Guyana sends relief items to hurricane ravaged Grenada
–– President Ali meets regional leaders, local officials to coordinate response –– UN calls for ‘strong’ international solidarity
Guyana’s first shipment of relief aid to Grenada in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl was handed over to the island’s Minister for Climate Resilience, the Environment, and Renewable Energy Kerryne James, by Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Colonel (Ret’d) Nazrul Hussain at the Maurice Bishop International Airport on Tuesday. The relief items include generators, water purification tablets, batteries, hygiene items, and other necessities (CDC photos) Over 400 acres of black-eye peas, red beans to be cultivated –– as Guyana eyes self-sufficiency, regional market
‘We have never shied away from problems’ –– Dr Singh underscores PPP/C government’s commitment to Guyanese despite challenges Norton rubbishes talk of Nigel Hughes being the coalition’s ‘consensus candidate’ –– says any such person must come from the PNCR Guyana continues to count on OAS’ support in border controversy with Venezuela – Minister Todd
Guyana sends relief items to hurricane-ravaged Grenada
— President Ali meets regional leaders, local officials to coordinate response — Grenada PM confirms ‘complete devastation’ of Carriacou and Petite
Martinique, two deaths
— ‘immense destruction, pain, suffering’ facing St. Vincent
IN the wake of significant damage and infrastructure destruction, and reports of fatalities, Guyana’s President and Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Irfaan Ali on Tuesday morning convened an emergency response meeting with regional leaders to evaluate the initial losses incurred by Hurricane Beryl.
This came a day after Dr. Ali, in noting the destruction the Category 4 storm has already caused, called for regional solidary and a coordinated response that involves the private sector.
Following the meeting with the regional leaders, he, along with Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips and other officials, met at State House to dis-
cuss Guyana’s response. PM Phillips has since been tasked with leading the coordination efforts, which will involve the mobilising and dispatching of relief supplies among other initiatives.
Grenada, which has suffered significant damage, has since received relief items which include generators, water purification
tablets, batteries, hygiene items, and other necessities from Guyana.
In a statement, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said that in response to the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl across the Caribbean region, President Ali has swiftly mobilised a collaborative response through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the
GDF to provide essential supplies to Grenada.
As part of the initial response efforts, the GDF deployed an emergency relief flight to Grenada early Tuesday morning. The flight, 8R-GWJ, departed the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at 09:30 hrs with Colonel Naz-
President Dr. Irfaan Ali
President Ali and Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips, along with other officials meeting on Tuesday to discuss Guyana’s response to the massive devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl in several Caribbean islands (OP photo)
Chairman of CARICOM and Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and regional leaders discussing the response to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Beryl (OP photo)
In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 90 per cent of the houses have been damaged (Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves’ photo)
Guyana sends relief items to...
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rul Hussain, Director- General of the Civil Defence Commission and a threeman flight crew commanded by Major Lloyden Layneand and second-in-command Major Daryl Britton along with the third crew Sergeant Dexroy Fields. They arrived in Grenada at 11:55 hrs where the essential supplies were delivered.
According to the GDF, the mission underscores the commitment to providing immediate assistance and support during times of crisis.
“This humanitarian effort is not the first for Guyana, as the nation was actively involved in relief efforts during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Such experiences have fortified the GDF's readiness and ability
to respond effectively to natural disasters within the region. The GDF continues to work closely with regional and national emergency response agencies, including the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, to coordinate relief efforts and ensure timely support reaches those in need,” the statement said, adding that together with regional partners, the Force is committed to overcoming the challenges brought forth by this disaster and ensuring the safety and well-being of all affected communities.
DEVASTATION
Meanwhile, during a
press conference, which was broadcast live on Tuesday, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell confirmed that at least two fatalities have been recorded thus far.
“There is widespread destruction; the possibility of more fatalities is a reality,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that Carriacou and Petit Martinique are completely devastated, and officials are currently unable to use heavy equipment, since fuel is in short supply due to the destruction of gas stations.
“The north of the island has suffered significant damage and destruction,” he said.
Additionally, St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves had said that Hurricane Beryl has left the island in “immense destruction, pain, [and] suffering.”
The Prime Minister said many houses, schools and other government buildings, churches and church-owned schools have been “severely damaged or destroyed”.
“Union Island has been devastated. The reports that I’ve received indicate that 90 per cent of the houses have been severely damaged or destroyed,” Dr. Gonsalves was quoted as saying.
There has also been one confirmed fatality on that island.
Over in Barbados, several fisherfolk have been severely affected. There are also reports of badly damaged boats.
On Tuesday morning, Beryl morphed into a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm churning towards Jamaica.
It was later downgraded to a Category 4 storm, which was what it was when it hit Grenada and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Beryl is expected to bring life-threatening winds and storm surges to Jamaica today, and impact the Cayman Islands tomorrow. Hurricane watches have been issued for the Cayman Islands.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has reported that the threat of a possible direct impact has increased, as the current official forecast puts the system to the north, thereby increasing the chances of the eye of the hurricane passing over the southern section of the island.
The severe storm is expected to make landfall on the island early today, with heavy rainfall, possible hurricane-force winds across the island, dangerous storm surges, and battering waves along coastal areas of mainly the southern parishes.
On Monday, President Ali made a passionate plea for regional unity, and a wholistic approach to the destructive hurricane.
“As Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), I express deep concern and continued anxiety over the passage of Hurricane Beryl through our region. Initial reports have indicated significant damage and destruction to infrastructure and private property in some territories. As this weather phenomenon roars its way through the Region, we must continue to brace ourselves against the effects of high winds, storm surges along sea coasts, and heavy rainfall,” he said.
Over the weekend, Beryl became the Atlantic Basin’s earliest Category 4 storm, shattering Hurricane Dennis’ record set on July 7, 2005. Beryl is also the first Category 4 hurricane recorded in June. The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30.
Several regional flights have been postponed, as many of the major airports have also closed their doors. CARICOM’s 47th Regular Meeting of Heads of Government, scheduled for Grenada from 3-5 July, has been postponed to a date to be determined.
Guyana’s first shipment of relief aid arrived in Grenada on Tuesday morning. The items include generators, water purification tablets, batteries, hygiene items, and other necessities (CDC photo)
Haiti: Violence displaces one child every minute, reports UNICEF
CONTINUED violence and instability in Haiti have resulted in the displacement of over 300,000 children, with an estimated one child being displaced every minute since March, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, highlighted the horrific impact of violence on children and adolescents.
“The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before our eyes is taking a devastating toll on children. Displaced children are in desperate need of a safe and protective environment, and increased support and funding from the international community,” she said.
Across the country,
an estimated three million children are in need of humanitarian assistance, against a backdrop of years of political turmoil, widespread poverty, rampant disease and multiple disasters.
FACING HEIGHTENED RISKS
Displaced children in Haiti face heightened risks of violence, including sexual assault, exploitation, abuse and family separation. Their access to essential services such as safe spaces, healthcare, and clean water and sanitation is severely disrupted.
Poor hygiene conditions in camps and makeshift settlements increase their susceptibility to diseases like cholera, while school closures and economic constraints driven by
the violence have forced many children to abandon their education. Furthermore, with few other means of survival or protection, children are increasingly forced to join armed groups – a clear violation of their rights and a breach of international law, UNICEF stressed.
DANGERS CONTINUE TO GROW
Compounding these challenges, devastating hazards wreaking havoc across the country.
Haiti’s National Emergency Operations Centre has warned of a “hyperactive” cyclone season, further threatening the already vulnerable displaced population.
Last month, a tornado in Bassin Bleu, Northwest Department, destroyed the homes of 650 chil -
dren.
The crippled healthcare system that was barely able to cope with demand before the latest escalation of violence will have to contend with a rainy season that is expected to continue to worsen the situation, threatening to spike water-borne diseases, UNICEF warned.
“The needs in Haiti continue to grow, alongside the dangers for children,” Ms. Russell said, adding that everyone has a role to play to change the trajectory, and ensure that children are protected, have education and can access basic services.
“Children should not be paying with their lives and their futures for a crisis created by adults,” she said. (UN)
A mother sits with her children in an IDP site in Léogâne, on the outskirts of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince (UNICEF/Maxime Le Lijour photo)
Solidarity and brotherhood
AS the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) observes its 51st anniversary, some turbulent winds are currently blowing across the region. July 1st is designated a national holiday in Guyana and in several other Caribbean countries in commemoration of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas which saw the establishment of the Caribbean Community. Guyana, along with Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago were the signatories to the Treaty and the founding members of CARICOM.
Latest reports indicate that Hurricane Beryl has taken at least three lives so far, not to mention the damage done to buildings and infrastructure in several island states in the path of the storm. According to media reports, the hurricane was particularly severe in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and St. Lucia where thousands of people are without electricity and are living in temporary shelters.
But it is the response by CARICOM leaders that has brought to the fore the true value of Caribbean integration and that sense of solidarity in the face of destruction and death.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who is the current Chair of the Caribbean Community, wasted no time in co-ordinating and mobilising resources to assist those affected by the storm. In a statement released on Monday, President Ali made a strong and passionate plea for regional unity and a holistic approach to the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl which was upgraded to a Category Five storm.
‘I express deep concern and continued anxiety over the passage of Hurricane Beryl through our region. Initial reports have indicated significant damage and destruction to infrastructure and private property in some territories. As this weather phenomenon roars its way through the region, we must continue to brace ourselves against the effects
of high winds, storm surges along sea coasts and heavy rainfall,’ President Ali said.
Storms and high winds are not uncommon to the region especially because of its vulnerability to the effects of climate change, rising sea levels and low-lying island status. And while Guyana, because of its geographic location on the South American mainland are less vulnerable, the need to combat the rise of global temperature levels have not been lost to the Guyana Government which is taking strong leadership roles on climate change, food and energy security. Its Low Carbon Development Strategy (Revised) is now regarded as a global model which, along with deforestation measures, have placed the country in the position as one of the few in the world with net-zero carbon emissions.
Guyana’s role in championing the cause of Caribbean peoples during periods of adversity is extraordinary as
manifested in the moral, material and financial support to countries of the region during periods of adversity and distress. In the case of Hurricane Beryl, Guyana is co-ordinating with all member states to bring about a swift and emergency response to the disaster.
As noted by President Ali, ‘this is a time for all of us as a regional community to stand together and extend our support to those impacted or likely to be impacted by Hurricane Beryl. Let us mobilise the necessary assistance and relief efforts in the true spirit of regional solidarity. Together we can overcome the adversities posed by this hurricane and ensure the safety and well-being of all our peoples and communities.’
Guyanese, like all Caribbean citizens, have much to celebrate as members of a community.
This is true during periods of glory or in times of distress. In the end, we are defined by our collective sense of solidarity and brotherhood
Hughes has disqualified himself from the presidential race
Dear Editor,
I offer my congratulations to Nigel Hughes, the newly elected AFC political leader. Mr. Hughes has, however, immediately disqualified himself from contesting for the presidency of Guyana at the forthcoming General and Regional Elections, or for any other political national leadership post, by declaring that he cannot comment on any matter involving ExxonMobil Guyana, who happen to be a client of his law firm and, worse, by his own admission, a num-
ber of other oil companies operating in the oil and gas industry of Guyana.
Nigel Hughes has tied his own tongue from speaking on any matter with regard to Exxon’s role and function in Guyana’s oil and gas industry other than which he is paid to do on behalf of Exxon.
Mr. Hughes is reported by Demerara Waves arguing that the issue of him representing Exxon Mobil “only arises if and when I become President or acquire a position of power because, then, I am in a position to influence government policy”.
Not so, Mr. Hughes, because, by being unable to independently address any matter on the oil and gas industry on behalf of or representing the people of Guyana, you are in an inexcusable and inescapable conflict of interest.
Mr. Hughes even, unbelievably, goes on to argue that, if elected as President, he will isolate himself from any decision in relation to oil and gas. Then, may I ask, why would any Guyanese in his or her right mind vote for a presidential candidate who disqualifies himself from directly ad-
dressing matters concerning the one major industry from which the country’s financial resources are found and economic future is based?
Mr. Hughes is most certainly amongst Guyana’s most respected and successful lawyers. In court I would rather have him on my side than against me, but, in politics, Nigel Hughes seems to want to have his cake and eat it.
Yours
The PNC/R will never enjoy a clean bill of health
Dear Editor,
IT was of no surprise that, controversies, contradictions and contrivances composed a concoction to conclude the 22nd Congress of the PNC over the weekend. So, the weighty wait is overbearingly over and an obvious ordinance was painstakingly put to bed.
Incumbent Mr. Aubrey Norton, has been elected (by default?), to be the Leader of the PNC party. One news media reported that he won by 140 votes from 166 votes cast. Another media stated that Norton won 1,040 votes from 1,066 votes cast. Was the devil’s advocate deployed to deliberately deliver some damaging displacement, or was the contagious continuity of their DNA corroborated with the consented revelation?
The PNC always has a tumultuous task with calculation and counting. Their bizarre track record for being poor at Mathematics, among other things, ended up with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), having to schooled them in the fine art of dealing with figures. Imagine what would happen if the PNC had to deal with the production of gold, oil, gas and agricultural products and to report their performances to the nation! The question of accuracy will forever drive fear into the hearts and minds of honest Guyanese. The job of cutting and joining bodies require special surgical skills and is not for the PNC.
Making waves was the Congress Administrator, who declared that there were just under 2,000 delegates, according to one media. The said media wrote that the Returning Officer announced that there were 1,300 eligible voters, quite a significant difference. The 1,300 delegates represented 218 groups who came from Guyana and the diaspora. Was there a lengthy process to verify if the dead also voted? The PNC is once more exposing its deficiency in accountability and only confirming that, they are not equipped to expertly deal with the affairs of the nation and unqualified to manage the country’s administration. Remember how the PNC wanted 155 days to complete a recount of 479,4753 ballots cast at the “mother of all elections” in 2020?
The Honourable Opposition Members of Parliament, Amanza Waldron-Desir and Roysdale Forde, according to the media, had withdrawn their candidacy. But the CEO was reported as saying, “that they did not receive any formal withdrawal notice.” How strange when such letters and statements were published in the media. The withdrawal by the other candidates was just a matter of formality. In a published statement, Amanza Desir wrote, “I come to you today to announce my decision to suspend my campaign for the PNC/R leadership. This decision has been incredibly difficult, but it has been made after deep reflection and extensive discussions with my team and close advisor.” Being hurt by your own is more painful than when hurt by others.
The aggrieved MP Desir sited occurrences which created “doubt on the integrity of the leadership selection process.” Apart from a preliminary list of delegates not been made available to her as a candidate “to allow for claims or objections,” all the candidates did not agree “on the procedures for conducting the elections.” There is a standard procedure which governs PNC electoral policies and it’s nowhere near playing fair.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Roysdale Forde, SC, followed his colleague’s footsteps and also withdrew from all nominated positions. In his letter addressed to the Returning Officer, he stated, “For the avoidance of doubt, please note that I Roysdale A. Forde, S.C., hereby withdraw from all nominated positions for the Congress elections to be held on Sunday June 30th, 2024.” Imitation usually follows innovation. Ms. Desir’s initiative was an irresistible open invitation for Mr. Forde.
The agitated Forde registered his annoyance over irregularities within the party’s electoral process. He referred to “allegations of electoral malpractice and procedural flaws” which shadowed the election proceedings and its lack of fairness. He also reflected on “discrepancies with the delegates lists and unrealistic timelines.” He was ignored and his concerns were unaddressed. The odds were even.
The tiger loses its teeth but not the stripes and it’s difficult for the PNC to outgrow bad habits. The PNC party is plastered with plagues and poisoned with promiscuous profanities. Of Couse, their Founder Leader LFSB, the Kabaka, created the pernicious precedent to set the perfect paradigm for his protégés to pattern. His obedient students want to uphold and immortalise such a legacy!
Hope Estate did provide and provoke many hopeless disciples who were infatuated with delusional illusions. Are there more such cravings for the architectural death of the likes of DR. WAR? How about a couple of PNC
ministers and the goodly father? The two periods under PNC administration ended with the bankruptcy of the economy. Any possible third time will complete the inevitable hat-trick in order to upkeep the PNC tradition.
The question of decency is disillusioned and diluted within the code of ethics in the PNC party. Despite the sexual harassment allegation by Vanessa Kissoon, Opposition Member of Parliament (Region 10), the next General and Regional Elections in 2025 will feature Aubrey Norton as their presidential candidate.
Dawn Hastings-Williams, the General Secretary, resigned just days before, complaining about humiliating incidents. Geeta Chandan had also resigned from that position. Speculative? Their treasurer, Faaiz Mursalin, had also resigned, claiming racial hostilities towards him and accounting irregularities.
The PNC has once again departed on a disastrous journey, depicting deficiencies and displaying their devious intentions for Guyanese and Guyana. Their election was simply one of ‘more of the same.’
The PNC will never enjoy a clean bill of health because the national, regional and international communities have daubed, defamed and disfigured them with permanent disability, depravity and dishonesty.
Yours respectfully, Jai Lall.
The AFC: The mauling will start right at this minute
WITH the exception of Nigel Hughes who was in constant disagreement with how the AFC was handling power after 2015, the elected leadership of the AFC at its congress, last Saturday, is the same people that destroyed their own party after they used power for themselves and not for the good of Guyana.
The same people that have become political pariahs after their self-destruction between 2015 and 2020 will be the same people headlining the AFC in the 2025 election. There is a traditional saying for such an occurrence – old wine in new bottle. So, David Patterson who told me on the Freddie Kissoon Show that he was giving way to the younger generation has decided to stay.
He is now the Chairman who is deputy leader. Raphael Trotman is now General-Secretary. Cathy Hughes and Khemraj Ramjattan are in the executive. What are these people hoping to achieve in politics and in electoral politics? Their attitude is straight out of the Tennessee Williams playbook. Williams’ characters never wanted to belong to the past so their lives were lived in frightening and tragic delusions.
Most analysts, maybe all of them, including this columnist that assessed the AFC after the last general election felt that if it was going to survive then it had to do a complete make-over. Through an act of exigency, it had to change its leadership. But Saturday, the same faces will lead the AFC into the 2025 general elections.
Now that the congress is over, the mauling will begin. There is perhaps only one Indian face in the executive – Khemraj Ramjattan. The list of the executives has not been announced so there may be another Indian name but as I reported in my column yesterday (Tuesday), the four top office holders are all African Guyanese, thus the mauling of the AFC by its critics has already begun.
Why would the AFC not have at least one Indian in its upper leadership in a country where people are very sensitive about ethnicity? But more importantly how many Indians contested for the available slots. There was no Indian in the contest for leader, chairman and general-secretary.
Is this the AFC that people are going to vote for? As I wrote above, the critical outpouring may have already begun. One comment I saw in the press was about Trotman and the oil contract. I want to discuss Trotman’s position on the general elections of 2020.
He said publicly that the Chief Election Officer (CEO), Mr. Keith Lowenfield, had the constitutional power to compile the votes and make a declaration which is not subject to a decision by any other person in Guyana.
This was comically wrong. The Chief Justice asserted that the CEO cannot be a lone ranger and he is subordinate to GECOM. It was GECOM that refused the CEO’s declaration and ordered him to use the official declaration of the CARICOM supervised recount figures (see my
column in Kaieteur News of Thursday, July 23, 2020 titled “The Lone Ranger” starring Lo Lo and directed by Raphael Trotman.”
Is this the man people are going to vote for? I think Trotman is a liability to the AFC’s electoral chances. When the election campaign begins, we need to remind the electorate what Trotman said about the Caribbean islands during the election disaster of 2020. He asserted because of their smallness with constituencies of 400 and 500 people, they would not understand Guyana’s electoral system. For more on this see my article of Wednesday, July 15, 2020, titled, “The crass ignorance of Raphael Trotman.”
It is because of the poor leadership of people like Trotman, David Patterson, Khemraj Ramjattan, Moses Nagamootoo and Cathy Hughes that observers thought that the AFC after it lost power could only survive if it remolded itself. This was the pathway of the communist parties of Western Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union. In France, Germany and other EU countries the communist parties
in those places changed both their names and leadership.
When the election campaign begins whether the AFC is with the PNC or it contests on its own, it is going to get hammered by the PPP. No doubt the PPP will cite the 2001 dossier that the AFC commissioned and which had these words in it: “The Coalition lost the Presidential and Parliamentary polls after an almost six-month acrimonious National Recount, which ended with a ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice, who intervened despite jurisdictional questions.” There was no acrimonious national recount. The PNC and AFC made it acrimonious. And the use of the words “despite jurisdictional questions” points to the AFC seeing the CCJ as separate from Guyana’s court system. It is part of Guyana’s jurisdiction legal structure.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
Over 400 acres of black-eye peas, red beans to be cultivated
GUYANA will soon cultivate over 400 acres of black- eye peas and red beans as the country looks to meet both the local and regional demands.
This was recently disclosed by President D. Irfaan Ali who noted that the massive food production project will see an investment of close to US$ 3 million.
According to the Head of State, the government was also looking to construct two silos, each with a capacity of 1,500 metric tonnes.
“We should be self-sufficient in these two commodities, and, by the end of 2026, we will be in a position to fulfill the regional market for black-eye peas and red beans,” President Ali said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, in a recent interview with this newspaper, disclosed
that once the country upscales its production, Guyana will be able to begin exporting to Caribbean countries.
“In the Kimbia area, we have started with a local investor there, two investors as a matter of fact to start the production of black-eye peas; Guyana will produce all of it in terms of black-eye beans and red beans and also to export to the Caribbean.”
Guyana is currently the lead stakeholder for agriculture in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
President Ali is the lead head of government with responsibility for agriculture and agricultural development, while the country’s Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, chairs the Ministerial Taskforce on Food Production and Food Security.
In August, the Head of
State led a technical team to several communities along the Berbice River where assessments were done for the large-scale production of red beans and black-eye peas.
At that time, communities such as Tacama, Kimbia, Mara and Moleson Creek were visited as the aim was to bring several acres of land into cultivation before the end of 2023.
“We can produce all the needs for the Caribbean [and so] we are looking to start some cultivation. First of all, we’ll look at the areas in Region One. We are looking to build facilities in Region One as long as the soil type is good there and, hopefully, we can start large-scale production of black-eye peas, coming out of Region One,” Minister Mustapha said recently.
Meanwhile, during a re-
Labour Ministry, Coursera launch BIT
Online life skills portal
THE Ministry of Labour has once again partnered with the Online education platform, Coursera to launch the Board of Industrial Training (BIT)’s Online life skills portal. The launch took place on Tuesday, and is designed to benefit participants of BIT’s skills-training programmes.
Currently, approximately 1,000 participants have already registered for the course. This initiative not only enhances access to On-
line learning platforms but also aims to build the capacity of beneficiaries, preparing them for the workforce.
Emphasised throughout the launch, this free training programme is set to be a valuable resource accessible to all individuals across Guyana’s regions. The Online platform will offer training in four critical areas: Literacy, numeracy, health and wellness, and entrepreneurship.
Upon completing the lifeskills training, beneficiaries can choose an additional complementary programme aligned with their previous technical courses. At the time of the launch, over 115 beneficiaries had already registered for the Online training programmes. This collaboration between BIT and Coursera is designed to add value to existing technical and vocational training, aiming to enhance BIT’s training delivery mandate, and address the technical skills deficit in Guyana.
Interested individuals can visit the Board of Industrial Training at 82 Brickdam, Georgetown, with their Identification Card to register for BIT’s applicant database.
Following this initial registration, applicants’ information will be uploaded to the Coursera platform, where Coursera representatives will complete the final registration stage.
Significantly, upon com-
pleting their programmes, beneficiaries will be referred to the Ministry’s Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA), where they will be matched with job opportunities based on their qualifications, experience, and the requirements of recruiting agencies. Additionally, beneficiaries will receive a certificate upon programme completion.
Earlier this year, BIT held virtual meetings with Coursera representatives to discuss collaboration avenues. These discussions included programme customisation, adaptation of self-paced courses, ensuring course completion, timebound licences, and exploring mechanisms for offline access.
This initiative marks a significant step towards enhancing the skills and employability of Guyanese citizens through accessible and comprehensive Online training.
–– as Guyana eyes self-sufficiency, regional market
cent visit to the community of Baracara in Region Six, the president had announced plans to assist farmers there in cultivating 400 acres of red beans and black-eye peas.
“ We are going to put the tractor and plough to work, but I am not going to accept anything below 400 acres of land in red beans. So, we’re going to put the land to work, we’re going to put the machinery, we are going to put the labour,” he told farmers there.
Coursera representatives
BIT’s CEO Richard Maughn
Norton rubbishes talk of Nigel Hughes being the coalition’s ‘consensus candidate’
–– says any such person must come from
RE-ELECTED People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) leader Aubrey Norton has dismissed the idea of Nigel Hughes being a consensus presidential candidate for the PNCRled A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) at the 2025 General and Re-
gional Elections. Following Hughes’ selection as the leader of the smaller AFC party, there has been considerable discussion within opposition circles about the possibility of his becoming the coalition’s consensus candidate.
During an appearance on “Politics 101”, hosted by
the PNCR
Working Peoples’ Alliance (WPA) member Dr. David Hinds, Hughes responded to the question by stating, “I am open to doing whatever the people of Guyana think is in their best interest in advancing this country. If, in that process, I am identified as the person or one of a group of persons to lead that process,
I am open to it.”
However, in a recent interview with veteran broadcaster Bobby Vieira, Norton pointed out that a Motion passed at the party’s recent
congress determined that the consensus candidate would be the Leader of the PNCR.
He explained, “When I said I’m open to a consensual candidate, if we have to choose a candidate from the PNC, I have no problem with us having a consensual candidate. For instance, somebody like Carl Greenidge, if we think he is good to run and win, we have no problem with him as the consensual candidate.”
Norton further stated, “I believe that as the largest political party in the coalition, the PNCR is entitled to this role. Which political party, having more than 90
per cent of the opposition’s support, would relinquish its power to one with five or 10 per cent? It makes no sense. So, when I speak of a consensual candidate, I’m referring to a consensual candidate within the People’s National CongressReform.”
He emphasised, “I don’t see us as a political party giving the presidential candidacy to a party that has never received 15 per cent of the votes in this country.
What are we saying to our supporters; that we support you, only to bring someone else to lead? That is not a message we can send.”
Public procurement training session held in Region 8
THE Public Procurement Commission (PPC) on June 21 expanded its outreach efforts by hosting a public procurement training session at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC)’s boardroom in Mahdia.
According to a press release from the Commission, the session attracted a number of persons, including
plan preparation, threshold and tender openings and the evaluation process.
According to release, the training was held as part of the Commission’s ongoing public awareness campaign to apprise stakeholders of the rules and procedures governing the public procurement system
“Through the training exercise, the PPC was able
coming weeks.
The PPC said it is eager to continue these training sessions, ensuring comprehensive and effective procurement education throughout each region.
“By expanding our training efforts, we aim to foster a transparent, efficient, and accountable procurement system that benefits all stakeholders and supports
members from various sectors such as the Regional Executive Office, Regional Tender Board, Guyana Police Force, evaluators, engineers, Town Council representatives, procurement personnel, and staff from health, public works, education, administrative, and finance departments within the region.
The training was facilitated by the PPC’s head of operations, attorney-at-Law, procurement specialist, and training officer.
As in other regions already reached during the PPC’s ongoing Regional Training Exercise, the training session covered a diverse range of topics relevant to not only the Commission’s operations, but also the public procurement process, including: The Public Procurement Commission’s role and responsibilities (mission, vision, core values and function, the legislative framework, administrative review and debarment process, the public procurement process, the procurement
to bring clarity to various aspects of the procurement process, including compliance, bid document preparation, administrative review of contracts, evaluation processes, investigation procedures, and publications.
“Participants provided several strong recommendations, highlighting areas of improvement and challenges they face in procurement management within the locality. The positive response from Region Eight emphasises the impact of these sessions, reinforcing the need for continued engagement with participants to gather feedback and identify opportunities to improve the current system,” the release said.
It added that with this engagement in Region Eight, a total of seven of the administrative regions would have received training in the PPC’s aforementioned Regional Training Exercise.
Anticipating future engagements, the PPC is scheduled to deliver similar procurement training in Regions One and Nine in the
sustainable development across Guyana.
“The PPC is mandated by Article 212AA (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana to ‘promote awareness of the rules, procedures and special requirements of the procurement process among suppliers, contractors and public bodies.’
“Additionally, under section 17(2) (c) of the Procurement Act, Cap. 75:03, the Commission is responsible for organising training seminars regarding public procurement,” the release added.
The objective of the training session was to enrich participants with information to improve the public procurement system within their respective entity.
Entities seeking more information or requiring public procurement training may contact the Commission at (592) 226-3729, (592) 231-7306, or (592) 226-2364, or via email at operations@ppc. org.gy.
PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton
The Public Procurement Commission recently held a training session in Mahdia, Region Eight (PPC photo)
‘We have never shied away from problems’
By Trina Williams
THE Opposition’s history of shooting down Guyana’s development has been put on blast by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh, who has firmly said that this current government has never shied away from challenges.
During an interaction with residents of Leonora and neighbouring communities at State House in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), the minister urged Guyanese to compare the track records of the Opposition and the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C).
According to him, his party has worked assiduously to propel the nation’s social and economic growth.
With General and Regional Elections slated for next year, the minister used the opportunity to caution Guyanese about the politicians who are attempting to reinvent themselves, despite their history in office.
After explaining the democratic model of governance and the strong responsibility which lies on the shoulders of the electorate, Dr Singh asked: “So, what did the APNU+AFC government do in office?”
Before he could respond, some residents shouting at the top of their lungs, began listing the struggles that they endured and the failed promises of the previous coalition administration.
Regarding some of the struggles that Guyanese faced, the minister referenced the scrapping of the cash grant for school children initiative by the previous APNU+AFC government.
Dr Singh stated: “Look at the children going to school. We left government in 2015 with a cash grant in place. Every single child going to school was entitled to a cash grant that their parents would collect. We left that. There was no oil. There was no debate about oil. We were already paying a cash grant to the children. APNU comes into government, they didn’t increase the cash grant, they didn’t leave it at the same
level [but] they took it away.”
Notably, the PPP/C administration had promised to improve the support of parents and homes to ensure that children are educated in its manifesto.
It is within this light that the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant was reintroduced.
This year, parents received $40,000 along with the $5,000 uniform allowance, placing over $9 billion into their pockets.
Dr Singh also noted that it was under this current administration that the onemonth tax-free bonus for the joint services was restored.
Among other industries that faced a brutal beating under the previous government, was the sugar industry.
Although the PPP/C government recognised that the sugar industry was facing some challenges, Dr Singh said that this did not stop them from striving to fix it.
“We were grappling with the challenges of the sugar industry. We recognised that the industry had challenges and we were working diligently to fix those challenges and being in government is
–– Dr Singh underscores PPP/C government’s commitment to Guyanese despite challenges
not going to be an easy road. You will have some issues that will be challenging, that will test you as a government. You can’t shy away from those problems.
“We have never shied away,” the minister said.
In 2017, the former coalition government had announced the closure of several sugar estates across the country, leaving thousands of persons without jobs or sources of income. The move saw four sugar estates being closed and over 7,000 sugar workers losing their jobs.
The Rose Hall Estate, prior to its closure, was “home” to some 2,500 sugar workers, but 1,181 of those were retrenched. The remaining workers from the Rose Hall Estate were transferred to Blairmont Estate over in West Coast Berbice and Albion Estate on the Corentyne.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh, speaking to residents at State House in Region Three
Agriculture Minister champions community empowerment, growth initiatives
AGRICULTURE Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha has said that the government will continue to bring equal opportunities to all the people of Guyana and will ensure that all communities are sustainable and play a role in development.
Mustapha made those remarks during a visit to the Santa Aratack community in Region Three, where he highlighted that the President and government have prioritised visiting communities across the country to interact with people and bring development projects.
According to him, this holds significant importance, given that Indigenous communities, along with others, were previously neglected and had their benefits re -
voked by the previous APNU+AFC administration.
However, he said that whilst in opposition, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) had said that it would bring those benefits back and bring development all across Guyana.
“When we went to the electorate of this country, we went with a vision, we went with a promise, we went with a list of commitments… [and] we will ensure that we deliver all those commitments,” he said.
With that, he indicated that it is the philosophy of the government and the President to be hand-on and on the ground and that was evident by President Ali’s presence in that and other villages around the country.
Mustapha said, “He wants to come himself, he wants to listen to you, he wants to empower you, those are the philosophy of our party and the government and that is what the President has been doing, because, when you look less than four years in gov’t we said in five years’ time we will deliver all these commitments to you; less than four years… we have delivered on all the commitment we have made to the people of this country.”
As such, he highlighted some of the commitments made that were delivered, which included bringing back the “Because We Care” cash grant and having it expanded to both public and private schools and even in-
creasing it to $45,000.
The agriculture minister added that every community in the country must benefit from the rapid transformation that was taking place and must play a role in the country’s growth.
With that in mind, he remarked, “We are bringing equal opportunities to the people of our country.”
Meanwhile, Mustapha said that when one looks at Guyana, the country is moving rapidly in every sector as development was being seen and fostered across the board.
“Every single sector we have seen massive allocation budgetary allocation, massive expenditure in these sectors. Why we are doing it? Because we want to modernise our country, we want our country to move up to be a country to be reckoned with,” he emphasised.
On this note, he told residents of Santa Aratack that each community has
to be sustainable and a plan must and will be put in place to ensure that the community becomes viable and produces its own products.
Against this backdrop, he said that the community was ideally located to have tourism and to have agriculture and further have agrotourism rapidly develop there. Further to this, he assured that the government will return to the community soon and follow up on the implementation of plans to ensure that it becomes self-sufficient, viable and contributes to Guyana’s development.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha
Nearly 1.8B adults at risk of disease from not doing enough physical activity
NEW data show that nearly one-third (31 per cent) of adults worldwide, approximately 1.8 billion people, did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity in 2022.
The findings point to a worrying trend of physical inactivity among adults, which has increased by about five percentage points between 2010 and 2022.
If the trend continues, levels of inactivity are projected to further rise to 35 per cent by 2030, and the world is currently off-track from meeting the global target to reduce physical inactivity by 2030. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that adults have 150 minutes of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or equivalent, per week. Physical inactivity puts adults at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, Type 2 Diabetes, dementia and cancers such as breast and colon.
The study was under -
taken by researchers from WHO together with academic colleagues, and published in The Lancet Global Health journal.
“These new findings highlight a lost opportunity to reduce cancer and heart disease, and improve mental health and well-being through increased physical activity,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We must renew our commitment to increasing levels of physical activity, and prioritising bold action, including strengthened policies and increased funding to reverse this worrying trend.”
The highest rates of physical inactivity were observed in the high-income Asia Pacific region (48 per cent) and South Asia (45 per cent),
with levels of inactivity in other regions ranging from 28 per cent in high-income Western countries to 14 per cent in Oceania.
Of concern, disparities remain between gender and age. Physical inactivity is still more common among women globally compared with men, with inactivity rates of 34 per cent compared to 29 per cent. In some countries, this difference is as much as 20 percentage points. Additionally, people over 60 are less active than other adults, underscoring the importance of promoting physical activity for older adults.
“Physical inactivity is a silent threat to global health, contributing significantly to the burden of chronic diseases,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech,
Director of Health Promotion at WHO. “We need to find innovative ways to motivate people to be more active, considering factors like age, environment, and cultural background. By making physical activity accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for all, we can significantly reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases and create a population that is healthier and more productive.”
Despite the worrying results, there are some signs of improvement in some countries. The study showed that almost half of the world’s countries have made some improvements over the past decade, and 22 countries were identified as likely to reach the global target of reducing inactivity by 15 per cent by 2030, if their trend
continues at the same pace.
In light of these findings, WHO is calling on countries to strengthen their policy implementation to promote and enable physical activity through grassroots and community sport and active recreation and transport (walking, cycling and use of public transport), among other measures.
“These new findings highlight a lost opportunity to reduce cancer and heart disease, and improve mental health and well-being through increased physical activity,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We must renew our commitment to increasing levels of physical activity and prioritizing bold action, including strengthened policies and increased
funding, to reverse this worrying trend.”
“Promoting physical activity goes beyond promoting individual lifestyle choice - it will require a whole-of-society approach and creating environments that make it easier and safer for everyone to be more active in ways they enjoy to reap the many health benefits of regular physical activity,” said Dr Fiona Bull, Head of the WHO Unit for Physical Activity.
Collective efforts based on partnerships between government and nongovernmental stakeholders and increased investments in innovative approaches will be needed to reach the least active people and to reduce inequalities in access to measures promoting and improving physical activity. (WHO)
Parents urged to play stronger role in the education system
A MOTHER of two, Brittany Henry, has urged other parents to play a stronger role within the education system to build a robust environment for their children’s success.
Henry made this plea during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) after she uplifted her ‘Because We
Care’ cash grant at the Mocha/Arcadia Primary School on Tuesday.
As she received the grant, the mother noted that the money would be put to good use since it would go towards purchasing the necessities for her children.
During this time, Henry urged other parents to spend wisely and foster a better
relationship with the teachers. She also challenged the parents to learn about the programmes and policies implemented within the school system.
“I am urging parents to do the same and not to only come when it’s time to collect cash grants. I will advise parents to be a support system for both their kids and
the schools at large because that’s our way forward and it will only lead to a bright future for our kids,” the mother of two stated.
Similarly, a mother of one, Grace Bentick, said the financial burden had been lessened and she was grateful.
Bentick’s son just wrote the National Grade Six As-
Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, engages teachers and parents at the cash grant distribution at the Mocha/Arcadia Primary School
sessment (NGSA) and was awaiting his results. The grant will help to purchase the necessities for his new school.
“I’m very thankful. It will come into great use because right now I am not working. And so, I will be able to go and pick up his school clothes when I get his results,” the mother told DPI.
The distribution also saw parents from the Mocha/ Arcadia Nursery and a private school gathered at the primary institution to uplift their grants.
Additionally, a representative from the School’s Welfare Department for the East Bank District, Eulita Browne, noted that a total of 431 pupils are benefitting at the location.
While visiting the school to oversee the process, the Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy, stressed the overarching investments that the govern-
ment has made over the years to better the quality of education for all.
“We are here today with a grant that is now $45,000… We are, as a government, creating the environment in which our children can grow educationally,” the minister said.
The cash grant is now in its fourth year of distribution after the return of the PPP/C government.
He said that the PPP/C government kept its promise to parents by gradually improving the grant to the parents and keeping the investments in the education sector flowing.
“This grant was squashed by the previous administration. They deemed it a waste of taxpayers’ money.
But we revived this programme and we committed in our manifesto to increasing it annually, and to the point where we noted that it would be $50,000 within the first five years of government,” McCoy remarked. (DPI)
Brittany Henry waits to collect her children’s ‘Because We Care’ cash grant
Grace Bentick after uplifting the cash grant for her son
Sod turned for $199M Kopinang Secondary School
THE sod was on Tuesday turned to mark the commencement of construction on a $199 million secondary school for Kopinang Village, Region Eight.
This is according to a press release from the Ministry of Education, which noted that this marked a pivotal moment in Guyana’s educational landscape.
The initiative is part of a comprehensive effort by the Government of Guyana to expand access to secondary education across the country, and underscores an investment in educational infrastructure to the tune of $199,376,751.
“Plans for the Kopinang Secondary School were set in motion following Minister Manickchand’s visit to Kopinang Village last year, where she engaged with local residents and announced the ministry’s commitment to establishing a modern educational facility,” the release said.
This new school is expected to accommodate 250 students upon completion, and will feature amenities such as laboratories like an information technology ‘lab’ and library to ensure a conducive learning environment for students.
According to the Ministry, the Minister emphasised the transformative impact of the school on the community, and added that the children will no longer have to go out of their re-
gion to access education.
The contract for the construction of the Kopinang Secondary School was awarded to Sheriff Construction Inc. following a process of competitive bidding.
The release added, “The establishment of the Kopinang Secondary School not only addresses the educational needs of the community, but also supports local economic growth by creating job opportunities, and fostering community development.”
Further to this, it was noted that the contract forms part of a larger allocation of some $407,659,560 set aside for the construction of secondary schools in Region Eight, which reflects to government’s commitment to enhancing hinterland education.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the sod was also turned for the construction of a new secondary school at Monkey Mountain, also in Region Eight, to the tune of $208 million.
The Ministry of Education has embarked on an ambitious programme to construct several secondary schools across the country, supported by a significant allocation of $74.4 billion for educational infrastructure development and maintenance.
This initiative aims to meet the growing demand for secondary education and foster holistic development nationwide.
Minister of Education Priya Manickchand (third left) and other officials turning the sod for the new Kopinang Secondary School on Tuesday (Ministry of Education photo)
Home Affairs, Human Services Ministries collaborate to combat Trafficking in Persons
IN a concerted effort to combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP), the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security of Guyana have announced a series of initiatives aimed at raising awareness and preventing this heinous crime.
The collaborative efforts were highlighted by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, during an interview with HJ Radio’s Gordon Moseley on Tuesday.
Minister Benn underscored Guyana’s achieve -
ment in maintaining its tier one status in TIP for the fourth consecutive year. He emphasised the importance of awareness, prevention, and prosecution in combating TIP, noting that victims often include children, young females, older workers, and individuals caught in transnational organised crime.
“As a transit point for migrants seeking better opportunities abroad, Guyana faces challenges with trafficking,” Minister Benn explained. “During this period, many individuals may unwittingly find themselves victims of trafficking as they seek to
improve their lives beyond our borders.”
The ministerial efforts are bolstered by a dedicated task force jointly led by Minister Benn and Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud. This task force focuses on enhancing both law enforcement capabilities and the protection of human rights.
Minister Benn also highlighted significant training initiatives, including the recent training of 1000 police officers to better handle TIP cases.
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Secu-
New WHO guidelines to help millions quit tobacco
THE UN World Health Organisation (WHO), on Tuesday, released the first-ever guidelines for those seeking to quit tobacco use, recommending a range of initiatives, treatments and digital interventions.
These recommendations are expected to benefit over 750 million adults who want to quit all forms of tobacco, including cigarettes, waterpipes, smokeless tobacco products, cigars, roll-your-own tobacco and heated tobacco products
“This guideline marks a crucial milestone in our global battle against these dangerous products,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“It empowers countries with the essential tools to effectively support individuals in quitting tobacco and alleviate the global burden of tobacco-related diseases,” he added.
CHALLENGES TO QUITTING
While 750 million tobacco users – 60 per cent of the world’s 1.25 billion tobacco users – want to quit smoking, a vast majority lack access to services to help them do so due to resource limitations and other health system challenges.
Rüdiger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO, emphasised that the struggles people face when trying to quit smoking should not be overstated.
“We need to deeply appreciate the strength it takes, and the suffering endured by individuals and their loved ones to overcome this addiction,” Dr. Krech said.
“These guidelines are designed to help communities and governments provide the best possible support and assistance for those on this challenging journey.”
In its guidelines, WHO laid out a combination of pharmacotherapy and behavioural interventions that can significantly increase quitting success rates.
It encouraged countries to offer these treatments at no or reduced cost to improve accessibility, particularly in low- and mid-
A woman walks past a no smoking sign outside a shopping centre in Bangkok, Thailand (WHO/Conor Ashleigh photo)
dle-income countries.
Treatments include medications such as varenicline, Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), bupropion and cytisine.
For behavioural interventions, WHO suggested brief counselling sessions with health workers – lasting between 30 seconds to three minutes – in a health-care setting.
More intensive care options include individual, group or phone counselling sessions.
“Additionally, digital interventions such as text messaging, smartphone apps, and internet programmes can be used as adjuncts or self-management tools,” WHO added. (UN)
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn rity has been instrumental in training specialists in this field to further bolster their efforts.
Key activities planned for the month include the launch of a new Combatting Trafficking in Persons Act, street sensitisation sessions, a fitness
walk scheduled for July 19th, and a special session to honour survivors of trafficking. Additionally, comprehensive campaigns will be rolled out across all regions of Guyana, alongside a TIP football competition aimed at engaging the youth in the
fight against trafficking.
With these proactive measures, the ministries aim to not only raise awareness but also strengthen their response to TIP, ensuring that Guyana continues to lead in the fight against this global scourge.
Over $566M in cash grants, uniform vouchers to be distributed in Region Two
BRIGHT smiles lit up the faces of parents throughout the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region as the distribution of the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant and the uniform assistance began.
Over 12,584 learners in the region will benefit from this distribution, with more than $566 million expected to be infused into the local economy.
The distribution started on Tuesday and will conclude on Thursday, benefitting parents of children attending nursery, primary, secondary, and private schools.
Parents in Region Two turned out in large numbers to collect the cash grant and the voucher which together amount to $45,000.
Regional Education Officer, Shondelle Hercules, stated that the government, through the Ministry of Education, was committed to ensuring all school-aged children have equitable access to the country’s vast resources
and programmes.
At Cotton Field Nursery, Pamela Kandai, a mother of two, expressed her satisfaction after receiving the
The distribution of the education grant in Region Two has begun. Over $566M will go into the pockets of parents
thankful to the government for such an intervention,” Kandai said.
financial assistance for her children.
“I am happy for this. This money will help improve my children’s lives, and I am
Another guardian, Sabitree Mohan of Fisher Primary School, collected $270,000 for her six grandchildren. She mentioned that her daughter plans to purchase mattresses
and a bed for the children, as well as school items.
“My daughter will buy some items, after which she will take some money and buy a bed and mattresses for the children so they can sleep properly at night,” Mohan said.
A parent from Mashabo, Tiffany Williams, received the education grant for her three children. As a single parent, she expressed her gratitude to the Ministry of Education for the assistance, noting that the money came at a crucial time.
The People’s Progressive Party reinstated the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant upon resuming office in 2020. The programme was initially introduced in 2014 but was discontinued by the previous APNU+AFC government. In 2021, private school students were included in the initiative for the first time.
Each child received $19,000 in 2021, an increase from the initial $10,000 per child. The amount was increased to $25,000 in 2022 and then to $35,000 in 2023 for each child in both private and public schools. This year, the cash grant has been increased to $40,000. Parents are also receiving an additional $5,000 for uniforms.
Pamela Kandai counts the education grant shortly after collecting it
Guyana continues to count on OAS’ support in border controversy with Venezuela – Minister Todd
WHILE highlighting the multifaceted role of the Organisation of American States (OAS) which includes defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, has said that Guyana is counting on the institution’s continued support regarding the ongoing border controversy with Venezuela.
Minister was at the time delivering remarks during the plenary of the Fifty-Fourth Regular Session of the General Assembly of the OAS held under the theme “Integration and Security for Sustainable Devel-
opment in the Region” in Asunción, Paraguay.
During his remarks, Minister Todd noted that the OAS stands as the premier hemispheric institution developed to achieve “an order of peace and justice, promote solidarity, strengthen collaboration, and defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the independence of the American States.”
The ministry said that in this regard, Minister Todd stated that Guyana will continue to count on the support of the OAS as the nation seeks to implement the December 1, 2023, Order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Joint Declaration of Ar-
Minister Todd at the plenary of the Fifty-Fourth Regular Session of the General Assembly of the OAS held in Asunción, Paraguay (Ministry of Foreign
gyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana and Venezuela, while awaiting the ruling of the Court on the valid-
ity of the 1899 Arbitral Award.
According to the ministry, he also welcomed the progress over
recent months in Haiti and reaffirmed the solidarity and commitment of the government and the people of Guyana with the government and the people of Haiti.
Minister Todd further alluded to the current global flashpoints and prevailing geopolitical flux which exacerbate the overall impact of threats to regional security and underscored the importance of countering these threats through concerted action and a regional commitment to enhanced cybersecurity capacity to effectively combat emerging threats.
The minister posited that developing adequate resilience, response ca-
pability, and strengthening the region’s collective security must be a point of common cause for all member states in maintaining the region as a Zone of Peace, the ministry said.
In concluding, Minister Todd called on member states to remain optimistic in working to forge an organisation more grounded in collective aspirations as a hemispheric community, anchored in the principles and precepts of International Law, and more responsive to the imperative of a more secure, sustainable and resilient future for the peoples of the Americas.
UN urges ‘strong’ international solidarity as Hurricane Beryl devastates Caribbean islands
THE United Nations has called for international solidarity with Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and other Caribbean islands hit hard by Hurricane Beryl.
A Category 5 storm, Hurricane Beryl has claimed at least six lives as it barrels through the Caribbean Sea. Initial reports indicate severe damage to homes, infrastructure and power and communications.
UN Spokesperson, Stephané Dujarric, told journalists at the regular press briefing in New York that seven agencies based in Grenada and nine in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines “will be augmented by additional UN emergency teams in the coming days.”
“Logistics are going to be a challenge, given the islands’ dispersal, damaged infrastructure and limited accessibility,” he said.
SOLIDARITY CRUCIAL
Mr. Dujarric added that the Secretary-General is “very much appealing for strong international solidarity” with Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the other islands that have been hit by the hur-
ricane.
“These small island states that the Secretary-General has often visited are again bearing the brunt of natural disasters. And it is critical that we see international solidarity,” he added.
Hurricane Beryl is only just the start of what is forecast to be extremely intense 2024 hurricane season, amid worsening impacts of climate change.
WORRIES FOR HAITI
The UN Spokesperson also voiced concern for Haiti, which was already in a dire situation before the hurricane.
“The security situation is not making it any better. We are prepositioning, we are ready to help as soon as the storm hits and before,” he said.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), aid agencies there are in close contact with Haitian authorities, who have amplified early warning messages.
“UN agencies, of course, stand ready to assist and have already taken anticipatory measures,” Mr. Dujarric said.
EXPLOSIVE
INTENSIFICATION
Also on Tuesday, the
UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) raised alarm over the rate at which Hurricane Beryl intensified from a tropical depression to a Category 3 in 42 hours, and Category 4 in 48 hours.
“This is unprecedented for June but is in line with the recent trend towards very rapid intensification,” the agency said, recalling that such was the case with Hurricane Otis which grew to a Category 5 hurricane overnight and hit the Mexican resort of Acapulco last October.
At least 52 people were reported to have been killed by Hurricane Otis and a further 32 remain missing.
WMO noted “record high” sea surface temperatures, warning that the stage is set for an “especially active and dangerous” hurricane season for the entire basin – Atlantic, Caribbean and Central America.
“It takes just one landfalling hurricane to set back years of socio-economic development. For example, Hurricane Maria in 2017 cost Dominica 800 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” said Ko Barrett, WMO Deputy Secretary-General. (UN)
Satellite image of Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean, a category 5 storm with 165-mph winds as of 8:00 AM on July 2, 2024 (NOAA photo)
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER
(Wednesday July 03, 2024)
CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)
Answers to yesterday’s quiz:
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(2) Andre Russell-29 wickets (29 matches)
Today’s Quiz:
(1) Who are the ICC T20 Champions 2024?
(2) Who has been declared Man of the Tournament for ICC T20 World Cup 2024?
Answers in tomorrow’s issue
SOUTH AFRICA
RACING TIPS
KENILWORTH
08:30 hrs Fairfield
09:05 hrs Steinbeck
09:40 hrs Bereave
10:20 hrs Dumbledore
10:55 hrs A Thousand Kisses
AMERICAN RACING TIPS
DELAWARE PARK
Race 1 Two Minute Lick
Race 2 Utterly Enchanting
Race 3 Docsgotallthecandy
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Race 8 Brysons Option
IRISH RACING TIPS
TIPPERARY
12:05 hrs She's Quality
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ENGLISH RACING TIPS
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09:30 hrs Colocol
10:00 hrs Crystal Guard
10:30 hrs Without Delay
11:05 hrs Shine On Brendon
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12:15 hrs Cuban Rock BATH 13:00 hrs Second Collection
13:30 hrs My Delilah
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15:10 hrs Foinix
15:45 hrs Khangai
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Blue Water Shipping Under-15 Girls’ National Secondary School Championship…
St Ignatius Secondary claims title
ST IGNATIUS Secondary recorded a dramatic win over Waramuri Primary Top in a pulsating penalty shootout on Sunday evening to seize the championship title at the inaugural Guyana Football Federation-Blue Water Shipping Under-15 Girls' National Secondary School Championship.
Fans at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank Demerara on June 30 enjoyed an exciting day featuring six matches, highlighted by two semi-finals where St Ignatius Secondary defeated Santa Rosa Secondary 1–0 with goal from Priya Leonard in the 9th minute.
Meanwhile, Waramuri Primary Top overcame Bartica Secondary 2-0. Allia Henry found the net in the 12th minute, while Keysi Austin contributed an own goal.
The final, broadcast live on GFF social media platforms, delivered a compelling clash between the top teams from Regions One and Nine. Despite a goalless draw at the end of the official 20-minute match time, both sides exhibited robust attacking and defensive tactics, with assured goalkeeping performances on full display.
However, St Ignatius Secondary clinched a thrilling victory in a nail-biting penalty shootout, scoring three goals to Waramuri Primary Top’s two. Teammate Sonia Simon won the MVP award, while goalkeeper Shontell Jobe took home the Golden Boot.
In the contest for third and fourth place, Santa Rosa Secondary recorded a 2-0 victory over Bartica Secondary to secure the trophy.
Veronica Chatta, who led the tournament with 19 goals, scored in the 16th and 29th minutes.
In addition to trophies
Blue Water Shipping Under-15 Girls’ National Secondary School Championship winners St Ignatius Secondary
and medals, the champions received equipment valued at over $600,000, with Waramuri Primary Top and Santa Rosa earning football gears valued at just over $450,000 and $379,000, respectively.
During the brief awards ceremony, GFF President Wayne Forde commended all the participating teams stating, "You are all winners."
He congratulated the champions and stressed that "we have witnessed weeks of exceptional football and a championship match that will be remembered for years to come."
The top football official also thanked Blue Water for their ongoing support and acknowledged the Ministry of Education for embracing the federation’s vision for girls in football.
"Plans for a second edition of the tournament are already underway, with new schools expected to register from across Guyana."
Blue Water Shipping Senior Vice President Jennifer Falconer congratulated the GFF on the success of the tournament, stating that her company is "proud to have been the sponsor of this first historic championship with girls’ under-15.”
She shared that the global
shipping brand will "absolutely be happy to participate" in the next nationwide championship.
Marti DeSouza, Deputy Chief Education Officer for Amerindian and Hinterland Education Development, said he enjoyed the competitive level displayed during the championship match, highlighting that it “struck a balance” in showcasing top football players, as both teams originated from the hinterland region.
Meanwhile, Women’s Football Association (WFA) President Andrea Johnson disclosed that standout performers from the tournament have been identified to represent Guyana at the upcoming Concacaf Under-15 event in August.
“I am confident that they will make us proud.” Johnson also urged other teams to remain focused and “return next championship ready to battle again.”
Earlier in the day, the other four quarter-finalists competed for positions fifth through eighth.
President’s College triumphed over Bush Lot Secondary 2-0 to claim fifth place, courtesy of goals from Kimora Edwards in the 8th minute and Rayanna Gounga
in the 29th minute.
Tucville Secondary concluded the tournament in seventh place after prevailing over Queen’s College in a 2-1 penalty shootout.
The competition commenced nationwide on May 4, engaging over a thousand student athletes from 53 schools. It marked the beginning of the competitive phase of the FIFA Football For School Programme (F4S), designed to foster life skills through football.
A total of 138 games were played, resulting in 325 goals scored.
Hinds urging Linden businesses to support sport in the region
FORMER President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Nigel Hinds, is calling on the business community in Linden to support sports.
The former GABA head spoke of his relationship with the mining community through sports, at the conclusion of the recent Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) Senior League Championship final which his company, the Nigel Hinds Fi-
nancial Services Group, bankrolled.
Hinds, a past national player who represented Georgetown in many club and inter-association battles against Linden sides, had fond memories of those encounters.
He told those gathered at the final on Saturday night, “We are here to give back to this community which I am very proud of in so many ways. You are the centerpiece of Guyana. I would like to first recognise the
winners tonight, Victory Valley Royals. Amelia’s Ward Jets competed and they competed in a way that made for an interesting final; but one must admit that Victory Valley Royals have shown over the years to be the National Club Champions of Guyana. So it will take some more training and some more determination, the things that make you a champion, to dethrone Victory Valley Royals.”
Looking at the kind
of corporate support for basketball, Hinds noted, “I must admit what we are hoping for is that we build on this occasion in that Linden will show in many ways that they are the engineers of sports in Guyana. The best athletes have come out of Linden for decades, but yet we don’t have the facilities to support them. And what I would like to do in some way, is to encourage other business people who are from this community to contribute
to sports, and so I say thank you and we look forward to this rivalling the best league for basketball in Guyana, and making Linden the heartland of Imhotep for basketball and other areas.
Hinds added, “I would like to thank Dawn Barker, the President of the LABA and her team whom worked so hard to make this tournament possible, including Shana Chester who has come out here many nights and I saw them mopping
the tarmac when the rain stood over us.”
Hinds through his financial firm has shown his commitment to the improvement of the game in Linden, having sponsored the first, the U-17 Inter schools’ tournament earlier this year and coming on board with this the second tournament to be played since the LABA elected a new body in February of this year. (Joe Chapman)
Arjoon and Verwey win gold at Junior CASA
…U-15 girls sweep podium spots
Avery Arjoon and Nicholas Verwey won gold for Guyana, which secured nine medals in the individual category at the 2024 Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships being held in the British Virgin Islands.
Kaylee Lowe (silver) and Ethan Bulkan (silver) won the other medals, while Safirah Sumner, Emily Fung-A-Fat, Egan Bulkan, Tehani Munroe, and Michael Alphonso Jr. won five bronze medals.
Both Arjoon and Verwey defended their respective titles. Arjoon topped the Girls’ Under-15 by defeating teammate
Kylee Lowe 11-5, 11-2, 11-1, as Guyana secured gold and silver.
Verwey faced a familiar face in Barbadian Alex Stewart in the battle for the Under-19 title and once again, he came out on top in a superb 11-6, 11-9, 11-2 triumph.
Ethan Bulkan had to settle for silver after he got injured in the Under-13 final against Jakob Noblett from the British Virgin Islands at the Junior Caribbean Squash Championships.
Noblett won the first set 13-11, but Bulkan led the second 6-4 when he had an apparent groin strain.
Ethan’s elder brother, Egan Bulkan, will return home happy as he won bronze at his first CASA.
He defeated Barbadian Ethan Cyrus 11-7, 11-5, 11-3 in the U-13 thirdplace match in Tortola.
However, he still has more work to do as he will likely replace his injured brother, Ethan, in the team segment.
Fung-A-Fat also got a big win as they took down the talented Josie Thong 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8.
Munroe won her first individual medal after playing an exceptional match, defeating Jamaican Varenya Singh 11-6, 11-6, 12-10, to win bronze.
Alphonso Jr. got the better of Seth Thong 11-3, 11-9, 11-8 in his Under-19 match, while Sumner got
U-17 bronze by defeating Sarrayah Yearwood 13-11, 11-7, 11-6. The opening ceremo-
ny will be held today, after which teams will move into Doubles and then team events from Thursday to Saturday.
Avery Arjoon in action for Guyana at Junior CASA
YBG’s National Schools Basketball Festival…
Berbice High, Mackenzie High and Queen’s College take wins on day 2
BERBICE High, Mackenzie High and Queens College were the latest winners on Monday when the Youth Basketball Guyana National School Basketball Festival continued inside the National Gymnasium.
In the Under 14 Boys category, President’s College made light work of Skeldon Line Path 19-5 with PC’s Romarion Wolfe leading the way with 8 Points, 5 Rebounds and 5 steals.
Queens College next downed Berbice High 2919 points, thanks to Darren Dublin (11 Points) and Jared Boucher (8 Points and 10 rebounds).
Berbice’s Avion Kesney had 17 Points and 5 rebounds in a losing cause.
St Rose’s High also defeated the YBF academy team 26-8 through a good showing from Brad Cush (10 Points) and Malachi Atwell (5 Points and 13 rebounds).
The Under 18 boy’s category saw Berbice High over-
coming Chase’s Academic foundation 42-33.
Berbice played well to dominate the city side by 9 points with Cayden Pydana dropping 17 points with 11 points and 7 rebounds from Stefan Carter.
Aberone Collins also contributed with 10 points and 4 rebounds.
Chase’s best player was Anthony Vasconcellos with 10 points and 4 rebounds.
Diamond Secondary went down to Mackenzie High 3020 points.
Mackenzie High led from the front with Reyhan Bakkar scoring 8 points and 10 rebounds while Diamond had a game high 20 points from Benkhai King.
Vryman’s Ervin also stopped Christ church 31-22.
YBG Academy picked up their lone win for the day, a 39-23 points victory over St John’s College.
YBG’s Khalfani McCallister and Stephan Duke each scored 12 Points apiece for
the victory with Jaden Yarde also dropping 10 points.
North Georgetown was also victorious over Queens College by 1 point 30-29.
At the forefront of the win was North Georgetown’s Sean Duncan with 12 Points and 12 rebounds.
Meanwhile on Sunday opening day, the Bishop's High School hammered Skel-
don Line Path Secondary 51-7.
Bishop’s Kemol Pickering hit his stride with 18 Points and 8 Rebounds in the U14 category.
Saint Stanislaus College also edged School of the Nation’s 17-15 points.
In the Girls’ division Queens College beat Marian Academy 12-10 points While
ExxonMobil U14 Football Championship semi-final…
in the U-18 Boys division, Skeldon Line Path took their 33 - 27 win over St Roses High.
Marian Academy also stopped West Demerara 34-23 points with Marion Fiedtkou at the helm with 21 Points.
This year’s tournament sees 45 teams competing in three divisions for national
titles of Boys U-14, Girls U-18, and boys U-18. The 17th edition of the National School Basketball Festival concludes on July 7th and is sponsored by Edward B. Beharry Ltd and G-Boats.
The festival opens daily from 14:00 hours at the National Gymnasium.
Chase and Dolphin boys; Waramuri and PC girls head to finals
THE semifinals of the 5th annual ExxonMobil U14 football championship saw heated action on Monday at the Ministry of Education Ground.
The ladies got things going with their first semi-final as Waramuri Primary Top locked horns with Bartica secondary.
The ladies battled hard on a slightly wet outfield with few goal opportunities on offer until Shenesa Thomas converted a chance in the 43rd minute to give Waramuri Primary Top the lead. That lead, in sweltering conditions would determine the first spot in the final.
Waramuri will have to face Presidents College in the final after they defeated Santa Rosa Secondary by a narrow 2-1 margin.
Santa Rosa Secondary’s Veronica Chatta was the first to the back of the net in the 15th minute before Kimore Williams came to the East Coast institution’s rescue just three minutes later in the 18th with the equaliser.
Williams would complete
the brace in the 30th minute, giving her side the lead and the eventual 2-1 win at the final whistle.
In the boy’s division, Lenora Secondary and Chase Academic foundation locked horns in the first semifinals with the latter coming out on top.
It was a see-saw encounter with Adrian Giddings getting Leonora onto the score sheet in the 6th minute of play.
Chases Academic Foundation found a goal scorer in Akeel Younge who drew the game level in the 21st minute.
Leonora Secondary Keon Grant got his side ahead once more in the 24th before goals from Jaden Tasher (28th) and Mark Glasgow (43rd) gave Chase the equaliser and the go-ahead goal respectively for the 3-2 win.
South Ruimveldt Secondary who have been playing well throughout the competition found a stumbling block when
they faced off with Dolphin Secondary.
Dolphin Secondary’s Tyler Abrams was the difference maker with his goal in the 43rd as the game ended 1-nil to send Dolphin to the finals against Chase Academy. The winning teams are vying for monetary prizes which will go towards school projects.
The winner of the male and female categories will collect $400,000 towards the project, with second place taking $200,000 and third place $100,000.
This year the organisers will also provide school supplies year-long for the male and female Most Valuable Players.
Last year, the Boys from Bartica and the girls from Waramuri Top won the tournament.
The finals are set for Saturday at the Ministry of Education ground.
Organiser, sponsors and players at the opening ceremony of the National Schools Basketball Festival
