Guyana’s LCDS sets benchmark for driving global climate change action
and Mr Mark Harder, Vice President/COO of
briefed on the company’s portfolio and investment plans aimed at entering the Guyanese market.
and certification services, was founded in 1828. The company has been
a
leader in
and is part of the Next 20 index. Headquartered in Paris, Bureau Veritas operates in over 140 countries and manages more than
Agriculture, Automotive and Transport, Building and Infrastructure,
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips met with senior officials from the Bureau Veritas Group, at the Office of the Prime Minister on Camp Street on Tuesday. The delegation, led by Mr. Cary Forgeron, Vice- President of Bureau Veritas Fuels North America and Caribbean, also included Mr. Keith Grogan, Vice-President of Bureau Veritas Industrial Inspections,
Petroleum & Onsite Labs. During the meeting, Prime Minister Phillips was
Quiko Village achieved improvements in vital services – Toshao Ignatius
IN four years, the Amerindian Village of Quiko, in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) witnessed a significant transformation in the delivery of essential services, thanks to investments made by the government.
This was highlighted by the village’s Senior Councillor, Ronald Ignatius during a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI).
According to Ignatius, residents are now benefitting from closely available services in education, health, agriculture, and
other necessities. For instance, he has been advocating for establishing a primary school in Quiko for years, and that request has been fulfilled.
He explained that this new development benefits students greatly, as they are no longer required to walk long distances to access education.
Meanwhile, in the health sector, residents are enjoying reliable services with the construction of a new health centre, which opened its doors in 2023. $14 million was invested by the government towards constructing this facility.
“Presently, that is serving a very great purpose in there, and we’re happy about those facilities being constructed in my community,” Ignatius said.
Additionally, with $18 million in carbon credit funding, Quiko has undertaken several projects targetting youths and farmers. These include a four-acre cash-crop farm that will catapult the village towards achieving food security and financial stability.
Crops such as sweet peppers, bora, eschalot, and watermelon, among others, are being cultivat-
ed on the savannah farm.
While income generation is an important factor in the project, creating employment opportunities for residents is another crucial element.
Additionally, a Youth Documentation Centre was established to pro -
vide educational materials and resources to schoolaged children.
The village is also receiving financial support through the Presidential Grants (PGs) and the COVID-19 Economic Investment Fund.
With these funds, the village was able to establish a $2 million Sewing Centre and Catering Kitchen that will allow women to benefit from the ‘Because We Care’ grants.
While development in
Quiko is being highlighted, the government has been pouring significant investments into all Amerindian villages to bolster their social and economic development.
A massive $4.84 billion earned from the sale of carbon credits will be disbursed to over 200 Amerindian villages and communities nationwide. These funds will bolster the social and economic development of these villages. (DPI)
The $14 million health post that was constructed in Quiko Village
Guyana’s LCDS sets benchmark for driving global climate change action
–– idea turned out to be an effective economic model, President Ali says
By Naomi Parris
BIRTHED to give cognisance to the importance of tropical forests in the equation of climate change, Guyana’s Low- Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) has evolved from a vision to a global policy that has set the benchmark for driving action.
This is according to the country’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, who, on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), opened the dialogue on a high-level discussion on “Restoring Ambition for International Climate and Development: Learning from Guyana’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy and Its Global Model for Forest Finance”.
The LCDS was first launched in 2009 with the intention of mapping out the path of a new growth trajectory in a non-polluting way. The first draft of the policy had set out an initial view on how this might be done, and outlined insights on how to stimulate the creation of a low-deforestation, low-carbon, climate-resilient economy in Guyana.
“What we saw 15 years ago was the generation of an idea; before any vision is created, there must be an idea. But when that idea is a global idea, it requires partnerships; it requires fighters for that idea; it requires backers.”
At the time, President Ali pointed out, talk of tropical forests was non-extent in the global discussions to address the effects of climate change.
In fact, it was Guyana, through the support the Kingdom of Norway, that began pushing for global recognition of forests.
“Today, our commitment to global policy making remains constant. We believe that we can help in shaping ideas and policies to find global solutions like climate, food and energy,” President Ali stated.
He noted that Guyana has been able to craft an econom-
ic model that is effective.
“Today, the LCDS is not only acknowledged as a development model, but, today, the LCDS is a part of a global strategy in combatting climate change; in developing economic strategy and positioning countries,” President Ali said.
He added: “We have really, in this journey, set the benchmark, and set the best practices when it comes to forest governance, forest management and the deployment of forest at the jurisdictional scale to meet this global challenge.”
President Ali pointed out that it is through partnerships that the country was able to further expand its LCDS as an economic model.
Joining Tuesday’s discussion was International Environmental Adviser, Former Minister of Climate and the Environment and Former Minister of International Affairs of Norway, Erik Solheim, who pointed out that Guyana has been able to solve major problems in the past, putting the nation on a low-carbon environmentally-friendly path, while fully understanding the coalition between the environment and development.
“As a part of the global south, Guyana will lobby a leading nation in the world
in the ‘green’ transformation, which is a big issue in the 21st Century,” Mr. Solheim said.
Back in 2009, it was Mr. Solheim, who was the then Minister of International Development and the Environment, and then President, Dr.
Bharrat Jagdeo, that inked the historic climate pact that would support the implementation of the LCDS.
In that agreement, Norway committed to providing Guyana with up to US$250 million by 2015 for avoided deforestation, once certain performance indicators were met. This agreement represented the first international commitment of financial support to the LCDS, and was the first partnership of its kind between a developed and developing country.
Later, in December 2022, the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions announced the issuance of 33.47 million TREES credit to Guyana for the five-year period from 2016 to 2020.
The Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) is a global initiative that seeks to incentivise the reducing of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), as well as restore forests and protect intact
forests.
The Government of Guyana, in that same year, entered into an agreement with the Hess Corporation for the sale of carbon credits for a minimum of US$750 million between 2022 and 2032.
Fifteen per cent of the earnings from the initial disbursements was allocated to indigenous villages across Guyana, while the remaining 85 per cent was allocated to national priorities, such as climate mitigation efforts.
The government, on several occasions, has attributed these developments to its now expanded LCDS and the support of its Norwegian partners.
Although Guyana has established its own model to generate financing for its forests, challenges such as the need for a structured carbon-credit market and the world-wide trends in deforestation still see the loss of just about 20 hectares of
tropical forest by the minute.
Mr. Solheim noted that many could learn from Guyana’s model to preserve its forest.
“I think the main lessons I take away from Guyana is that you need to work with the local people, and need to provide an alternative for the local people to an encroachment on the forest,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jagdeo, who now serves as Guyana’s Vice-President, pointed to the existing lack of awareness and will to preserve the forests.
“Forests are still not part of the offset mechanism,” Dr. Jagdeo said, further stating that the global community must step up to acknowledge forests as a major pillar in addressing climate change.
“Without addressing deforestation, we could never really achieve net zero. Deforestation and land degradation create about 16 per cent of greenhouse gases,” Dr. Jagdeo stated further.
International Environmental Adviser, Former Minister of Climate and the Environment and Former Minister of International Affairs of Norway, Erik Solheim and Guyana’s Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo during Tuesday’s panel discussion
President Dr. Irfaan Ali (Delano Williams photos)
Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Kwame McCoy
MINISTER within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy recently participated in a forum on digital economies legislation in Caribbean parliaments held at the Florida International University in Miami, Florida.
The two-day event was organised by the House Democracy Part-
Minister McCoy attends two-day forum on digital economies legislation
nership (HDP) and ParlAmericas, in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), International Republican Institute (IRI), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
It brought together parliamentarians from CARICOM member
states, and members of the U.S. Congress.
The programme featured presentations on e-governance tools for parliaments, and included discussions on the characteristics of the digital economy, its societal impacts, and the potential benefits and risks associated with it.
E-Bike rider, 58, is latest road fatality
POLICE are investigating a fatal incident which occurred at about 08:55 hrs on Tuesday on the Railway Embankment Road, in the vicinity of the UG Access Road, which resulted in the death of 58-year-old Dexter Jacobs.
“The preliminary investigation revealed that Jacobs, who resided at
Lot 193 South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, was riding an Electric Bike proceeding west along the Railway Embankment at a fast rate when he fell into a pothole and lost control of his E-bike. Jacobs fell onto the road surface, where he sustained injuries on his body.
“As a result, he was picked up by public-spirited citizens and a police
rank, placed into a vehicle and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit, where he was seen, examined and pronounced dead on arrival by Dr. Dunwa,” a police statement said.
The body is at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Haiti: ‘We haven’t turned a corner yet, but we’re making progress’
MORE work needs to be done to bolster support for Haiti’s police force as gang violence continues to rock Haiti, said Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN and the newly elected president of the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), who just returned from visiting Port-au-Prince.
“Haiti is still really, really struggling,” Mr. Rae told UN News’s Cristina Silveiro, highlighting meetings held with the Prime Minister, Transitional Council, authorities, aid organisations and Haitians themselves, who said security is their key priority.
He said the multinational security support mission operating in Haiti since June is making gains, including shifting the area of operation of some of the gang activity in the capital Port-au-Prince away from two key hospitals and the main port, but more progress is needed as it was impossible to say the country “had turned a corner”.
The interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Bob Rae: I got a chance to get out and see what’s going on in Port-au-Prince. The displacement problem is huge. There are now about half a million people who have been displaced by the violence and by the gang activity.
I want to get people back into school, with the school year starting in October, but the problem is that many schools have been taken over by people who’ve been displaced. There’s a practical problem as to how to solve this.
I wanted to see it for myself from a humanitarian point of view. Haiti is still really, really struggling. It was good to see people out in the street in a positive way, going to the market, doing things, selling things, talking to each other. This is possible now, but it is impossible to say that we have turned a corner. We haven’t turned a corner yet, but we’re making some progress.
UN News: What are Haitians calling for?
Bob Rae: The big issue for people has been security. They feel personally insecure. They don’t feel safe. Their daughters could get raped crossing the street. They could get kidnapped for cash.
The gangs have taken over large parts of the city. They’ve burned out houses, taken over large neighbourhoods, run parts of the city
like a personal kingdom. They’re brutal. These gang leaders are brutal. They kill people, and many thousands have died.
Many more have been displaced. So, the security issue is key. The other key element is hope based on seeing a way forward, seeing a path ahead. This is how things work out. We’re not there yet. Those are the two things I think are key. It’s going to take a lot of effort to get those two things working.
UN News: In the face of the dire security situation, the Security Council mandated a non-UN multinational security support mission be sent to help Haiti. Kenya took the lead and sent its first contingent over a month ago. They’re the only ones to have done so among several countries who volunteered. Were you able to see them on the ground, and are they making an impact?
Bob Rae: I had a very good meeting with the mission’s colonel with his group. Security conditions did not allow me to see a police operation, but I certainly had a sense that they were working effectively with the Haitian National Police, which is the key force that has to be reinforced and given the equipment required to go forward.
Parts of the airport is secure, and flights are coming in. The area of concentration of the gangs has been moved and shifted. A couple of the big hospitals have been able to be freed from gang control. The port is more open than it was.
Right now, they still haven’t been able to secure the main highways in the country, and we need to move forward in Port-au-Prince. We also have to make sure that the rest of the country stays relatively secure. The security situation in the
south is not as bad as it has been in in Port-au-Prince.
UN News: We’re hearing that there is an impact. Do you know if the rest of the countries that have volunteered to join this mission are on their way? Can they be expected on the ground soon?
Bob Rae: There is still work to be done to make sure the force is big enough and effective enough to make the kind of progress that we need.
I think there is a number of things that have to be settled in terms of the protocols and engagement from a number of countries. We’ve got to make sure the medevac system is in place along with other elements.
As a country, Canada has been doing everything we can. We’ve been very involved in the training of a number of the police volunteers and the police forces that have volunteered to come forward.
With a UN mission, you know how it works, the logistics are there and the system is in place. Yes, they have to get the money and troops, but there is an infrastructure of activity in place. With the Haiti situation, I would compare it more to a potluck supper. Who’s coming? What are they bringing for food? What are they bringing? And that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that everything’s covered.
You’ve got to make sure that there’s an organization in place that’s ensuring that in fact the force is able to do what it needs to. There have been some delays in supplying equipment and getting money into the trust fund, and those are now being resolved.
That’s positive, but it’s still taking too long. We need to catch up, and we don’t have a big, huge window of opportunity. We have
It’s certainly not the greatest, but it’s a lot better than it was.
a bit of time in which we can get all this done before a potential election.
UN News: There are calls for a UN mission to be sent. Can you speak to those calls, and how likely it is that there would be a UN mission sent at this point?
Bob Rae: UN missions are determined by the Security Council and its five permanent members [China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States] have to agree, and that hasn’t happened. Could that change? I don’t know. Maybe it could.
Right now, the current situation is better than nothing, but it’s not ideal. It’s not as much as we need.
This arrangement is doing some good things, and so we need to keep pushing ahead on that. If the political discussions in New York take us in another direction, then that too is okay.
UN News: What are the next steps you see for Haiti?
Bob Rae: We’re waiting for the Electoral Commission to be started up. That’s going to be key.
There has to be a plan developed by the Government of Haiti on how to move forward with a development plan and economic and social plan. I had very good discussions with the Prime Minister about that.
I think there’s a need for more progress on the security side, which needs to happen.
We need to be able to back up the efforts of the Haitian National Police more effectively, and the UN itself will continue these discussions.
We’re going to have a lot of meetings over a high-level week on Haiti.
That’s really what we’re looking at. It’s not perfect.
We need a development plan that’s supported by the international financial institutions and by all the neighboring countries.
That’s a tall order, but we think we know what we have to do. (UN)
There’s also enormous work to be done on continuing efforts to raise money for the humanitarian effort because there are so many displaced people and so many people without food and without the kind of food security that they need.
Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN and President of the UN’s Economic and Social Council meets young Haitians in Port-au-Prince (Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN photo)
Navigating Guyana’s Economic Surge
GUYANA’S unprecedented economic growth is the talk of the town—literally. Over the weekend, Washington D.C. hosted a pivotal discussion with key figures from Guyana’s economic and political spheres, including Dr. Ashni Singh, Senior Minister in the Office of the President, and Alistair Routledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana.
This meeting of the Guyanese diaspora was more than a showcase of impressive statistics; it was a forum for understanding the broad implications of a transformative period in Guyana’s history.
Dr. Singh’s remarks underscored a narrative of unparalleled economic expansion, driven largely by the discovery of oil and gas. However, he was quick to point out that the growth isn’t confined to the energy sector.
There is also a vigorous development in the non-oil economy, a sign
of strategic foresight and deliberate policy-making by the government. This dual-sector growth is a testament to the administration’s commitment to not only capitalise on the oil boom but to foster a diverse and resilient economy.
Yet, amidst the optimism, there is a crucial undercurrent of caution. The government, under President Dr. Irfaan Ali, recognises the complex dynamics of managing such rapid growth. This awareness is crucial. The temptation to focus exclusively on the short-term gains of the oil industry is tempered with a robust strategy for long-term sustainability.
Dr. Singh’s assurance that the government is balancing immediate needs with future stability is encouraging. However, it is imperative that this balance be maintained with transparency and inclusivity.
Rapid economic growth can be a double-edged sword, especially in a
country like Guyana where socio-economic disparities have historically been pronounced. Ensuring that the benefits of this growth are equitably distributed is not just a moral obligation but a practical necessity for social cohesion.
Investments in infrastructure, education, and healthcare are vital to translating economic growth into tangible improvements in the quality of life for all Guyanese.
This is where the government’s deliberate policies have been tested and proven. The administration has taken a meticulous approach to resource management, environmental conservation, and human capital development.
The Guyanese diaspora’s engagement in Washington D.C. is more than a symbolic gesture. It reflects the global interest and the potential for international collaboration in Guyana’s growth story. The diaspora’s role in this narrative is crucial; their expertise, investments,
and advocacy can significantly influence the trajectory of Guyana’s development.
As Guyana continues to navigate this extraordinary period of growth, the government’s approach will continue to be watched closely.
The real challenge will always be converting economic prosperity into genuine and widespread improvements in living standards.
This requires not just sound economic policies but a transparent and inclusive governance framework that prioritises the well-being of every Guyanese citizen.
Guyana’s path forward will be shaped by how well it manages these complexities. The hope is that the government’s commitment to balancing immediate needs with long-term goals will pave the way for a prosperous and equitable future.
The world is watching, and the stakes are high.
Gov’t committed to prioritising mental health, allocating 5% of health budget to
THE government is committed to prioritising, promoting, and protecting mental health, with a focus on preventing mental disorders and ensuring that mental health services are accessible to all.
Addressing the prevalent stigma surrounding mental health, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony emphasised the importance of mental well-being.
“Mental health is integral to our well-being, yet it is often overlooked or stigmatised. In Guyana, like in many other countries, mental health issues affect individuals, families, and communities, impacting every aspect of life, the minister said in a recent statement.
In response, the government has partnered with the Pan American Health Organization/
World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) to develop the National Mental Health Action Plan 20242030.
The plan outlines a comprehensive framework for addressing the country’s mental health needs, focusing on ensuring access to quality services and safeguarding the rights of those with mental disorders.
A key component of the action plan is the implementation of the Mental Health Protection and Promotion Act which mandates the establishment of all necessary authorities, and bodies required to enforce mental health laws. This is including the training of mental health teams across the country’s health regions.
These teams will be trained under the WHO Quality Rights programme, which promotes
a whole-of-society approach to improving mental health.
Recognising the need for adequate funding, the government has committed to allocating a minimum of 5 per cent of the national health budget to mental health services. This increased funding will target strategic areas outlined in the action plan.
A significant aspect of this investment is the
expansion of the National Mental Health and Substance Use Unit, which was established, in 2016.
The unit has primarily focused on service delivery but under the new plan, its role will be expanded to include the development of policies, management of resources, and coordination of mental health services nationwide.
Additionally, the plan addresses the growing
such services
issue of substance misuse in Guyana by restructuring the ministry’s Demand Reduction Unit.
This will involve capacity building, the development of monitoring frameworks, and the establishment of standards and policies for community-based screening and treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs).
Beyond medical care, the government is enhancing social support by collaborating with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to ensure individuals with mental health conditions receive comprehensive care. This includes establishing community residential facilities for those with chronic and severe mental disorders and providing community treatment teams to support residents.
A caregiver support programme will also be developed to provide fi -
nancial allowance to those caring for persons with mental health conditions. Preventive measures are also being implemented, particularly among the younger population.
The Ministries of Health and Education will work together to integrate mental health education into life skills programs for children and adolescents to equip them with the skills needed to manage mental health challenges, ultimately reducing the incidence of mental illness in adolescence and adulthood.
Meanwhile, a national mental health information campaign is planned to reduce stigma and discrimination against those with mental health conditions and will encourage timely help-seeking and raise public awareness about the importance of mental health. (DPI)
Depiction of mental health
Private Sector crucial in combatting climate crisis
–
Foreign Secretary
PRIVATE sector investment and participation are critical to advancing climate resilience initiatives.
This is according to Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud, who was speaking at a private sector roundtable discussion on Tuesday, where he emphasised the vital role, the private sector must play in addressing climate challenges.
The discussion offered a prime opportunity for the
mate crisis, food insecurity, and energy insecurity affect everyone, both rich and poor. The private sector in Guyana has an important role in meeting these challenges by contributing to the pillars of Pact 2030,” he said.
He urged the private sector to invest in innovative solutions, such as climate-smart mechanisms, irrigation infrastructure, and nature-based approaches. Tangible investments in
Guyanese private sector to connect with United States partners, and to further strengthen Guyana’s initiatives in clean energy, food security, and climate resilience.
It was organised by the American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana, in collaboration with the ACE Consulting Group, and with the support of the U.S. Embassy. It featured the Director of Caribbean Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Katharine Beamer. It also focused on the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030).
Persaud highlighted that PACC 2030 is based on four key pillars: access to development financing, clean energy, food security, and deepening collaboration.
“The successful implementation of PACC 2030 would require greater public-private partnerships to yield more effective and efficient results for the benefit of all, because the cli-
The American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana, in collaboration with the ACE Consulting Group, and with the support of the U.S. Embassy Georgetown on Tuesday hosted a Private Sector Roundtable Discussion fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, including large-scale solar power projects, wind farm initiatives, and exploring hydropower potential.
Persaud also underscored Guyana’s commitment to achieving food se-
curity through the regional ‘25 by 2025’ objective.’
“Already, we’ve seen significant progress being made through several projects and interventions. And given that Guyana is the lead on agriculture and food security in the region,
we have been supporting a lot of member states in taking the initiative. In fact, we are now considered donor country for CARICOM, especially in the issue of food security,” he added.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, said that by leveraging existing platforms, exploring funding opportunities and fostering private-public partnerships, Guyana can advance climate resilience initiatives. (DPI)
renewable energy were also deemed essential.
“The government supports public-private partnerships and is ready to partner with the private sector to implement the objectives of PACC 2030.
The private sector in Guyana is also encouraged to actively explore joint ventures with companies, and investors from the United States on projects that will deliver some of these objectives, and in alignment with Guyana’s low-carbon development strategy,” FS Persaud underlined.
The LCDS, a cornerstone of Guyana’s climate change efforts, focuses on preserving the country’s vast rainforest.
Through international partnerships, with this strategy, Guyana receives payments for maintaining its forest cover, which is then directed towards sustainable development projects within Amerindian communities.
In addition, Guyana is actively transitioning from
Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud
Denying people their right to free expression
HERE are the words of the Stabroek News (SN) in an editorial of August 10, “The state media is used to bludgeon and intimidate critics”.
Here are the words of Mr. Vishu Bisram. “And they (the PPP government) are known (using tropes) to go after critics as we see in the response to Dr. Ramcharan’s thesis on shades of autocracy.”
Here are the words of Dr. Bertrand Ramcharran: “The army of vituperative reactions in various parts of the media do (sic) a disservice to the Government, which should maintain a dignified posture.” Let’s briefly discuss SN’s outburst because I have confronted that exclamation before. Please see my column of Friday, August 23, 2024, “Who are the critics the state media have bludgeoned?”
Just to add to that column about the SN’s perception. If you compare the state media and the privately owned SN and Kaieteur News (KN) for political criticism, the hatred for the government in KN and SN far outweighs the condemnation of anti-government critics in the Guyana Chronicle.
One would like to think that it is the other way around; the SN and KN are so filled with letters attacking government defenders that if the defenders did not have thick skin, they would have faded by now. Joel Bhagwandin and Dr. Randy Persaud are always the focus of those bloggers who pen comments on the online edition of SN and their criticisms
border on irrational condemnation of these two men.
Yet SN has the temerity to tell their readers that the state media bludgeon critics of the government. It is SN’s bloggers that seek to bludgeon people who write in favour of the government and their net is cast far and wide, even attacking people who are independent like Mr. Ralph Ramkarran. Look at the deriding comments on Mr. Ramkarran’s disagreement with Dr. Ramcharran’s perception that there is a creeping autocracy in the governance of Guyana.
You read these bloggers and you just know that SN and KN have become the Fox News of Guyana. Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall, in reference to the online comment section in SN wrote the following: “This blog publishes the most toxic and unwarranted criticisms of our Government and its officials by anonymous bloggers. I know of dozens of persons who made innumerable attempts to get their views published on this blog in response to this daily tirade of baseless and malicious attacks but were never able to get past the Editor’s guillotine. “
I repeat: Yet the SN has the temerity to accuse the state media bludgeoning critics of the government. What a hypocritical and funny side to Guyana. Let us move on to Bisram. He shouts out that the PPP government is known to go after people who criticise it and he points to persons who have condemned
Bertrand Ramsarran for claiming that there is a creeping autocracy in Guyana.
But by what logic, a government must muzzle itself when it faces derogations, vilification, and propagandistic outpourings? If governments remain silent during consistent thunderstorms of attacks in the media, then how can ruling parties win re-election? Since they should not reply, then when their critics lash out at them, voters will believe the fictions and that can translate into vote loss.
For a man who said he has six masters and six doctorates, then you wonder what he has learnt from his gargantuan studies. Why are PPP defenders mischievous people for confronting what Dr. Ramcharran wrote if they think what he pontificated on was less scholarly and more propagandistic?
Isn’t that the right to free speech? Mr. Bisram criticises the PPP government often in a weekly letter in the press, accusing the government of corruption in a letter on August 10. I quote him: “The public feels that corruption pervades almost every aspect of governance….” Why Bisram has the right to publish such a damaging statement, but the government hasn’t got the right to accuse Bisram of anti-government bias.
And why when those who support the government reply to people like Dr. Ramcharran, they are accused of being hitmen sent by the government as Dr. Ramcharran intoned in the following quote: “A classic method of autocracy is to deploy undignified ‘hit-men’ to cow people into fear. The Government might wish to think about the image these ‘hit-men’ are giving it.”
Dr. Randy Persaud and Ralph Ramkarran outlined a scholarly critique of Dr. Ramcharran’s accusation of autocratic governance. Are they hitmen? Dr. Ramcharran is insulting decent people who have replied to his nonsensical statement.
Why the people who have exposed the infantile perception of Dr. Ramcharran were sent by the government. What the Stabroek News, Vishu Bisram and Bertrand Ramcharran are doing is to deny people their right to pen opinions in support of the government.
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.
50 monitors, active hotline among strategic measures to improve country’s Mathematics performance
- Minister
Manickchand
says creativity, dedication, communication also required
By Shaniya Harding
IN response to concerns regarding the poor Mathematics performance at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, Guyana’s Ministry of Education (MoE) on Tuesday launched an innovative Mathematics intervention programme.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand said that the programme will see 50 new monitors being placed in 50 secondary schools across the country to assess classroom challenges, global models, and teaching practices.
“We don't care what you look like. We don't care where you're from. We don't care how you voted. We don't care how you pray. You must know Mathematics,” she emphasised during the launch which was held at Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).
Minister Manickchand noted that improving performance in this critical subject area requires creativity, dedication, and communication. She encouraged teachers to reach out to the ministry for support if needed.
Following the release of the 2024 CSEC results, Guyana, like the rest of the Caribbean, saw a decline in Mathematics grades. Guyana’s CSEC pass rate dropped to 31 per cent this year, compared to 34 per cent in 2023, while the rest of the Caribbean saw a seven percentage point decrease. This prompted an immediate response from the Government of Guyana, with President Dr. Irfaan Ali urging regional leaders to address the troubling issue. In response, Guyana’s MoE took the necessary steps to formulate its own initiative to enhance Mathematics education. This is what was made public on
Tuesday.
The programme targets students in Grades 10 and 11 in 50 schools nationwide, including remote parts of the country such as Region One. Retired teachers, math specialists, and university lecturers will serve as monitors.
Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain, emphasised the importance of these monitors, noting that they will also be held accountable.
“Math monitors, you are critical to this. When you go to the job, give it your all. Simple as that,” he said adding, “For the first time, maybe in this country’s history, teachers and schools will be held accountable for the results.”
Although the concept of using monitors isn’t new to Guyana, this initiative will have stricter guidelines to ensure long-term success.
Teachers are also expected to step up their
Mathematics instruction. RAISING THE PASS RATE
According to Minister Manickchand, the ministry aims to raise the pass rate to 40-50 per cent, with educators playing a crucial role in achieving this goal.
"If children can learn, then teaching can happen. Part of the issue if we are to examine this honestly, is what we're teaching, how we're teaching, and who we're putting in to teach," she stated.
Minister Manickchand also clarified that the project had been in the pipeline long before the release of the CXC results. "We can
fix this, whatever the issue is. For us to have resources like textbooks, calculators, and past papers in place just weeks after the CXC announcement shows that this was in the works long before the results came out."
She stressed that the ministry will provide significant resources, including textbooks, graph books, scientific calculators, and geometry sets. Additionally, in-service training, support from the new monitors, and other resources will be made available to help teachers. “We’ve set up a hotline, 736-MATH, where anyone can contact us if they have issues with teach-
ers, if a school lacks a math teacher, or if the teacher needs help,” she said.
The minister used the opportunity to urge parents to be involved in their children’s education. “We can provide textbooks, cash grants, teachers, and monitors, but we can’t enter your homes. Turn off the CPL or the latest series and make your children watch Leon on the Learning Channel or YouTube. That’s your responsibility,” she said.
Several teachers and department heads expressed gratitude to the ministry and expressed optimism about the programme’s success.
Minster of Education, Priya Manickchand at the launch of the innovative Mathematics intervention programme (MoE photos)
Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain
Eager students and optimistic teachers at Tuesday’s launch of the Mathematics intervention programme which will target 50 secondary schools across the country (Source: Department of Education)
PAHO, International Bureau for Epilepsy seek to make epilepsy a health priority in the Americas
THE Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) have launched a toolkit designed to position epilepsy at the centre of public health agendas in the Americas. This resource aims to help civil society organisations in developing advocacy campaigns to help raise awareness, reduce stigma, and improve access to care.
Epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder characterised by recurrent seizures, affects approximately 5 million people in the region. However, it is estimated that 50 per cent of these people do not receive the necessary
treatment to lead a normal life.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the mortality rate from epilepsy is significantly higher compared to the United States and Canada. More than half of people with epilepsy in these regions lack access to adequate medical services, resulting in poor control of their symptoms.
The new “Advocate’s toolkit for making epilepsy a priority in the Americas” was developed by health experts in collaboration with people with epilepsy and their families. This kit offers a range of resources, including advocacy strategies, practical examples, and
templates.
“The resource we are making available can be an important step towards a future where epilepsy receives the care it deserves, especially in primary care,” said Dr. Renato Oliveira, head of the Mental Health and Substance Use Unit at PAHO.
“Implementing advocacy campaigns can reduce stigma and increase awareness, facilitating early diagnosis and adequate access to treatment,” he added.
Even though epilepsy is treatable, and medications are affordable, access to treatment remains a challenge. In Latin America and the Caribbean, two-
The organisations released a toolkit to facilitate the development of campaigns to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and improve access to care
thirds of countries do not have a specific program for the care of epilepsy. The lack of trained personnel, the irregular availability of medications, and the lack of education and awareness about the disorder contribute to the current situation.
“Multi-stakeholder partnership will be essential if we are to achieve a transformational social change for people with epilepsy across The Americas,” said Dr. Francesca Sofia, President
of the IBE.
“We hope that this practical toolkit will inspire and enable our community to collaboratively shape effective policy advocacy actions that address the real needs of people with epilepsy and those who care for them in this region,” she emphasised.
The toolkit aligns with the global mandates of the World Health Organisation (WHO), specifically Intersectoral Global Action
Plan (IGAP) on epilepsy and other neurological disorders.
Adopted unanimously by the 194 WHO Member States, the plan sets targets to increase coverage of services for epilepsy and update legislation to protect the rights of affected people.
The new resource supports these objectives by providing practical strategies to implement the plan and achieve significant change in the region. (PAHO)
Task Force to be established to monitor safety regulations compliance at creeks, waterway facilities
FOLLOWING Sunday’s tragic drowning incident on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, an emergency meeting was convened on Tuesday with the Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport Charles Ramson; the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce, Mrs. Sharon Roopchand-Edwards; Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Mr. Kamrul Baksh and representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Maritime Administration ( MARAD) and Ministry of Labour.
The meeting focused on addressing the immediate and medium-term concerns surrounding safety protocols with the proprietors of creeks, and the operators of water-based activities, with the task of addressing immediate issues.
During the meeting, it was announced that a Task Force would be established to ensure that proprietors and operators are in full compliance with the mandated safety regulations, and alignment with best practices.
This Task Force, expected to be established within the next week, will include representatives from the appropriate
Government Ministries and Agencies, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders, and will immediately review and enforce safety standards, including mandatory signage, lifeguard presence and enhancing human capacity and emergency response plans at these popular recreational spots.
Minister Benn underscored the dire need to improve the safety culture in Guyana, and the government’s no-tolerance stance on persons interested in flouting the law. He further suggested that depth gauges and life rings be installed at these sites by the weekend.
Minister Ramson stressed that there should be at least the minimum safety standards, particularly in areas with inherent risk.
While pointing out that there is no excuse for the basic standards not being in place, Minister Ramson urged operators to identify training needs, adding that the government remains open to supporting them where possible.
He further expressed that “... to operate a successful business, you have to protect people. And while we want you to be focused on successfully running your business, we cannot lose any more lives at your facilities
for not having these basic and minimum standards.”
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Minister Walrond, Roopchand-Edwards underscored the need for regularisation of the operators through formal registration with the relevant bodies.
The PS further explained that this effort to formalise creek operators will align them with the government’s efforts to expand our tourism sector, ensuring that businesses operate responsibly in the interest of the consumers of their products.
The GTA’s licensing and inspection team responded on Monday by visiting several creeks along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and engaging with the operators and proprietors to determine the level of support that they may need. Moving forward, the GTA has committed to expediting the development of critical safety standards for water-based activities, as well as implementing an aggressive public awareness campaign of integral safety interventions.
The GTA will also conduct comprehensive Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) assessments at these sites within the course of the next week.
FAO Food Price Index dips slightly in August
THE benchmark for world food commodity prices declined marginally in August, as decreases in quotations for sugar, meat and cereals outweighed increases in those for vegetable oils and dairy products, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported recently.
The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a set of globally-traded food commodities, averaged 120.7 points in August, slightly down from its revised July figure and 1.1 percent below its corresponding value in August 2023.
The FAO Cereal Price Index dropped by 0.5 per cent from July, driven by lower global wheat export prices amid competitively priced Black Sea supplies and higher-than-expected production in Argentina and the United States of America.
Meantime, world maize prices firmed slightly, reflecting the impact of heatwaves on yields in parts of Europe and North America, while the FAO All-Rice Price Index increased by 0.6 per cent, as quotations for non-Indica varieties increased under the influence of seasonal tightness and currency appreciations of some exporting countries against the United States dollar.
The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index rose by 0.8 per cent from July to reach a 20-month high, as increases in international palm oil prices more than offset declining quotations for soy, sunflower and rapeseed oils.
The FAO Dairy Price Index also rose, increasing 2.2 per cent in August. Whole milk powder increased, driven by a surge in import demand for spot supplies. International cheese prices also climbed due to higher global import demand, while international butter quotations reached an alltime high fuelled by increased uncertainty over the adequacy of milk supplies in Western Europe.
The FAO Meat Price Index declined by 0.7 per cent from July, with poultry, pig, and ovine meat prices all down amid lackluster import demand, even as world bovine meat prices increased slightly.
The FAO Sugar Price Index declined by 4.7 per cent in August to reach its lowest level since October 2022. The drop was underpinned by an improved production outlook for the upcoming sugarcane harvests in India and Thailand, as well as lower international crude oil prices. However, concerns about the impact of fires on sugarcane fields in key growing areas of Brazil led to sharp sugar price increases in late August.
GLOBAL CEREAL OUTPUT ON PAR WITH 2023
FAO also trimmed its forecast for global cereal production in 2024, now pegging it at 2 851 million tonnes, almost on par
Further, the Ministry of Labour and EPA have committed to developing short-term corrective actions following the meeting.
Creek Operators and other water-based activity providers are urged to implement immediate response mechanisms and register with the relevant authorities to avoid incurring fines or
having their businesses face legal action. Persons visiting these areas are also urged to exercise caution and adhere to all signs and safety protocols.
with that of 2023.
The new Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, also issued on Friday, attributed its revisions to reduced harvest expectations for coarse grains, including maize, primarily due to hot and dry weather conditions in the European Union, Mexico and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, FAO has raised its forecast for global wheat output in 2024 as well as that for rice, which is now projected to reach an all-time high of 537 million tonnes.
World cereal total utilisation in 2024/25 is forecast to rise to 2 852 million tonnes, marking a 0.2 percent rise from 2023/24. Utilization of rice is predicted to reach a record high, driven by an expected accelerated growth in the food intake component.
World cereal stocks are forecast to expand by 1.2 percent at the end of the 2025 seasons, yielding a global cereal stocksto-use ratio in 2024/25 at 30.7 percent.
International trade in total cereals is now pegged at 485.6 million tonnes, representing a 3.3 per cent decline from 2023/24, led mostly by lower traded volumes in coarse grains.
The Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) also released its monthly Market Monitor. In addition to the established reporting, the current edition broadens the coverage of developments in the fertiliser markets and includes a new section on vegetable oils. (FAO)
The Ministry of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority are also urgently reminding all local and international travellers to use only officially registered and licensed tourism businesses.
The GTA's Facebook page has a full list of these businesses. For more information, contact the GTA at info@guyanatourism.com or call 219-0093/6. (Ministry of Tourism)
T&T diplomat highlights major climate change disparities in the Caribbean
…calls on major emitters to lead the charge
By Feona Morrison
A LEADING diplomat from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) has raised critical concerns about climate change disparities affecting Caribbean nations, urging major global emitters to take the lead in mitigating the crisis.
During his recent appearance on the Energy Perspectives Podcast, T&T High Commissioner to Guyana, Conrad Enill, emphasised that while the Caribbean contributes minimally to global carbon emissions, the region disproportionately bears the brunt of climate impacts.
The diplomat pointed out that countries like the United States of America (USA), China, and India are responsible for 30 per cent of current carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, a figure that dwarfs the less than one per cent contribution from Caribbean nations.
Enill stressed that while Caribbean countries are engaged in conversations about mitigating the impact of climate change, the real challenge lies with the major emitters.
“Unless that 30 per cent is reduced significantly, the less than one per cent of energy in the Caribbean collectively will make absolutely no impact. I say that to say that while the conversation is about the impact on us [the Caribbean], the response cannot be for us to try to do something about it.
The volume that we have is not the problem. The problem is the large countries and the larger countries are finding it difficult to replace that low-cost energy with the more efficient forms of energy,” the ambassador reasoned.
He argued Caribbean nations do not control the oil and gas companies that profit from exploiting their resources, noting that these multinationals continue to dominate the energy sector. He highlighted that the Caribbean’s limited emissions should not bear the same level of scrutiny as those from larger economies, which are struggling to transition from low-cost fossil fuels to more sustainable energy sources.
Enill also called attention to the upcoming 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), more commonly known as COP29, which aims to address the challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS). He warned that without significant changes by profit-driven multinationals towards renewable energy, the global transition to green energy could lag, leaving vulnerable regions like the Caribbean at risk.
Guyana’s conservation efforts, despite preserving over 85 per cent of its landmass as lush rainforests, often go unrecognised glob-
ally, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat recently highlighted. He said those nations in the Global South, like Guyana, play a critical role in combating climate change yet lack the funding and recognition received by countries with high deforestation rates, underscoring the need for equitable global support. According to the United Nations Trade and Development (UNTAD), the Global South broadly comprises Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia (excluding Israel, Japan, and South Korea), and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand).
The Atlantic hurricane season, which is resulting in stronger and more frequent tropical storms, mostly affects the Caribbean countries.
Hurricane Beryl, a powerful and early-season Category Five storm that impacted parts of the Caribbean, highlighted the increasing intensity of hurricanes fuelled by climate change.
Caribbean leaders have underscored the urgent need for global action to combat rising temperatures and sea levels. They have stressed that countries must, among other things, intensify efforts to reduce carbon emissions and invest in sustainable solutions to protect vulnerable communities from the escalating impacts of extreme weather events.
T&T High Commissioner to Guyana, Conrad Enill
Aftermath of Hurricane Beryl in Petite Martinique, Grenada. The hurricane caused severe damage to infrastructure, services and livelihoods in Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Jamaica.
Photo: UN/Arthur Daniel
Man jailed over 21 pounds of marijuana
FORTY-NINE-YEAR-
OLD Raymond Tinnis was, on Monday, sentenced to three years in prison and fined $8, 820,000 for trafficking 21 pounds of marijuana.
The custodial sentence was handed down by Magistrate Marisa Mittelholzer at the Vigilance Magistrates’ Courts, where Tinnis had been on trial for the offence of possession of narcotic for the purpose of trafficking.
Though he had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge, Magistrate Mittelholzer found the defendant guilty as charged on Monday.
The Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), in a statement, said that officers intercepted a motor car with a sole occupant on the Mahaica Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on June 2, 2022.
Jailed: Raymond Tinnis
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a parcel containing cannabis in the vehicle’s trunk. Tinnis, then 47, along with the narcotics, was escorted to CANU’s Headquarters.
The drugs tested positive for cannabis with a total weight of 9.8 kilogrammes (21 pounds).
It had a street value of approximately $3 million.
The marijuana was found hidden in the trunk of this car
Human Services Ministry empowers youths in domestic violence awareness, human rights
THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, in collaboration with several key departments, recently hosted a crucial seminar for youth groups within Regional Police Division 4 ‘C’ (East Coast Demerara).
This seminar aimed to educate over 160 young participants from groups such as the Victoria Achievers, Cane Grove Rising Stars, and Buxton Achievers on vital issues, including domestic violence, human rights, and gender-based violence (GBV).
The event, organised with the support of the Hope and Justice Centre, the Gender Affairs Bureau, the Childcare Protection Agency, and the Family Enhancement Services Section (FESS), provided an important platform for young people to learn about the functions and roles of domestic violence advocates and the Hope and Justice Centre.
During the seminar, youths engaged in thought-provoking discussions on topics critical to their personal and community development, including: Self-care: Emphasising mental and emotional well-being; Conflict Resolution: Offering strategies for peacefully resolving disputes; Sexual Abuse Prevention: Raising awareness of how to identify and prevent sexual abuse; Human Rights: Educating youths on their fundamental rights and the importance of respecting
others' rights; Forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV): Understanding various types of GBV, including physical, verbal, and psychological abuse; Domestic Violence: Exploring the dynamics of domestic violence and how to support victims; and Child Abuse and Welfare: Highlighting the need to protect children and recognise signs of abuse.
The seminar was enriched by presentations from several notable figures, including Ms. Lewis from the Hope and Justice Centre, Survivors Advocate Mr. Thenga Adams, Ms. Jerrick from the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ms. Althea Whyte from the Family Enhancement Unit, and Mr. Alphonso from the Gender Affairs Bureau.
This initiative represents a significant step in strengthening the collaboration between youth and various agencies in the fight against domestic violence, child abuse, and the promotion of human rights. By equipping young people with knowledge and resources, the Ministry of Human Services aims to foster a generation that is informed, resilient, and ready to advocate for justice and equality in their communities.
Through this seminar, the Ministry continues its mission to create safe, supportive environments where youth can actively contribute to the advancement of human rights and the fight against gender-based violence.
This seminar aimed to educate over 160 young participants from groups on vital issues, including domestic violence, human rights, and gender-based violence (GBV)
Aranaputa residents welcomed $160M infrastructure plan
RESIDENTS of Aranaputa in Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) have expressed satisfaction, following a community engagement with Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, on Saturday, September 7, 2024.
During the meeting, the minister announced that approximately $160
million has been allocated in the 2024 national budget for extensive infrastructural developments in the region, with the community actively participating in selecting the projects.
Minister Edghill also addressed concerns regarding an incomplete road project, which had received $115 million in funding in the 2023 budget.
He assured the residents that immediate steps will be taken to expedite the project's completion, ensuring it meets the community’s expectations.
The allocation of these funds and the promise of a collaborative approach to development have been welcomed by Aranaputa’s residents, who view the initiative as
a significant step toward improving infrastructure and enhancing their quality of life.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill during his interaction with residents of Aranaputa, Region Nine
Green mountains, lucid waters golden assets
Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the people's congress system. Five experts share their views with China Daily on how the rule of law and whole-process people's democracy safeguard the overall development of the country.
China's reform and opening-up have unleashed untold economic forces. China's per capita GDP of $156.8 in 1978 was significantly lower than another major developing country, India ($206.07). But reform and opening-up transformed China's development landscape, with the country moving from being a planned economy to a market-oriented economy.
The emergence of new economic forces, thanks to reform and opening-up, contributed to double-digit GDP growth for an unprecedented three decades, which is unparalleled in history. Consequently, by 2023, China's per capita GDP had skyrocketed to $12,614.1 compared with India's $2,484.8. In other words, China's per capita GDP, which was only 76 per cent of India's in 1978, became more than
five times that of India in the next 45 years.
Up to 2010, China focused on, and succeeded in, achieving fast-paced economic growth. By the early 2000s, it was becoming evident that such economic growth was contributing to serious air, water and soil pollution, which in turn was posing a threat to human and ecosystem health.
In one way, China's economic development and consequent increase in environmental pollution were somewhat similar to what other industrialised countries witnessed during their development period. Till the early 1970s, all industrialised countries more or less believed environmental pollution was a side-effect of development and a price to be paid for continued economic progress. Only when these countries became economically developed did they realise that environmental pollution is not a sign of progress but a serious impediment to longterm health and well-being of the people and ecosystems. While Western policymakers took some 100 years to realise
this fact, China recognised the problem in less than three decades. The National People's Congress and its Standing Committee have enacted and amended over 30 environmental laws, more than 100 administrative regulations, and over 1,000 local regulations.
One of the most serious aspects of air pollution is the concentration of PM2.5. Because of the effective policies, average annual PM2.5 levels in Beijing declined from 101.56 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) in 2013 to about 39 µg/m3 by 2023. While it is still on the high side, the progress in reducing air pollution during the last 12 years has been remarkable. The new policy introduced by the State Council, China's Cabinet, in 2023 to "strictly and reasonably" control total coal use and restrict high-emissions projects is expected to reduce air pollution even further.
The policy stipulates that by 2025, China will reduce the density of PM2.5 by 10 per cent compared with the 2020 level, and the number of days with severe pollution
to less than 1 per cent. In addition, coal consumption in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas will be reduced by 10 per cent compared with the 2020 level,
with corresponding reduction in the Yangtze River Delta region being 5 per cent, with additional reductions in Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces. China is phasing out inef-
ficient and small-scale coalfired boilers, and promoting the use of electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce carbon emissions and other hazardous air pollutants. In July, for the first time, the sales of EVs and hybrid cars (51.9 per cent) in China exceeded those of cars with internal combustion engines (48.1 per cent).
The success of China's air pollution control policy can be gauged from the fact that in 2005 the majority of the world's top 10 polluted cities were in China but by 2020 not even one Chinese city figured in the list of top 15 most polluted cities.
China has also made significant progress in monitoring and controlling water pollution over the past four decades. For example, in 1985, the country was monitoring 35 water quality parameters for drinking water. In 2006, it started monitoring 106 water quality parameters. In 2023, further adjustments were made, with the number of non-mandatory parameters that could be monitored being nearly doubled, from 28 to 55. China's current water qual -
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ity standards specify upper limits for 152 water quality parameters which must not be exceeded.
China proposed specific water-related targets in the 13th Five-Year Plan (201620), which included constructing new treatment facilities to treat 50.22 million cubic meters per day of sewage. It also included construction of 125,000 kilometers of new sewage pipelines. All these targets were achieved by or
before 2020.
China currently uses six-tier water quality systems for quality classification of surface water. Grade III and above are considered to be of fairly good quality. Grades V and VI are the most polluted. The country also plans to recover water flows in 53 driedup rivers, restore native fish species to a stable population in 127 major water bodies, and create an additional 213 square km of wetlands by 2025.
Besides, to effectively reduce water pollution, the government has appointed government officials as river chiefs. Party leaders at all levels, too, have been designated as river or lake chiefs. Their success or failure to maintain the water quality of the sections they are responsible for will determine their overall performance evaluation which would directly affect their promotion in the Party hierarchy.
The river chief model is a
unique Chinese development strategy to maintain surface water quality, and more than one million river chiefs have already been appointed. This and associated developments have significantly reduced water pollution in China's rivers and lakes. More steps are likely to be taken during the next six years to reduce the levels of water pollution significantly.
President Xi Jinping has said that green mountains and clear rivers are mountains of
silver and gold. With such strong support, it is highly likely that China's 15th FiveYear Plan (2026-30) will stipulate highly ambitious but achievable air and water pollution targets by 2030. And hopefully, by 2030, China's air and water will be far cleaner than they have been during the past 50 years.
Asit K. Biswas is a distinguished visiting professor at the University of Glasgow, UK, director of Water Management Inter-
national, Singapore, and chief executive of Third World Centre for Water Management, Mexico; Tang Qiuhong is a professor at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing; and Cecilia Tortajada is a professor in practice at the School of Social and Environmental Sustainability, University of Glasgow, UK. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
China and US push forward climate actions
- Countries agree to continue talks, make joint efforts to ensure success of COP29
China and the United States will make joint efforts to ensure a successful United Nations climate change conference in November, a key task of which will be to set a new financial target for supporting developing countries in their climate actions.
The announcement came after a three-day meeting of the China-US Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s,
which was hosted by China in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday. The meeting was co-chaired by Liu Zhenmin, China’s special envoy for climate change, and John Podesta, senior adviser to the US president for international climate policy. The two sides continued their discussions on tackling the climate crisis, including the implementation of the 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions and preparation of their 2035
NDCs, according to a media release on Sunday from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
Nationally determined contributions are part of a climate action plan under the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change to cut greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts. Each party to the Paris Agreement, which aims to keep the global temperature increase this century to well below
2 C above pre-industrial levels, and limiting it to 1.5 C, is required to establish an NDC and update it every five years.
The ministry’s release said the two sides welcomed the technical and policy exchanges that have been conducted under the working group, including discussions on energy transition, methane, circular economy and resource efficiency, as well as low-carbon and sustainable provinces, states and cities.
While reaffirming their intention to jointly host a summit on methane and
other non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases at the UN COP29 climate change con-
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ference, the two sides also discussed encouraging participation from other parties, according to the release.
COP29, formally known as the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is scheduled to be held from Nov 11 to 22
in Baku, Azerbaijan. Recalling their commitments to advancing efforts to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030, China and the US expressed their intention to continue discussion and cooperation in this regard, the ministry release said. Furthermore, the two countries will continue to enforce laws on banning illegal im-
ports and promote global forest conservation and sustainable management.
The two countries also are committed to further strengthening dialogue and collaborative efforts, together with other parties, to support Azerbaijan for successful outcomes at COP29, including reaching the New Collective
Quantified Goal on climate finance and making progress on setting rules for Article 6 of the accord, which allows countries to cooperate with each other to achieve emission reduction targets.
The New Collective Quantified Goal, a key element of the Paris treaty, is designed to set a new
financial target to support developing countries in their post-2025 climate actions. Regarding Article 6, parties to the treaty have so far failed to agree on detailed rules after years of negotiation.
China and the US reached a consensus to establish the working group during COP26, in
Glasgow, United Kingdom, in 2021, vowing to meet regularly to address the climate crisis and advance the multilateral process.
The two sides held the first meeting of the working group in Washington on May 8 and 9.
(By HOU LIQIANG | CHINA DAILY)
Ministerial meeting on China-Caribbean economic, trade co-operation to be held in Hainan
A ministerial meeting of the fourth China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Co-operation Forum will be held in south China’s island province of Hainan, China’s commerce ministry announced on Monday.
The meeting, scheduled to take place from Sept. 12 to 14, will focus
on emerging sectors and discuss the new opportunities and patterns that green, low-carbon development and digital technologies have brought to China-Caribbean co-operation, according to ministry official Lin Feng.
To facilitate economic and trade cooperation, the ministry has worked to ascertain the cooperation needs of enterprises on both sides ahead of time, and organised a special dialogue event for Caribbean ministers and Chinese enterprises, Lin told a press conference.
frontier region of China’s opening-up, China also hopes to help Caribbean countries gain a better understanding of its opening-up policies, propelling deeper and high-quality co-operation between the two sides, Lin said.
By hosting the ministerial meeting in Hainan, a
Delegations from 11 Caribbean countries will
attend the meeting, as will the secretariat of the Caribbean Community, and a delegation from the government of Haiti will participate as an observer, according to the ministry.
Established in 2004, the China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum has
served as the highest-level economic and trade dialogue mechanism between the governments of China and Caribbean countries. Over the past 20 years, the forum has facilitated fruitful co-operation in areas such as trade, investment, human resources and health care. (Xinhua)
GECSCE launches EnergyEcho App as latest gateway to industry updates, exclusive insights
THE Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo (GECSCE) recently launched the EnergyEcho mobile application.
According to a press release, this cutting-edge platform provides industry updates and exclusive insights from its Energy Perspectives podcast.
EnergyEcho, designed by the GECSCE’s Exclusive Digital Partner, V75 Inc., delivers more than just the usual industry news. It offers fresh perspectives on international issues, as well as Guyana’s development from multiple angles.
Launched in 2023, and ramped up in 2024, the Energy Perspectives podcast has quickly become a go-to platform for industry leaders to discuss Guyana’s socio-economic opportunities, particularly within the oil and gas sector.
Oberstoetter, Head of Upstream Americas Research at Wood Mackenzie, have shared their invaluable insights.
Notably, EnergyEcho is part of a broader suite of digital tools created by V75 Inc. to enhance the experience of energy industry stakeholders. With its focus on delivering quality content and expert insights, EnergyEcho is positioned to become a must-have resource for those investing in Guyana's energy future.
Chairman of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, Mr Anthony Whyte, said, “The launch of EnergyEcho marks a significant milestone for the energy sector in Guyana and beyond. We are excited to offer this platform as a vital resource for professionals, stakeholders, and anyone interested in the future of energy, fostering greater connectivity and knowledge-sharing
The Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo (GECSCE) recently launched the EnergyEcho mobile application
It also explores critical areas essential to ensuring Guyana's reputation as a model for sustainability and diversification.
The podcast has featured some of the most distinguished voices in the industry. Guests in 2024 included Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali; former President of Colombia, Ivan Duque; and Guyana's Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat.
This platform has also hosted top executives such as Alistair Routledge, Head of ExxonMobil Guyana; Anand Gohil, Senior Manager of Commercial and External Relations, CNOOC; Martin Cheong, General Manager, SBM Offshore Guyana; and Sharlene Seegoolam, SLB’s Managing Director for Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.
Additionally, industry experts such as Carlos Pascual, Senior Vice President for Global Energy and International Affairs at S&P Global Commodity Insights and Mark
system.
“For a conference of this caliber, Marks said the content delivered through the EnergyEcho app adds critical value for all stakeholders. He concluded, “Our robust publishing platform ensures a convenient and effective delivery system for the latest news in Guyana’s Oil and Gas Sector.”
across the sector.”
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kiana Wilburg also noted the importance of EnergyEcho, stating, “As Guyana races forward in its development, embracing technological advancements is not just an option—it’s a necessity. With EnergyEcho, we offer reliable insights and analysis, empowering industry leaders and stakeholders with the knowledge needed to navigate our dynamic landscape. Overall, EnergyEcho embodies our commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation, while continuing to position Guyana as a leader in the energy world.”
Chairman of V75 Inc., Eldon Marks, said, “The EnergyEcho app is seamlessly integrated with the conference website, client portal, and main conference mobile app, forming a cohesive part of the Guyana Energy Conferencing Software Suite. This integration allows users to access published stories and podcasts from anywhere within the eco-
L-R Chairman of the GECSCE, Anthony Whyte; CEO of the GECSCE, Kiana Wilburg and CEO of V75 Inc., Eldon Marks
GPHC sees surge in twin births, continues to provide exceptional care
THE Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has experienced a significant increase in twin births this year, caring for 17 sets of twins so far. July 2024 saw five sets of twins admitted to the NICU, followed by three sets in August, and two already in September.
This trend of multiple births highlights the essential role the NICU plays in providing specialised care to premature and critically ill newborns.
Since its opening in 2012, the NICU has evolved from
modest beginnings, where neonates were housed in wooden boxes with overhead bulbs as warmers, into a state-ofthe-art facility with advanced incubators, ventilators, and radiant warmers.
Dr. Natasha France, one of GPHC’s gynaecologists, humorously remarked, "It must be something in the water," as the hospital celebrates the new lives and the dedication of the NICU team.
The NICU, which recently expanded from a 15-bed to an 18-bed unit, also includes a step-down area with 25 beds for babies transitioning out of intensive care. The
unit provides care for infants born as early as 28 weeks and weighing over 1,000 grams, with stays ranging from a few days to several months.
The NICU team is made up of four consultants, two senior registrars, three registrars, two General Medical Officers (GMOs), paediatric residents, and rotating medical interns. The nursing staff, consisting of Registered Nurses (RNs) with specialised neonatal training, works closely with these professionals to ensure the best outcomes for their tiny patients.
In addition to delivering critical care, the NICU runs
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has experienced a significant increase in twin births this year
a Neonatal Intensive Care Programme in collaboration with the University of Guyana, training the next generation of neonatal specialists through GPHC’s Institute of
Health Science Education (IHSE).
GPHC’s NICU remains at the forefront of neonatal care, continually advancing the health and well-being of
Guyana's newest and most vulnerable citizens. The team’s unwavering dedication ensures that these infants receive the care they need to thrive.
Fire at Camp Street Prison quickly contained
THE Guyana Fire Service (GFS) responded swiftly to a fire at Lot 12 Camp Street, Werk-enRust, Georgetown, on Monday.
The blaze occurred within the Camp Street Prison, a three-storey concrete and metal structure owned by the Government of Guyana. The GFS received the distress call at 14:10 hrs, with the first responding units arriving on the scene just six minutes later at 14:16 hrs.
The fire crew brought a total of 8517 liters of water
and dispatched four units, including Water Tenders #95, 118, and 105, along with Water Carrier 18.
A team of 18 firefighters worked quickly to control the blaze.
The fire destroyed one mattress and a quantity of clothing inside the prison, but no inmates were displaced. However, two individuals sustained injuries: Christopher Stanley, 25, suffered second-degree burns on various parts of his body, while Delon Blake, 35, received first-degree burns to his
upper right shoulder. Both individuals were treated for their injuries.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire was ignited by an inmate who used a lighter to set a mattress ablaze. The flames then spread to nearby combustible materials, but quick action by prison officers helped contain the fire before it spread further. Using three 4.5 kg dry chemical extinguishers, the officers managed to prevent the fire from escalating until the arrival of the GFS.
The Guyana Fire Service commended the prison officers for their swift and effective response, which helped to minimise damage. The GFS is continuing its investigation to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident and has urged institutions across the country to review fire safety protocols. The service emphasised the importance of maintaining fire prevention and suppression equipment to avoid similar incidents.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was started by an inmate who lit a mattress using a lighter, which then ignited nearby combustible material
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER
(Wednesday September 11, 2024)
CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)
Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 138 for the second wicket – Kevin Pietersen/Andre Fletcher (Zouks vs Tridents, St. Kitts) (2) Dinesh Ramdin- 14 dismissals (9 catches/5 stumpings – GAW)
Today’s Quiz: (1) Who struck most sixes in CPL 2015? (2) Who took most catches in CPL 2015 (non-wicketkeeper)?
Answers in tomorrow’s issue
Racing tips
AMERICAN RACING TIPS
KENTUCKY D0WNS
Race 1 Captain Fancy
Race 2 Mo Attitude
Race 3 Gatlinburg
Race 4 Never Really Know
Race 5 Mizchievous Angel
Race 6 Fleming
ENGLISH RACING TIPS
CARLISLE
09:20 hrs Monetize
09:50 hrs Zadkiel
10:25 hrs Mrs Trump
10:55 hrs Inanna
11:28 hrs Catch The Light
12:05 hrs Isle Of Wolves
12:33 hrs Myal
LINGFIELD
09:05 hrs Savannah Smiles
09:35 hrs Hello Miss Lady
10:05 hrs Lazieelunch
10:40 hrs Sixteen One
11:15 hrs Time Tested
11:50 hrs Sonmarg
12:20 hrs Golden
Phase11:03 hrs Royal
Max
11:35 hrs Next Left
12:10 hrs Long Draw
12:40 hrs Miss Goldfire
13:10 hrs The Flying Poet
13:40 hrs Best Mate Dave
14:10 hrs Hedera Park
SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS
GREYVILLE
08:15 hrs Lady Is A Champ
08:50 hrs Ladybug
09:25 hrs Ultra Quick
10:00 hrs Miss Platina
10:35 hrs Wave Warrior
IRISH RACING TIPS
CORK
10:45 hrs Rebel Diamond
11:20 hrs Comanche Brave
11:55 hrs Heart Of Darkness
12:25 hrs Surpass And Shine
12:55 hrs Von Krolock
13:25 hrs Happiest
13:55 hrs Rubies From Burma
14:25 hrs Killeaney Bear
Day two of Afghanistan-New Zealand Test called off despite sunny conditions
THE second day of the only Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida suffered the same miserable fate as the first due to rain, albeit not during hours of play, and the quality of the outfield.
The toss was scheduled half an hour earlier at 9 am, to make up for day one being abandoned, but at 8.55 am came the announcement that conditions were unfit for play and that there would be an inspection at 12 pm.
The message on the broadcast at 9.10 am was that "a thunderous over-
night downpour last evening from 6 pm, for 90 minutes, at one stage left the outfield completely and utterly flooded." The moisture underfoot remained a major concern and there was little hope the ground would be fit for play by noon.
The ground staff used electric fans to try and dry a few wet patches on the outfield. They cut out blocks of dry grass from the practice nets and transplanted them on a damp region in the 30-yard circle. Despite the sun baking down, the ground wasn't ready at noon and another inspec-
tion was planned for 3pm.
New Zealand's players arrived at the ground around 12:25pm, and a practice net was installed next to the main pitch so that they could practise.
The spinners Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santer began to bowl first and were soon joined by the fast bowlers, while Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell had a hit. The Afghanistan players, on the other hand, did not arrive at the venue.
Play was called off on the second day at 2.55 pm, with the toss yet to take place.(ESPN cricinfo)
Haiti, St Lucia stay perfect as Puerto Rico, Curacao secure first wins in League B
HAITI and St Lucia maintained pole position in their respective League B groups as they registered their second win of the Concacaf Nations League campaign, while Curacao and Puerto Rico notched their first victories on Monday.
St Lucia edged Grenada 2-1, while Curacao blanked St Martin 4-0 in the Group B double-header at Kirani James Athletics Stadium in St. George's.
With the win, St Lucia moved to six points as Curacao rose to second on three points, same as Grenada, who
slipped to third. St Martin is the only team in the group yet to get on the board. Meanwhile, Haiti hammered St Maarten 6-0 and Puerto Rico clipped Aruba 1-0 in their Group C encounters at Estadio Centroamericano in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.
Haiti now sit on six points and Puerto Rico inched up to second on three points, same as third-placed St Maarten, while Aruba remains at the foot of the standing without a point.
Curacao vs. St Martin Curacao’s clinical victory
over St Martin, kept their hopes of League A promotion alive.
Juninho Bacuna opened the scoring in the 10th minute when he outpaced defenders and slotted home on a transition play.
Gervane Kastaneer doubled the lead in the 13th when he converted on a second attempt after his initial shot was blocked.
Leandro Bacuna added a third in the 48th with a firm finish from deep inside the 18-yard box, before Joshua Zimmerman headed home from a weighted cross in the
65th minute to cap the win.
Haiti vs. St Maarten Favoured to top Group C and reclaim their rightful spot in League A, Haiti moved closer to achieving the feat with another dominant performance.
Duckens Nazon led from the front with a second half hat-trick, while substitute Mikael Cantave had a brace.
Attys Christopher opened the scoring in the 40th when he headed home from a corner kick.
From there, it became the Nazon show, as he also headed home in the 59th minute,
with his second and third coming in the 75th and 82nd minutes, respectively.
Cantave chipped in with strikes in the 77th and 85th minutes as St Martin had no response to the onslaught.
Grenada vs. Saint Lucia
This was always expected to be a close contest and it lived up to its billing with St Lucia denying their host.
Christian Forino Joseph broke the deadlock for St Lucia in the 13th when he got on the end of Alvinus Myers’ well-weighted corner kick.
Donavan Jn Baptiste then capitalised on Grenada’s de-
fensive error to double the lead in the 21st minute.
Grenada pulled one back in the 51st, courtesy of Lucas Akins.
St Lucia’s goalkeeper Vino Barclett was instrumental in his team’s victory as he pulled off six saves to deny Grenada an equaliser.
Aruba vs. Puerto Rico
Leandro Antonetti was the hero for host Puerto Rico in a tightly contested encounter. Antonetti found the winner in the 73rd with a firm header to break their opponent’s hearts. (Sportsmax)
Albion Cricket Club benefits from G$3M gear donation
THE Albion Community Centre Cricket Club and several of its youth cricketers recently received over G$3 million worth in cricket gear from Canada-based Guyanese, Fabian Naiken.
Naiken, who played a key role in the development of Albion’s cricket in the 90s before migrating to Canada, made the presentation during the closing ceremony of the club’s 2024 Cricket Academy, of which he was a member of the coaching staff.
In presenting the gear to the youngsters, Naiken emphasised on the importance of the three D’s and encouraged the young cricketers to continue to work hard on their game to be successful.
He also disclosed that the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club is always close to his heart and that he will continue to assist the Club in whatever way he can.
“I want to urge all of you
young cricketers to continue to be disciplined, dedicated and determined; without the three D’s you cannot be successful. This Club has always been and will continue to be close to my heart and I will
continue to assist in whatever way I can.”
He expressed gratitude to the several former Albion cricketers who have also made financial contributions towards the procurement of the gear.
“This gesture could not have been possible without the contributions of several former Albion cricketers and members. I want to say a special thank you to Safraz Samad, Adrian Permaul, Tariq Aziz, Hemnarine Chattergoon, Doonauth Lalbeharry, Zulfikar Rozan, Abid Ishmael, Dheeraj Arjune, Marvin Naiken, Kerwin Naiken, Gavin Nandu and Tony Hashram for their contributions. These are fellas
who always have Albion’s cricket at heart.”
Vice-President of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, Karamchand Harripersaud, thanked Naiken (who personally contributed over G$1.8M) and all others who contributed to making the gear available. He urged the young cricketers to take care and make full use of the equipment received.
Harripersaud also assured that the gear received by the Club will undoubtedly enhance its cricket development programmes.
Sahid Gajnabi, Daniel Johnson, Rovin Lalbehari and Damion Cecil each received a complete cricket kit, while Jeremy Gobin collected
a wicket-keeping pad, a pair of wicket-keeping gloves and a helmet.
Namit Manna collected a bat and a pair of gloves; Shiv Harripersaud, Naeem Khan, Liam Budhram, Nicholas Madramotoo and Kunal Bhopaul received one bat each; Afraz Budhoo and Ari-Afrizal Kadir were presented with a cricket bag and a pair of batting pad each; while Kawal Aeaken was given a pair of batting gloves.
Young Sumit Samaroo and Dinesh Samaroo of the Port Mourant Cricket Club and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club respectively, each received a complete cricket kit.
Canada-based Guyanese, Fabian Naiken (left) and former Test cricketer now youth coach at Albion, Sewnarine Chattergoon, pose with some of the equipment
A member of the ground staff uses a fan to dry a patch of wet outfield • (AFP/Getty Images)
Panthers Rugby club clinch GRFU 7’s tournament
PANTHERS Rugby team, on Sunday last, overcame Police Falcons 29-19 to clinch the Guyana Rugby Football Union 7’s tournament played at the Rugby Play Field in the National Park .
In the final clash to determine the winner of the tournament, at the onset, an exciting period of play, characterised by several passes, was finished by Ryan Dey who gave Panthers the first try on the board.
Police’s winger, Lionel Holder, came in next for Police to level the scores after a brilliant run up the wing for Police’s first points.
Holder was not done coming back to score another try to put Police 14-5 up in
the first half.
On the last play of the first half Panthers Darcy Durant got into the act, winning a penalty after breaking through the Police barricade to make it a 14- 12 game with Falcons holding the lead.
After the resumption, Panthers Jamal Angus reclaimed the kick from Geffrey Broomes hitting it back to Osei Mckenzie who then switched the pass to Broomes who completed the try, they then converted the free kick to make it 19-14 in favour of Panthers.
Darcy Durant then extended the lead after a solid period of play for Panthers to make it a 24-14 game with his second field goal.
Lionel Holder showed
his never-say-die attitude to complete his hat-trick, pulling back the advantage.
At this point the scores read
and sprinting from the half way mark to deliver Panthers an emphatic victory.
Earlier in the day, the round robin competition saw Panthers, Police and GDF playing each other twice.
Panthers opened the day with a 24-12 loss to the Guyana Defence Force, Police
then edged GDF 12-0. Police continued their good form in the third clash of the day with 22-14 win over Panthers.
Panthers bounced back to beat GDF 17-14 to earn the right to play the deciding match against Police for the title.
Australia coy on Steve Smith role for upcoming India Test series
AUSTRALIA is remaining tight-lipped as to whether experienced batter, Steve Smith, will continue in his role as opener during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series against India.
Smith has been a rock in Australia's middle-order for more than a decade, but was moved up to an unfamiliar role at the top alongside Usman Khawaja with mixed success when fellow veteran David Warner retired from Test cricket at the start of the year.
Smith managed one half-century and averaged just 28.50 from four Tests against the West Indies and New Zealand, with the 35-year-old's best innings coming in a narrow loss to the Caribbean side in Brisbane when he managed an unbeaten 91. But with India set to travel Down Under for a five-match se-
ries that will help determine who reaches next year's ICC World Test Championship final, Australia is still tossing up whether Smith will remain as opener or revert to his more preferred batting position at No.4.
Andrew McDonald was quizzed about what his side will do with Smith on Tuesday, but
the Australia coach refused to give away too much.
“That's the question on everyone's lips, isn't it? While we've got an eye to it, we haven't made any firm decisions around that one,” McDonald said on Australian radio station SEN.
“There’s plenty of speculation around that. But in the back-
ground, I'd be lying if I said the conversation wasn't happening.
“There are conversations around a lot of what ifs in terms of that Test summer that is to come.
“We'll unveil everything, and we'll let (Smith's coach at domestic level) Greg Shipperd know what our plans are and then we'll see what he does with his New South Wales side should Steve Smith play (Sheffield) Shield cricket.”
McDonald is currently in the United Kingdom ahead of Australia's white-ball series against England having overseen their recent T20I series sweep over Scotland in Edinburgh.
With Australia's Test captain Pat Cummins skipping the European tour and instead resting at home, McDonald indicated any selection matter for the India series would be put on the backburner for the time being.
“What am I willing to share? Not a lot at this stage. All I can say is the conversation's happening,” McDonald added.
“Clearly, Patty Cummins as the captain is a big part of that, he’s rehabbing at the moment, he’s not over here (in Europe).
“We've already had some chats in Sydney initially around what we're thinking for the summer, and that goes right down to depth bowling and what it looks like, all those hypotheticals and what ifs that we always go through.
“Clearly, if we make a shift with Steve Smith, then someone else will have to go to the top.
“We've seen Cameron Green be really successful at No.4 as well. So that sort of adds layers to the decision-making.
“But nothing is firm and fixed on at the moment.”
McDonald is adamant
though, that Smith will remain in the XI should selectors opt for another specialist opener.
“Yeah, in my mind it does,” McDonald said.
“Clearly there's a few other selectors, and I don't want to sort of influence the decision-making or thinking of (selection chair) George Bailey.
“But we've spoken about that, and we're still a big believer in the best six batters and come that first Test match, who are the best six batters?
“We feel as though the team that finished in in New Zealand, should they get a clean run at it and be well prepared, then they would be the best-placed players to fill that, there’s no doubt about that.”
The five-match series between Australia and India commences in Perth on November 22. (ICC Media)
Falcons dealt big blow with loss of opening batsman Zaman
BASSETERRE, St
Kitts, (CMC) – The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons will have to do without their star opening batsman and top run scorer Fakhar Zaman for the remainder of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). In a press release issued by the Falcons, it was announced that Zaman, one of the lead-
ing run scorers in this year’s tournament would be returning to Pakistan.
Fakhar Zaman was the leading run scorer for the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League.
“The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons will be without the services of Fakhar Zaman for the remaining matches in
the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League.
“The left-handed opener returned to Pakistan to participate in an event there,” the press release stated.
“The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons thank Fakhar for his performances on the field and contributions off the field during his time with the franchise.”
In his five games for the Falcons, Zaman scored 159 runs at an average of 31.80 and a strike rate of 134, with a highest score of 43.
Despite missing the Falcons’ last game against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Zaman is currently the fourth highest run scorer in the tournament.
24-19 with Panthers leading. At the end Osei McKenzie closed it off after gathering a loose ball off the ground
Australia batter Steve Smith
Panthers’ Captain, Rondel McArthur, with the winning GRFU 7’s trophy
Winning Panthers Rugby club
Fakhar Zaman was the leading run scorer for the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League
GFF adopts comprehensive child safeguarding policy in line with FIFA regulations
THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has formally adopted a child safeguarding policy, in full compliance with FIFA regulations, aimed at ensuring the protection of children involved in football across the country.
Central to the policy is a requirement for all individuals engaged in football-related activities that involve minors to undergo mandatory safeguarding training.
Participants must also sign a formal declaration agreeing to adhere to the policy’s strict guidelines on appropriate conduct with children.
The policy applies to coaches, staff, volunteers, referees and administrators at both the national and club levels.
The governance framework of the child safeguarding policy includes the appointment of a dedicated Safeguarding Officer, responsible for overseeing its implementation and managing any reported incidents.
An internal Safeguarding Steering Group, made up of representatives from various GFF departments, will monitor the policy’s effectiveness
and recommend improvements where necessary.
The GFF has also established partnerships with local child protection agencies and civil society organisations to ensure access to expert advice and support.
GFF President, Wayne Forde, emphasised the importance of the policy: “The protection of children is of utmost importance to the GFF. Children are among our most vulnerable stakeholders, and we have a responsibility to ensure their safety, whether they are in-
volved in football at the grassroots, club, or national level. This policy reflects our commitment to creating a safe space for young players to develop, learn, and enjoy the sport without fear of harm.”
The policy also mandates regular evaluations, community involvement, and continuous training for GFF staff and volunteers.
In addition, the GFF will work closely with local authorities to address any safeguarding concerns, ensuring that cases are handled
promptly and in accordance with national child protection laws.
The implementation of this policy marks a significant step forward in safeguarding children within Guyana’s football ecosystem.
Through these measures, the GFF aims to foster a culture of safety and protection, ensuring that young players can participate in football in a secure environment free from abuse, exploitation or harassment.
(GFF Press Release)
Latif spurs Canadian Legends to OMSCC Over-40 A Division title
Latif starred with both bat and ball to lead Canadian Legends to victory in the final of the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC)
Division A Over-40 clash, played on Sunday at the Littles Park playing field, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
After grabbing two for 13 in his allotted three overs, and helping to bowl out opponents, Masters for 116 in 19.1 overs, Latiff returned to hit a responsible unbeaten 39 as Canadian Legends reached 117 for five in 18.1 overs.
The experienced Latif entered the fray with his team in a spot of bother at 51 for four in the 12th over following the dismissal of Patrick Rooplal for 27. With Abinash Ramnarayan offering stout resistance, the two shared a face-saving fifth-wicket partnership of 60 before the latter departed for 19 (one six). Latiff, whose knock was
spiced with one four and four sixes, was at the end when victory was achieved.
Andy Narayan, who got rid of the dangerous Chien Gittens for six, finished with the impressive figures of two for 10 from his three overs while Rishi Samuel supported with two for 20.
Earlier, the Masters batting was undermined by brilliant bowling from the Canadian Legends bowlers as, apart from Latif, skipper Sudesh Beharry bowled impressively to claim three for three while there was one wicket apiece for Rooplall, Gittens and Anil Mahadeo.
Latif was adjudged the Most Valuable Player for the winning team while the honour for the runner-up went to Narayan, both receiving trophies, compliments of TDMJ Accounting and Tax Services, owned by Terry and Jasdavi Mathura.
Both the winners and run-
Stokes returns as England name two uncapped players in Test squad for Pakistan tour
ENGLAND has named a strong 17-member squad for the ICC World Test Championship games against Pakistan in October.
strength to the spin attack with Shoaib Bashir joined by Rehan Ahmed and Jack Leach, both of whom return to the Test squad after missing out in the recent matches.
ner-up teams were presented with trophies and medallions.
Canadian Legends played unbeaten throughout the season, topping the table with 42 points in the five-team division while Masters placed second with 30, defending champions Warriors, third with 27, Rebel Masters fourth with 18 while Leguan Warriors got a mere three.
Latif was also the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 283 runs while his teammate Gittens was second with 171. Warriors’ Rovendra Mandoall registered third
place with 152 with Rebel Masters’ Troy Gobin fourth on 143.
In the bowling department, Andy Persaud (Warriors) took nine wickets, Bunty Sukhu (Rebel Masters) eight, while there were six each for Kemraj Budhai (Canadian Legends) and Gobin.
At the presentation ceremony, OMSCC President, Azeem Khan, lauded the teams for the excellent cricket and also for conduct displayed in both finals (Division A and B). (Frederick Halley)
England has been boosted by the return of Ben Stokes from a hamstring injury for the tour of Pakistan next month.
The Test skipper is currently continuing recovery from the hamstring tear that kept him out of the home series against Sri Lanka.
Uncapped duo of Brydon Carse and Jordan Cox also make the cut for the tour while pacer Josh Hull, who debuted in the final Test against Sri Lanka, has been retained for his first overseas tour.
England has added more
The venue for the threematch series is yet to be confirmed with PCB expected to announce the same later this week.
The first Test is scheduled to take place from October 7.
England Test squad for Pakistan: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib
Harry Brook,
dan
Zak
RICHARD
Bashir,
Brydon Carse, Jor-
Cox,
Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes. (ICC Media)
England captain Ben Stokes
Andy Narayan, MVP of Masters, is rewarded for his efforts by TDMJ’s Jas Mathura
The victorious Canadian Legends players pose with their winnings
Canadian Legends MVP of Canadian Legends, Richard Latif, collects his trophy from Jas Mathura of TDMJ Accounting and Tax Services
GFF President, Wayne Forde
Golden Jaguars squander chances in 2-2 draw with Martinique
GUYANA's Golden Jaguars let a two-goal lead slip away, eventually settling for a 2-2 draw against host nation Martinique in their second match of the Concacaf Nations League on Monday.
Isaiah Jones put Guyana ahead with a brace in the first half, but Martinique fought back with a goal before the break and an equaliser late in the match.
The Golden Jaguars will need to improve their ability to hold on to leads if they hope to advance to the knockout stage of the Nations League.
Both teams lost their opening game of League A 3-1, Guyana to Suriname and Martinique to Guatemala.
Next up for Guyana is a clash against powerhouse
Guatemala, likely in October.
Guyana is ranked 19th, Martinique at 11th and Guatemala at ninth.
The League A groups are as follows:
Group A: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Suriname, and Guyana
Group B: Jamaica, Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Nicaragua, and French
Guiana
After Group Stage play in September and October, the first and second-place finishers of each group (four teams in total) will advance to the Quarterfinals, where they will join the four top-ranked League A teams (Mexico, United States, Panama, and Canada).
Prime MInister Pierre declares national holiday in honour of Alfred
Julien Alfred is the first St Lucian to medal at the Olympics CASTRIES, St Lucia, (CMC) – St Lucia’s Prime Minister, Phillip J. Pierre, has declared September 27, “Julien Alfred Day” in honour of her historic performances at the recently concluded Paris Olympics.
The Prime Minister made the declaration during a pre-Cabinet press briefing on Monday, where he not only announced the national holiday, but also plans to celebrate Alfred when she returns to the island on September 24.
The 23-year-old Alfred created history by winning St Lucia’s first ever gold medal at the Olympics when she sprinted to victory in the women’s 100 metres in a national record time of 10.72 seconds. She also copped silver in the 200 metres.
Among the celebratory activities planned for Alfred is a motorcade, school rallies, and a mural unveiling.
The celebrations will begin on September 24 when Alfred returns to the island, where she will be greeted with a motorcade along the East Coast.
On September 25, national school rallies will be held at Soufriere Mini Stadium and La Resource playing field to celebrate her achievements and on the following day Alfred will visit the Ciceron Primary School for the unveiling of a mural in her honour, followed by what officials have described as “massive announcements.”
“Julien Alfred Day” will be celebrated with a free concert at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground on the evening of the holiday, with Saint Lucians being encouraged to come out in large numbers to honour their national icon.
Isaiah Jones put Guyana ahead with a brace in the first half