Guyana Times Wednesday, May 22, 2024.pdf

– 5 other wells also planned in

MoE to develop distance learning portal to combat learning loss as teachers’ strike continues

Mahipaul pulls out of PNCR leadership race

Duo arrested for impersonating Ministry of Housing employees, attempting to defraud ECD man

Parents of teen shot dead by security officer demand justice 2 months later

Hubu Backdam man gets 3 years, fined $41M for cocaine possession

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, May 22 – 04:00h-05:30h and Thursday, May 23 –04:00h-05:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily. Wednesday, May 22 –15:45h-17:15h and Thursday, May 23 – 16:35h-18:05h.

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 31 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 15:56h reaching a maximum height of 2.54 metres.

Low Tide: 09:30h and 21:41h reaching minimum heights of 0.57 metre and 0.70 metre.

Regional ferry service to operate out of Parika – Pres Ali

...announces processing facility for Bonasika

The new regional ferry service which is being facilitated through a joint venture between the Governments of Guyana, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago will be operated out of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) when it comes on stream.

This announcement was made by President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday during engagements with residents of Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River.

At the time, the Guyanese Leader was highlighting the growing agricultural potential of the community, which is part of an effort to produce more food and meet the regional demand for commodities across the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

According to President Ali, the production of ground provisions, vegetables, and fruits is set to increase in Bonasika Creek, and other Region Three communities and as such, he noted that it is viable to operate the ferry out of the major port in Parika.

“The good thing about here is that we can export directly to Caricom… you don’t need to transport the goods to Georgetown and all these places. That is why we are pushing so hard to get the regional ferry because the regional ferry will operate out of Parika so that we can have all of these productions from all of these islands (in the Essequibo River) integrated into the regional market.”

New processing facility

To further complement the production of food when the ferry service comes on stream, Ali announced that a new processing facility will be constructed in Bonasika Creek so that farmers can tap into a more lucrative market.

According to statistics provided by the Agriculture Ministry, farmers in Bonasika have produced a total of 50 tonnes of bananas, 200 pounds of pumpkin, and 120 tonnes of cassava and other produce for this year so far. Additionally, more than 240,000 pounds of ginger have been pro-

duced.

President Ali explained that the processing facility coupled with the regional ferry service will see Guyana being able to satisfy the region’s demands.

“You are making use of the investments we are making and we’re proud of this but we have to triple this production… and we are going to support you tripling this production… We are going to build, in this area, a processing facility so we can take the fresh ginger, dry it, and crush it so we can extend the storage time from weeks to months and access higher value markets

with the ginger,” President Ali added.

In January of this year, it was reported that the Trinidad and Tobago Cabinet had approved the use of that country’s Galleons Passage vessel to operate the ferry service between the twin-island republic and Guyana.

The vessel can accommodate 400 passengers and 60 cars. Among the facilities onboard are a cafeteria, a bar, and a VIP lounge.

On January 5, Ali announced that Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados had formed a joint company that would

work towards the introduction of a ferry system for passengers and cargo between the three countries.

Back in May 2022, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago had embarked on setting up a ferry service between the two countries to transport people and cargo. During a joint press conference between President Ali and T&T’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley in Georgetown, the two nations had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in several areas.

“As we speak to you now, we are already exploring the possibility of having a cargo-plus-ferry facility as an experiment between Guyana and Trinidad, moving people and goods … We cannot address any issues unless we create a platform, the vehicle that will allow us to do that, and this MoU does that,” President Ali had noted.

The Galleons Passage vessel to be used for the ferry service

Editor: Tusika Martin

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“Sustainable development through cultural diversity”

Today is designated World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, themed “Sustainable development through cultural diversity”.

In our “Land of Six Peoples”, we should appreciate the following United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) statement on cultural diversity: “Human beings have forever invented and exchanged cultural elements; hence cultural diversity has ever been a part of human experience. Such exchanges come in the wake of historical contacts with other local or regional groups, bringing some of them closer or causing conflicts of domination between them. Thus, the world does not consist of a mosaic of cultures but of a constantly-changing river of cultures, with its different currents forever mingling.”

In its message for the day, Guyana’s Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) said: “This World Day brings to the fore the importance of dialogue and proactive measures to foster a greater understanding of the acceptance and promulgation of cultural diversity and harmonious relations. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), eighty-nine percent (89%) of all of the current world conflicts happen in countries with “low intercultural dialogue.”

ERC also stated: “Guyana, a multicultural nation, is blessed in that we have a tolerant society that openly promotes the values of intercultural dialogue, exchange, and acceptance…The Commission firmly believes in education and awareness as critical tools to better inform the public of the diversity of cultures, with respect and tolerance for difference. Ensuring our population is better informed would promote the value and strength that is embodied in how diverse we are culturally.”

All human beings share the capacity to create cultures, which means they have a common creative potential.

This is not to say that they all have, or will have, the same culture, and this is so for the very reason that they are creative. The huge growth of new communication technologies over the past two decades has brought many parts of the world into close communication, and may well fulfil the promise of a ‘global village’. Many people feel this would lead to forced cultural homogenization. However, no limit can be placed on people’s creativity and capacity to alter their ways of being; therefore, we can expect a continuing vitality of human cultural diversity. Fears of cultural uniformity are groundless because it is impossible to stem the flow of a river.

The persistence and renewal of diversity present new challenges in the contemporary international context. However, at the same time that globalisation is creating new opportunities for cultural exchange, new forms of intolerance and aggression are appearing. Xenophobia and racism, ethnic wars, prejudice, stigmas, and segregation and discrimination based mainly on ethnicity and gender are generating violence and suffering almost everywhere.

All these phenomena amount to a refusal to recognise others as full human beings entitled to the same rights as one’s self. Those responsible use ‘difference’ as an excuse for intolerance, hatred, and the annihilation of others. Many also use ‘difference’ as an excuse for violent political struggles without realising that a barrier that protects from the outside may well imprison from the inside.

The faster pace and huge volume of global interaction have prompted a greater awareness of cultural diversity. While it has given wider scope to the expression of such diversity, it has also permitted the representation of differences such as hierarchy, domination and conflict. In fact, one could look at the human trajectory as the history of different answers to the same questions. How do people behave towards those of a different community? How should they behave?

On this World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, we join with ERC when it said, “Let us celebrate the beauty of cultural diversity and recognize its power to unite us in our shared humanity. Let us commit to promoting intercultural dialogue, understanding, and cooperation in our communities, workplaces, and institutions. By working together, we can harness the full potential of cultural diversity to build a more peaceful, respectful, and sustainable world for present and future generations.”

Personal attacks and ludicrous innuendos against me by GPA

Dear Editor,

I have noted the unsurprising resort to personal attacks and ludicrous innuendos made against me by the Guyana Press Association (GPA), in response to my letter in which I detailed the gross lack of financial accountability and the frontal violations to the Constitution of the GPA by the current management council.

I will not jump into the gutter; I choose to stick to the facts. In a classic case of obfuscation and running from the facts, the current council sought to malign my character for their abysmal failure to account to members. They shamelessly sought to question that I was indeed robbed on May 10, 2015, and that this resulted in the loss of the GPA’s funds, which they claim I didn’t account for. They also questioned why I didn’t go to the police. The current president is intimately aware of the details of that incident. She knows the amount of money involved, but sought to author the disgraceful statement that I somehow did not account for the funds, or “hundreds of thousands” of dollars, as was put in the statement. For the benefit of the public, who may not be aware of the nasty allegations levelled against me, I wish to point out the facts. The fact is that the minibus I was travelling in from the West Demerara to Georgetown was held at gunpoint on May 10, 2015 at the Eccles stoplight, and the driver was commandeered to drive to flour mill road, Agricola, where everyone in the minibus was relieved of their possessions. I had with me my phone, camera, laptop, cheques and cash, including funds owed to the Pegasus Hotel for the GPA’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony, which I revived as soon as I was elected President of the GPA.

One media house used the police report of the robbery and did a story

the next day.

The amount outstanding to the Pegasus was $206,659. For the loss not to be a liability to the GPA, I undertook to repay Pegasus the full amount, and I did so in two installments. The receipts are there, presented with all other receipts and a full financial report when I demitted office after my two-year term ended.

I reached out to those who had made payments by cheque, and they rewrote those cheques, knowing the original ones were not cashed. That is the testimony to my integrity; the lying, crass statements to malign me will not work. What is disturbing is that the Council, knowing these facts of an event almost ten years ago, sought to dredge the trauma of that day to somehow avert attention to questions about the council’s lack of accountability.

To conceal their shame over the issues I raised, the GPA Management Council sought to paint me as a political agent. It seems to have really pained the current president and others that, as someone who understood my job as a journalist and the important role journalism plays in democratic societies, I was among those who courageously stood at the forefront and exposed the naked attempt to rig the 2020 elections. My credentials as a journalist are unassailable. I pity those who have passed their prime and are trying to stay in the loop.

I maintain that it is a disgrace that the current council, headed by Raghubir as president, has failed to conclude the Annual General Meeting (AGM) more than a year after it was called. That’s a fact.

I maintain that, in the six years, including three years she squatted in office beyond her two-year term, there has been no financial report presented to the members of the GPA. That’s a fact. If it’s not, what’s holding you back

from making it public? Is it the numbers you called out during your “report” to the AGM? Laughable!

I maintain that council members Iva Wharton and Ariana Gordon, at the time of the elections, did not qualify for membership of the GPA, as per the GPA Constitution. That’s a fact. To argue against that fact using the credible, long-fought-for campaign for women’s rights, accusing me of attacking women, really is going to the depths of the gutter. The current president should be ashamed.

What the current president is pursuing is sheer sanctimonious gangsterism. What I have raised are issues regarding the Constitution of the GPA, a lack of transparency, financial dealings, and hence it’s directed at roles and actions, not anyone’s gender.

The attempt of the current president and the council to say I have attacked other members of the media is to the level of a word I will not use. Calling out those who sadly allowed themselves to be used to solidify the rigging of the last elections is not an attack on them. It’s not an attack on someone’s employment. It’s an attack on you, who concocted the plan to rig the elections and bring reproach and shame on the GPA.

As for my colleagues who were flatly refused membership so they couldn’t vote at the elections, does the council seriously think they would want to rush to sign up? I dare say that ain’t happening!

I maintain the current council evidently has disgraced the GPA, the noble profession of journalism, and they should just beat out.

Yours sincerely,

Neil Marks Journalist Former President of

This photo, taken by Anil Seelall, shows a group of people crossing the Rupununi River to Yakarinta in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). This is another entry in the Tourism Ministry’s 58th Independence Anniversary Photography Competition

Controlling Indentureds: Jails

By Ravi Dev

As we have emphasised, any violation of the Indentured Contract by the Indentureds was defined as a criminal violation. As was stated to a Royal Commission without any sense of irony, a planter declared that the Indentured labourers were brought to work in the fields, and if they were not there, should either be in the hospital or in jail.

The Immigrants Ordinances of 1864 stated: "Any indentured immigrant who, without reasonable cause, shall neglect or refuse to attend at the daily calling over of the names of the immigrants on the muster-role, at the time and place herein before mentioned; or shall leave unfinished any work without leave; or shall be drunk while employed at any work; or shall use to his employer, or any overseer, or headman, or other person placed by such employers in authority over him any threatening, obsessive or insulting words or behaviour, or shall commit any nuisance upon, or in the immediate neighbourhood of any dam or public thoroughfare of the estates shall, on being convicted thereof, be deemed guilty of offence, and shall pay a fine not exceeding £5 (more than one month’s wages) or be imprisoned with hard labour for any time not exceeding one month; and shall, in addition, if the convicting justice shall think fit, forfeit the whole or any part of the wages then due to him, not exceeding the wages of one week."

If an immigrant was found outside of his “bound plantation” without a pass signed by a manager, he was jailed.

Throughout the indentureship period, more than 6% of Indentureds were prosecuted annually, and forced to pay fines, or more likely jailed because the immigrant did not have the money.

According to Eric Williams, “The Indian immigrant lived in the shadow of the jail. This was literal as well as metaphorical, since prisons were built next to sugar plantations.”

While, technically, the Indentured could take the planter to court, according to one report, “the planter won 91 per cent of his cases; the Indian only 38 per cent”.

By 1884, out of a total Indian Indentured adult population of 15,251, 2043 were in jail out of the total prison population of 4659. That is: 13% of Indentured were in jail.

At Emancipation in 1838, there were three prisons in each of the counties: Georgetown and New Amsterdam pre-dated British occupation (1803), while the Wakenaam Gaol in Essequibo was established in 1837. With Indentureship, prisons increased exponentially to accommodate the convicted indentureds: Capoey, Essequibo (1838), Mazaruni (1842), Fellowship (1868), Mahaica (1868), Suddie (1874), Best (1879), Number 63 (1888), and Morawhanna (1898).

The time spent in jail by the immigrants was tacked on to their indentureship period, even though they performed all sorts of labour while incarcerated.

Jagdeo and Irfaan remain enormously popular

Dear Editor,

One should not attach much meaning to the ranking of the PPP Central Committee vote at its Congress. President Ali is ranked number one, higher than party leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who is number two, as the vote at the PPP Congress revealed. The two are a team. The Congress was held earlier this month at the Convention Center.

As was reported, Ali received 51 votes more than Jagdeo, suggesting he was more popular than Jagdeo, at least among the delegates. The fact that he received more votes in Congress does not mean he is more liked or popular among voters nationally. The same holds for

Central Committee members ranked lower down the order among the 35. Jagdeo and Irfaan are a partnership, a powerful tag team that is very difficult to unseat from power.

My conversations revealed that Irfaan is more liked than Jagdeo among certain categories or groups of voters, such as Muslims and Africans. I travelled around the country last week, and again last February, November, October, August, and May, to conduct surveys on popularity and various contemporary issues. I can attest that both Irfaan and Jagdeo are enormously popular, almost equally among the population, especially among supporters of the PPP.

We must remember, and we must prevent it from recurring

Dear Editor,

The CRG extends its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the Mahdia tragedy. During this observance of the first anniversary of the tragedy -- that broke the hearts of all Guyanese when the young and the innocent died in a horrific tragedy -- CRG asks the Government to ensure that this never happens again. We all know what it is to be a child, and many of us know what it is to be a parent. No parent wants to bury their children, and no child wants to see their friends die.

The use of dedicated pumps, pressurized lines, and sprinkler systems for our schools and their associated dorms is now possible and affordable in our country. We must make it a requirement, and ensure that it is made a reality in the future.

The Mahdia tragedy almost repeated itself at President’s College in the recent past. We must learn from the heart-

Jagdeo had a slightly higher popularity than Irfaan, who has been lagging behind Jagdeo among Hindus.

With regards to the Central Committee (CC) vote, I am not familiar with the process of selection of delegates to attend the Congress, the number of delegates in attendance, the conduct of the voting, and who has the right to vote. Thus, I cannot comment on your criticism of the process.

break, we must learn from the suffering, and we must act to make sure that it never happens again.

What good is it to have more money if it is not used to keep our loved ones safe? The members of the Government must open their hearts and their minds to do what is needed to keep all Guyanese safe. The children of our country are the best place to start. Let not their lives be in vain.

Let’s dedicate the initiative to making all Guyanese children safe in the memory of those who lost their lives in the Mahdia tragedy. Let’s ensure their memory lives on by making all of our children safe in their schools and dormitories.

Once again, we extend our sincere condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones.

Sincerely,

Jamil Changlee Chairman

The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

One should also not be misled by the ranking of several other members of the Central Committee. You mentioned, for example, that the Congress vote showed Anil Nandlall surprisingly ranked lower than several individuals who have very low appeal among voters nationally. Nandlall remains extremely well-liked nationally, as does Zulfikar Mustapha, who is ranked number 3 and Vickram Bharrat ranked number 4 among others.

Nigel Dharamlall, on the other hand, as do several other CC members, has serious challenges among voters.

One should not attach much meaning to the fact that Irfaan scored higher than Jagdeo — number one and Jagdeo number 2 — from the vote at the Congress. Jagdeo was re-elected General Secretary or leader of the party, remaining the boss, suggesting he was number one in the party in terms of power. He is the undisputed leader of the PPP, and will lead the campaign for the incumbent party at next year’s general elections. The Jagdeo/Irfaan team is formidable and not easy to defeat, certainly not by an opposition led by Aubrey Norton, who has virtually no support among crossover voters.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

Camp Street prison

Mazaruni Prison

Page Foundation

CSEC MATHS

ExxonMobil eyeing gas appraisal drilling at Haimara 3 & 4 wells

– 5 other wells also planned in drill programme

Oil giant ExxonMobil’s drill programme for Guyana for this year and beyond includes plans to further appraise two well sites, to gauge the commercial potential for gas in the Haimara gas field off the shores of Guyana.

Back in 2019 and 2023, ExxonMobil drilled for gas at the Haimara-1 and 2 wells, though with varying degrees of success. The oil giant is now gearing up for further appraisal drilling, this time at the Haimara 3 and 4 wells.

According to the company’s insurance contract, seen by Guyana Times , the two wells are expected to be drilled in the company’s exploratory programme. Other wells that will be drilled are oil wells Lau

Lau-2, Trumpetfish-1, Bluefin-1, Hatchetfish-1 and Redmouth-1.

In 2019, the Haimara-1 well was one of five wells in which oil was discovered, along with discoveries in the Tilapia-1, Yellowtail-1, Tripletail-1 and Mako-1 wells. These discoveries had pushed the total estimated recoverable barrels of oil equivalent to over six billion.

The well was drilled by the Stena Carron Drillship and is located 19 miles (31 kilometres) east of the Pluma-1 discovery in the southeast Stabroek Block. Meanwhile, last year Exxon explored for gas at the Haimara-2 appraisal well, using the Stena DrillMax While the Haimara-1 well was drilled to a depth of 18,289 feet and

encountered high-quality gas, there was no announced discovery of gas at the Haimara-2 well after drilling had concluded last September.

In the Stabroek Block, some 17 trillion cubic feet of gas have already been found, with the Pluma and Haimara wells being proven gas fields. The government is seeking to develop this gas. One way it is doing this is by the Gasto-Energy project, which is pegged at more than US$1 billion.

The project will feature approximately 220 kilometres of a subsea pipeline offshore from the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels in the Stabroek Block to Wales, West Coast Demerara.

Regional ferry service to...

FROM PAGE 3

Upon landing on shore, the pipeline will continue for approximately 25 kilometres to the Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) plant to be constructed at Wales. The pipeline would be 12 inches in diameter and is expected to transport some 50 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of dry gas to the NGL plant, but can push as much 120 mmscfd.

Regional leaders have also long recognised that affordable intra-regional travel remains one of the major bugbears to trade and movement of skilled labour within the Caribbean. Consequently, they have been working on a regional ferry network.

In 2022, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) had ap-

proached the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for funding to establish this intra-regional ferry service. At the time, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) was tasked with ironing out a proposed roadmap study for a fast ferry service with an initial focus on trade between Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and Barbados.

According to a communiqué at the end of the 43rd Regular Meeting of the Caricom Heads of Government, held in July 2022 in Suriname, it was noted that this initiative falls into the myriad of measures agreed to by the Region’s leaders to advance the reduction of the Caribbean’s food-import bill by 25 per cent by the year 2025.

The main feature of the gas-to-shore initiative is a power plant that will generate 250 to 300 megawatts of power using natural gas from offshore, which will significantly reduce the cost of electricity in Guyana.

The aim is to deliver rich gas by the end of 2024 for the power

plant while the NGL facility is slated to be online by 2025. The gas-toshore project, which has a 25-year lifespan, is expected to employ up to 800 workers during the peak construction stage, as well as some 40 fulltime workers during the operations stage, and another 50 workers during the decommissioning stage. Last year, the government had also put out its draft Gas Monetisation Strategy for public feedback and earlier this year. President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that the administration is including the comments it received in the initial strategy. The monetisation of Guyana’s gas reserves has been described by

President Bharrat Jagdeo as the next wave of economic opportunity for Guyana.

There has also been talk of an energy corridor for some time, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) conducting both baseline and pre-feasibility studies. Guyana is, in fact, a party to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Northern Arc (Arco Norte) Interconnection Project which seeks to evaluate the feasibility of possible collaboration on the energy transmission system for the electric interconnection of Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and the northern cities of Brazil. (G-3)

Vice

The Stena Carron Drillship worked on the Haimara-1 well

Explaining…

…the GTU oxymoron

Justice Kissoon finally offered the written ruling on the teachers’ strike. Up to now, all the teachers had heard was they could go out and strike and still had to be paid by the Government!! Talk about having your cake and eating it, too!! In this case, the teachers could be eating their cake even as they struck again, signalled by some milling around in front of some schools!! The rest could be sleeping in at their homes!!

The justification for his ruling was that “the teachers asked for bread and the government gave them stone”. As far as your Eyewitness could gather – and he confesses he fell asleep often in Sunday School - the Bible inspired this. He looked it up and - lo and behold! - there it was in Matthew 7:9-11 “Which of you if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?” The Good Justice saw the Government as a father to the teachers, who wouldn’t have it in him to stiff his kids. Filial love and all that!!

Now, while your Eyewitness is no lawyer - much less a legal luminary to cross pens with the Good Justice- if he was gonna be using the Good Book for precedent, then what’s sauce for the goose oughta be sauce for the gander. He remembered this nugget from his dissolute youth, since it was so frequently hurled in his direction by his Sunday School teacher: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat. We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.” Your Eyewitness had gotten the word then, and he wondered what the Good Justice would say to this homily!!

Sadly, after his foray into the Biblical realm in his original pronouncement, in his written judgement, he went back to the dry-as-bones legal convolutions. He says he wasn’t just guided by our Constitution – the HIGHEST law in the land! –but referred to international charters and such like to interpret matters on human rights. Which evidently included the right to strike and yet be paid!! His justification was that, over the past three years, the Government had deliberately shown bad faith in a “…wilful, deliberate and systematic suppression and denial of those core human rights that are fundamental to labour”!! Whew!!

This had vitiated the Government’s recourse to the Common Law (and the Bible) which said folks gotta work to be paid!! CCJ anyone??

…teaching Spanish

There was a decision to make the teaching of Spanish COMPULSORY in our public schools. Now, as far as your Eyewitness knows, up to now, only some of the elite secondary schools have made Spanish compulsory as a subject - when writing CSEC. The explanation is that this will make our graduates “more marketable” when entering the world of work. Now, in all honesty, the only way your Eyewitness thinks this can be justified is if we’ll be taking over Venezuela after Mad Maduro’s madness - and will need Guyanese to administer it. It can’t be that we’re “surrounded” by Spanish speaking countries, since only Venezuela qualifies – Brazil speaks Portuguese and Suriname speaks Dutch. God knows what language Trinis speak!! And it can’t be because of increasing trade relations with the rest of South America: the US became tied economically to China since the 1980s, and now have the largest bilateral trading figures in the world, but we haven’t seen many Americans conversing in Mandarin!!

So Mad Maduro’s forewarned??

…the journalistic sniping

The public is being regaled with blow-by-blow reports of a catfight in the Guyana Press Association. Seems the present Executive wanna squat on their offices for a faaaar longer period than the Granger govt did in 2020!!

Full Court pays tribute to late legal stalwart, Justice Désirée Bernard

...Justice Bernard left a lasting legacy for future generations of lawyers, especially women – AG

The memorialisation of late Justice Désirée Patricia Bernard continued on Wednesday when the full Bench of the Supreme Court of Judicature met to pay tribute and recognise her achievements, described by acting Chief Justice Roxane George as “immortal.”

During the special sitting, Justice George in her tribute reflected on the late Justice Bernard and her illustrious career. She also cited Justice Albie Sachs, a former Judge on South Africa’s Constitutional Court, in making the point that Justice Bernard lived a fulfilled life whose legacy will remain immortal.

“Justice Bernard will be remembered and will continue to be revered as a woman most learned in the law. This is another occasion in which I quote Justice Albie Sachs of South Africa, who said ‘death is more universal than life. Everyone dies, but not everyone lives.”

“Justice Bernard truly lived in every sense of the word. I’ve also heard it said that what we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others in the world remains immortal. We thank God for her life. For what Justice Bernard achieved and did, will indeed remain immortal,” George said.

Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC., also cited Justice Bernard’s many achievements from her establishment of organisations to champion the rights of women in Guyana and the Caribbean, to the very real

impact she had on legislation protecting the rights of the most vulnerable in society.

“In 1981 the government of Guyana appointed Justice Bernard as the Chairperson of the Committee appointed to examine the laws of Guyana and make recommendations for the implementation of the provisions of Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution of Guyana, which provides for equality of men and women. The committee was also charged with making recommendations to reform the laws on children.”

“Through Justice Bernard’s stewardship, this committee produced key pieces of legislation. For instance, the children born out of wedlock, removal of Discrimination Act 1983. This led to amendments of the Evidence Act, the Civil Law Act, the Infancy Act, the Legitimacy Act, and the Maintenance Act, to remove the distinction in the various provisions, between children born in and out of wedlock. Consequently, the Act was repealed,” Nandlall recounted.

Further achievements

Nandlall also noted that due to the recommendations of the committee, three important pieces of legislation were enacted in 1990, including the Married Person Property (Amendment) Act, the Family Dependent Provisions Act, and the Equal Rights Act.

“Because of her expertise and leadership on human rights, Justice Bernard in 1982 was elected a mem-

ber of the United Nations Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women. This body comprised 23 independent experts, that monitored implementation of the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.”

Nandlall also stated that Justice Bernard is the recipient of national awards, as well as awards from the University of Guyana and an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies. Additionally, he pointed to Justice Bernard’s extensive publication credits.

“No one can deny that Justice Désirée Bernard has left a lasting legacy for future generations of lawyers, especially women, to emulate. She came from humble beginnings and through hard work, shattered the glass ceiling and paved the way for other women to participate in a male-dominated arena,” the AG added.

During her long and distinguished career, Justice Bernard held memberships in various regional and international organisations, having been the founding Secretary of the Caribbean Women’s Association (CARIWA) 1970-1974; first President of the Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations (OCCBA) – 1976; member and Chair of the Caribbean Steering Committee for Women’s Affairs, later established as the Women & Development Unit of the University of the West Indies (WAND) –1978.

A scene from the Full Court session as acting Chief Justice Roxane George addressed the attendees

MoE to develop distance learning portal to combat learning loss as teachers’ strike continues

The Guyana Government through the Ministry of Education (MoE) is currently ironing out details for a one-stop portal to implement distance learning, to combat the learning loss in schools in light of the ongoing strike actions called by the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU). The two sides met on Monday but this meeting

ended in a stalemate after both sides refused to come to a compromise.

The Education Ministry had rolled out its distance education programme some time ago

during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Guyana Learning Channel and Ed You FM.

To complement this, the Ministry had updated the study worksheets on its website and the list of local textbooks needed for the various levels, a programme that started in 2021.

In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times , Chief Education Officer (CEO) Saddam Hussain disclosed that the one-stop portal will merge the information so that students can access the various sites through one medium.

He explained that this is part of efforts to make learning away from the classroom hassle-free and efficient.

“There needs to be an overarching system that controls all these different pieces, meaning if you have one software and you have the worksheet at the same place, you have the video, you have the audio content. So that is what we're working on now. But the content online schooling is available.”

The CEO added that live Zoom classes will be implemented later on to ensure that students are engaged given that the ministry collectively decided to cancel the sitting of this year’s end-of-year examinations in schools.

Instead, the automatic promotion policy will be activated to allow for students to advance to new levels within the school system next term. He explained that all the students will be re-evaluated upon their return.

“Well, one of the things that will have to be placed within this new framework that we are currently developing would be live classes…We're one of the few countries in the world with such a large

body of content… A couple of weeks ago, you saw the ministry preparation for CSEC started Zoom classes. We had more than 20,000 children or grade 11 students attending those classes over six weeks… What we need to do now is to give it a little bit more of a priority.”

Hussain posited that the ministry does not intend to replace the role of teachers in the classroom, instead, it is trying to resolve the issues with GTU amicably and in a way that is fair and free from duress.

“We learned from COVID that distance education alone cannot work. Teachers are needed, you can't have an education system without teachers, but we are going to have disruptions, whether it is a strike or something else, we are going to have disruptions. And so, we need to ensure we have a system in place to cover everything. And we already have the content. What it is now is we need an all-encompassing platform to put this in”.

Proposed 20 per cent for teachers

On day two of conciliation talks held between the Ministry of Education and the GTU, a document citing a demand for an interim 20 percent across-theboard salary payment for teachers was presented to the Chief Labour Officer by Representatives of the GTU.

The Union requested that the increase be paid to teachers before any conciliation regarding the timeframe for the payment period for salary increases continues. Another meeting was set for Monday, May 20, but that also ended in a deadlock.

The MoE after the meeting stated that it maintained that there be strict adherence to the 1990 agreement and that the grievance procedure be followed as per the said agreement. In this regard, the ministry indicated to GTU that they must end the strike before conciliation can commence on the impasse.

The Ministry of Education insists that the Guyana Teachers’ Union acts in good faith and honours this agreement. Conciliation cannot commence until the strike

has ended and a state of normalcy returns. The Ministry of Education reiterates its readiness to work together to determine a multi-year agreement from 2024.

On the other hand, the GTU contends that the “stalled discussions have created a climate of uncertainty, with potential implications for the country's education system” but it remains hopeful that a fair and equitable agreement can be reached, ensuring that teachers receive the recognition and compensation they deserve for their invaluable contributions to society.

As such, the union stated that it would not call off the strike again without guaranteed benefits for the nation’s teachers.

During a recent press briefing, Education Minister Priya Manickchand made it clear that the Guyana Government will not sign off on the union’s request, noting that the body is setting a “very bad precedent not only for the Guyana government but for governments across the region”.

The Minister had stated that after the meeting on Monday, the Government will take action against the union and distance learning will be instituted in homes to combat the current learning loss.

Resumption of strike

The GTU resumed strike action across the country two weeks ago after talks between the union and Education Ministry reportedly broke down. Prior, teachers after protesting for five weeks had returned to the classroom on March 6 following the intervention of the High Court.

The two sides during a mediation had agreed to return to discussions with the government regarding salary increases. During the follow-up meetings, the union maintained that negotiations should begin from 2019 to 2023 but the government held its grounds and was willing to commence salary negotiations from 2024 beyond.

To date, the government stated that it has already addressed over 20 issues affecting teachers, aimed at improving their working conditions and overall welfare.

Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain

Full Court pays tribute to...

Internationally, she served as both rapporteur (1982-1984) and Chair (1985-1989) of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, during her membership, which ran from 1982 to 1998.

Moreover, she presented many scholarly papers and participated in, numerous international seminars and colloquia, both regionally and internationally, on a variety of subjects relating to the law, gender, and other matters of public interest.

For her exceptional contribution to the improvement of the status of women and the development and practice of law, Justice Bernard had received several awards, the

most notable being the Cacique Crown of Honour, and the Order of Roraima, Guyana’s third and second-highest national awards respectively.

In July 2005, this honourable Judge was awarded the Caricom Triennial Award for Women. She was awarded the degree

of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) by the University of the West Indies in November 2007.

In February 2011, she was appointed a Judge of the Inter-American Development Bank Administrative Tribunal based in Washington, DC, USA. (G-3)

Late Justice Désirée Bernard

3 small hydropower stations currently under construction in hinterland areas – GEA Head

In a bid to realise the country’s renewable energy potential, the government is currently in the process of constructing three small hydropower stations in hinterland regions.

During a recent interview on the podcast, Energy Perspectives, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma spoke about Guyana’s low carbon development strategy 2030 which sets out some transformational projects to meet the country’s electricity demand.

Sharma noted that Guyana currently has 8.5 gigawatts of hydropower potential from

thirty-three hydropower plants across the country to meet the country’s electricity demand.

“Our peak demand in the country is about 185 megawatts and growing so to put 8.5 gigawatts into context, 8.5 gigawatts is 8,500 mega-

watts while our peak demand is only 185 megawatts so we are talking about the demand here vs the supply capability at a very different level so 8.5 gigawatts is a lot of power.”

In this regard, he disclosed that the GEA is currently constructing three small hydropower stations across the country including a 150-kilowatt hydro station at Kato in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) which is being constructed by the Hinterland Electrification Company Inc. (HECI) and should be completed by the end of 2024.

Similarly, two others are being constructed at Moco Moco and Kumu in Region Nine

(Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). These stations will be able to produce 0.7 megawatts and 1.5 megawatts respectively and according to Dr Sharma, the GEA is directly responsible for these projects.

The contacts for these projects were signed in 2022 and construction works commenced in 2023 with both at about 58 per cent completed. The GEA anticipates that these projects will also

be completed by the end of 2024.

Further, Dr Sharma highlighted that with the completion of these two new hydropower stations, Lethem will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.”

“We’re quite excited about both of those, what they mean for Lethem, what they mean for the people of Lethem is that they will have the first true hybrid system where they have a 1megawatt so-

lar farm operating with two hydro stations being supported by diesel backups. Lethem can be 100 per cent renewable energy powered for the foreseeable future” he stated.

Meanwhile, in November 2022 the GEA signed contracts to distribute some 30,000 solar home systems, these systems were donated mainly to hinterland and riverine communities.

According to Sharma to date 29,416 solar home energy systems have been distributed across Hinterland and Riverine communities. Additionally, some 31 solar mini-grids have been installed across the country, the installation of these minigrids equipped multiple facilities such as schools and health centers with electricity.

GEA CEO, Dr Mahender Sharma

The falls in Kato that will be used for the hydro project

PM leads ministerial delegation to Mahdia for 1st anniversary of deadly dorm fire

– memorial to be established to honour victims

On the one-year anniversary of the tragic Mahdia dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 20 and injured several, Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips led a delegation of Government Ministers to Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) for several memorial services in honour of those who died.

May 21 marks the oneyear anniversary of the tragic Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire that resulted in the deaths of 20 students and injuries

During the service at Micobie Village, the Prime Minister stated that a permanent memorial would be established to honour the victims. “Soon we will also immortalise the memories of our lost girls and boy by establishing a memorial site. This is a necessary move to ensure the lives of these 20 young people will always be etched in our minds and hearts.”

It has been one year since Guyana lost 20 young lives. Of those children, eleven were bur-

Joseph Hamilton and Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond. Also on the trip was Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues.

Simultaneously, ceremonies were also being held in Karisparu and Chenapou where other Ministers were in attendance. In the latter, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, as well as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development

to several others. During the day, memorial services were held in Micobie, Karisparu, and Chenapou, three of the Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) villages the victims hailed from.

Prime Minister Phillips led a delegation of Government Ministers to Micobie, where a memorial service and wreath laying ceremony was held for 12 of the victims from that village.

ied in Micobie, while four each were buried in Karisparu and Chenapou. The lone lad was laid to rest in Georgetown.

Prime Minister Phillips said one of the most important lessons from the tragedy is the protection of the nation’s children in every aspect of life.

Accompanying the Prime Minister to Micobie were Ministers of Labour

Sonia Parag and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Kwame McCoy took part in the observance.

“The government continues to pledge its unwavering support to the families of the victims and survivors,” a statement from the government added.

On May 21, 2023, tragedy struck at the

school girls’ dormitory, which had housed 56 occupants and a five-yearold boy from the communities of Karisparu, El Paso, Micobie and Chenapau, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

The Guyana Fire Service confirmed that 14 children died in the inferno, while five succumbed to their injuries at the Mahdia District Hospital. Another died days later. One survivor was flown overseas for treatment and would have returned to Guyana several weeks later. She

is said to be recovering at a rapid pace.

However, a 15-yearold dorm mate was slapped with 20 counts of murder. She has since been detained at a juvenile holding facility. It was reported that she allegedly set the place on fire after being reprimanded by teachers for inappropriate behaviour. She reportedly became angry after her mobile phone was confiscated.

CoI

Following the deadly blaze, a Commission of Inquiry was launched and after several weeks of proceedings, it outlined several recommendations to improve the condition of dormitories across the country, and to prevent the recurrence of such a tragedy, looking at the combined viewpoints of security, society, and safety.

The report was handed over to President Dr Irfaan Ali by the Chairman of the CoI, Major General (Retired) Joe Singh, on January 19, 2024.

From the findings tendered, the Commission recommended that an inspectorate be set up to visit the dormitories which have been or are being, retrofitted, to determine the extent to which they comply with the recommended gender-sensitive standards for dormitories. This should also apply to dormitories that are intended to be constructed.

Further, the report detailed, “The visits should allow for the inspection of

fire-suppression systems, emergency evacuation procedures, and assessment of first responder fire-fighting drills and capabilities. Compliance with the statutory schedules for fire drills at schools and dormitories must also be monitored and enforced.”

Additionally, technically competent individuals should be included in such inspectorate teams, and reports on the extent of compliance achieved are to be submitted to the relevant agencies for evaluation and follow-up action.

Furthermore, grills should be replaced with a modern security system, inclusive of secured fencing and cameras, to ensure a protected environment and assist in monitoring the entry and exit of all persons using the facilities.

The Commission heard, during testimonies, that the grills were installed to prevent the girls from escaping and indulging in the nightlife of the mining town

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, along with Ministers Joseph Hamilton, Oneidge Walrond and Susan Rodrigues at the memorial service in Micobie, Region 8

Ministers Vickram Bharrat, Sonia Parag, and Kwame McCoy in Chenapou, Region 8

Nineteen of the 20 victims who perished in the fire

The 20th victim, Sherina Daniels

Parents of teen shot dead by security officer demand justice 2 months later

Two months after 18-year-old Jared Jagnandan was shot and killed by a security officer at his place of employment, his relatives continue to plead for justice.

In an issued statement to the press, the parents of the teenager, Avalon and Reshma Jagnandan stated “On the 21st day of March 2024 an armed security guard attached to a private security service owned by Cerberus Security Inc. unlawfully shot and killed our dear son. At the time, he was employed at Shaf Auto Sales Inc. as a marketing and sales representative.”

Ever since, no charges have been laid against the security officer and the family was told the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice on the way forward but the family’s attorney has informed them that it was quite extraordinary that the DPP would take two months to rule on the matter.

“We have been advised by our attorney that under the Private Security Act, every director of Cerberus Security Inc.

can be criminally charged for breaches of the Act.

The Security Licence can be cancelled or suspended; firearm licenses can be revoked. The law recognises that you cannot just set up a security firm, fail to provide adequate training, fail to acquire requisite licences, cause death by the combination of this negligence, and escape free from penalty under the law. When you put guns in peoples’ hands you must be held to a very high standard,” the Jagnandans stated. Additionally, the family’s attorney has also advised that under the

Criminal Law Offences Act and other pieces of legislation, Cerberus Security Inc. can be jointly charged with their employees as a principal offender in the unlawful killing of the young man together with other criminal offences.

“Even before a Security Firm can operate, they require the approval of the police force. Is it that this approval is given recklessly or negligently? And what of the Shaf Auto Sales Inc.? Jared was an employee of this establishment and rather than render immediate assistance they shifted all responsibility to the security company to assist. Have the police done any investigations as to their potential criminal responsibility? Our son was shot on their premises which has many cars on it, being an auto sale, yet he was made to bleed out while awaiting a vehicle from the security service instead. These critical wasted moments could have saved our son’s life. We call upon the authorities to investigate Shaf Auto Sales.”

The family stated that

the police have not shared any useful information with them concerning documentary evidence including the post-mortem report.

“Just a short time ago, a father of four was stabbed to death, the police force in that matter rightly acted fast to begin the judicial process, indeed charges were laid and even a court hearing was scheduled a few days after the incident, the aggrieved family received the full cooperation of the police force. Two months after our son’s death we feel no further ahead, why is our matter being treated differently? Why don’t we deserve justice?”

Reaching a dead end in seeking justice for the teenager, the frustrated family is now considering instituting civil proceedings in addition to what is supposed to take place in the criminal realm.

“We fear if this drags on without action much longer, the security guard who shot our son will flee the country, the owners of the auto sale will flee the country, the security firm will find a way out, and the matter will be swept

under the rug. Life will go on for everyone but us.”

The grieving family related that their son had his whole life ahead of him.

“He was a bright and affable young man who lit up every room he walked in, this world is much less without him.”

The family reiterated that Cerberus Security Inc. and Shaf Auto Sale Inc. must be held accountable for their gross negligence and recklessness, which resulted in the death of the teenager.

“No person is above the law, and all are equal under it. If we cannot guarantee the sanctity of this principle we have failed as a nation, our youths are the future of this “One Guyana”. We, therefore, call on the authorities for a full and transparent investigation, we call for justice,” the family contended.

It was reported that Jagnandan of Mon Repos, ECD was shot dead by a 20-year-old security officer attached to the Cerberus Security Service, and was at the time armed with a 12-gauge shotgun.

Police investigations revealed that on the day in question, the owner of the auto sales and his wife returned to the store after transacting business and found the suspect, who was on duty, and Jagnandan in a chair a short distance away from the Security Officer’s desk.

The couple proceeded to the entity’s office, but, a few minutes later, heard a loud explosion in the store.

The businessman immediately went to check on the origin of the sound and observed Jagnandan lying motionless on the ground with blood about the lower section of his body.

The injured teen was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to Woodlands Hospital, where he was attended to by a doctor, but he later succumbed to his injuries.

The matter was reported to the police, who, upon inspecting Jagnandan’s body, found a gunshot wound on the upper left leg. To date, no charges have been instituted.

Dead: Jared Jagnandan

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

The

PNC is in real danger of descending from a major to a small political party

The overdue PNC and AFC congresses are now scheduled for the end of June 2024. It means that by the end of June 2024, all the major political parties in Parliament would have held their congresses, since the PPP just completed its party congress in May.

All the political parties have had delayed congresses, and one would hope that such congresses would return to being regular scheduled events in the future. But while the PPP’s 32nd Congress in early May was a resounding success, demonstrating what many people concluded sometime now: that the PPP is at a level of unprecedented growth; the Congresses of the PNC and the AFC come at a time when both parties are fighting a kind of survival battle.

Today’s Ruminations highlight the PNC’s struggle. We will deal with AFC another time, other than to say that the AFC is genuinely fighting to survive as a viable political party, one that can win a seat in Parliament. For the PNC, with open fights and internal allegations of rigging of party elections already evident; with many senior PNC activists either being pushed to the periphery or voluntarily choosing to be outsiders; the struggle is whether that party can retain its base support and remain a major political party; a party with a chance -- even if it is an outside chance -- of ever winning a free-and-fair election.

In 1964, it failed to win, and took Government through machinations of the colonial powers. In the 1968, 1973, 1980, and 1985 general elections and the 1978 referendum, there is global recognition of rigging to maintain and consolidate power. In all the post-independence free-and-fair elections: in 1992, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2020, it lost resoundingly. In 2015, even though the PPP conceded, there was evidence of hanky-panky that led to the PNC-led APNU/AFC’s election victory.

But there is no question that, since October 5, 1957, the PNC has been a major political force. It remained so, and always with an outside chance of winning an election, because it has played the race card, holding on by hookor-crook to the Afro-Guyanese overwhelming support. Its dependence on rigging to win an election could never diminish the fact that the PNC was a major political party, one that had to be taken seriously. The question today, in 2024, is whether the PNC is still a major political force in the same way that Burnham’s PNC, Hoyte’s PNC, Corbin’s PNC, and even Granger’s PNC were.

The answer comes directly from the present leader of the PNC. He confessed last week that the PNC has lost significant parts of its base, a part that it has always treated as a divine bestowal. For the PNC, Afro-Guyanese are properties of the PNC. That today, Afro-Guyanese, in a significant shift, have turned over support to the PPP is a betrayal.

The Leader of the PNC, Aubrey Norton, clearly the most clueless of political leaders the PNC or any political party has ever put forward, accused first the PPP of buying over the support of Afro-Guyanese, and second, AfroGuyanese of selling their souls. The leader of the PNC has even accused businesses which in the old days were in opposition to the PPP of selling their souls to the PPP.

PNC members have even called on the little support they can count on still to boycott Afro-Guyanese businesses that accommodate the presence of the President of Guyana, HE Dr. Irfaan Ali. The party today has postponed a previously scheduled congress because it admitted it lacked financing, accusing businesses of being bribed by the PPP.

The 32nd PPP Congress demonstrated, without a shadow of a doubt, that the PPP has become a big umbrella where a significant number of Afro-Guyanese and mixed-race Guyanese find a home. Already, the PPP is the party where most Indo-Guyanese and most Amerindian-Guyanese find a home. Already, most businesses find policies of the PPP to be more empowering to them than those of the PNC. Already, the working class knows that the PPP is best for the working class.

For Norton, he justifies the loss of support on the fact that AfroGuyanese were bribed by the PPP. This is his way of explaining the loss of support. He cannot begin to accept that this fall in the fortunes of the PNC is based on five things – the inept, uncaring, and disastrous time in government between 2015 and 2020; the shamelessness of their clumsy attempt to thief the 2020 elections; the exposure since 2020 that the party has no valid policy alternatives to the PPP government under Dr. Irfaan Ali and Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the PPP’s General Secretary; the fact that Aubrey Norton is the most clueless leader the PNC has ever had; and the PPP Government proving to be one of the most successful governments ever in Caricom’s history.

As Aubrey Norton leads his party to Congress at the end of June, he has not found in himself the capacity to apologise to those who have faithfully supported the PNC and kept the PNC as a major political party of his “dissing” them by accusing them of being “house slaves”, of being bribed, of selling their souls, and even not supporting the boycotting of AfroGuyanese businesses that showed respect for the President of Guyana. But those who constituted a reliable support base for the PNC since its birth in 1957, who have stood loyal through thick-and-thin, have decided there is no future in the PNC.

President Ali’s ONE GUYANA platform reignited Cheddi Jagan’s 1953 movement: when Guyanese, regardless of race, united to ensure Guyana took its place in Caricom as the natural leader and bread-basket. Few would have imagined, when the PPP lost power and when the PNC-led APNU/AFC took power in 2015, that we would have reached this stage in 2024. For this reason, the PPP approaches elections in 2025 with a chance of winning a record-breaking victory in 2025.

Mahipaul pulls out of PNCR leadership race

– Forde, Walton-Desir

Opposition

Member of Parliament

(MP), Ganesh Mahipaul who also serves as an Executive Member of the People’s National Congress/Reform on Tuesday announced that he is no longer in the run for the party’s leadership.

This new development is a shock to party supporters after he announced that he would run against the incumbent leader, Aubrey Norton three weeks ago.

In a missive on Tuesday, Mahipaul stated “After much reflection and drawing upon my 15 years of invaluable experience within the PNCR, including my tenure in 2009 as Secretary to the A Field Sophia GYSM and my journey to the Central Executive Committee, I have realised that I am not yet fully prepared to undertake the responsibilities of leading our party.”

He noted that while he recognises the significance of ambition in the political landscape, he is equally mindful of the importance of experience and readiness.

“The role of Leader requires not only winning the office but also delivering on the promises to our members and constituents with the full acceptance that it is a long, lonely lane

remain on course to challenge Norton

full of harsh criticism,” he added.

Further, he stated that in acknowledging his abilities and areas for growth, he believes that his current stage of development within the party warrants further experience and learning before aspiring to the position of Leader.

“Therefore, with humility and foresight, I am compelled to graciously decline any nomination for Leader at this congress.”

He is nevertheless, eager to continue serving the PNCR and its shared vision for progress and prosperity.

“As such, I am honored to accept nominations for the Central Executive Committee, where I can contribute effectively to our party's objectives while continuing to hone my skills and readiness for future leadership roles.”

The Opposition MP also wishes to express his heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated PNCR membership who had approached him to consider running for the leadership of the party at its Biennial Congress set for June 18-30, 2024.

Meanwhile, joining Party Executive Roysdale Forde, SC, for the party’s leadership is Amanza Walton-Desir.

In a social media post last week, Walton-Desir

posited “Absolutely, yes, I’m open. I’m available. I did give my word that as soon as the process is properly kick-started, that I would say and so, I am. I am. I am open.”

Back in March, Forde was confident that he had the “integrity” to lead the Opposition to victory in the 2025 elections.

As such, he rolled out a “Regroup, Refocus and Rebuild” plan which he believes will deliver electoral victory for the party.

Having served in the PNCR since the 1990s and now being at the highest decision-making body within the party – the CEC, Forde, who is currently the Shadow Attorney General in the National Assembly, believes he not only has the experience but has garnered the support of membership across the country to take the top spot in the leading Opposition party.

“I believe that I have done the work that is required. I have travelled throughout the length and breadth of Guyana to interface with our supporters and I believe that they have expressed their interest and confidence in seeing me as the leader of the party. On the question of experience, I believe that I bring to bear, sufficient and ade-

quate experience which will be able to impact positively on moving the party forward. I am aware that the Leader said that he is experienced, and the party would not want to be placed into the hands of an inexperienced person, I certainly agree with him, but I believe that my track record, in and out of politics, demonstrates sufficient experience,” Forde told reporters when he announced his leadership bid.

Shortly after Forde’s announcement, Mahipaul, while sitting alongside Norton at a weekly press conference, told reporters that he believes he has what it takes to lead the PNCR. But he said that it would be up to the party’s membership to decide whether he would run.

“I believe that I am aptly qualified to run for leader of this party. I believe that I satisfy all the requirements, and I believe I am very experienced when it comes to the party’s structure and workings. And if groups from this People’s National Congress Reform see me fit and they nominate me for such a position, I will take into serious consideration, their nomination and decide at the right time,” Mahipaul had stated.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

CEC Member Ganesh Mahipaul

Incumbent Leader of the PNCR, Aubrey Norton

CEC Member Roysdale Forde

CEC Member Amanza Walton-Desir

Poultry production in Bonasika Creek expanded through Black Giant chicken programme – Mustapha

Over 63,000 Black Giant chickens have been distributed across the country in a bid to expand poultry production, according to Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha.

The mining was at the time addressing residents of Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River of which 300 have benefitted from the Black Giant Chicken programme.

The distribution forms part of a concerted effort by the Guyana Government to expand the local poultry sector by introducing a resilient breed of

black giant chickens have been able to benefit by participating in in -

chicken, and the black giant chickens provide a sustainable source of high-quality protein.

Additionally, it is a sizable dual-purpose bird that can produce up to 200 eggs annually and roughly 4.5 kilograms of meat.

These birds can graze, forage, consume leftover food from the kitchen, and still produce respectably, making it a low-maintenance breed.

The distribution of this particular chicken started in Bonasika Creek in late 2022 and has since expanded allowing residents to generate a steady income.

Further, residents who are not rearing the

come-generating activities such as providing transportation, feeding supplies, and engaging in processing.

Mustapha reiterated that the government is committed to further developing poultry in the area.

“This area is very important; we have expended a lot of budgetary sums and we will continue to support the farmers, we will work with you, and we will ensure that we provide the necessary facility, building the necessary infrastructure so that you can produce.

Because when you produce, Guyana will be able to satisfy the demands not only locally

but regionally.”

In addition, the residents will also continue to benefit from proper drainage and irrigation to aid in the expansion of crop production and cultivation.

Mustapha said the government is looking to improve and increase the production of ginger, banana, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and varieties of carrots in the community, and as a result, over 1000 rods of drainage have been prepared free of cost for the farmers.

He added that the distribution of planting materials and agricultural inputs will also continue throughout the year.

“We are not only doing crop production or traditional crops like what we use to produce for centuries… but we are increasing production in those areas and at the same time we are going into production of new crops. Now we are producing corn and soy and by next year we will be self-sufficient in producing all our needs… These are the innovations that we are bringing to the sector, these are the kinds of developments we are bringing,” the Minister disclosed.

Lower and Upper,

with the largest being

5 more West Demerara families

receive keys to new homes

Five families from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) were handed keys to their new core homes. The beneficiaries are Marlin Joseph of Westminster; Rupert Alleyne of Onderneeming; Shelly Alleyne, Paul DeSouza and Mohini Prashad of Lust-en-Rust.

The homes were constructed under the Housing Ministry’s Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme which to date has handed over some 100 low-income homes to make vulnerable Guyanese families homeowners.

On Monday, subject minister, Collin Croal and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves presented the keys to the beneficiaries along with their electrical certificate and certificate of completion.

Croal noted that the parameters of the programme also include

infrastructural works to ensure families have access to various amenities while adding that the ministry has pumped about $1.3 billion for the development of streets, drainage, lighting and other infrastructure in the area.

The Minister also highlighted that there were delays in the project which were subsequently ironed out and all of the beneficiaries for the core homes and housing subsidies have already been identified.

“The beneficiaries have all been identified already. We already have the baseline. So, it’s just to implement now for those beneficiaries,” he stated. It was noted that the implementation of the programme in the region not only provided residents with new homes but also simultaneously resulted in Job creation and stimulation of the local economy as the ministry handed contracts to small contractors in the region.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

Residents during the meeting on Tuesday

Bonasika Creek is divided into two sections,

and it is a branch in the Essequibo River that has 365 islands, some uninhabited,

Hogg Island.

Black Giant chickens

One of the beneficiaries collecting the keys to her home from Housing Minister Collin Croal

Venezuelan nationals among 4 busted with over 8kg cocaine

One Guyanese and two Venezuelan nationals were arrested on Sunday following the discovery of over three kilograms of cocaine at Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown.

The Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) stated that on the day in question, officers acting on information received conducted an operation at Cummings Lodge where they arrested the three persons after one black haversack

containing three black brick-like parcels with cocaine were found.

Gavin Adams,54, along with Venezuelan nationals Jose Gregorio Gomez,35, and Kevin De Jesus Figueira, 22 were escorted to CANU's Headquarters where the cocaine was weighed and amounted to 3.348 kilograms.

Meanwhile, as CANU officers conducted a follow-up operation at the home of Adams at Grant Woodland,

Lower Pomeroon River, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam),another

5 more West Demerara families...

With an investment of over $340 million being made in April, some 63 two-bedroom low-income houses are under construction in Anna Catherina while another 25 are under construction at MetenMeer-Zorg.

A total of 172 houses have been awarded for construction at Groeneveldt, Leonora, WCD and other areas.

The minister further noted that the contracts for these projects were awarded to small contractors within the region which has resulted in an increase in employment opportunities for residents.

One of the units that were handed over on Monday

The Core Home Support initiative falls under the $5.8 billion Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme (AH&UAP), funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB). Each home costs close to $5 million and consists of two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and washroom facilities

national,

During the operation at the Adams’ home, five brick-like parcels containing 5.6 kilograms of cocaine were discovered. The suspect was arrested and taken to CANU’s headquarters where he is being further questioned.

The four men remain in custody pending charges.

Hubu Backdam man gets 3

years, fined

$41M for cocaine possession

Lwith beneficiaries only required to contribute $100,000 towards construction. These homes were designed to meet basic standards that a family can move into and affordably expand over time.

atchman Sankar, aka “Jack”, of Block 1 Unity, Hubu, Parika, East Bank Essequibo who is already serving a fouryear sentence for narcotics trafficking was on Monday slapped with another three years and eight months in connection with other similar offence.

Sankar appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court and was found guilty of trafficking 27.866kg of cocaine. He was reportedly arrest -

Convicted: Latchman Sankar, also called "Jack"

ed back in February 2020 after the cocaine was found in his boat at Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

In addition to the three-year sentence, Sankar was fined $41 million.

Back in January 2024, the 39-year-old Sankar pleaded guilty to trafficking 55.2 kilograms of Cannabis sativa (marijuana). He was also fined $49.6 million.

In that matter, CANU detailed that its officers had conducted a search operation at Sankar’s Unity, Hubu, Parika residence and had unearthed several large bags containing several brick-like parcels of cannabis.

Arrested: Gavin Adams

Arrested: Oritz Sergio Rafael

The cocaine found in Lower Pomeroon River

Arrested: Jose Gregorio Gomez Arrested: Kevin De Jesus Figueira

The cocaine that was found during the operation at Cummings Lodge

Venezuelan

35-year-old Oritz Sergio Rafael was arrested.

US, GPF discuss enhancing integrated automated & fingerprint identification system

In a move towards strengthening national security, Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken, along with members of his Executive Leadership Team (ELT), met with officials from the US Embassy on Tuesday.

The meeting, held in the Commissioner’s Conference Room at Eve Leary, Georgetown focused on advancing the security measures of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

The discussion was facilitated by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Affairs and the Regional Security Office (RSO) of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

The primary agen-

da was the enhancement of the GPF’s Integrated Automated and Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). The initiative aims to establish a comprehensive biometric record exchange program between the FBI and the GPF.

This collaboration will

grant the GPF access to the FBI’s extensive database of criminal and counter-terrorism investigation records. The enhanced biometric system will encompass fingerprint scans, palmprints, facial recognition, and iris scans, significantly bolstering the GPF’s crime-fighting capa-

Govt to file appeal in GTU’s case today

One month after delivering a ruling that the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU)-led strike action in February was legal, and therefore seeking to block plans by the government to deduct pay for absenteeism, High Court Judge Sandil Justice Kissoon has officially handed over the written ruling to the Legal Affairs Ministry.

This was revealed by Attorney General Anil Nandlall who on Tuesday evening said the AG Chambers will now move to file its appeal in the case. He was at the time addressing viewers during his weekly “Issues in the News” programme.

“Yesterday (Monday, May 20, 2024) we received copies of the written judgement numbering 134 pages so the way is now absolutely cleared for us to proceed with the appeal and the application for the stay of execution which we announced will be filed.”

He disclosed that the documents will be filed on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.

Following strike action in February which lasted for four weeks over issues relating to salary increases and other benefits for Teachers, the Ministry of Education moved to cease the deduction of union dues on behalf

Attorney General Anil Nandlall and High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon

of the GTU and threatened to cut the salaries of those on strike. This led to the GTU moving to the courts to stop the pay cuts.

On April 19, Justice Kissoon ruled in favour of the GTU that they have a right to strike and that right is embedded in the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to every citizen of Guyana under the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

However, Nandlall argued that the Common Law principle of “no work, no pay” was justifiably applied by the government. He argued that Article 147 (2) of the Constitution states that no person should be stopped from exercising their “freedom to strike.” This means, according to the Attorney General, that the freedom to strike is bound by condition-

alities, one of which is the common law principle “no work, no pay.”

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

The Ministry of Education 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.

bilities.

This meeting follows a recent agreement signed

crime-fighting capabilities and responding to complex situations.

over a week ago between the GPF and the New York City Police Department (NYPD). They established a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create training partnerships aimed at enhancing

At the signing ceremony in Georgetown, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn emphasised the need for police transformation to tackle crime and improve community engagement. The agree-

ment was signed by U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot, First Deputy Commissioner of NYPD Tania Kinsella, Deputy Commissioner of Police Calvin Brutus, and Minister Benn.

Kinsella noted that the training would be customised for Guyana’s law enforcement needs and expressed excitement about sharing NYPD’s experiences and best practices. The delegation, which met with President Dr Irfaan Ali and other officials, will also engage with civil society stakeholders. The training curriculum will cover best practices in areas such as homicide investigation, responding to gender-based violence, and community policing. Ambassador Theriot stated that the partnership aims to foster a more inclusive criminal justice system and attract international investment as Guyana’s economy grows.

The NYPD will begin the training program in a few months, and Guyanese officers will later participate in a practical study tour at the NYPD’s training facility.

Duo arrested for impersonating Ministry of Housing employees, attempting to defraud ECD man

Two men were arrested on Monday for allegedly attempting to defraud an East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident by impersonating employees of Housing and Water Ministry.

The primary suspect, an unemployed 30-yearold man from Mes Delices, Canal No. 1, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was apprehended while attempting to secure $250,000 as payment for a plot of land.

His accomplice, a 31-year-old man from Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown was also taken into custody after attempting to flee upon sighting the police. The men were arrested at the Housing and Water Ministry, Brickdam, Georgetown.

Police stated that the

intended victim, 30-yearold Andrew Albert from Enterprise, East Coast Demerara (ECD) reported that on Friday, around 10:00h, he received a call from an individual claiming to be a surveyor named Sookram from the Ministry of Housing.

Albert was promised a low-income house lot for $500,000, of which he needed to pay half as an initial deposit. The alleged fraudster instructed Albert to meet him at the Ministry of Housing on Monday at 10:00h.

On the day of the planned meeting, Albert received an acknowledgment letter from the Central Housing and Planning Authority, which stated he had been allocated a house lot at Enterprise, ECD.

Suspicious of the transaction, Albert informed the police and pointed out the suspect at the Ministry of Housing’s office. The police arrested the suspect, who had the acknowledgment letter and a receipt made out in Albert’s name for the house lot payment.

During the arrest, the accomplice attempted to escape but was quickly apprehended.

Upon questioning, he admitted to knowing the primary suspect for about two months and said he had been asked to accompany him to the Ministry of Housing after meeting earlier on Robb Street, Georgetown.

Both suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue into the fraudulent scheme.

Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken, along with members of his Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and US Embassy officials

Around the World

OIL NEWS

Oil falls 1% on sticky US inflation, dampened geopolitical risk premium

Oil prices settled one per cent lower on Tuesday as lingering US inflation looked likely to keep interest rates higher for longer, weighing on fuel demand. Brent crude futures settled down 83 cents, or one per cent, to US$82.88 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for June , which expired on Tuesday, slipped by 54 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to US$79.26.

The more active July contract settled down 64 cents, at US$78.66.

Higher borrowing costs can slow economic growth and pressure oil demand.

“The market is very focused on gasoline demand in the US, because there are signs that consumers are cutting back because of inflation. Unless that turns around, the market is suggesting things could be a little bleak,” said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group.

Ahead of this weekend’s Memorial Day holiday, which kicks off the US peak summer driving season, retail gasoline prices fell for the fourth consecutive week to US$3.58 per gallon on Monday, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its gasoline and diesel fuel update.

The US will sell the nearly one million barrels of gasoline in a reserve in northeastern states, with bids due on May 28, the Department of Energy said on Tuesday.

US diesel prices have also slipped, according to the EIA, down 5.9 cents on the week on Monday, at US$3.89 per gallon. Diesel is a key refined product for both the industrial sector and transport.

Investors were awaiting minutes from the Fed’s last policy meeting due today, as well as weekly US oil inventory data from the EIA, also due today. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence, 1 passenger dead

One passenger died of a suspected heart attack and 30 were injured after a Singapore Airlines flight hit severe turbulence on Tuesday, flinging passengers and crew around the cabin and forcing the plane to land in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.

The flight from London and bound for Singapore fell into an air pocket while cabin crew were serving breakfast before it encountered turbulence, prompting the pilots to request an emergency landing, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn told a press conference.

The sudden turbulence occurred over the

Israeli forces raze parts of Gaza’s Jabalia, hit Rafah with air strikes

Israeli forces thrust deeper into Jabalia in northern Gaza on Tuesday, striking a hospital and destroying residential areas with tank and air bombardments, residents said, while Israeli airstrikes killed at least five persons in Rafah in the south.

Simultaneous Israeli assaults on the northern and southern edges of the Gaza Strip this month have caused a new exodus of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their homes, and sharply restricted the flow of aid, raising the risk of famine.

In Jabalia, a sprawling refugee camp built for displaced civilians 75 years ago, the Israeli army used bulldozers to clear shops and proper-

ty near the local market, residents said, in a military operation that began almost two weeks ago.

Israel said it has returned to the camp, where it had claimed to have dis-

Europe sets benchmark for rest of the world

with landmark AI laws

Europe’s landmark rules on Artificial Intelligence (AI) will enter into force next month after EU countries endorsed on Tuesday a political deal reached in December, setting a potential global benchmark for a technology used in business and everyday life.

Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar about 10 hours into the flight, the airline said. The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the aircraft to Bangkok, it said without giving further details. Reuters was not able to confirm the sequence of events or whether the medical emergency came before the turbulence.

Photographs from the interior of the plane showed large gashes in the overhead cabin panels, gas masks and panels hanging from the ceiling and items of hand luggage strewn around. A passenger said some people’s heads had slammed into the lights above the seats and punctured the panels.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

The EU’s AI Act is more comprehensive than the United States’ light-touch voluntary compliance approach while China’s approach aims to maintain social stability and State control.

The vote by EU countries came two months after EU lawmakers backed the AI legislation drafted by the European Commission in 2021 after making a number of key changes.

Concerns about AI contributing to misinformation, fake news and copyrighted material have intensified globally in recent months amid the growing popularity of generative AI systems such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Google’s chatbot Gemini.

“This landmark law, the first of its kind in the world, addresses a glob-

al technological challenge that also creates opportunities for our societies and economies,” Belgian Digitisation Minister Mathieu Michel said in a statement.

“With the AI Act, Europe emphasises the importance of trust, transparency and accountability when dealing with new technologies while at the same time ensuring this fast-changing technology can flourish and boost European innovation,” he said.

“The Act will have global reach. Companies outside the EU who use EU customer data in their AI platforms will need to comply. Other countries and regions are likely to use the AI Act as a blueprint, just as they did with the GDPR,” he said, referring to EU privacy rules.

While the new legislation will apply in 2026, bans on the use of artificial intelligence in social scoring, predictive policing and untargeted scraping of facial images from the Internet or CCTV footage will kick in in six months once the new regulation enters into force.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

had dismantled “about 70 terror targets” throughout the Gaza Strip, including military compounds, weapon storage sites, missile launchers and observation posts.

Palestinian medics said Israeli missiles struck the emergency department of Jabalia’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, prompting panicked staff to rush patients on hospital beds and stretchers to the rubble-strewn street outside.

mantled Hamas months ago, to prevent the militant group that controls Gaza from regrouping.

In a roundup of its activity over the past day, the Israeli military said it

“The first missile when it hit, it hit the entrance of the emergency department. We tried to enter, and then a second missile hit, and the third hit the building nearby,” said Hussam Abu Safia, the head of hospital. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Kenyan President Ruto visits US as Police deployment to Haiti takes shape

Kenyan President William Ruto is on a visit to the United States this week, amid efforts to deepen economic and security cooperation between the two countries, as well as launch a long-stalled Police deployment to Haiti.

The trip comes as US President Joe Biden’s Administration has sought to strengthen partnerships with African nations amid growing competition on the continent with its top geopolitical rivals, China and Russia.

Ruto, who will hold talks with Biden at the White House on Thursday, is also visiting the US as a United Nations-backed initiative to send a Kenya-led police force to Haiti appears to be solidifying.

The UN Security Council last year authorised the multinational support mission, which its backers say is needed to help restore security in the Caribbean country amid years of widespread gang violence and instability.

But a recent wave of deadly attacks by Haitian armed groups – particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince – delayed the mission.

Now, Kenyan officials say a deployment is immi-

President William

will hold talks with his US counterpart Joe Biden on May 23 at the White House in Washington, DC [File: Monicah Mwangi/ Reuters]

nent as a shaky political transition is under way in Haiti, and the country’s main airport, in Port-au-Prince, recently reopened.

Korir Sing’Oei, Kenya’s principal secretary of foreign affairs, told reporters on Sunday that the country was finalising preparations for the mission. “I can tell you for sure that that deployment will happen in the next few days, few weeks,” said Sing’Oei.

The deployment is expected to number about 2500 members, a UN official said in December, including 1000 Kenyan Police Officers.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

An Israeli tank manoeuvres near the Israel-Gaza border, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, as seen from Israel, May 21, 2024 (Reuters/Amir Cohen photo)

Kenyan

Ruto

DAILY HOROSCOPES

Take care of legal, financial and medical issues. Changing how you handle your investments or do a job will lead to a valuable insight. Consider the direction you are taking.

Get involved, do your part and make a difference. Romance, personal gain and self-improvement are favored. Put your energy where it counts and work to clear up any misconceptions.

Make up your mind and start your day with determination and a plan. Don’t let anyone slow you down. An astute view of your situation will help you make the right moves. Position yourself for success.

Committing to something meaningful will align you with like-minded people and possibilities. Stop contemplating and start following your heart and exploring your options.

The less you deal with others, the easier it will be to get things done. Channel your energy into learning and honing your skills to accommodate your goals. Focus will be a must.

You are on the right path; let your imagination flow and shape how you want to proceed. Share your thoughts, listen to experts and set criteria to reach your objective.

A proper workspace that can help you achieve the most will boost your morale and feed your imagination. Don’t settle for less when you can have so much more.

Keep the momentum flowing. Get involved, speak your mind, and make your intentions and feelings clear. Ignore anyone pressuring you to do things that benefit them more than you.

Take a break. Don’t let monotony settle in and ruin your day. Return to basics, consider what matters most and redesign your schedule to meet your needs. An energetic activity will pump you up.

Join forces with people who share your concerns. You can make a difference if you participate. Pay attention to detail and explore your options. A personal change looks promising.

Take your time. Don’t trust what others do or say. Follow your heart and use common sense when dealing with domestic issues. Pay more attention to health, fitness and striving to be your best. Do whatever it takes to change what isn’t working for you anymore. Opportunity begins with you, so don’t be afraid to take the path that beckons you instead of following the crowd.

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PICKLES ARCHIE

KKR blow away Sunrisers to march into IPL final

– as Starc shows the way

Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma are used to going bang, bang; and pretty much killing off games in the first six overs at IPL 2024. But in the first qualifier in Ahmedabad, it was Mitchell Starc who went bang, bang, bang in the powerplay to secure Kolkata Knight Riders’ spot in the IPL final on Sunday in Chennai.

After Starc scythed through SRH’s top order in an opening spell of 3-0-22-3, Varun Chakravarthy took over in the middle overs to help dismiss SRH for 159 in 19.3 overs.

In reply, Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer made unbeaten half-centuries as KKR ran down the target

in, but swung and seamed away late to breach the defences of Head and leave his stumps splayed.

Travis Head had his stumps cleaned up second ball, bagging his second duck in a row, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Qualifier 1, IPL 2024, Ahmedabad, May 21, 2024

Travis Head had his stumps cleaned up second ball, bagging his second duck in a row• Associated Press Head was gone for a duck. This was the fifth time that Starc had taken out Head across formats - four of those wickets being ducks.

In the second over, pacer Vaibhav Arora, who

with more than six overs to spare.

Sunrisers Hyderabad will face the winner of the Eliminator between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore for a shot at a rematch with KKR in the final.

Swingin’ Starc Starc’s first ball to Head was an outswinger that was squeezed to extra cover. His second threatened to angle

was picked ahead of spinner Anukul Roy on a surface that was a mix of red and black soil and had some early moisture, had Abhishek Sharma scooping a catch to Andre Russell at short cover for 3.

SRH plunged into further trouble when Starc snagged Nitish Kumar Reddy (9) and Shahbaz Ahmed (0) off successive balls in his third over. Starc could have also dismissed Rahul Tripathi in his second

the pitch, and didn’t allow Klaasen underneath the length as he dragged a catch to deep midwicket. He then pinned Bhuvneshwar Kumar lbw with a wrong ‘un in the 16th over that cost

After doing a good job behind the stumps, Rahmanullah Gurbaz eased himself in with the bat in what was his first outing this season.

Phil Salt had left the IPL

over, when he speared in a yorker that struck him flush on his boot and would have cannoned into leg stump.

But KKR decided against a review and SRH went on to finish the powerplay on 45 for 4. Only twice in 14 innings have SRH scored fewer runs in the powerplay in IPL 2024.

Tripathi counters KKR Tripathi, who kept his place at No. 3, repaired SRH’s innings with a

power with invention to manufacture scoring opportunities. He whacked Arora over midwicket, and ramped a bouncer from Harshit Rana for six. He reached his fifty off 29 balls when he reverse-swept Varun for four.

Rahul Tripathi hit a vital fifty off 29 balls, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Qualifier 1, IPL 2024, Ahmedabad, May 21, 2024

Rahul Tripathi hit a fifty off 29 balls• Associated Press

half-century. He combined

Form vs funk in RCB vs RR ...

Dayal has a good match up against Jaiswal in T20s: 11 runs off 12 balls for two dismissals.

Yashasvi Jaiswal inside edged on to his stumps, Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2024, Guwahati, May 15, 2024

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s poor run has coincided with Rajasthan Royals’ downturn in fortunes•BCCI

Pitch and conditions

The pitch for the Eliminator will be a different strip from the one used for Tuesday’s Qualifier 1. There is no rain forecasted in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, and it’s likely to be extremely hot, with daytime temperatures of 40-45°C reducing to only between 30-35°C in the evening. Whether there is dew or not will depend on the gulf between the

FROM PAGE 22

day and night temperatures. The range of scores also vary significantly depending on the surface. There was only one match with 175-plus scores in the first four league matches in Ahmedabad, but the last two league games had scores of 200 for 3, 206 for 1 (RCB), 231 for 3 and 196 for 8. RR have not played a game in Ahmedabad this season. (ESPNCricInfo)

Tripathi, however, could not press on, as Russell capitalised on a mix-up to run him out for 55 off 35 balls. Tripathi was so distraught that he sat on the stairs in Ahmedabad with his head buried in his knee for a long time. That image of Tripathi summed up SRH’s night.

Varun’s variations

Heinrich Klaasen had taken Sunil Narine for 16 off eight balls, but KKR’s other mystery spinner, Varun Chakravarthy, struck in his first over to cut Klaasen’s innings short on 32 off 21 balls. Varun darted one into

KKR just one run.

It was Varun’s 40th wicket in 27 IPL innings since the 2023 season started. No other spinner has more wickets than Varun during this period.

At 126 for 9 in 16 overs, SRH were in danger of being bundled out for a sub-140 total, but Cummins’s 30 off 24 balls dragged them to a more respectable 159.

Varun Chakravarthy finished with 2 for 26 off his four overs, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Qualifier 1, IPL 2024, Ahmedabad, May 21, 2024 Varun Chakravarthy finished with 2 for 26 off his four overs• Associated Press

KKR ace the chase

Sunrisers Hyderabad (20 ovs maximum)

BATTING R

Travis Head b Starc 0

Abhishek Sharma c Russell b Arora 3

Rahul Tripathi run out

(Russell/†Rahmanullah Gurbaz) 55

Nitish Kumar Reddy c †Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Starc 9

Shahbaz Ahmed b Starc 0

Heinrich Klaasen †c Singh b Varun 32

Abdul Samad c SS Iyer b Harshit Rana 16

Sanvir Singh b Narine 0

Pat Cummins (c)c †

Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Russell 30

Bhuvneshwar Kumar lbw b Varun 0

Vijayakanth Viyaskanth not out 7

Extras (nb 2, w 5) 7

TOTAL 19.3 Ov (RR: 8.15) 159

Did not bat: T Natarajan

Fall of wickets: 1-0

(Travis Head, 0.2 ov), 2-13 (Abhishek Sharma, 1.5 ov), 3-39 (Nitish Kumar Reddy, 4.5 ov), 4-39 (Shahbaz Ahmed, 4.6 ov), 5-101 (Heinrich Klaasen, 10.6 ov), 6-121 (Rahul Tripathi, 13.2 ov), 7-121 (Sanvir Singh, 13.3 ov), 8-125 (Abdul Samad, 14.4 ov), 9-126 (Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 15.6 ov), 10-159 (Pat Cummins, 19.3 ov) • DRS

BOWLING O-M-R-W

to link up with the England side, and Gurbaz slotted into his role and picked off 23 off 14 balls. He hit four boundaries, and when he aimed for a fifth, T Natarajan had him holing out in his first over.

Three overs later, Cummins bounced out Narine for 21 off 16 balls, but KKR’s openers had already done enough damage in the powerplay by slashing 63 runs off their target.

The Iyers - Shreyas and Venkatesh - then struck up an unbroken 97 partnership for the third wicket off only 44 balls, to turn their chase into a cruise. Along the way, both batters posted half-centuries, and it was the captain Shreyas who finished it off in grand style in the 14th over with a sequence of 6, 4, 6, 6 off Head. (ESPNCricInfo)

Mitchell Starc 4-0-34-3

Vaibhav Arora

Kolkata Knight Riders (T: 160 runs from 20 ovs) BATTING R Rahmanullah Gurbaz †c Viyaskanth b Natarajan 23 Sunil Narine c Viyaskanth b Cummins 21 Venkatesh Iyer not out 51 Shreyas Iyer (c)not out 58

Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer added 97 off 44 to take KKR home

Rahmanullah Gurbaz came in for Phil Salt and hit 23 off 14

Rahul Tripathi was a relieved man after scoring his halfcentury

Mitchell Starc picked up wickets off consecutive balls in the fifth over

Spankhurst, Stolen Money lead earnings from horse racing

The top horse of the Jumbo Jet Racing Stables, Spankhurst, and the champion horse of the Simply Royal Racing Stables, Stolen Money, are currently Guyana’s top earners for the year 2024 after competing in five races.

According to calculations, Spankhurst has earned G$4.5 million, while Stolen Money, who got the better of Spankhurst in the last race meet held in April, has earned G$4,45 million.

Horse of the year for 2023, Spankhurst, has had four starts this year, and has secured two first places.

Stolen Money has had five starts, having raced on

each race days for the year thus far, and has recorded two first places.

Underdog horse Bossalina has had starts in

two races, and is ranked as Guyana’s third top horse in 2024. Bossalina has earned

G$2.5 million, having recorded one first place and one third place in the two

starts she has had this season.

Country Rock sits in fourth place, the threeyear-old having had three first places and one second place in four starts. Country Rock has earned G$1.750 million.

Firecracker rounds out the top five horses after five official race days in 2024, having secured two first places in the two starts he has had, and having earned stakes equivalent to G$1.375 million.

Form vs funk in RCB vs RR winner-takes-all

On April 21, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lost a 200-plus chase to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by one run, their seventh defeat in eight games, leaving them last in the league. As a familiar feeling of despondency shrouded their season, ESPNcricinfo outlined how they still had a chance, improbable though it was.

Since then, RCB have had a resurrection. RCB didn’t just win six in a row; they won by massive margins of 35 runs, 24 balls to spare, 38 balls to spare, 60 runs, 47 runs, and by 27 runs to improve their net run rate and rise above three other teams on the same points as them, to make a dramatic last-minute dash into the playoffs.

A couple of days after RCB had begun their revival, Rajasthan Royals (RR) cruised to their eighth win in nine games. They had owned No. 1 for weeks, and were favourites to finish there. There was absolutely no sign of what was to come. The fall began insidiously, a one-run defeat in a 200-plus chase, a 20run defeat in another 200plus chase, both results so easily attributed to the vagaries of T20 cricket. Even when their batters were muzzled on a slow pitch in Chennai, their captain, Sanju Samson, didn’t think they were playing bad cricket. But when it happened again in Guwahati, there was no denying their “failures”.

Despite losing four in a row, though, and having their final league game washed out, RR would have still finished No. 2 had Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) not won their last game. That’s how strong a safety net they had built

with all those early wins. It wasn’t strong enough, however, to give them a second chance of making the final.

Team news and Impact Player strategy Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) brought Glenn Maxwell back into the XI for their previous game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), after Will Jacks returned to England; and he scored 16 off 5 balls and took a wicket with the first delivery of the defence on his way to figures of 1 for 25 in four overs. Expect them to be unchanged, with one of Rajat Patidar and left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh starting in the XI, and the other coming in as Impact Player, depending on whether they bat or bowl first.

Likely XII: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Faf du Plessis (capt), 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Mahipal Lomror, 8 Swapnil Singh, 9 Karn Sharma, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Mohammed Siraj

Rajasthan Royals

RR won the toss in both their previous full games, but lost after making subpar totals. Are they batting first to make the most of their Impact Player strategy: six batters and five bowlers in a batting first XI gives them the option of a sixth specialist bowler for the chase, if they don’t need to bring in an extra batter in the first innings. If they choose to field with six specialist bowlers in the starting XI, they leave themselves with only six specialist batters for the chase. In Chennai, they swapped out Dhruv Jurel for fast bowler Nandre Burger after the first innings. Against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Guwahati, however, they brought in Donovan Ferreira as an extra batter in the first innings because of a collapse.

While Shimron Hetmyer, who hasn’t played since May 2 because of injury, was reported to be fit for RR’s last league fixture, he was not named in the starting XI or the subs’ bench for the seven-over contest that was eventually washed out before a ball was bowled. If

he is fit for the Eliminator, he could come in for either Rovman Powell or Ferreira.

Likely XII: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Tom KohlerCadmore, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Dhruv Jurel, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Trent Boult, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal, 12 Rovman Powell/Donovan Ferreira/Nandre Burger

In the spotlight: The difference between RCB and RR

The upshot of Kohli and Faf du Plessis’ fast starts, Patidar’s demolition of spin through the middle overs, and Cameron Green and Dinesh Karthik’s finishing have resulted in RCB’s run rate jumping from 9.54 in the first half of the season to 11.03 in the second half, the best in that period. During their six-match winning streak, RCB have been scoring at a strike rate of 170 in the powerplay, 174 in the middle overs, and 199 at the death; and go into the Eliminator with nearly all of their batters in prime form.

Their bowlers have complemented this surge

Money Time is in eight while Jessica’s Pride and She WBO On Time are the other horses to complete the top 10 horses in Guyana after five official race days.

The next race day is billed for July 1 at the Port Mourant Turf Club. That race will be a preview of the Jumbo Jet’s Guyana Cup which will be run off on August 19 at the Rising Sun Turf Club. Horses will use the July 1 race as much-needed competitive preparation for this marquee event in August.

Creemore, another horse of the Simply Royal Racing Stables, sits in sixth place, while Easy Time is seventh, having started in only one race this season, and recording a second-place spot.

in batting form by improving their collective economy rate from 10.70 (the worst in the league) in the first half of the season to 9.22 (second best) in the second half.

RR, on the other hand, have scored at a run rate of 9.07 in the second half of the season, which is the lowest among the ten teams. Their top four batters, who had a collective average of 50 and a strike rate of 153 in the first nine games, aren’t as prolific anymore either. In their four successive defeats, that average has dropped to 31.66, and the strike rate is down to 133.42. Yashasvi Jaiswal has 32 runs in his last three innings, Samson had 33 off 34 balls in his last two, and Buttler’s replacement opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore made 18 off 23 in his only match ahead of the Eliminator. Only Riyan Parag has remained in form, and RR will hope he gets support above and below him in the batting order.

Stats that matter

Sandeep Sharma was injured and did not play the only RR-RCB fixture this season, where Kohli made that unbeaten hundred. He’s got Kohli out seven times in 15 T20s while conceding only 87 off 67 balls.

Kohli has a powerplay strike rate of 187 in his last eight innings, which has raised his overall strike rate in the first six overs to 162 this season, his best in any IPL. Yash Dayal had been playing a crucial part in RCB’s revival long before he denied CSK in that thrilling final over in Bengaluru. He’s taken eight wickets in their

six successive wins with an economy of only 7.78, which is sensational considering he bowls at the death.

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Stolen Money is ranked second among Guyana’s top 10 horses

Despite a recent defeat, Spankhurst is still Guyana's leading horse

Rajasthan Royals

Golden Jags in two-week training camp in Brazil

The Golden Jaguars are currently on a two-week training camp in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as they gear up for their first 2026 World Cup Qualifier match against Panama on June 6.

The camp, which has been organised and hosted by the Rio de Janeiro StateTransport Secretary Washington Reis, commenced on May 19 and involves 28 home-based and international players. The invitation for the team camp was extended by Reis and facilitated by Guyanese businessmen Faizal Khan and Kabir Khan to provide the senior men’s national team, the Golden Jaguars, with a new environment to hone their preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

During the camp, the

While the rains carried out the works of Mother Nature, lifters competing at the 2024 edition of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation’s 2024 Intermediates and Masters Championships rained down records and commendable individual performances in the Auditorium of the Saint Stanislaus College on Brickdam, Georgetown.

Witnessed by former powerlifter and now Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues; Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle; Deputy Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Cristy Campbelle; and Guyana Olympic Association President Godfrey Munroe, among other dignitaries, athletes and fans alike were treated to a full day of heartthrobbing performances.

Emerging as the best lifters in the Female and Male Intermediates Classic divisions were Alexis Williams and Duarte Hetsberger, while the best lifter in the Male Masters Classic was Marlon Wilson. Williams, contesting the 57kg Women's Open Raw category, set a new Squat record on her way to winning the class and the overall trophy on the day. The new Squat record is 110.5kg. She registered a best Benchpress of 52.5kg, Deadlift of 132.5kg, and a Total of 295.5kg.

Hetsberger was unstoppable in the 83kg Men's Open Raw competition, taking the gold medal from Irshaad Ali (silver) and Justin Persaud (bronze) while also setting

Jags will be thoroughly tested in four matches against the following clubs: Fluminense FC, the reigning champions of Brazil's National League and winners of the Copa Libertadores in South America; Flamengo FC, celebrated as one of Brazil's premier clubs with the second-largest global fanbase; the CAXIAS FC, Reis’s second-division club; and Club America, whose president is Brazil's former superstar striker Romário de Souza Faria, who is now a senator. The Brazilian official said he is delighted to be able “to host the Guyana national football team, as the start of building stronger relationships between Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Georgetown, Guyana.

In response, GFF

President Wayne Forde shared that the Federation welcomes partnerships that contribute to the progress of football, ranging from grassroots initiatives to our national team programme.

“I want to thank State Transport Secretary Washington Reis for inviting our national team

to train in Rio de Janeiro. This opportunity allows the Golden Jaguars to prepare for the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign in a new setting and with the opportunity to play against formidable opponents within Brazil's club system.

“The GFF is investing heavily in these crucial pre-tournament camps,

which are essential to the evaluation and selection of the final squad. The generous hosting support being offered by Secretary Reis will contribute significantly to the impact of this camp. This is truly a fine example of the power of partnership and the huge benefits we can derive from these multi-stakeholder initiatives," Forde has said.

Businessman Faizal Khan said, “I am happy to facilitate this opportunity, as this is the type of public-private collaboration that will build long-standing footballing and business relationships between both Guyana & Brazil. I commend President Ali for supporting this project through the Ministry of Sports, as well as the GFF

for accepting our invitation.”

Golden Jaguars Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz has said the games against the Brazilian clubs would undoubtedly help the players get into the correct mindset to start their World Cup journey. He said he would use the training period to "develop a distinctive playing style within our tactical framework, both in possession and out, during transitions and set-piece scenarios, while fostering a strong team spirit and confidence among the squad, enabling the players to deliver their optimal performance for Guyana."

Following their match against Panama on June 6 in Panama City, the Golden Jaguars will take on Belize in Barbados on June 11.

new Benchpress, Deadlift and Total records. His best Squat was 177.5kg, Benchpress 142.5kg, Deadlift 237.5kg, and Total 557.5kg.

While not adding to the list of records broken, The Masters overall winner, Marlon Wilson, took gold in the 93kg Men's Master 1 Raw with best lifts in the Squat 210.0kg, Benchpress 120.0kg, Deadlift 272.5kg, Total 602.5kg.

The other record breakers on the day were: Norman Brady, who competed in the 83 Men's Master 4 Raw (squat, deadlift, total); Matthew Maycock, who competed in the 83 Men's Master 1Raw (squat); and Farouk Abdool, who competed in the 120+ Men's Master 2 Equipped (squat).

GAPLF President Franklin Wilson congratulated all the athletes and officials for making this year’s competition the success it was, and expressed profound gratitude on behalf of the members to Minister Rodrigues as well as Ninvalle, Campbelle and Munroe for coming out to support the athletes.

He also expressed thanks to musician and former powerlifter Herbie Marshall and Max Messiah of Maxido Adult Self Defense System for their support. He informed that the Federation would commence plans for its next competition from this week, while also informing that plans are well in train for Guyana to participate at the Annual World Classic Open Powerlifting Championships slated for June 15 – 23, 2024

in Druskininkai, Lithuania. Guyana would be rep-

Squat 117.5kg, Benchpress 50.0kg, Deadlift 150.0kg, Total 317.5kg

2nd 69kg Women's Open

Raw - Mariah Bacchus: Squat 115.0kg, Benchpress 52.5kg, Deadlift 110.0kg, Total 277.5kg

1st 76kg Women's Open

Raw - Grace Jarvis: Squat 102.5kg, Benchpress 55.0kg, Deadlift 120.0kg, Total 277.5kg

1st 76kg Women's

Master 1 Raw - Grace Jarvis: Squat 102.5kg, Benchpress 55.0kg, Deadlift 120.0kg, Total 277.5kg

Male Winners

1st 83kg Men's Junior

1st 74kg Men's Open

Raw - Trevor Callender:

resented by Carlos “the Showstopper” PetersonGriffith and Dominic Tyrell.

Following is the full list of results:

Female Winners

1st 69kg Women's Junior

Raw - Mariah Bacchus: Squat 115.0kg, Benchpress 52.5kg, Deadlift 110.0kg, Total 277.5kg

1st 57kg Women's Open

Raw - Alexis Williams: Squat 110.5kg, Benchpress

52.5kg, Deadlift 132.5kg, Total 295.5kg

1st 69kg Women's Open

Raw - Ronessa McAdam:

Raw - Irshaad Ali: Squat 160.0kg, Benchpress 95.0kg, Deadlift 170.0kg, Total 425.0kg

2nd 83kg Men's Junior

Raw - Justin Persaud: Squat 140.0kg, Benchpress 92.5kg, Deadlift 162.5kg, Total 395.0kg

1st 93kg Men's Junior

Raw - Omali Vancooten: Squat 235.0kg, Benchpress 130.0kg, Deadlift 205.0kg, Total 570.0kg

2nd 93kg Men's Junior

Raw - Oslen Batson: Squat 205.0kg, Benchpress 125.0kg, Deadlift 215.0kg, Total 545.0kg

Squat 110.0kg, Benchpress 90.0kg, Deadlift 165.0kg, Total 365.0kg

1st 83kg Men's Open

Raw - Duarte Hetsberger: Squat 177.5kg, Benchpress 142.5kg, Deadlift 237.5kg, Total 557.5kg

2nd 83kg Men's Open

Raw - Irshaad Ali: Squat 160.0kg, Benchpress 95.0kg, Deadlift 170.0kg, Total 425.0kg

3rd 83kg Men's Open

Raw - Justin Persaud: Squat 140.0kg, Benchpress 92.5kg, Deadlift 162.5kg, Total 395.0kg 1st 93kg Men's Open

Raw - Omali Vancooten:

Squat 235.0kg, Benchpress 130.0kg, Deadlift 205.0kg, Total 570.0kg

2nd 93kg Men's Open

Raw - Oslen Batson: Squat 205.0kg, Benchpress 125.0kg, Deadlift 215.0kg, Total 545.0kg

3rd 93kg Men's Open

Raw - Nigel Duguid: Squat 200.0kg, Benchpress 117.5kg, Deadlift 207.5kg, Total 525.0kg

1st 105kg Men's Open

Raw - Sereste King: Squat 185.0kg, Benchpress 125.0kg, Deadlift 227.5kg, Total 537.5kg

1st 83kg Men's Master

1 Raw - Duarte Hetsberger: Squat 177.5kg, Benchpress 142.5kg, Deadlift 237.5kg, Total 557.5kg

2nd 83kg Men's Master

1 Raw - Matthew Maycock: Squat 205.0kg, Benchpress 107.5kg, Deadlift 237.5kg, Total 550.0kg

1st 93kg Men's Master

1 Raw - Marlon Wilson: Squat 210.0kg, Benchpress 120.0kg, Deadlift 272.5kg, Total 602.5kg

1st 66kg Men's Master

2 EQ - Franklyn BrisportLuke: Squat 125.0kg, Benchpress 75.0kg, Deadlift 150.0kg, Total 350.0kg

1st 120+kg Men's Master

2 EQ - Farouk Abdool: Squat 275.0kg, Benchpress 182.5kg, Deadlift 272.5kg, Total 730.0kg

1st 74kg Men's Master

2 Raw - Trevor Callender: Squat 110.0kg, Benchpress 90.0kg, Deadlift 165.0kg, Total 365.0kg

1st 83kg Men's Master 4

Raw - Norman Brady: Squat 75.0kg, Benchpress 70.0kg, Deadlift 115.0kg, Total 260.0kg

Golden Jaguars

Athletes and officials of the GAPLF posing with Minister Susan Rodrigues following the presentation of trophies and medals

Female Intermediates Classic

Overall winner Alexis Williams receiving her trophy from Minister Susan Rodrigues

Duarte Hetsberger, Male Classic Overall winner, was all smiles as he received his trophy from Minister Susan Rodrigues

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy touched down in Guyana on Tuesday afternoon for the local trophy tour, amidst a cultural explosion at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.

In signature Caribbean style, ICC T20 World Cup Head of Public Relations and Communications, Damon Leon, disembarked a Caribbean Airlines’ flight with the coveted accolade in tow.

Greeted by an infusion of drums and dance at the airport’s arrival lounge, many patrons present, in-

cluding staff at the establishment, had the opportunity to take their photo opportunities.

While there, Assistant Director of Sport (ADoS), Franklin Wilson, was on hand to receive Leon and the Trophy, as he promised Guyana will put on a grand show for the next few days.

Wilson remarked, “This is a historic moment for us here in Guyana. Of course, you know we pride ourselves in putting on the best in hospitality and otherwise, and this is our turn to shine and we want to do so in a huge way.”

Meanwhile, Leon touched on the significance of the Trophy tour mak-

ing its way to the Land of Many Waters.

“The trophy being here in Guyana is truly a momentous milestone for Guyana, and by extension the West Indies. The trophy actually began its worldwide tour in New York back in March, where we had Chris Gayle and Ali Khan lighting up the Empire State Building,” the World Cup Head of Public Relations and Communications shared.

Leon further stated, “Guyana is the final stop in the West Indies before it heads back out to the US for the first set of games in the US next week. So, we do expect that Guyana

is going to sort of bring this leg of the Trophy tour down with the style and flair that we know that you will.”

Following the arrival at CJIA on Tuesday afternoon, the Trophy made its way to State House on Main Street, Georgetown. Today the Trophy will make an appearance at the iconic Kaieteur Falls, and during an engagement with the First Lady Arya Ali. Tomorrow, Thursday, two public engagements are planned for the World Cup Trophy. First, the Trophy will be taken to the St. George’s Cathedral, where scores of school-age children

will have the opportunity to see the trophy, then the Trophy will be taken to the Kingston Seawall

OEsplanade, where fans will have the opportunity to win tickets for the global event in Guyana.

il giants ExxonMobil Guyana and the Petra Organization on Tuesday signalled their intent to value teachers and coaches, as they outfitted those who would be steering teams in the upcoming ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ Under-14 Football Tournament.

Ahead of the tournament’s official commencement this Saturday, the teachers and coaches were presented with their official, spanking new uniforms at the National Library in Georgetown on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, Petra Co-Director Troy Mendonca spoke of the value that the teachers and coaches add to the smooth running of the tournament. “We thought about this, because we want to grow together. We want our programmes, which hinge a lot on teachers and coach-

es, to have their part…in a very serious way,” Mendonca shared.

The member of the organizing body went on to add, “Over the years, we’ve been engaging you guys at the team briefing and probably individually. At the end of the day, it’s a school football tournament, we have to listen to you guys, we are the coordinators, but we understand

that without your input, sacrifice, and dedication, it is not the programme we set out to do.”

Sharing similar sentiments was ExxonMobil’s Community Relations Advisor Ryan Hoppie, who expressed to the teachers gathered, “It is because of the commitment and dedication, I’d like to say of all of you here today, that we are at the

place that we’re at -- about to kick off the tournament. And I thank you for your investment, the effort and resources that you’ve placed in this tournament, to ensure opportunities as well as safe spaces are created for our youth through these tournaments. I mean, I can’t underscore how important it is to ensure that the support from teachers, coaches, managers, par-

ents and communities are not just taken for granted. It is invaluable to the success of these tournaments, but also to the development of our children.

“It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child, and you here are all part of that village, you’re part of that community; so don’t take it lightly that the investments made today are

moulding them and helping them to shape a brighter future. This is more than just football. This is discipline, it’s respect, it’s love, it’s patience; I dare say a whole lot of patience. The sacrifice, and I believe that our boys and girls can attain anything positive that they set their minds to achieve,” Hoppie went on to state.

The ExxonMobil U14 Boys’ and Girls’ tournament will kick off this Saturday, May 25th, at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, Carifesta Avenue. The tournament will begin in the group stage. After the high, the top teams and likely beat second place teams will advance.

The tournament is sponsored by ExxonMobil, Stenna Drilling Ltd, MVP Sports and Demerara Distillers’ Limited (DDL) under their Pepsi Brand.

A snapshot from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy's arrival in Guyana (Jemima Holmes photos)

ExxonMobil’s Ryan Hoppie and Chase’s Academy’s Oronde Chase displaying T-shirts in the presence of organizers and other teachers and coaches who have received uniforms