Cathy Hughes admits husband called her ‘lowlife’ as libel trial against VP Jagdeo
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips on Friday commissioned two solar PV mini-grid systems at Karaburi and Haimacabra in Moruca, Region One. The Prime Minister expressed his happiness with the commissioning, due to the significance of the projects in enhancing the quality of life, and fostering sustainable development in the remote communities. In Karaburi, the newly-installed 19kW solar PV system, supported by 85kWh of battery storage, will power eight critical buildings in the village. This project follows the earlier distribution of 137 solar home systems to households in the community, which has already improved residents’ daily lives by providing clean and reliable energy. In Haimacabra, a 21.5kW solar PV system with 94kWh of battery storage is now powering seven key community buildings, including the teacher’s quarters, primary school, nursery, hot meals kitchen, and health centre. This project builds on the earlier distribution of 245 solar home systems to households in the village.
Guyana advances crucial discussions with U.S. partners
- as Senior Minister engages various U.S. gov’t officials and agencies on developmental matters
DURING a fourday visit to the United States of America (USA), Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service Dr. Ashni Singh met and held discussions with several high-level officials, as Guyana and the U.S. continue to strengthen their economic and bilateral ties.
The two countries have been partnering in many areas, such as economic growth, trade and development, including enhanced security. The U.S. EXIM Bank has also been partnering with Guyana on its major gasto- energy project, which the Government of Guyana has been working aggressively to bring on stream. When completed, this project will improve reliability, and significantly reduce the cost of electricity in the country; something that is in high demand due to business, infrastructure, investment and housing expansion. It will also unlock the potential of the manufacturing sector in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
During his visit to the U.S., Dr. Singh, accompanied by Guyana’s Ambassador to the U.S. Samuel Hinds, met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary, United States (US) Department of Treasury Michael Kaplan, in Washington DC.
While there, he updated Mr. Kaplan on recent economic developments and prospects in Guyana, and explored opportunities for the two countries to collaborate on matters of shared in-
terest. He also reiterated the Government of Guyana’s commitment to maintaining a favourable macroeconomic environment and strong institutional framework, which will facilitate increased opportunities for U.S. companies to do business in Guyana.
Later, the Senior Minister met with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming, Isobel Coleman in Washington DC. At that meeting, Dr. Singh alluded to Guyana’s overall economic growth of 49.7 per cent, and the non-oil growth of 12.6 per cent in the first half of 2024, representing the fourth successive year of expansion in the non-oil economy at the half-year.
He further outlined the efforts being made by the government to ensure that this sustained strong economic growth redounds to the benefit of all Guyanese. The two teams also explored
several avenues for further collaboration, going forward.
AVENUES FOR CLOSER COOPERATION
Dr. Singh also met with the United States Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Mr. Jose W. Fernandez, and Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources, Mr. Geoffrey R. Pyatt, at the State Department in Washington DC, where discussions focused on a number of avenues for closer cooperation in advancing the agenda for economic growth, and improving the lives of the Guyanese people, including in the areas of energy security, human capital development, and pandemic preparedness in the context of the Economic and Health Dialogue of the Americas.
Dr. Singh further reiterated that the Government of Guyana places the highest level of importance on the special relationship shared with
the U.S., as he used the opportunity to restate appreciation, on behalf of President Dr. Irfaan Ali, and the Government and People of Guyana, of the U.S.’s strong support for the restoration of democracy in 1992, and its preservation during the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
He also thanked the U.S. for unequivocally supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana, in terms of the Guyana/ Venezuela border controversy.
The Senior Minister later met with the Assistant United States Trade Representative for the Western Hemisphere, Mr. Daniel Watson, in Washington DC., where discussions centered on enhancing the trade and investment partnership between the U.S. and Guyana, with him emphasising that the U.S. continues to be one of Guyana’s most significant trading partners, and reiterated Government commitment to
maintaining a strong institutional environment, and a favourable macroeconomic environment conducive to US companies doing business in Guyana.
Then, as Guyana makes further steps into commencing its major gas-to-energy project, Dr. Singh met with the Senior Advisor to the President and Chair, Mr. Larry T. Decker, and other senior and technical officials of the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of the United States in Washington DC. They discussed the bank’s support towards the transformational project, which, when completed, is expected to significantly reduce electricity costs, increase the competitiveness of other industries, and reduce the nation’s reliance on heavy fossil fuels. During that high-level meeting, Dr. Singh also expressed appreciation to the Bank for their continued support of Guyana, and reiterated that the government values
greatly, its relationship with the Bank.
The meetings between Dr. Singh and U.S. officials also included a meeting with the Executive President of the CAF (Corporacion Andina de Fomento Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean), Mr. Sergio Díaz-Granados. During this meeting, the minister explained that the government is open to partnership with CAF, and would like to see the bank play a role in Guyana’s exciting transformation currently underway. The two sides also explored ways in which the financial institution can partner with the government to ensure that the current aggressive infrastructure build-out is financed optimally, and that critical investments are made toward further boosting the economy and diversifying a number of critical sectors in the country.
Dr. Ashni Singh and USAID Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming, Isobel Coleman
Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Mr. Jose W. Fernandez with Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh
Cathy Hughes admits husband called her ‘lowlife’ as libel trial against VP Jagdeo begins
THE libel case filed by Mrs. Catherine ‘Cathy’ Hughes against Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo commenced on Friday, September 6, 2024, before Justice Priscilla Chandra-Haniff at the High Court in Georgetown.
Mrs. Hughes is the wife of well-known lawyer and Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Nigel Hughes, who is also representing her in court. Jagdeo is being defended by prominent attorney-at-law Sanjeev Datadin. The case arose from a comment made by Jagdeo during one of his weekly press conferences on November 23, 2023, in which he referred to Mrs. Hughes as a "lowlife”, among other things. She is seeking in excess of $50M in damages.
On the first day of the trial, Mrs. Hughes was the sole witness and faced extensive cross-examination. Mrs. Hughes testified that she filed the lawsuit because she found the "lowlife" comment offensive and defamatory. She asserted that she had never been referred to in such a manner by anyone else, except occasionally in
Parliament. However, her assertion was challenged when Datadin presented a printout of a Facebook post from December 2023, in which Mrs. Hughes’s husband had publicly referred to her as a "lowlife." Hughes admitted that she was indeed referred to as such by her husband on that occasion.
Mrs. Hughes initially sought to introduce a 50-second clip of the press conference in question, where
Jagdeo allegedly made the "lowlife" comment. However, Datadin strongly objected, arguing that the clip was incomplete and taken out of context, as the full press conference lasted over an hour and a half and included additional remarks about Mrs. Hughes.
Datadin contended that introducing only a short clip was unfair and prejudicial, as it deprived the court of the complete context in which the comment was made. Following legal arguments, the court suggested that the full recording be admitted into evidence.
During cross-examination, Mrs. Hughes conceded
that the full recording revealed Jagdeo’s comments were related to two issues: her incorrect accusation that he had given a “channel” to Venezuela and allegations that she, while serving as a minister, had awarded her company millions of dollars in contracts. Mrs. Hughes acknowledged that the "channel" issue was raised before Jagdeo’s involvement in government and that it was Dr. Barton Scotland who had raised the matter, not Jagdeo. She also admitted that her claims were based on a TikTok video that she did not have and had not introduced as evidence.
Further admissions by
Mrs. Hughes revealed that, while she was a minister, she had signed cheques for her company and approved invoices sent to her ministry by her own company. Despite being aware of public commentary on her actions, she confirmed that she had not sued anyone else for similar statements. Mrs. Hughes acknowledged that Jagdeo had made similar claims but stated she would not sue him because she was aware that he had documentation to support his statements, as seen in newspapers and on social media.
She avoided giving a definitive answer when Datadin asked whether it was
inappropriate or wrong for a minister to award their company millions of dollars in contracts within their ministry, responding only with, "It depends." When questioned about Jagdeo’s comments, Mrs. Hughes admitted that the Vice-President had not mentioned her appearance, gender, or ethnicity during the press conference. The trial is set to continue on September 26, 2024, when Mrs. Hughes is expected to return to the court for further cross-examination by Datadin.
The matter is also scheduled for continuation on October 14, 2024.
Catherine Hughes
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo
Justice Priscilla Chandra-Haniff
500-unit homestead project to offer more than a house to single parents
- facilities to be equipped with shade houses; training opportunities to be extended to beneficiaries
THE Government of Guyana continues to emphasise innovation and productivity as major benchmarks for national development.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali recently provided an update on the homestead project, an ambitious initiative announced in early August during the launch of Building Expo.
The $6 billion project aims to construct 500 homes along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, focusing on single-parent households. These homesteads will be equipped with a shade house and training opportunities, fostering sustainable economic empowerment. Works are said to commence
day, President Ali shared, "As I speak to you, we are concluding plans to develop what we call a 500-homestead facility, where single moms, single parents will realise their dream of homeownership. But at the same time, realising their hope and dream of homeownership with economic empowerment."
The President emphasised the project's economic aspect, stating that, “In every one of those homes, we will be connecting an economic venture. We will be connecting a shade house; where they will be trained to produce food for the market.”
Each plot of land is slat-
6.5 million dollars for a home and then, 4 billion dollars per acre for infrastructure, you will see billions of dollars of investment to support this project."
The government expects significant returns, with each home projected to generate substantial revenue.
As the President outlined, "We are talking about the sustainability of the project, operating in an optimal way. Each one of these homes, when you look at the cost generation, the revenue and cost generation, each one of these homes will be turning over a million dollars every year. That's 500 million dollars. We're talking about a 500-million-dollar industry
soon on the collaborative project, with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Survey, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Human Services all working together.
Addressing a crowd at the commissioning ceremony of the Yarrowkabra Secondary School last Thurs-
ed to feature several coconut or breadfruit trees in the front yard and the installation of a 20 x 40 shade house to the rear of the house.
Highlighting the investment scale, President Ali stated, "First of all, for this community, understand that when we talk about 500 homes, just multiply y about
President Dr Mohamed Ifran Ali
in the agri-food space that we are creating with this investment."
The project primarily targets single-parent families. Ali emphasised, "But outside of that annual revenue, look at what it supports. It supports single-parent-led households. It supports children being empowered to go to school. It supports their economic empowerment, financial empowerment."
He added that this initiative is just the beginning, noting, "Mostly, it will be the single parents from the Linden-Soesdyke Highway and on the East Bank who have applications in the system who are being evaluated now. And this is a model we want to take across the country, to support education, community empowerment, social empowerment, economic and financial empowerment."
we can invest in households to improve productivity."
This homestead project aligns with the government's focus on innovative solutions for housing and economic development. By combining housing with agricultural opportunities, Guyana aims to create sustainable communities that contribute to the country's growth and food security.
The President also hinted at plans to increase national productivity. "Very soon I will be announcing a special programme that will look at every household in the country to see how we can improve productivity, how
The initiative represents a significant step in addressing housing needs while simultaneously empowering single-parent households economically. As the project moves from planning to implementation, it is expected to have a substantial impact on both the beneficiaries and the broader Guyanese economy.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali unveiled this master plan during a recent meeting with several government ministers, technical officials and officials from the banking industry
Access to Education
ONE of the first actions taken by the new PPP/C administration when it assumed office on October 5, 1992, after nearly three decades of PNC dictatorial rule, was to rebuild the country's infrastructure, which at the time was in an advanced state of decay. This was true for government buildings on the whole, but more so for school buildings which, for the most part, were in a dilapidated condition. Hundreds of schools were rehabilitated, and several new schools were built by the new administration. Such was the extent of infrastructural works that the government was criticised by the then PNC opposition for
putting too much emphasis on infrastructural development and on education!
The importance of education and the creation of a conducive and enabling environment for children to learn is of paramount importance. Education is the key to success. This is true both at the individual and at the national level. This is why the PPP/C administration has been putting so much emphasis on education. Only recently, a new secondary school was commissioned by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, which caters for over 1000 students.
The significance of this
school in particular cannot be overemphasised. For the first time, a dedicated secondary facility to accommodate the academic and technical/vocational needs of students in that catchment area has been constructed. This facility now replaces seven ‘primary tops’ along the entire Soesdyke-Linden Highway. These ‘primary tops’ were ill-equipped to prepare students for the CSEC and technical and vocational qualifications. As such, many children were only marking time. The dropout rates from these schools were above the national average.
As noted by President Ali during his address at the
commissioning ceremony, the school will be a transformational force, both at the individual and community levels by upskilling 1019 students with the technical expertise needed to advance Guyana's economy.
According to President Ali, “Through this initiative, we aim to make education accessible to every child, providing enriching, enlightening and empowering learning experiences essential for a modern economy.”
But at an even more fundamental level, it represents yet another leap forward in terms of accessibility to quality education. As pointed out by President Ali, through well-articulated
programmes, students residing in far-flung areas are now able to access similar opportunities in the technical arena like children in the capital city.
This, in essence, is what democracy is about. It is about the democratisation of access to quality education, in order to enable our children to take full advantage of educational opportunities throughout the length and breadth of Guyana; it is about empowering our children to grow and develop their talents and skills to the full limit of their potential.
Knowledge is power. It is not possible to live a life of poverty if one has the facility of education and knowledge.
As the saying goes, one cannot be educated and poor at the same time.
This is why the high emphasis placed by the PPP/C administration on education is so commendable. Gone are the days when education was placed at the backburner by the previous PNC regime. There was a time when expenditure on the military and the para-military was more than the combined spending on education and health. With the return of the PPP/C to office in October 1992, that expenditure anomaly was corrected, and education was once again placed as a national priority.
The non-oil economy is not shrinking
Dear Editor, THE non-oil economy has expanded by 34.5% during the period 20122023. In nominal terms, the non-oil economy has increased from $830 billion in 2012, to $1.267 trillion by the end of 2023. Although the share of the oil economy’s GDP has grown larger than the nonoil economy; this does not mean that the nonoil economy is shrinking or contracting in size or output, a notion that the empirical evidence herein has disproven. One of the minority political parties, namely, ANUG (A New and United Guyana), contends that the non-oil sectors have declined, and that this decline signals the presence of the “Dutch Disease”.
The assertion by ANUG in relation to the “Dutch disease” exposes the party’s ineptitude in their ability to comprehend and apply basic economic concepts. What was described as the Dutch disease is not the
Dutch disease. The Dutch disease has to do with the change in relative prices, viz-à-viz, any sharp appreciation of the exchange rate, which would cause imports to be far cheaper, and exports more expensive, thus internationally uncompetitive. Effectively, the Dutch disease would destroy the manufacturing/export sectors at the expense of the import sectors.
With respect to the notion that the non-oil economy is shrinking relative to the oil economy, this outcome cannot be determined by merely looking at a half-year report or the performance of a single year relative to the previous year. In order to properly determine whether such an eventuality has merit or not, one has to always analyze a time series of dataset, spanning a minimum of ten years. Because there is always a time lag between the implementation of economic policies and the outcome or impact thereof. And similarly, there is a time lag
between the occurrence of uncontrollable eventualities and externalities (exogenous and endogenous factors) and the impact thereof as well.
Having said that, let’s look at a time series of data for the period 2012-2023 (11 years), to ascertain whether the non-oil economy has been shrinking or not.
GDP measures the value of aggregate output (production) in an economy in a specific time frame (usually a fiscal year). In the oil sector, oil production went from 120k barrels per day to over 600k per day in less than four years (reflecting an increase of >400%). This
explains why the oil economy accounts for the largest share of GDP at this time.
As such, it would be prudent to look at the non-oil economy separately to have a broader perspective and a better appreciation on the structure, size, and growth of the economy across all the sectors, especially the non-oil economy relative to the oil economy.
To this end, the charts below illustrate that all of the non-oil sectors: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Mining and Quarrying (excluding crude oil); Manufacturing; Construction and the Services sectors
have expanded by 28%, 16%, 29%, 55%, and 30% respectively.
Overall, the non-oil economy has expanded by 34.5% during the period 2012-2023. In nominal terms, the non-oil economy has increased from $830 billion in 2012, to $1.267 trillion by the end of 2023. Evidently, it would be incorrect to say that the non-oil economy has been shrinking relative to the oil economy.
One has to also be mindful that oil production will peak by 2027-30. And, thereafter, the GDP growth rate will revert to the lower
double- and single-digit growth rates. Cognizant of this reality, the Government is investing in other non-oil sectors, whose share of GDP will eventually increase when oil production will have plateaued. In the final analysis, although the share of the oil economy’s GDP has grown larger than the nonoil economy; this does not mean that the nonoil economy is shrinking or contracting in size or output, a notion that the empirical evidence has disproven.
AS Guyana stands on the precipice of unprecedented economic prosperity fuelled by its significant oil resources, Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Conrad Enill, has emphasised that realising this potential will require careful management of several key challenges.
Enill’s remarks came during a recent episode of the Energy Perspectives Podcast, powered by the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, where he discussed the strategic steps needed to ensure that the country’s oil wealth translates into sustainable and inclusive growth for all its citizens.
The diplomat highlighted that while Guyana’s burgeoning oil industry has the potential to transform the nation’s economic landscape, this opportunity comes with its own set of challenges that must be addressed proactively.
He asserted that energy sector revenue can improve any country and in Guyana's case, it can do so provided the policy pre-
scriptions are implemented correctly, he noted.
“The policy prescriptions have to do with two things: (1) Is the company that is currently involved in the activity globally competitive? That is to say, are the conditions that the government and the country have offered make them competitive; and (2) Are the citizens getting the best return on the investment?”
ExxonMobil Guyana is the operator of the offshore 6.6 million-acre Stabroek Block. Along with its partners Hess Guyana Exploration and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana, a consortium was formed to find and exploit petroleum from the area. ExxonMobil Guyana holds a 45 per cent stake, followed by Hess Guyana Exploration with 30 per cent and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana with 25 per cent.
The problem that Guyana is currently having, according to Enill, is that, although the government feels that these conditions are met, the people, in some instances, "do not feel the benefits as quickly as you see the other things happening."
“For example, you see
a lot of infrastructure. You see a lot of changes to roads and schools and so on. But you may not see directly an increase in people’s lending power simply because what is required in the system, the country has not yet developed. So, there is significant potential for growth. There are significant opportunities if people take advantage of them. But it is only in those circumstances that you would see development of the people as oppose to development of the country…”
He stated that T&T, which has been in the petroleum industry for more than a century, has things to teach Guyana. For example, he said that the Twin Island Republic "got it wrong sometimes" since the nation's development sometimes had an adverse effect on human development.
“In other words, when the country tries to move forward with its infrastructure programmes, goods and services are not keeping [up]with the demand and therefore prices become an issue.
It means, therefore, that the cost of living increases dramatically. The
problem with that is that if you do not have a supply strategy to increase supply, people who are on fixed income will find that the cost of living for them is increasing and in some instances impacting them negatively.”
He continued: “So, on one hand, you basically have the country doing well but you have a situation where citizens are not yet at the stage where they can participate in all that is happening. Because the rate of change is too great. That is one of the challenges that Guyana has to leverage.”
Through several calculated initiatives, the Guyana government is utilising oil profits to propel national growth. Building roads, bridges, and ports is an example of infrastructure development that is crucial to improving economic growth and connectivity.
Furthermore, resources are allotted to enhance healthcare and education, guaranteeing enhanced amenities and prospects for the populace. The government is also concentrating on supplying social services to elevate vulnerable people, supporting small businesses, and increasing the availability of inexpensive housing.
To protect future gen-
erations and ensure responsible management of the nation's newly acquired wealth, a portion of the earnings is directed into a sovereign wealth fund.
To successfully harness its oil wealth, Guyana has adopted a strategic approach that involves prudent fiscal management, robust regulatory frameworks, and transparent governance.
The administration has reaffirmed that the resources of oil and gas will benefit every citizen.
In July, just over US$778.6 million, which represents profit oil and royalties for the second quarter of the year, was deposited into Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF). Sums totalling US$778,637,571.25 were deposited as a result of lifts from the Liza Destiny, Liza Unity and the Prosperity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels offshore Guyana.
Since the first discovery in 2015, the consortium has three projects—Liza 1, Liza 2 and Payara—producing over 600,000 barrels a day.
The prolific Stabroek Block has solidified Guyana’s position as a major player in the global oil industry and the fast-
est-growing economy in the world.
Three other development projects in this block—Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail—are set to begin production in 2025, 2026, and 2027, respectively.
Each project is estimated to generate 250,000 barrels per day, bringing the total offshore oil output in Guyana to more than 1.3 million barrels per day. By the end of 2023, ExxonMobil had made $614.6 billion in profits. That profit occurred at a time when the company’s annual revenue was $1.1 trillion and its overall operating expenses were estimated to be $356.1 billion.
The ExxonMobil-led partnership working in Guyana's Stabroek Block is leading the US$100 million Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI), which is anticipated to last for 10 years.
Launched in February 2021, the initiative is taking a comprehensive strategy to support the country's development across various sectors. This includes programmes focused on building human capacity, advancing education, food security, improving healthcare and promoting sustainable economic development.
Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Conrad Enill
People like Andre Brandli
I WAS livid and still incensed at the shocking fiction of a man who lives in Germany by the name of Andre Brandli who says he has Guyanese blood. People hardly know this gentleman but he bad-mouths the Government of Guyana relentlessly. There are three strands to his political scandalisation.
One is that the 2020 election results should not stand because it was marred by a bloated list in which over 600,000 voted. No one in Guyana, including the PNC, AFC and ACDA has claimed that over 600,000 persons voted in 2020. Two- Brandli is part of that group that believes Guyana should get out of oil because of climate change. Three – he thinks Guyana is saddled with the disaster of racial divisions.
I have criticised the political nonsense Dr. Brandli has written about this country in several columns in the past but his latest letter is highly
repugnant. In what I find to be one of the more barefaced expressions of hypocrisy, Dr. Brandli offered his country of birth as an example for Guyana to follow to help dissolve racial polarisation. And which country is that? Switzerland.
Dr. Brandli can’t be that silly not to know that when he proffered his country as an example, readers in Guyana will google Switzerland to see if should be a standard bearer for Guyana. Switzerland is the least racially tolerant country in Western Europe. Switzerland has more racial divisions than Guyana. In Guyana, no ethnic group is targeted by the security forces for the infliction of violence. This is the opposite in Switzerland where Africans face systemic racist violence by the police. It is incredibly barefaced for Brandli to suggest we can learn from Switzerland.
Brandli goes on to inform readers that Switzer-
land has a sound economy based on its economic rise in the 19th century. That economic buoyancy came through extensive and prodigious corruption in banking. Switzerland’s economy for most of the 20th century rested on the secret holdings of trillions of dollars which came through money-laundering, blood money and the illegal assets of post-colonial dictators. Switzerland has the most secret banking laws of all countries in the world and the reason is obvious – it thrives on illegal assets that it holds in its banking vaults. Brandli has the temerity to offer Switzerland as a democratic model for Guyana when Guyana has a more transparent financial system than Switzerland. If any political party in power in Guyana should ever draft legislation to make banking as secretive as it is in Switzerland then all hell would break loose.
How did Switzerland
come to build up a sound economy through corrupt banking without coming under the microscope of the dominant Western powers after the Second World War whereas, after decolonisation, the economies of Third World countries came under intense scrutiny by the EU and the Americans?
The answer lies in the factor of race in international relations, a subject our scholar, presidential adviser, Professor Randy Persaud has published two books on. You see what happened is that Switzerland was viewed (still is) as part of the White world and Western countries saw no interest in investigating it for corrupt international financial arrangements while the Third World was not given this special treatment.
The secretive banking corruption of Switzerland began to crack after the 9/11
attack on the Twin Towers. President Bush to track down the financing of terrorism turned his attention to Switzerland where a labyrinthine system of banking protected corrupt money that went into financing terrorism.
In 2008, whistleblower, Herve Falciani, put the spotlight on Swiss banks holding illegal money. The Swiss branch of HSBC had to pay the US a fine of $1.26 billion for holding undeclared assets of wealthy Americans. In 2015, Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS came under US sanctions.
For a small country of 9 million people, Switzerland has per capita the largest amount of banks in the world. The reason for this was that the banking system fed the economy and the banking system thrived on holding dirty money. Brandli wrote that Switzerland is one of the
most prosperous countries in the world but stop short of telling us how it became so wealthy. He also did not tell us that for a country that is one of the most prosperous in the world, how much of that wealth, if any, is given to poor countries. Switzerland stays out of the European Union because it cannot risk its banking system to come under the scrutiny of the anti-money laundering regulations of the EU. Years ago I wrote that Switzerland is a rogue nation. I still believe so. Switzerland is no democratic standard bearer for Guyana.
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
Rickford Burke has mastered the art of misleading
PEDDLING lies deliberately and consistently takes a particular set of skills. Rickford Burke has mastered them and even turned his skill into an art form. Whether he suffers from a disorder or is just plain wicked, make no mistake, his goal is to mislead, misinform and stir up racial unrest in Guyana and perhaps even violence from the plush comfort of his New York home.
Burke and his kind feed off the oxygen that I and others might give him. He is undeserving of a response and yet one might ask, why am I writing this column? I am writing because nearly a thousand people in Guyana and abroad, even in Argentina on the other side of South America, tuned in and commented on “Ride Along,” a talk show that featured Burke and his side-kick, Paul Slowe, a former Assistant Commissioner of Police in Guyana.
“Ride Along” is hosted by Junior George, a Grenadian living in Brooklyn N.Y. Before giving Burke more than three hours of almost uninterrupted time on his show that aired on Wednesday, September 4, George described Burke as “a close friend” and heaped praise on his Guyanese pal for bailing him out of legal trouble. The two men bantered about their age and good looks and George reflected with gleeful pride on the time when Burke had invited the U.S. Congressman Hakeem Jeffries for a campaign stop in the basement of his home.
After hearing this bit of banter, my instinct told me that George was
giving Burke a free platform to peddle his venomous hate and outright lies. This was no longer “Ride Along” but rather the “Ride Alone” show with Burke at the helm.
When Kwame McCoy, Minister of Information, called in to address the lies of Burke and Slowe, he was shouted down, rudely heckled, laughed at and called “a propagandist” for the PPP. To his credit, George tried in vain to wrestle control from Burke, but how can you tell “your friend” to shut up and be civil?
McCoy doesn’t live in the suburbs of Brooklyn. He resides in Guyana where hostile journalists with political agendas hurl questions at him and the PPP administration on an hourly basis. McCoy can’t afford to spin lies and tell tall tales with free media nipping at his heels. But Burke and Slowe are not accountable to anyone and can say whatever they like - propaganda galorein the service of a clique in the upper echelons of the PNC and AFC. But friends, particularly those who have a reputation to uphold, have limits.
When Burke repeated a malicious lie that the PPP sent a ‘hitman’ to his N.Y. home to threaten his life, it was a bit too much for his friend George. The man who showed up at Burke’s residence was a process server, a person tasked to deliver and serve legal documents to people involved in court cases and other legal actions. It is a career in the legal field. George asked Burke whether he had a video to back up his allegation. No, said Burke. “I am a former process server and
you were legally served. That is a legal service, you know that,” George flatly told Burke.
“You can’t believe anything this administration says,” Burke chanted. Burke wants everyone to believe only what the truth be damned. Burke repeatedly claimed that the FBI and the NYPD’s 71st Precinct have launched investigations into his allegations that the PPP tried to assassinate him. I’ve covered crime, national security and terrorism for over 30 years as a journalist with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and complaining to law enforcement agents does not amount to an investigation.
Burke’s allegation that the PPP, under President Bharrat Jagdeo’s administration, ordered the execution of 1,400 black men went unchallenged until Minister McCoy called in on a phone line that made him sound as if he was a mile away from a microphone. McCoy was shouted down, interrupted and insulted when he pointed out that Burke’s list of so-called “extrajudicial killings” contains the names of individuals who are alive and well in Guyana. McCoy offered to bring a few of them on a future show if given an opportunity.
Burke persisted, insisting that the United Nations had launched an investigation into his allegation that 1,400 people were killed by PPP death squads. It’s a ‘pants on fire’ lie. To date, there has never been an independent investigation into what exactly occurred during those years. Earlier this year, the United Nations
Human Rights Committee (HRC), in dialogue with the Government of Guyana, asked what progress has been made on the Presidential Commission of Inquiry in investigating extrajudicial killings that took place between 2002 and 2006.
The question should have been directed at the previous administration who promised in 2018 to launch a Presidential Commission of Inquiry, but chose not to. Burke’s allies in the APNU+AFC administration had a golden opportunity to conduct an investigation, but they
were too busy signing away the country’s wealth to a multinational corporation for a half-decent bottle of whiskey.
According to Burke, Guyana’s Attorney General committed cybercrime when he listed the number of crimes that Burke has been charged with in Guyana. With the same breath, Burke accused the PPP of using the “playbook of the Conservatives, Jim Crow and the KKK to silence its critics.” It’s a soundbite designed for the uninformed and like much of what Burke says, it is fatuous.
Burke parades himself as a public policy and political consultant, but his closest friends are well aware that he is nothing but a buffoon. Those who are gullible enough to fall for this wazzock would be wise to demand proof of his alleged degree from NYU Law School.
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.
Guyana’s oversight system ensures ExxonMobil’s operations are kept accountable
AS the rate of oil production increases offshore Guyana, the government has progressively built up an oversight system for offshore production. There is an intricate framework involving several government agencies and stateof-the-art technology, setting a high standard to keep offshore operations accountable.
At the core of the strategy is real-time production monitoring of the Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil produces more than 600,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d). ExxonMobil installed a fiber optic cable for real-time production monitoring. The government approved the installation on the condition that it too would have access to the transmitted data. This data, sent from offshore to onshore facilities, updates every 10 minutes, providing the government with real-time insights into production without the need for human intervention. As new oil developments such as Yellowtail, Uaru, and Whiptail come online, this real-time data monitoring will extend to these projects.
The Guyana government is also involved at every step of the crude lifting process, beginning with oversight over the design of ExxonMobil’s meters.
The Guyana Nation-
al Bureau of Standards (GNBS) calibrates the fiscal meters in accordance with the American Petroleum Institute (API) standard. The GNBS also oversees the offloading of crude from the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. It maintains a presence on each FPSO during offloading to monitor the process, working alongside third-party inspectors who provide oversight on behalf of the crude buyers. This ensures that both parties—the government and crude buyers—have confidence in the accuracy of the volumes being transferred. Additionally, tanker captains are required to verify the volumes and temperatures of the crude.
The government has a dedicated terminal responsible for monitoring crude lifting entitlements. This terminal ensures that the correct procedures are followed whenever a tanker approaches the FPSO for offloading.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) also plays a role, monitoring vessels entering and leaving Guyana’s waters, which is crucial for tracking oil tankers.
Onshore, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has integrated advanced technology into its oversight responsibilities. Through access
to MAXAR satellite imagery, the EPA can monitor for any potential oil spills in real-time. This system adds a proactive environmental safeguard. Regular interaction between ExxonMobil and the government agencies is a key part of the process as well. The government’s various agencies, including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the EPA, hold weekly and monthly meetings with ExxonMobil to review operations. The operator is required to submit daily and monthly production reports, which are further verified through production audits. Data from these is posted online for public perusal. The company also stated that it does not have any objection to the government pursuing an independent monitoring system and will adhere to any regulations the government puts in place. From real-time data transmission to in-person monitoring during crude offloading, the Guyana government has put in place a comprehensive and rigorous system of checks and balances to ensure that ExxonMobil’s operations comply with national laws and international standards. That means that every drop of the resource is monitored and no value is lost.
Selwyn Robertson: Making a difference
SELWYN Robertson is a man on a mission. A footballer/coach and farmer, he is committed to the betterment of his community, starting with the youths he sees 'liming' on the street corners.
club. They meet at the Camptown Youth Centre just across the road from the Camptown Football Ground. His efforts received an unexpected boost during a chance meeting with President Ir-
"I'm about community; and I'm trying my best to do my part,” he told me in a recent interview.
A former national footballer for the Camptown Football Club, Robertson was born in Campbellville, where he grew up playing football. "Football was my life," he said. However, he left these shores for the United States, where he spent 24 years before re-migrating in 2018. Since then, he has been intent on improving the lives of the young people in the area, gathering almost 30 of them, from five years old to teenagers, and forming, once again, a football
undertook to earmark a plot of land and have it cleared, while the youths would contribute their labour and 'sub-up' to get the project started.
Upon learning of the sorry state of the Camptown Football Ground, which Robertson is in the process of rehabilitating with help from Chung Global, the President made several promises.
He promised the government's help to fix the fence and gutters, provide light and washroom facilities, and build stands. True to his word, President Ali visited the ground last Monday, and two days later, technicians arrived to begin work on the lighting.
tion (GLDA) for helping him with artificial insemination for his livestock, which is increasing rapidly.
"This is how I make my living,” he said, announcing that he has now "outgrown" his half-acre plot, and has discussed with President Ali the possibility of acquiring land adjacent to the planned chicken farm.
With a packed day that begins at 03:00hrs each morning, Robertson remains invested in his new club, which he says is now "fully on the move" after its start two years ago.
Plans are afoot to celebrate Camptown
Football Club's 50th anniversary in October of this year. And Robertson has announced ambitious plans of his own to create a Camptown Soccer Academy, with the help of sponsors and the business community.
The former national footballer, who says, "I really get up and try to make a difference," is certainly helping to transform his community, and make it a safe place for the youths who dwell there.
As American Congressman Jeff Warner said, "We are not put on this earth for ourselves, but are placed for each other. If you are there always for others, then, in time of need, someone will be there for you."
It is my fervent hope that folks will indeed "be there" for Selwyn Robertson, who needs all the help he can get to turn his dream of a Football Academy into a reality.
faan Ali on the Georgetown seawall recently. He and some seniors were out there doing their physical warmups when they spotted the President and immediately seized the opportunity to reach out to him. President Ali greeted them, and invited them all to breakfast. They walked together to Demico's Arapaima on Main Street, where they aired their problems to the Head of State.
Right there and then plans were laid for 27 youths to form a group, and, assisted by the government, start a chicken business on the Soesdyke-Linden highway. The President
The coach, who has invested his own money in restoring the club’s facilities with assistance from Guyanese in the diaspora and residents of the area, expressed gratitude to President Ali for his much-needed help. While visiting, the President was taken by Robertson, who also plays steelpan, to a pan yard across the road from the club. The Head-of-State, who has formed a fledgling steelpan band in Berbice, immediately pledged to purchase pans from the local pan-maker, Oliver Prass.
A farmer, with over 180 pigs at his Bachelor's Adventure, East Coast Demerara farm, Robertson spoke of some of the difficulties he has encountered establishing his business, yet he remains undaunted. He was thankful to the Guyana Livestock Development Associa-
Selwyn Robertson
Speak the truth; shame the devil!
RECENTLY, the public witnessed the vile, nasty, and objectionable nature of politics. The public tuned in to Wednesday’s edition of the social media show called ‘Ride Along’, which is supposed to be a Caribbean show with an international appeal.
The show was supposed to discuss Rickford Burke’s accusation against the ruling PPP/C administration, which, he said, “hired a hitman to kill me”. He was going to expose the PPP/C’s wrongdoing, and, of his own volition, use “facts” to do so. Retired Assistant Commissioner Paul Slowe was also scheduled to appear on the programme.
They did appear, as scheduled, but the public was treated to insufferable pain and agony, as events and stories told to the host, Junior George, by Burke and Slowe, took on a life of their own, as they sadly massacred the truth, and insulted the intelligence of their Guyanese audience. Burke and Slowe painted a grim picture of life in Guyana, as they batted for the political opposition, criticising the PPP/C. The public heard the racial undertones and statements which could only be considered racist against Guyanese, directed at every other race here except those who were of African ancestry or descent.
Burke called Guyanese who had a differing view of life “house slaves, slave catchers, and sell-outs”, to name a few of the slurs being thrown their way. At one point, the Minister within the Ministry in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs and Information, Kwame McCoy called in to set the record straight, and to admonish listeners that they were being misled and fed lies. The back-and-forth went on Facebook, Live, with unbelievable things being thrown out that were far from the truth. Minister McCoy and a host of other Guyanese called in to try to take hold of the narrative, but Burke kept interrupting and shifting the goalpost. Then, PNC loyalist and MP, Nima Flue-Bess joined to back up Burke and Slowe. The complete show was pure chaos, and turned into a verbal war, with viewers being angered and left frustrated because, in the trio's haste to fire back at Minister McCoy's points, they made statements which should never come from the lips of any local politician, or politician representing the interest of Guyanese in Guyana or elsewhere.
Minister McCoy might have not totally set the record straight, but he ruffled the trio’s feathers and clipped
their wings. He demonstrated that all Guyanese are willing to stand up to racist and politically inaccurate statements being made by Burke, Flue-Bess, and Slowe.
Firstly, Burke and FlueBess were lying through their teeth; they were peddling the opposition PNC propaganda to mislead their viewers. They hoped they would rile the viewership up by making the allegation that the PPP/C administration is engaged in political and ethnic discrimination. Checks with the Ethnic Relations Commission would prove that neither Flue-Bess nor Burke has lodged any complaint with the Constitutional body. The same result was had from the Guyana Police Force. They’ve never reported a case, but want the public to trust them? Please, tell me they are not serious.
Regarding the alleged hitman who was supposed to kill Burke, the public was left hanging with more questions than answers. How come Burke was able to protest and rally in clear view in the past and recently? After all, that would mean the socalled hitman was not doing his job, because he is still standing, and criticising the government unduly.
It does not make sense. Who is Burke? What is his claim to fame? Who is he representing in Guyana and
the Guyanese Diaspora, legitimately? Or maybe, the PPP/C and their operatives are allowing themselves to be sidetracked and distracted by Slowe and Burke, because, as far as the public records show, one is scared to return here and take the PPP on, and the other one is a disgraced senior policeman who is bitter.
The public is of the belief that Burke may have to get treated soon, because he is having difficulty existing between the real world or reality, and the fictional or imaginary world. His reality does not exist. Further, the facts that he offered up do not exist. Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo never definitively committed this government or any PPP government to an investigation of the murders and crimes that took a toll on society during the early 2000s to 2011 period. He offered ‘his opinion’ on what the parameters of such probes would likely be, if there were to be such an investigation. Burke is clearly twisting the truth and facts. Say it with authority; no one takes him seriously! Ask the
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, former president David Granger, former prime minister Moses Nagamootoo or any Guyanese with an objective mind.
Secondly, George allowed Burke and his playmates to make statements that are far from the truth.
They were engaged in a senseless beatdown of East Indians, businessmen of East Indian descent, and East Indian contractors. African Guyanese were spared the insults and corruption allegations that Burke made via George’s show. It was disappointing, to say the least, to witness this so-called ‘journalist’ stand emotionless or indifferent to these attacks. At times, George’s posture made it seem as though he was co-signing the senseless attacks on the race, businesses and way of life of this group of Guyanese.
To think that a local PNC MP heard the garbage and attacks made by Burke on this platform and chose to ignore them is both telling and appalling. Flue-Bess must be condemned, and other MPs are duty-bound to haul her over the coals. There is no representative of Mocha in Parliament. She represents Guyanese and the whole of Guyana, so her conduct and verbiage need to go far past Mocha, if she is to make sense or have the public’s trust in the culture, youth and sports sectors. She must say if the views, surreptitiously advanced by Burke and Slowe, are her views as an MP and PNC/R Executive Member.
Thirdly, Burke, Slowe and Flue-Bess seem to be getting their political cards from the ole-PNC/R playbook. They are painting a picture of Guyana that is not true. Guyana will never be like South Africa. Guyana will never have a government that is rooted in the principles of Apartheid. Politicians who use the word when debating the situation in Guyana are doing the discourse and country an injustice. They sound foolish and uneducated.
The Guyanese of African
Descent are not in chains; they are not mentally or physically weak. They do not need a shepherd or a martyr. They are politically and ethnically empowered to recognise justice around them, and if needs be will respond by using the system and legal means. Let them stand firmly on their own two feet, and make the case as every other race in Guyana is encouraged to do. That is freedom; that is the modern Guyana that all races are striving towards. Guyana is a melting pot of cultures and people who demonstrate high levels of peace and tolerance. Burke and his cheerleaders are weak and dense if they think that Guyanese can’t see through their racist and outdated clarion call. Guyanese of African descent are tired of old opposition political vampires who use them, abuse them, and throw them by the wayside every time there is an election in sight.
Make no mistake; not one single voter that could change the course of this upcoming election was convinced by ignorance and lies told on George’s platform. They were entertained, but that is where it ended.
Finally, political parties and their representatives must start to talk about the issues that the Guyanese are concerned about in the lead-up to the polls. They must guard against racist rhetoric; they must rise to the occasion and have spirited discussions, debates and conversations. They must argue facts, and tell the truth as freely as they breathe the air. Speak the truth and shame the devil! Guyanese can never lie like Burke, Slowe and Flue-Bess did on George’s social platform! Do not be like these politicians; Guyanese must strive to be very truthful, very demure, and very factual!
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.
Positive mindset, discipline, strong support are key to success
- says top CSEC performer
By Faith Greene
MAINTAINING a positive mindset and discipline are critical when aiming to achieve a major goal. This is the belief of Simran Edmond, who attained 14-grade ones, six grade twos and one grade three at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination.
Simran is one of Queens College’s stop performers. She posited that a main contributing factor to this success is the willingness to put in the work, whether she liked the subject or not.
The elated teen said, “I feel so extremely relieved. I’m sure my fellow students who would’ve written CSEC this year also feel relieved. But relief would be an understatement to the number of emotions I felt when I was made aware of my results. I felt so happy and gratified that indeed, just as the cliché goes, hard work will pay off.”
Simran achieved grade one in subjects such as Mathematics, Agriculture Science, Principles of Accounts, and Biology, among others.
While she performed well, this young achiever noted that the subjects mentioned are ones she did not particularly like, however, it all boiled down to having the discipline to study. In the end, she enjoyed studying these subjects as the knowledge gained will be useful in any future endeavour she
pursues.
School-Based Assessments (SBAs) were also a part of her journey. Simran stated that SBAs can be time consuming and required endless communication efforts with teachers and group members. This, she said, was one of her challenges as SBAs can take away studying and preparation time.
Simran was able to overcome this by being more coordinated with her group members and improving communication with her teachers to ensure the best grade possible. Although she was often overwhelmed during SBA preparation, with the help of her mother and teachers, she was able to overcome those difficulties.
The young woman shared that one of the best methods she used for CSEC preparation was having study partners. Together, they were able to work on past exam papers and explain concepts to each other.
“It was one of the best decisions I made, to have the study partners I did. Additionally, YouTube videos are a great help, and a positive mindset and discipline are integral. Family plays an important role in every aspect, mom helped me find the right balance as she ensured I took healthy breaks and time out from my studies.”
She added, “My family members were extremely supportive of my endeavours. My mother was there with me every step of the
way, whether it was an SBA, or studying. She was my superhero during that time, giving up a lot of work and her duties, basically taking time off from her professional duties. My dad would’ve helped me prepare for my orals and exams even though he was tired from work. He always cracked his unfunny jokes, yet I would laugh my heart out. It was his way of calming me and helping me to stay positive.
“My younger sister Sanjana, who was my biggest cheerleader in this entire endeavour, cheered me on and made me smile through it all. Teachers such as Miss Williams, Miss Mohan, Sir Riaz, Miss Bhoj and Miss Lall among others guided and worked along with me.”
Maintaining a balance was very important to her during her preparation for CSEC. Creating a study timetable using the wisdom of her mother was key in helping her to ensure her time was being used efficiently for relaxation and studying.
With CSEC over, Simran intends to become an attorney, following the footsteps of her parents Joel and Geeta Edmond, along with taking part in her family’s business endeavours.
“Despite receiving these results, there is a lot more hard work still left to be done. This is just the first leg of the journey to endless possibilities. As mom would say, ‘the world is yours to conquer, the sky is the limit’. I plan to prepare for my AS and A levels and attend a university where I can study
law and business.”
To sum it up, Simran advised, “Don’t procrastinate. Work past papers. Your syllabus is your best friend. Everything you need to study is on the syllabus. Work hard and be disciplined. Stay grounded, be humble, have faith, be dedicated, have a strong support group and you will persevere.”
One of Queens College’s 2024 top CSEC Performers, Simran Edmond
Women’s health prioritised in local wellness store
WOMEN’S health and wellness have come an exceedingly far way over the years in the Caribbean; it is a topic that is discussed by women and girls of all ages and backgrounds.
Knowing what products to use and what they contain is vitally important in any woman’s journey to health and wellness.
Women’s Haven, the first female Caribbean-owned organic feminine care brand and product line of its kind, offers a 100 per cent organic personal care product line. This includes sanitary pads and liners, medical-grade menstrual cups, tampons, bamboo wipes, yoni oil, yoni wash, womb wellness tea, all-natural deodorant, vaginal pH test strips, and much more.
It was founded and created in November 2017 by Melesia Adderley, and later joined by Meredith Johnson in April 2018. Women’s Haven has since expanded to what it is today with distributors around the Caribbean region.
It has globally registered/filed trademarks in the Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Bahamas, Jamaica,
and of course, Guyana. Located at 57, Hadfield Street, Georgetown, Women’s Haven-Guyana is the sole distributor of Women’s Haven
products here. The Executive Director, Lexann McPhoy expressed that the company has products available in more than 70 stores in around 10 Caribbean countries, where women from across the Caribbean can benefit from these wonderful products.
Distribution of these products in Guyana commenced in March 2023, however, Lexann related it was distributed on a smaller scale previously.
According to the distributor, “Our testimonies have been a five star all across the board on these products. Women were able to get rid of infections and yeast infections, recurring infections. They're able to use our products to ease period pains and cramps. Women have been able to get their period on a regular basis by using our products. We have a fertility package for women who have those issues and they were able to get pregnant. And so our products range, women can use them, girls can use
them. And our mission is to raise awareness about the dangers of toxic, traditional sanitary products. And so we provide an alternative and a safer alternative for women and girls.”
She revealed, “We constantly have our bundle deals available in-store and online. So that's one of the things that we do to give back to our customers.”
Both founders of Women’s Haven are from the Caribbean and are on a mission to provide education and offer 100 per cent organic feminine care products to women and young girls. They sought to help to make a difference and to improve the feminine health and well-being of women around the world.
The journey began with educating women on the dangers of using toxic traditional feminine care products which can cause the development of vaginal infections, irritations, severe bacteria, can -
cers, fibroids, endometriosis, Polycystic ovary/ ovarian syndrome (PCOS), infertility, among other issues. They promote research for accurate and correct information on feminine care products, and encourage the switch to natural alternatives.
Women’s Haven products are available at several stores across Guyana including, their Hadfield Street location, Dr. Wilburg’s Medical Services at 11 A1 Peters Hall East Bank Demerara, Cost Cutters Supermarket on Farm Public Road East Bank and Sheriff Street Georgetown, DSL Supermarket, among other agents country-wide.
If you are interested in reading more about Women’s Haven, you can visit, https:// womenshaven.com/home to learn all about their products.
Women’s Haven- Guyana can also be found on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @thewomenshavenguyana.
Prison escapee recaptured
PRISONER
c/d
Greaves, who escaped while attending the clinic at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Friday, has been recaptured.
The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) said that Greaves, last known to be residing at Lot 485 ‘A’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was recaptured at around 23:00 hours on Friday by members of the Joint Services. He fled the hospital’s premises around 11:30 hrs. He is being held at the Lusignan Prison for robbery under arms. The GPS has expressed appreciation to members of the public and the Joint Services for the swift response in recapturing the prison escapee.
Isaiah Daniels,
Isaiah
Isaiah Daniels
Women’s Haven Executive Distributor Lexann McPhoy
Transformation and triumph: celebrating BIT graduates
A RECENT batch of trainees from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) are now certified in Electrical Installation, Information Technology and Commercial Food Preparation. The graduates were celebrated on Friday, after completing four months of training at the Buxton Practical Institution Centre (PIC), facilitated by BIT, and held at the Tipperary Hall located at Buxton on the East Coast of Demerara.
Persons known to the graduates (families, friends and village acquaintances) along with officials of BIT and the Ministry of Labour showered the graduates with words of encouragement after climbing further up the skills ladder.
This batch, which comprised 38 graduates, 25 females and 13 males, were trained at the facility, which attracted beneficiaries from Victoria, Belle Vue and Beterverwagting, to better their lives and respective communities.
Attending the ceremony were Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Richard Maughn, Technical Officer with responsibilities for the East Coast, Quinola Legall, Monitoring and Evaluation Officers, Nateica Garraway and Marcel David-Watson, trainers
and other officials of BIT.
Minister Hamilton in his feature address, implored the graduates to properly utilise the skills received funded by the Government of Guyana and BIT.
The minister stated, “We have trained you, now it’s time to promote yourselves, it is your duty and responsibility for people to know you exist and possess the skill. Do not sell yourselves short and more importantly, we have trained in region four, 3,561 persons, representing 42 per cent of the total training from 2015-2019.”
It was further noted by the minister that a remarkable achievement is that women are now entering ‘hard’ skill fields that they were excluded from years ago.
“The Board of Industrial Training do not train by gender, we train people, so any programme, any gender can participate, and we are proud women are thinking out of the box as welders, heavy-duty operators, and so on. Women are doing better for themselves,” the minister highlighted.
With the recent graduation, a total of 12,472 individuals have participated in various Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) programmes, with 7,582 females and 4,890 males.
Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton and the CEO of BIT Richard Maughn with officials from BIT and the graduating class
President Ali urges CARICOM to address declining ‘math’ performance in schools
By Shaniya Harding
THE recent release of the Caribbean Secondary School Examination results has, once again, provided Caribbean countries with an opportunity to assess the region's education sector. A concerning trend across the Caribbean
of Guyana continues to make significant investments in the nation's teachers and implement substantial changes in the education sector.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Yarrowkabra Secondary School on Thursday last, President Ali addressed the nation's education challenges.
and it is now an agenda item for the heads of government in Guyana. That is to tell you the issues and challenges that we face. It is not a Jamaica issue, Barbados issue, Trinidad, or a Guyana issue. It has now become a collective issue that we must address."
Meanwhile, Guyana is
has been the poor performance in mathematics, with the Barbados-based Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) reporting that only 36 per cent of students across the region receive d passing grades for mathematics at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), a seven-percentage point decrease compared to last year.
According to the CXC results, Guyana recorded a Mathematics pass rate of 31 per cent this year, compared to 34 per cent in 2023. Guyana's
He shared that Guyana is not the only country paying close attention to the poor mathematics performance and its potential impact. The President mentioned that Barbados' Prime Minister, Mia Mottley, recently informed him of her intention to present mathematics statistics at the next CARICOM summit, scheduled for February 2025 in Bridgetown, as she believes the region is facing a crisis in mathematics education.
According to the President, this increasingly important top-
launching a plan to develop the sector. As stated by the President on Thursday, he has ordered additional corrective measures to be implemented nationwide.
"Here in Guyana, we have to be innovative. I believe that we have to look at how varied scenarios have affected our results in mathematics, so I've asked the Minister of Education not to wait on the Heads of Government for us to do some introspection, and to look globally at what is available as
President, Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali, views this as a major problem, not just for Guyana but for CARICOM as well. Consequently, he is urging other Heads of State to discuss the issue on an international scale and bring visibility to the topic. Meanwhile, the Government
ic has been added to the agenda of the 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.
As President Ali explained, "The issue of mathematics has now captured the attention of every single Head of State and Prime Minister in the region,
to invest in teachers and schools - the two most vital parts of the education sector. As reported by the Ministry of Education, there are currently 26 secondary schools being built around the country, with many of them slated to be state-of-the-art facilities that will replace ‘primary tops.’
As the President highlighted, more investments are being made in teacher education. He shared, "We are investing in our teachers. We are investing in having high-quality teachers, and we are seeing that more teachers are becoming graduates, graduate teachers having first degrees, master's degrees, and even PhDs.
He further emphasised the impact of initiatives like the GOAL scholarship programme, as more teachers continue to take advantage of them. "And I think we have to applaud our teachers. They are making use of the opportunities, registering for the GOAL Scholarship Programme, and participating in all of our facilities and programmes that we are investing in to make them better at what they do," he said.
The President reinforced the fact that Guyana is taking a step-by-step approach to the education sector, addressing challenges with creativity and innovation, and crafting a stateof-the-art education system that will continue to develop.
Citing the importance of educational facilities like the Yarrowkabra Secondary School, the Head of State said,
"As we continue to invest, as we continue to build these facilities, as we continue to look at the comprehensive life cycle of our teachers, our education system, and our students, we will make the necessary changes, bring in innovation, add creativity, and enhance the system so that the end product will continue to improve.”
tools, to help us to overcome this challenge. There are some important tools that we can utilise instantaneously, and that is why we are investing,” President Ali said.
This focus on improved implementation of mathematics is why the government continues
President Ali interacts with students and teachers at the Yarrowkabra Secondary School
President Ali and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand
President Ali is greeted by children of the Yarrowkabra Secondary school (Delano Williams photos)
- felt mastering two languages was best option for growth after ‘difficult’ return from Venezuela
By Faith Greene
WHEN 75-year-old Ann Savory decided to return to her homeland six years ago, she knew there would be challenges. However, she made up her mind from early that she would do everything she could to not only adapt but to build a new, comfortable life here in Guyana.
Among her top priorities was academics and she did not let her age discourage her and cause her to deviate from this goal.
Savory who was born in Region One and currently lives in Georgetown, successfully wrote two subjects at this year’s CSEC Examinations through Mrs. Ingrid Fung’s evening classes. Mrs. Fung, a retired head-
mistress, is well-known for delivering excellent English results and as she does with all her students, she worked closely with Savory.
Savory who secured a Grade One with straight A profiles in Spanish and a Grade Two in English Language, had lived in Venezuela for many years. In 2018, she decided to return to her country of birth.
“I came back searching for a home. I remembered telling the Customs Officer, I'm like a turtle. You always go back to the place where you were born to die,” she told the Sunday Chronicle recently.
She recounted her challenges and explained the steps she took to rise above them.
“After I returned, it was
tough. You know, it was different. And things changed constantly here. In other words, constant movement, constant change. After I got over, let's say, the first big hurdle which is adapting, I wanted to do something for myself. I wanted to continue growing as they say,” she said.
An elated Savory shared that she thought a good place to start would be to learn the two languages: Spanish and English.
“So, I asked a friend, and she referred me to Mrs. Fung, and I came here. I was skeptical at first, because when I saw the look… it was just children. They could be my grandchildren. But I wanted to, I needed to. I needed to keep my brain functioning. I
needed to not lose sight in a goal, just to keep going, not to stay where I was.”
As sharp as ever and to her surprise she excelled in both subjects. Speaking about her experience, Savory who displayed a passion for success stated that she was very surprised when she found out her results.
“it was just for fun. It was just like, you know, let's play. And then as I got involved, it kept me, it kept my brain [going],” she remarked.
Being an avid reader, she said she was reminded of the importance of reading through these classes. She even challenged herself to read more.
“So, I always walked with a book. Since after
meeting him (Semyon Fung), you know, I have a book with me all the time.
I had stopped, but since August, I promised myself that I should read at least six books between now and December,” she said.
She explained that holistically as a human being, she wanted to keep learning. According to her, life is a journey of learning and she opined that it is important not to lose track especially those are mature like her.
“I live in a compound with the elderly, and I would see them walking, and I would think, they are lost. You know, just how they move. And when I see them, they inspire me to not be that. I don't want to be that.
“So, this is one of the
75-year-old Ann Savory excelled at CSEC 2024, securing a Grade One in Spanish and a Grade Two in English Language (Samuel Maughn photo)
reasons that I've said let me take it in small steps. First CXC. I don't know where I'm going from here, but what I do know is that I will never stop learning. There's so much, so much to learn. So much so that I think one life is not enough.”
Mrs. Fung’s son also taught Savory. Her classes were facilitated by the Minister of Education’s office and the ministry’s Examinations Division.
State funeral for Sir Shridath Ramphal to be held next Saturday
PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has announced that a National Funeral of Honour will be held for the late Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal, OE, OCC, GCMG, AM, on Saturday, September 14, 2024. The state funeral will pay tribute to the esteemed diplomat and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, celebrating his extraordinary contributions to Guyana, the Caribbean, the Commonwealth, and the wider world. The funeral service will be held at the Promenade Gardens in Georgetown, commencing at 15:00 hrs.
Following the service, Sir Shridath will be interred at The Place of the Seven Ponds in the Botanical Gardens, a site reserved for Guyana’s most revered national figures. The ceremony will include full ceremonial tributes befitting his monumental legacy, highlighting his role in preserving Guyana's sovereignty and territorial integrity and his impact on global diplomacy.
The government has invited all citizens to attend the funeral and pay their final respects to Sir Shridath, whose vision and dedication have left an indelible mark on the nation. The government said that his passing marks the end of an era, but his contributions to the country and his influence on the international stage will continue to inspire generations to come.
In a statement, Sir Shridath’s family said that he passed away on August 30, 2024 at the age of 95. He was born on October 3, 1928, in New Amsterdam, British
Guiana (now Guyana).
They said that he was educated at King’s College London and Gray’s Inn, London, and was predeceased by his beloved wife of 67 years, Lady Lois Ramphal, on September 20, 2019.
“His distinguished career spanned numerous pivotal roles: Assistant Attorney-General of the West Indies Federation, Minister of Justice and Foreign Affairs of Guyana, and Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. He also held concurrent positions as Chancellor of the University of Guyana, the University of the West Indies, and Warwick University,” the statement added.
According to the missive, he was the only individual to have served on all the Global Commissions that produced landmark reports on the environment, development, and disarmament between 1980 and 1995. The family said that as Chairman of the West Indian Commission, his 1992 report, “Time for Action,” remains a seminal blueprint for Caribbean development.
“Globally respected, Sir Shridath served in various capacities, including President of the World Conservation Union, Special Adviser to the UN Conference on Environment and Development, and Chief Negotiator for the Caribbean on External Economic Relations.”
He was also a mediator and facilitator in elections and constitutional crises.
As the longest-serving Commonwealth Secretary-General from 1975 to 1990, Sir Shridath was instrumental in the fight against institu-
tional racism in Southern Africa, playing a key role in the termination of apartheid in South Africa, the statement noted.
It continued: “Nelson Mandela once said of him: “He is one of those men who have become famous because, in their
fight for human justice, they have chosen the whole world as their theatre. In his later years, Sir Shridath continued to serve with distinction. At 92, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, he was the first lawyer to appear virtually before the International Court of Justice, representing Guyana in a significant border dispute with Venezuela.”
Sir Shridath was the recipient of numerous prestigious honours, including the Order of
the Caribbean Community (OCC), the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG), the Order of Excellence of Guyana (OE), the Order of Merit of Jamaica (OM), the Order of the Companions of Oliver Tambo from South Africa, Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), and an appointment to the Order of New Zealand, New Zealand’s highest civil honour.
Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal
UG celebrates innovation, youthful excellence at 61st commencement
THE University of Guyana (UG) celebrated its 61st commencement with a day full of innovation and youthful brilliance on Friday last.
Among the incoming class of 3,700 freshmen, three remarkable young students stood out, having exceeded expectations by excelling in their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams one to two years ahead of their peers.
These exceptional stu-
dents, including one young girl, have been admitted to the Computer Sciences programme in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
This marks the first time in the university’s history that three students under the statutory admission age of 17 have been admitted in the same year.
Although UG has made special dispensations for younger students before, this year highlights a grow-
ing trend: the university is increasingly accommodating younger and more academically gifted students, particularly in the fields of computing sciences.
In fact, over the past four years, at least one student under the age of 17 has been admitted each year, with many excelling in their studies.
The admission of younger students presents unique challenges, as academic programmes designed for adult learners
- welcomes gifted students; sets new records in early admissions
must be adapted to meet the needs of these younger, exceptional minds. The Faculty of Natural Sciences, led by Dean, Professor Abdulla Ansari; Head of Computing, Dr. Andresa Morris; and Assistant Dean Dave Sarran, has been proactive in supporting these students, focusing on their technical abilities as well as their social and developmental integration into the university environment.
Despite the challenges, the young students admit-
ted in recent years, with an average age of 15, have adjusted well and achieved high academic standards. This success aligns with UG’s commitment to addressing the educational needs of all students, including those considered “special needs” — a term the university uses to describe both children with learning challenges and those who are exceptionally gifted.
To support these gifted students, UG has developed innovative programmes such as the Early Childhood Centre of Excellence, a lab school launched in 2021 in partnership with CDB and UNICEF, and the RASSR summer programme funded by the Greater Guyana Initiative. These programmes aim to accelerate students from across Guyana, preparing them for higher education well ahead of their peers.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin, emphasised the importance of nurturing all students, especially those who are gifted. “What we do to identify and support gifted children is as important as what we do to support children who have challenges with learning. While we must not force children to perform above their capability, if they can and want to, we must find a way to support, nurture, and celebrate this in a safe and healthy way. Geniuses can come from amongst us too. This prospect delights us at the University of Guyana!” she stated.
The vice-chancellor also highlighted that the decision to admit younger students is based on more than just academic grades. A team of developmental psychologists, quality-assurance staff, and disciplinary specialists reviews each case to ensure that the students are ready for university life. While some
disciplines remain challenging for younger students, UG is committed to finding pathways for these exceptional individuals.
The commencement ceremony, held at the Multipurpose Auditorium at the Turkeyen Campus, was the culmination of a week-long series of orientation sessions that allowed students to engage directly with university officials, faculty, service-unit representatives, and student clubs. The formal opening featured addresses from senior university officials, including Registrar Dr. Nigel Gravesande, Deputy Registrar (ag) Dr. Daniella King, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Engagement Prof. Emanuel Cummings, and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Paloma Mohamed-Martin. Cultural performances by the university's talent ambassadors added a festive touch to the event.
Looking ahead, the University of Guyana continues to prepare for the new academic year, which begins on September 2, 2024. While many programmes are already at capacity, UG has extended the application deadline to September 13, 2024, for those still seeking admission. The university offers flexible attendance options, including face-to-face, online, and blended learning formats, to accommodate students' diverse needs.
The university remains committed to fostering a supportive environment for all its students, emphasising the importance of education, innovation, and personal growth. As UG continues to welcome exceptional, young talents, it reaffirms its role as a leader in higher education in Guyana, dedicated to shaping the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders.
Nabaclis wife killer jailed for 29 years
NABACLIS, East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident, Sherlock James, who, in 2019, killed his wife by stabbing her five times with a knife, has been sentenced to 29 years in jail.
The 59-year-old man had the sentence imposed on him Friday when he appeared before Justice Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the High Court in Demerara. James had initially entered a not-guilty plea for the August 21, 2019 murder of Vinnette Headley-James, 44.
He was convicted after a jury of his peers returned a unanimous guilty verdict. The tragic incident occurred at the couple’s Nabaclis home.
Headley-James, a 44-year-old clothes vendor and mother of eight, was fatally stabbed during an argument with James after he accused her of having an extramarital affair.
The prosecution's brief facts stated that, on the day in question, one of the couple's daughters was holding her six-month-old child when she noticed her father approached her mother, who was in the kitchen and stabbed her with a knife. When the daughter attempted to intervene, James took the baby from her, threw the child on the ground, and then pointed the knife at his daughter.
The daughter fled the house in fear for her life, leaving her father stabbing her mother in the home. After the mother managed to evade James's fury, she was observed bleeding heavily from her neck as she fled
outdoors. She was taken to the CC Nicholson Hospital at Nabaclis where she died while receiving treatment. Her cause of death was determined to be multiple stab wounds.
During a previous hearing, the presiding judge heard an impact statement from the dead woman’s loved ones, reports from a prison welfare officer and psychiatrist, and submissions from attorneys
for the defence and prosecution. When given a chance to speak in court, James said he was sorry.
“The court find me guilty and I am sorry for what go down with me and my wife. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I am asking for mercy,” the crying convict told Justice Ally-Seepaul.
Hewley Griffith, James's attorney, called Headley-James's death a "tragic incident" that was caused by an infidelity accusation. He said that his client's actions had destroyed an entire family and that he would have to accept the repercussions of his behaviour.
Griffith told the court that James has continued to maintain his innocence even
after he was found guilty of the crime. Despite this, he stated that the killer was "very remorseful."
Griffith subsequently implored the judge to temper justice with mercy.
The presiding judge provided a detailed sentencing opinion on Friday, referencing criminal case law to explain how she determined an appropriate punishment for the convict, taking into account both aggravating and mitigating considerations as well as the goals of sentencing.
The fact that Headley-James was defenceless and unarmed when she was attacked in front of their daughter and grandchild, the fact that James was the deceased woman's spouse, the severity of the victim's stab wounds, and the fact that it was a domestic violence homicide were among the many aggravating circumstances she listed.
Justice Ally-Seepaul stated that she could not find any evidence to support Headley-James's infidelity to her husband or mitigating circumstances relevant to the offence.
According to the judge, James "suspected" that his wife was having an affair because of gossip in their neighbourhood. According to the judge, James's use of violence indicates that he was possessive of his wife and that his ego was fragile.
The judge also emphasised that James did not sincerely show remorse, even though he sobbed while addressing the court.
“Even though the jury found him [James] guilty, he’s still insisting that he didn’t kill her and is accusing his daughter of lying on him,” Justice Ally-Seepaul pointed out.
The judge decided that 35 years was a suitable starting point after taking into account all of the previously provided information.
She then deducted one year for the mitigating factors relevant to the offender, which included his favourable probation report and previous clean criminal record. Five years were deducted from the remaining 34 years to represent the period James was held in pre-trial custody. Following these subtractions, the offender's final sentence was 29 years in prison. Attorneys Padma Dubraj and Rbina Christmas appeared for the prosecution.
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RHT NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour cricket team spearheading anniversary celebrations
ROSE Hall Town, Guyana’s smallest town will be a buzz of activities between the 14th to the 22nd of September as the Town celebrates 54 years of attaining this status of Township.
Rose Hall became a Township on the 20th of September 1970 under the leadership of Mr. Hubert Patrick Benn and, over the years, has developed into a modern business centre in the ancient county. The small Township has a population of about 20,000 residents and is the home to award-winning clubs, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports club and St Francis Committee developers.
The calendar of activities starts on the 14th of September under the theme simply ‘the Best’ and have been coordinated by members of the RHTYSC NAMILCO
Thunderbolt Flour Under- 21 and first division teams.
Members of the club and Town Council will start the week of activities with the live TV programme on NTN 26. On Sunday the 15th there will be a cross country race for attractive prices with dozens of athletes expected to participate while the Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy Under -13 team wIll play Guymine later on the same day at the Area H ground.
Other activities for the anniversary planned by the NAMILCO cricket teams are
an essay competition for primary and secondary school learners, poster competition for all levels of schools, a basketball competition, sixa-side football competition, evening of music with the Guyana Police Force musical band, medical outreach, inter secondary school 10/10 tournament, say no to drugs and alcohol march, pictorial exhibition, kiddies fun session, launching of RHT historical leaflet, tribute to outstanding residents, tribute to the long serving municipality workers and honouring of the Township’s top grade 6 and CSEC students.
Other planned activities include presenting the Coral Thrim University of Guyana scholarship to a student while six students will be given the Zabeeda/Sherina Haniff memorial educational bursary award.
The RHTYSC would
also be renaming the bowler run up at each end after four of its greatest players. The northern end would be the Royston and Esan Crandon bowling end while the southern end would bear the name of Assad Fudadin and Kevin Sinclair.
The Rose Hall council is also working along with St Francis to organise an evening of gospel music and an afternoon of reflection with all the residents of the Township. The Township is currently being prepared for the activities with employees of the council placing dozens of national flags on posts across the town.
The activities would be held under the patronage of senior government Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh and the organisers are also working on erecting an ‘I love Rose Hall Town’ monument in the town before the end of the year.
RHYSC Secretary, Hilbert Foster, stated that the Rose Hall Town NAMILCO teams are mandated by the clubs management to organise the 54th anniversary celebration after Mayor Dave Budoo had approached the club for assistance to mark the anniversary.
The club has established a special committee to overlook the calendar of activities under the leadership of Foster. Assistance has been received
from several individuals and companies including Minister Collin Croal, Minister Zulfikar Mustafa, Guyana Breweries Inc, Guyana Beverage Company, Armco construction, J’s printery, Metro Office Supplies, Office Express, Coral Thrim, Region 6 Vice Chairman, Zamal Hussain, Mohamed Raffik, I and R Construction, Bhesam Ramnauth Plumbing, Factory Price, Alim Shaw, NAMILCO,
A. Ally and Sons, Danzie Store, Mohamed Alimed, Jermaine Bagot Construction Firm, Davindra Persaud Construction, NTN Ch26, NCN Ch15, Bakewell, Deputy Commissioner, Ravi Budram, Raymond Haniff, Attorney at law Adrian Anamayah and Ramoo Funeral Home. The RHT NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour teams are sponsored by the National Milling Company of Agricola.
Minister Zulifar Mustapha
RHTYSC Ssecretary Hilbert Foster hands over items to Rose Hall Town Clerk, Natasha Griffith
Australia complete clean sweep over Scotland
AUSTRALIA made it three wins from three against Scotland in their T20 international series with a six-wicket victory at the Grange.
The Scots set a competitive total of 149 in Edinburgh, largely thanks to Brandon McMullen's second successive 50.
Chances of an upset were further boosted by Brad Currie removing Australian openers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Travis Head in quick succession, but the Scots could not
prevent Australia chasing the total down.
Mitchell Marsh and Cam Green put on 61 for the third wicket to shore things upand Tim David added a decent knock of 25 - before Aaron Hardie finished the job with a four through the covers.
Australia won the toss and put Scotland in to bat, looking to test Oli Hairs - who was back in to replace Michael Jones - and George Munsey early on.
The Scottish openers faired slightly better than on
Friday - Munsey scoring 25 - but again it was McMullen who anchored the Scotland attack with a brilliant 56 at number three.
He looked like adding a few more but was dismissed by an incredible one-handed catch from Travis Head.
Michael Leask and Mark Watt provided some support to McMullen in the middle order, but Scotland's tail collapsed quickly and they were only able to reach 149-9.
Australia's target was set, but they would not reach it
as quickly as they did in the first game.
Jake Fraser-McGurk has not enjoyed the best time in Scotland and he was dismissed for another duck off a superb diving McMullen catch.
Head was out in Currie's next over after spooning one in the air that was caught by Munsey and some optimism crept around the ground after three overs.
Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green looked a little nervous in the middle, edging
balls around the field, but they managed to survive until the ninth over for a solid partnership of 61.
The big hits started coming and Scotland could not
West named as Ireland’s new Director of High Performance
DUBLIN, Ireland, (CMC)
– Cricket West Indies’ outgoing High Performance Manager, Graeme West, will take up a new role as Cricket Ireland’s Director of High Performance.
Cricket Ireland made the announcement on Thursday, revealing that West was set to join the organisation in October.
Cricket Ireland’s chief executive, Warren Deutrom, said West was the ideal candidate for the position.
“We knew that in order to be successful in this new role, the candidate required leadership experience, exceptional people skills and the ability to be a mentor
as much as a manager. In Graeme, we believe we have found that candidate,” Deutrom said.
West, who joined CWI on June 1, 2012, as the head coach of the High Performance Centre at Cave Hill, Barbados, departs his current role of High Performance Manager on September 30.
West spent five years based at the High-Performance Centre, Cave Hill, Barbados and seven years at the CWI headquarters at Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), Antigua.
He served as the West Indies Under-19 men’s head coach from 2016 to 2020, leading the team to World
Cup success in 2016.
West also served as head coach of the West Indies ‘A’ team from 2016 to 2018.
cricket in the region.
“I sincerely thank Graeme for his 12 years of service to West Indies cricket. He has contributed significantly to the development of our High-Performance system and has overseen many initiatives that we will continue to grow after he departs.
“We are grateful for his years of commitment and wish him the best as he turns the page to a new chapter in his career,” Bascombe said.
leave the organisation as a more experienced coach, a more rounded leader and a World Cup winner.
“Equally important to me are the relationships I have developed with players, coaches and the staff that have supported me throughout my time at CWI and I am sure will continue to do so in the future,” West said.
As the High-Performance Manager, he was instrumental in establishing the new men’s and women’s Academy programmes at CCG and the new 12-month Under-19 Pathway Programmes.
West, an Englishman, said he had enjoyed his time at CWI over the last decade.
CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, thanked West for his contribution to
“I would like to thank CWI for the opportunities provided to me and my family over the last 12 years. I
“My time spent in the Caribbean will forever hold a special place in my heart. My wife and I have raised our children on the beaches of Barbados and Antigua and we have thoroughly enjoyed and embraced the many cultures and diversity across the region.”
Reggae Boyz Coach McClaren optimistic despite stalemate against Cuba
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC)-NEW Reggae Boyz head coach, Steve McClaren, says his first outing with Jamaica’s senior men’s national football team was a pleasing one despite playing to a 0-0 stalemate with Cuba in their Group A Nations League match at the National Stadium in Kingston on Friday.
The host missed key opportunities to break the deadlock with several chances going begging. Despite Cuba being reduced to 10 men late in the first half, Jamaica couldn’t capitalise, but head coach, Steve McClaren, was pleased with the team’s overall performance.
“We showed good composure and created some good chances,” said McClaren. “It’s disappointing not to get the goal, but the performance gives me confidence going into the next game. We have Honduras on Tuesday, and I’m looking forward to a positive result there.”
Jamaica started brightly, with Kasey Palmer coming close in the 7th minute. After some slick interplay, Palmer unleashed a left-footed volley from the right side of the box, but the ball narrowly missed the top left corner.
Two minutes later, Michail Antonio had an even closer chance to give the Reggae Boyz the lead. His powerful header from close
range struck the right post and rebounded back into play, leaving the Cuban defence scrambling.
The game tilted further in Jamaica’s favour in the 44th minute when Cuba’s Yunior Pérez was sent off for a dangerous challenge, leaving the visitors to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
However, despite their numerical advantage, Jamaica couldn’t find the breakthrough. Cuba’s Karel Espino nearly punished them in the 60th minute, with a well-taken free kick that sailed just wide of the left post.
Jamaica continued to press forward and had a
golden opportunity in the 77th minute when Shamar Nicholson found space in the centre of the box. But his effort sailed over the crossbar.
The final statistics show Jamaica having 21 shots, with seven on target and 73 per cent ball possession. With those statistics in toe, McClaren says he has seen enough to know that the team can get it right.
“We created enough chances to win the game,” McClaren admitted. “It’s just that final touch that eluded us tonight. But overall, I’m happy with how we played. The team is gelling well, and we’ll take that confidence into Honduras.”
stop the flow of runs, with Green adding four sixes in his half-ton en route to victory as the sun started to shine on the Grange again.
(BBC Sport)
Cam Green top-scored for Australia with 62 in Edinburgh
Graeme West is set to become Cricket Ireland’s Director of High Performance
Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren
Williamson: ‘We don’t usually get such a volume of Tests’
…New Zealand batter also touches on the importance of learning to play differently in the subcontinent
NEW Zealand are about to embark on a period where they will play six Tests in two months. That's rare, on two counts. First, it's almost a whole year's work for them - like in 2020 and 2021, when they went on to become the inaugural World Test Champions. And second, all of those matches are in Asia. In the last decade, they have never played more than three subcontinent Tests in a single year. This eight-week trip, starting with the one-off game against Afghanistan on Monday, then the two against Sri Lanka, and finally the three against India, is essentially uncharted territory.
Kane Williamson acknowledged it when speaking to the media on Saturday. "You know such a volume of Test cricket that we don't usually get, and obviously in this part of the world," he said in Greater Noida.
New Zealand's record in Asia is underwhelming, with 16 wins from 90 Tests. They have found it even harder to succeed in India - 2 wins in 36 Tests. Lots of effort is being made to improve on this. Domestic teams have been touring the country for a good while now. The next generation of New Zealand batters and bowlers have put in a lot of time trying to expand their game to succeed in conditions where spin plays a huge role. Allrounder Rachin Ravindra and fast bowler Ben Sears joined the Test squad in Uttar Pradesh after a four-day training camp in Chennai with their Wellington team-mates.
Williamson highlighted the importance of New Zealand
learning to play differently in Asia and touched on the difficulty of playing long-form cricket in just staccato bursts.
"I think it's absolutely about trying to adjust your game," he said, "because we're not here consistently in this format. We go through quite long intervals of not playing here. So you know it is trying to sort of familiarise yourself again and for us, our last Test match was sort of six or eight months ago. So you know, as a team it's really connecting with that again as a red-ball group and looking to apply our skills, our plans as well as we can."
Williamson, himself, a veteran of over 100 Tests and a leading member of the Fab Four, is yet to fully crack batting in India and Sri Lanka. In 22 innings, he averages 31.36 and has managed only five fifty-plus scores.
One of them was his debut innings, back in 2010, when he was at the crease for 299 balls to score 131. Since then, however, only five of his knocks have lasted 100 balls or more.
The defensive skill which sets him apart, and enables him to shape so much of New Zealand's fortunes on their own turf, is severely tested by the quality of the bowling and the nature of the conditions here.
Williamson was looking forward, though, to facing that challenge again, starting with New Zealand's first ever Test match against Afghanistan. "It's really important that we look to grow as a unit," he said. "It's nice and clear on how we want to play over here. We always
know that it's a tough challenge whenever you play in these parts of the world, slightly different from back home. But you know always a great experience and playing against a really, really strong side."
New Zealand have bolstered their support staff, on a shortterm basis, with the additions of Sri Lankan spin legend Rangana Herath and former India batting coach Vikram Rathour as they push for a better result in the 2023-25 cycle of the World Test Championship. They finished sixth out of nine teams last time. This time, they occupy third place, behind India and Australia. "In some ways it's like tournament sport, isn't it?" Williamson said. "Even though it's over a longer period of time in the Test Championship, but the value of games is high. The context around Test cricket with the Test Championship is really key and it's brought out a lot of really exciting games. And so naturally having six Test matches together is a big part of our Test Championship calendar and one that we're excited about."
Williamson was looking forward, though, to facing that challenge again, starting with New Zealand's first ever Test match against Afghanistan. "It's really important that we look to grow as a unit," he said. "It's nice and clear on how we want to play over here. We always know that it's a tough challenge whenever you play in these parts of the world, slightly different from back home. But you know always a great experience and playing against a really, really
England give Sri Lanka route into final Test
ENGLAND gave Sri Lanka a way back into the final Test on a curious second day at The Kia Oval. The home side squandered wickets to be bowled out for 325 before Sri Lanka reached 211-5, 114 behind.
Like the first day, bad light was a constant threat, at one stage resulting in the bewildering sight of Chris Woakes bowling four balls of off-spin.
Home captain Ollie Pope turned his century into 154 but received little support. Sri Lanka's bowlers were much improved from their poor
showing on Friday and, with England's aggression tipping into recklessness, the hosts lost their last seven wickets for 64 runs.
England's ultra-positivity carried into their bowling and field settings, probably because of an eagerness to capitalise on the conditions.
Sri Lanka raced to 50 inside nine overs, led by Pathum Nissanka's 40-ball half-century. He was not deterred by opening partner Dimuth Karunaratne being run-out by Olly Stone's direct hit. Nissanka became the first Test wicket for debutant Josh
Hull when he drove to a diving Woakes at extra cover. With Stone taking two wickets in as many overs, Sri Lanka lost three for seven to slip to 93-5.
Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis battled and, when the light worsened after tea, England had to bowl spin. Crucially, Hull dropped De Silva on 23. Sri Lanka were making good progress until the umpires decided it was too dark. By that point, De Silva had 64 and Mendis 54, their stand worth an unbroken 108. (BBC Sport)
strong side."
New Zealand have bolstered their support staff, on a shortterm basis, with the additions of Sri Lankan spin legend Rangana Herath and former India batting coach Vikram Rathour as they push for a better result in the 2023-25 cycle of the World Test Championship. They finished sixth out of nine teams last time. This time, they occupy third place, behind India and Australia. "I n some ways it's like tournament sport, isn't it?" Williamson said. "Even though it's over a longer period of time
Kane Williamson: Joe Root has been something else for a period of time
in the Test Championship, but the value of games is high. The context around Test cricket with the Test Championship is really key and it's brought out a lot of really exciting games.
And so naturally having six Test matches together is a big part of our Test Championship calendar and one that we're excited about." (ESPN cricinfo)
Mark Wood out for rest of year with elbow injury
…Fast bowler to miss tours to Pakistan, New Zealand after problem picked up on routine scan
MARK Wood, England's fastest bowler, will miss the forthcoming Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand, after being ruled out for the rest of the year due to a bone-stress injury to his right elbow.
Wood was withdrawn from the ongoing Sri Lanka series as a precaution, after suffering a right thigh strain while bowling during the first Test at Old Trafford. However, he subsequently underwent what he had hoped was a routine elbow scan, after feeling discomfort in the joint, and admitted in an Instagram post that he had received some "pretty rubbish news".
"During what I thought was routine check on a previously troublesome elbow, I was shocked to learn I've got some bone stress in my right elbow," Wood wrote.
As a result, he will miss England's final six Tests of the year, three each against Pakistan in October and New Zealand in December.
He will continue to work closely with the ECB medical team in the meantime, with the aim of returning to full fitness by early 2025, in time for England's white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, which is scheduled to begin in February 2025.
Wood's surprise at his diagnosis comes in the wake of some of the fastest bowling of his international career. During the Trent Bridge Test against West Indies in July, he hit a top speed of 97.1mph in an
electrifying performance that culminated in a broken forearm for Kevin Sinclair, and had his captain, Ben Stokes, predicting he would break the 100mph before his career is done.
Though he went relatively under-rewarded in that performance, he closed out the series with 5 for 40 at Edgbaston, his first five-wicket haul in a home Test. However, he bowled just
cricket and kept my speeds up.
"I work incredibly hard on my fitness, putting in extra work with coaches and physios making this even more disappointing. However, I guess this is, 'part of being a fast bowler', like Stokesy says.
"I will miss the rest of the year needing time to rest and build up, fully expecting to be back and firing in early 2025.
Mark Wood has been ruled out for the rest of 2024
18.2 overs across two innings against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, before he was withdrawn from the action.
"After the minor groin injury at Emirates Old Trafford, me and the medical team felt it was a good time to get my elbow looked at as it was a bit irritated," Wood added in his Instagram post. "I'd put that down to the normal niggles every fast bowler gets and which I was playing through.
"I'm especially surprised because I've been playing Test
I have been down this path before and will put in all the hard yards behind the scenes. I am very proud to represent my country and there is no better feeling. See you for some rockets in 2025!"(ESPN cricinfo)
In Wood's absence, Olly Stone was recalled for last week's Lord's Test, his first Test since undergoing back surgery three years ago, with Josh Hull, the 20-year-old left-arm seamer, making his debut in the ongoing third Test at The Oval.
T&T blanked 4-0 by Honduras as Nicaragua edge French Guiana in League A
TRINIDAD and Tobago started life without Angus Eve on a losing note as they were thumped 4-0 by Honduras in their opening Concacaf Nations League Group B League A contest in Tegucigalpa on Friday.
The result dealt and early blow to the Soca Warriors and interim head coach Derek King, as they are the group’s early cellar dwellers.
Honduras, with the win, assume pole position on three points, same as Nicaragua, who edged French Guiana 1-0, while Jamaica and Cuba both have a point from their goalless stalemate. Only the top two teams from the
group will progress to the quarterfinals, while the bottom-placed team will be relegated to League B.
The tournament also determines which national teams qualify for the next edition of the Concacaf Gold Cup.
Honduras vs. Trinidad and Tobago
After struggling to break down Trinidad and Tobago’s defence early, Honduras eventually found the goahead goal when Alexander Lopez drove in a right-footer from outside the box.
Kevin Arriaga also showed his class with a well-struck right-footer in the 45+2 minute to put Honduras 2-0 up at the break.
Try as they did, Trinidad and Tobago had no response to Honduras in a hostile environment and soon found themselves further behind in the 54th
minute. This, as Edwin Rodriguez was allowed too much space deep inside the 18-yard box to fire home from Luis Palma’s pass.
The win was then
capped by David Ruiz, who slotted home in the 86th minute.
French Guiana vs. Nicaragua
The Central Americans extended their un-
beaten run in the Concacaf Nations League to 13 matches by taking three points off host French Guiana at Stade Municipal Dr. Edmard Lama.
Both teams gave as good as they got in the attacking third, but it was Nicaragua that got the all-important strike through Widman Talavera in the 90+5 minute to secure the three points.
Group B action will resume on Tuesday, starting with Cuba facing Nicaragua, while Trinidad and Tobago will host French Guiana, and Jamaica will visit Honduras to close out the day. (Sportsmax)
Flintoff named England Lions head coach
ANDREW Flintoff’s move into coaching has grown further with his appointment as boss of England Lions for the next year.
The 46-year-old former England all-rounder returned to cricket last year following a crash on the set of Top Gear that left him with severe facial injuries.
He has since worked with the England whiteball team, been head coach of Northern Superchargers in The Hundred and this week is with the England Test side for the final match of the series against Sri Lanka.
Flintoff will take up his new role next month. The Lions are scheduled for winter tours of South
including a starring role in the epic Ashes triumph of 2005, for which he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
After ending his playing career, Flintoff moved into television presenting and fronted Top Gear from 2019 until his life-changing accident in 2022.
"I am what I am now. I'm different to what I was. It's something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. Better? No, different."
Africa and Australia, then are due to play India A and Zimbabwe at home next summer.
“I’m incredibly excited to take on this role with the England Lions,” said Flintoff. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to work with some of the best up-and-coming talent in the country and to help shape the future
of the men’s game.
“It’s an exciting time for English cricket, and I’m passionate about inspiring the next generation to take the sport forward. We’ve got a strong foundation, and I believe we can create something truly special.”
Flintoff played 79 Tests for England between 1998 and 2009,
In the second series of his documentary Field Of Dreams, which concluded on BBC One last week, Flintoff revealed the accident left him struggling with anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks.
"I don't know what completely better is," he said in scenes filmed at the beginning of this year.
Flintoff, who is close friends with England managing director Rob Key, returned to public life by working with the white-ball team at the end of last summer.
He remained a regular feature in the limited-overs set-up, including at the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA in June. Flintoff joined the Test group at The Oval this week and conducted an emotional cap presentation for debutant Josh Hull on Friday.
On the same day, Key
told Test Match Special: "Freddie is loving coaching. Sometimes it is a trait that is not spoken about enough - he is kind. All of the things Fred can be: funny, extrovert. He is kind. It is an underrated quality."
Flintoff’s return to the game has coincided with son Rocky’s rapid ascent through the ranks at Lancashire.
The 16-year-old only made his second XI debut in April and has since signed professional terms with the club, made debuts in first-class and List A cricket and also played for England Under-19s. Corey Flintoff, aged 18, has also played for Lancashire second X1.
(BBC Sport)
Andrew Flintoff gets new role for England after successful TV career
David Ruiz (centre) celebrates his goal with teammates
Showstoppers crowned Guinness
‘Greatest of the Streets’ National Champion
SHOWSTOPPERS
became the first team from the East Bank/ West Demerara division to be crowned the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ National Champion, defeating Laing Avenue 3-0 in the final on Friday evening at the Pouderoyen tarmac.
Amos Ramsay bagged a second-half brace in the 20th and 25th minutes,
while Stephon Jupiter found the back of the net in the 18th minute.
With the win, Showstoppers walked away with $1,000,000 and the championship trophy, while the loser pocketed $500,000 and their respective trophy.
In the third-place playoff, North Ruimveldt of Georgetown edged the Silver Bullets of Linden
1-0 via an Aeon Alleyne strike in the 16th minute.
North Ruimveldt pocketed $300,000 and a trophy for their efforts, while Silver Bullets walked away with $200,000 and a trophy.
In the earlier semifinal round, Showstoppers bested Silver Bullets 3-1.
Marvin Josiah, Dexroy Adams, and Daren Benjamin scored in the sev-
St Lucia, St Maarten, Grenada, Haiti
ST LUCIA, St Maarten, Grenada, and Haiti all opened their 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League accounts with victories in League B on Friday.
Grenada blanked St Martin 2-0, and St Lucia edged Curacao 2-1 in the Group B double-header at Kirani James Athletics Stadium.
Over in Group C, Haiti were 4-1 winners over Puerto Rico, and St Maarten blanked Aruba 2-0 at Estadio Centroamericano in Puerto Rico.
St Lucia vs. Curaçao
In what was the first-ever Nations League encounter between the two nations, St Lucia were the better team on the day.
Arkell Jude-Boyd broke
the deadlock for St Lucia in the 24th when he fended off a defender on his way to poking an effort through the legs of Eloy Room in goal for Curacao to make it 1-0 at the break.
Jude-Boyd went close to extending the lead in the second half, but Room came up big for Curacao on that occasion.
However, St Lucia inevitably doubled the lead in the 55th through Caniggia Elva, who finished off a loose ball
enth, 11th, and 17th minutes, respectively.
On target in the loss was Colwyn Drakes in the eighth minute.
Also, Laing Avenue edged North Ruimveldt 2-1 on penalty kicks after regulation time ended scoreless.
In the quarterfinal fixture, Showstoppers defeated Mighty Ruler 1-0 via a Jupiter conversion
in the eighth minute.
Laing Avenue edged Hustlers 2-0 on penalty kicks after normal and extra time ended scoreless.
Meanwhile, Silver Bullets defeated East Bank Gunners of Berbice, while North Ruimveldt bested Ballerz Empire of East Bank Demerara 2-1 on penalty kicks after regulation and extra time
ended scoreless.
In the initial playoff round, Liliendaal Hustlers bested the AllStars of Essequibo 3-0. Raushan Ritch bagged a ‘Guinness Goal’ (GG) [a goal scored in the final three minutes of normal time counts as two] in the 20th minute. Opening the scoring in the 14th minute was Sunil Logan.
register contrasting League B wins
Tyrell Richardson and Matthew Lentink were in good knick between the sticks.
It wasn’t until the 81st that Gerwin Lake broke the
Curacao pulled one back in the 63rd when Joshua Brenet fired home from Leandro Bacuna’s pass. St Maarten vs. Aruba St Maarten and Aruba failed to separate themselves for most of the contest, as their respective goalkeepers
deadlock for St Maarten when he rifled an effort past Lentink, who had no chance at a save on that occasion.
Ronan Olivacce added a second for St Maarten in the 90+3, with an easy tap-in from Chovanie Amatkarijo’s pass.
St Martin vs. Grenada Grenada were always favoured to secure the three points and that they did.
It took them only five minutes to open the scoring as Lucas Akins capitalised on a defensive error.
The menacing Regan Charles-Cook made the points safe when he tucked home from close range in the 38th minute.
St Martin tried to stay in the contest but found Grenada’s defence and goalkeeper Chad Phillip in defiant mode.
Puerto Rico vs. Haiti
After being relegated from League A, Haiti is intent of getting back to the top and they demonstrated that
with a comfortable beating of Puerto Rico.
Interestingly, it was Puerto Rico that struck first in the 29th when Gerald Diaz fired home from a rebound.
Haiti responded with a second half flurry, which was started by Danley Jean Jacques in the 51st. Frantzdy Pierrot added a second in the 60th, taking his Nations League tally to eight goals, before Don Louicius finished off a tidy team build up in the 76th to put Haiti 3-1 up.
Duckens Nazon then capped the win with an 83rd-minute strike to put Haiti on course for promotion. (Sportsmax)
Grenada players celebrate their win
The victorious Showstoppers unit receives its prizes after winning the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ National Championship
Bevney Marks of Laing Avenue receives the second-place prize
Joshua Browne of North Ruimveldt collects the third-place prize
Headquarters win COP T20 trophy
By Sean Devers
LED by an entertaining unbroken 110 first-wicket partnership between Pernel London and skipper Ameer Mohamed, Head Quarters convincingly beat Region 4 A & B by 10 wickets on Saturday at the Police ground, Eve Leary in the Commissioner of Police (COP) T20 Inter Region Final.
London scored an explosive 63 from 34 balls and hit seven fours and four sixes while sharing in an unfinished century stand with Mohamed who played the supporting role with a well calculated 29 from 26 balls with three fours and a six set up the emphatic victory in 9.4 overs London, with scores of 99 and 54 galloped his third consecutive fifty from just 25 balls. He ended with the most runs (220 & 6 wickets) to take the Best
All-rounder award of $20,000 and Trophy while also winning the Player of Final Trophy and $20,000.
Mohamed had earlier taken 4-25 while London, in frugal 4-over spell, had 2-12. Hazil Williams supported with 2-13 as 4 A &B were dismissed in 17 overs for a paltry 106.
Only Ovin Venture (26) Troy Drake (27) and Chemroy Kendal (10) reached double figures. Kendal made the tour-
Commissioner Police (ag) Clifton Hicken
nament’s highest score (163) and finished second in the aggregate while the left-handed Drake who scored a century and a half-century ended third with 180 runs.
Chamar Holder had 11 wickets to lead the wicket-takers while 4 A &B recorded the highest total (273).
Kendal’s 163 which included 20 sixes and fours and the 273 made by his team were the highest individual and highest team total respectively since the
CPL 2024: Royals beat struggling Patriots to go second
NYEEM Young kept his composure at the death as Barbados Royals broke the hearts of St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots with a thrilling two-wicket victory in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
The Royals appeared set for a crushing win when they reduced the Patriots to 0-3 (Evin Lewis, Andre Fletcher and Kyle Mayers all dismissed for zero) before weathering a rapid 82-run partnership between Wanindu Hasaranga and Mikyle Louis.
After restricting the Patriots to 153-8 at Warner Park, the Royals lost Rahkeem Cornwall and Quinton de Kock early and the match was at a knife’s edge
throughout a nerve-jangling chase.
Needing eight runs off the last over bowled by Ryan John, the Royals’ nerves heightened when Jason Holder fell off the first ball after a superb catch at deep backward square by Josh Clarkson.
But Young luckily inside edged to the boundary off the third ball before smashing a brilliant six over mid-off on the penultimate delivery as the Royals won consecutive games to start the season.
It was their fifth straight victory against the Patriots, who are at the foot of the table with just one win.
The Patriots made a poor start after being sent in to bat
when their top three batters were dismissed for ducks – the first time that has occurred in CPL history.
Spinner Maheesh Theekshana started the carnage on the second ball of the innings when he pinned Evin Lewis lbw. Two balls later Theekshana produced a cracking delivery that spun sharply and through the defences of Kyle Mayers, who trudged off in disbelief.
The Patriots lost their third wicket when Andre Fletcher was lbw to Dunith Wellalage before the match suddenly flipped through a counterattack from Hasaranga and Louis as the Royals suddenly struggled for control amid an onslaught.
Naveen-ul-Haq was on the
receiving end and leaked 16 runs to cap a madcap PowerPlay.
But Louis holed out in the ninth over leading to another collapse where the Patriots also lost Sherfane Rutherford and Hasaranga in the space of six balls.
It could have been worse for the Patriots when Clarkson was given out lbw to Theekshana before he successfully reviewed. Clarkson struggled to get going but batted through to the end and received support from John who smacked 29 off 14 balls.
Just like the Patriots, the Royals lost a wicket on the second ball after Mayers knocked over Cornwall for a duck.
Speedster Anrich Nortje had compatriot de Kock wincing
tournament began in 2012.
In the third-place match between defending Champions (Officers) and Region 2, the Officers made 124-9 in 20 overs with Colin Williams making an undefeated 40.
Region 2 were then bowled out for 93 in 17.4 overs with Fazeer Khan (27) and Reon Venture (21) offering token resistance.
Ivor Trotz had 4-5 while the Benn siblings (Troy &Trevor)
had two wickets each.
The final, which was played in brilliant sunshine and good cricket track attracted the biggest crowd in recent times for cricket in the city which a wonderful atmosphere.
The Winners received $300,000 and a Trophy while the runners up took home $200,000 and a Trophy. The third-place team collected $100,000.
in pain after a blow to the body before the batter hit back with a six over fine leg.
De Kock was cleaned bowled in the fifth over by Mayers, who had patiently persisted around the wicket.
Wellalage battled calmly through the middle overs before Young’s late heroics sealed a thrilling triumph for the Royals. (CPL)
Naveen ul Haq (left) and Nyeem Young of Barbados Royals celebrate winning the Men’s 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League Match Nine between Saint Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Barbados Royals at Warner Park Sporting Complex on September 6, 2024 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
(Photo by Randy Brooks/CPL T20 via Getty Images)
Champions Headquarters flanked by high-ranking officers from the competing Regions (Sean Devers photos)
presents the Winner’s Trophy to Headquarters Captain Ameer Mohamed Chemar Holder had the most wickets with 11
