unavailable. That’s the situation facing both West Indies and South Africa, who are without many players from their tournament squads, including their captains.

Rovman Powell and Aiden Markram are both at the IPL; as well as Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph for West Indies. And Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada are not in place to represent South Africa. While they are not all still at the IPL, some, like Pooran and Hope, are being rested, while others, like Rabada, are recovering from

illness. That makes this series an exercise that’s part warmup/ part experimentation, as the T20 World Cup co-hosts face off against perennial ma-

First Lady Arya Ali brought beaming smiles to children from the Hope Children’s Home when she treated them to an interactive opportunity with the iconic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy in the presence of local tournament ambassadors, who were also at State House in Georgetown on Wednesday morning.

The First Lady expressed her delight in bringing joy to the children from one of the orphanages that have been adopted. She indicated that those chil -

dren would probably not have gotten a chance to be up close to the silverware and interact with local cricket stars. And she urged the Guyanese people to support the trophy tour, which continues today with two public engagements: at St. George’s Cathedral from 13:00h, and at the Kingston Seawall Esplanade from 17:00h. More importantly, the First Lady is urging people to turn out in their numbers to witness the matches that would be played at the National Stadium at Providence, EBD.

are

jor tournament hopefuls in the first of three engagements they will have in the next three months. South Africa will return to the Caribbean in August to play two Tests and three more T20Is, which will have far less riding on them than these matches, where there are statements to be made. Especially by the following:

Openers need to find some form Johnson Charles has re-established himself as a first-choice opener alongside Brandon King (cue the monarch jokes) since making a comeback to the West Indies T20I side in South Africa last year, where he scored a 46-ball 118 to announce his return.

Bourda, Georgetown.

Below is the schedule for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 matches at the National Stadium at Providence: Sunday June 2: West Indies vs Papua New Guinea - 10:30h

Monday June 3: Afghanistan vs Uganda - 20:30h

Wednesday June 5: Papua New Guinea vs Uganda - 19:30h Friday June 7: New Zealand vs Afghanistan - 19:30h

Saturday June 8: West Indies vs Uganda - 20:30h

Thursday June 27: Semi-final Two - 10:30h

Hosts West Indies will be looking for some positives in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup

Guyana will host five group matches from June 2-8, followed by

the second semi-final on June 27. Physical ticket sales

ongoing at the Guyana Cricket Board’s office on Regent Road,

First Lady Arya Ali (centre) with local ambassadors and children from the Hope Children’s Home at State House (PHOTO: Office of the First Lady)