Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 15-12-2023

FRIDAY 15th December, 2023

PRICE $100 VAT INCLUSIVE

No. 107295

COP28 ends without long-term financing for adaptation, carbon market - VP Jagdeo

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Guyana maintains commitment to ICJ process in resolution of border controversy SEE PAGE

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- countries commit in joint declaration to refrain from the escalation of any conflict

Guyana’s commitment to regional peace and ensuring the region remains a zone of peace was underscored during the CARICOM/CELAC/Brazil-brokered meeting between President Dr Irfaan Ali and Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in St Vincent and the Grenadines (Latchman Singh photo)

‘You have to plan for the future’

- Jagdeo responds to criticism of salary increases SEE - highlights PPP reduced taxes PAGE 9 by $40 billion

Guyana focuses on No illegal registration transparency in of Venezuelan migrants migration system to vote Jagdeo overhaul – Min. Benn - Norton admits mistake, withdraws claim SEE PAGE

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‘Pirates’ sentenced to death for murdering fishermen

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Guyana maintains commitment to ICJ process in resolution of border controversy Fallen Servicemen honoured with monument

In recognition of their bravery, dedication, and service, a monument has been erected on the front lawns of Base Camp Ayanganna to honour the memory

of our five servicemen who lost their lives in the fatal Bell 412 Helicopter (AR-AYA) crash.

The monument features photos of the fallen heroes, a map of Guyana,

and an aerial scene from Guyana’s hinterland.

Brigadier (Ret’d) Gary Beaton, Colonel Michael Shahoud, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome, Lieu-

tenant Colonel Michael Charles, and Warrant Officer Class Two Jason Khan. May their legacies endure, and may their sacrifices never be forgotten.

- countries commit in joint declaration to refrain from the escalation of any conflict

Guyana and Venezuela issued a joint declaration after a presidential meeting. They agreed to refrain from using force against each other, even in existing controversies.

See the full declaration below: THE JOINT DECLARATION OF ARGYLE FOR DIALOGUE AND PEACE BETWEEN GUYANA AND VENEZUELA On Thursday, December 14, 2023, in Argyle, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, His Excellency Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and His Excellency Nicolas Maduro, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela held discussions on matters consequential to the territory in dispute between their two countries.

These discussions were facilitated by the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Pro-Tempore President of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Dr. The Honourable Ralph E. Gonsalves, and the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica and Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit. Prime Ministers Gonsalves and Skerrit, together with H.E. Mr. Celso Amorim, Special Adviser and Personal Envoy of H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, acted as principal Interlocutors. Also present were Honourable Prime Ministers of the Caribbean Communi-

ty, namely: the Honourable Philip Davis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas; the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; the Honourable Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada; the Honourable Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia; Honourable Terrence Drew of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Dr. The Honourable Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Attending as Observers on behalf of His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations were Their Excellencies Earle Courtenay Rattray, Chef de Cabinet of the Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Miroslav Jenca, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. In addition, His Excellency Alvaro Leyva Durán, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia and Mr. Gerardo Torres Zelaya, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Honduras, in his capacity as CELAC Troika, also participated.

All parties attending the meeting at Argyle, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reiterated their commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean remaining a Zone of Peace.

Guyana and Venezuela declared as follows: 1. A g r e e d t h a t Guyana and Venezuela, directly or indirectly, will not threaten or TURN TO PAGE 3

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Guyana focuses on transparency in migration system overhaul – Min. Benn SINCE August 2020, the government, under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has made substantial progress in the modernisation of its migration services and information and data collection systems.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn Monday made the disclosure during the 69th Sitting of the National Assembly, stating that while no bill has been laid in parliament, the administration is looking at issues relating to migration policies.

Due to this strategic undertaking and consultation, the minister noted that a bill may emerge.

The Home Affairs minister was at the time responding to questions

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn

posed by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Tabitha Sarabo-Halley who inquired about whether the government had taken any steps to modernise the institutional

and legislative framework associated with migration in Guyana since 2020.

“In respect of the institutional framework relating to migration, both the Immigration Department

and the Immigration Services Department have been modernised [and] staffing has increased.

The work that they are doing now…is being put on electronic platforms

for proper recovery of information from the databases,” Minister Benn stated.

The minister explained that the government is working nonstop to ensure persons purporting to be migrants in Guyana are indeed immigrants, as opposed to what transpired during the previous APNU+AFC Government’s tenure.

“We inherited a situation where thousands of persons were coming through Guyana purporting to be migrants but not staying in Guyana…

In 2019, 19,000 persons came into Guyana and cannot be accounted for.

“We do not want to repeat and we are working to ensure that the system is much better

managed and is outside the influence of corruption at all levels.”

Meanwhile, speaking specifically on the issue of Venezuelan migrants, Minister Benn said the ministry is focused on establishing specific patrols to identify undocumented individuals, ensuring they are legally registered.

He further highlighted that the ministry had called for all undocumented persons to be registered legally.

As a result of this call, Minister Benn pointed out that the number of persons coming to be documented has tripled over the past few weeks, owing to the call made by the ministry.

Guyana maintains commitment to ICJ...

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use force against one another in any circumstances, including those consequential to any existing controversies between the two States.

2. Agreed that any controversies between the two States will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement dated February 17, 1966.

3. Committed to the pursuance of good neighborliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.

4. Noted Guyana’s assertion that it is committed to the process and procedures of the International Court of

Justice for the resolution of the border controversy. Noted Venezuela’s assertion of its lack of consent and lack of recognition of the International Court of Justice and its jurisdiction in the border controversy.

5. Agreed to continue dialogue on any other pending matters of mutual importance to the two countries.

6. A g r e e d t h a t both States will refrain, whether by words or deeds, from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from any controversy between them. The two States will cooperate to avoid incidents on the ground conducive

to tension between them. In the event of such an incident the two States will immediately communicate with one another, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC), and the President of Brazil to contain, reverse and prevent its recurrence.

7. Agreed to establish immediately a joint commission of the Foreign Ministers and technical persons from the two States to address matters as mutually agreed. An update from this joint commission will be submitted to the Presidents of Guyana and

Venezuela within three months.

8. B o t h S t a t e s agreed that Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves, the Pro-Tempore President of CELAC, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the incumbent CARICOM Chairman, and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil will remain seized of the matter as Interlocutors and the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres as Observer, with the ongoing concurrence of Presidents Irfaan Ali and Nicolas Maduro. For the avoidance of doubt, Prime Minister Gonsalves' role will continue even after Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines ceases to be the Pro-Tempore President of CELAC, within the framework of the CELAC Troika plus one; and Prime Minister Skerrit’s role will continue as a member of the CARICOM Bureau.

9. B o t h S t a t e s agreed to meet again in Brazil, within the next three months, or at another agreed time, to consider any matter with implications for the territory in dispute, including the above-mentioned update of the joint commission.

10. We express our appreciation to Prime Ministers Gonsalves and Skerrit, to Presi-

dent Lula and his Personal Envoy Celso Amorim, to all other CARICOM Prime Ministers present, to the officials of the CARICOM Secretariat, to the CELAC Troika and to the Head of the CELAC PTP Secretariat in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, His Excellency Dr. Douglas Slater, for their respective roles in making this meeting a success.

11. We express our appreciation to the Government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for their kind facilitation and hospitality at this meeting.

Dated this 14th day of December, 2023.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

ECLAC Urges Reforms: Seeks strategies to break free from low-growth scenario

IN its final annual report for the year, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) unveiled the Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2023.

The report paints a sobering picture, predicting that the region is set to experience a trajectory of low growth, resulting in decelerated job creation, persistent informality, and gender gaps, among other repercussions.

Presenting the report on Thursday at a press conference, Executive Secretary of the United Nations regional commission, José Manuel Sala-

zar-Xirinachs, highlighted key findings.

According to the report, Latin America and the Caribbean are anticipated to grow by an average of 2.2per cent in 2023 and 1.9per cent in 2024, signifying a slowdown from the growth levels observed in 2022.

While all subregions are expected to experience reduced growth in 2023, the report underscores the heterogeneity among countries in the region.

South America is projected to grow by 1.5per cent (compared to 3.8per cent in 2022), Central America and Mexico by 3.5per cent (down from 4.1per cent in 2022), and the Carib-

bean (excluding Guyana) is forecasted to grow by 3.4per cent (versus 6.4per cent in 2022).

Looking ahead to

2024, the region is anticipated to maintain this low-growth trend, with all subregions growing less than in 2023. Projections

include South America expanding by 1.4per cent , Central America and Mexico by 2.7per cent , and the Caribbean by 2.6per cent (excluding Guyana).

The report attributes these projections to sluggish economic growth and global trade dynamics, resulting in limited impetus from the global economy.

Despite a decline in inflation, interest rates in major developed economies remain high, impacting financing costs throughout the region.

The constrained growth is also linked to limited domestic fiscal and monetary policy options.

While public debt levels have decreased, they remain high, restricting fiscal space. Monetary policy continues to have a restrictive bias due to concerns about the potential effects of rate cuts on capital flows and exchange rates, given the prevailing high interest rates in developed countries.

Inflation in the region is expected to average 3.8 per cent by the end of 2023, significantly lower than the 8.2per cent recorded in 2022. The report further predicts a contin-

ued decline in inflation, with the average regional rate estimated at 3.2per cent in 2024.

ECLAC estimates a 1.4per cent growth in the number of employed persons in 2023, representing a four percentage-point drop from the 5.4per cent recorded in 2022. This lower rate of job creation is expected to persist in 2024, with a projected growth of 1.0per cent .

To break free from the low-growth trap, Salazar-Xirinachs emphasised the need for productive development policies, strategic investment, and an adjusted financing framework. The report also calls for complementary macro and financial policies to manage financial and foreign-exchange risks, stimulate domestic resource mobilization, and address inequalities, including gender disparities.

ECLAC concludes by advocating for international financial and tax reforms to support the region in achieving Sustainable Development Goals by directing resource mobilisation toward regional development initiatives.

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COP28 ends without long-term financing VP Jagdeo for adaptation, carbon market

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

By Naomi Parris

THE 28th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai has concluded with enormous commitments made and agreements reached, but many developing nations have received very little assistance to lessen the effects of climate change after the international conference.

At a press conference on Thursday, Guyana’s Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo who last week returned from Dubai, told reporters he was disappointed that no headway was made to advance the carbon market.

He noted that while Guyana has entered a voluntary market, which will see the country raising US$750 million for preserving its forests, a structured mechanism could create a ‘greater incentive’ for Guyana and other developing countries.

WHAT ARE CARBON MARKETS AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT? In a nutshell, carbon markets are trading systems in which carbon credits are sold and bought.

“We thought that advancing the carbon markets will create greater incentives for countries that are forested to ensure that they can raise money through the market mechanism to out compete alternate use and therefore preserve their forests without taking away the forest as a development tool in the arsenal of these countries. People live in the forest, they earn from the forest. The forest are not museum pieces for anybody in the northern part [of] our world and we

had a setback on that,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

Since 2007, Guyana has been lobbying for a structured carbon market-based mechanism to simultaneously preserve its forests and pursue development.

“We embarked on our own route in Guyana.

A unique example, we launched one of the first low- carbon development strategies in the world.”

In 2009, the country launched the first Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) from a developing country, setting out a vision for inclusive, sustainable development, while simultaneously maintaining the country’s forests.

This paved the way for Guyana to enter a voluntary market.

The country’s first deal was made with Norway, and Guyana was able to earn some US$250 million to keep its forests intact.

Now, in 2023, Guyana continues to earn money for the greenhouse gases trapped by its standing forests after the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) issued the world’s first TREES credits to Guyana.

Following the completion of an independent validation and verification process and approval by the ART Board of Directors, ART issued 33.47 million TREES credits to Guyana for the five-year period from 2016 to 2020.

This paved the way for a historic agreement between Hess Corporation and the Government of Guyana, whereby the oil giant opted to purchase about one-third of all Guyana’s credit (issued and anticipated) up to 2030.

The country’s forests store 19.6 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo during a presentation at the recently concluded COP28 in Dubai (COP 28 photo)

“We embarked on our own route in Guyana.

A unique example, we launched one of the first low carbon development strategies in the world.”

However, many developing countries, especially those in Africa, depend on the United Nations to support them in their efforts to preserve their forests.

“There are a lot of very good countries that have good polices in Africa surrounding the forest, who have preserved the forest, [but] they are not going to get that financing at the magnitude that we got because we struck out on our own.”

Meanwhile, Dr Jagdeo also expressed disap-

pointment over the inadequate funds to support climate-adaptation measures for developing countries.

“They struck out all of the language that spoke about the north, the rich countries providing predictable financing for adaptation… Everyone recognises the need to do it. They recognise that without it countries face an existential threat, they recognise that the countries don’t have the capability, the financial capacity to do and yet they are unprepared to assist them to it,” he lamented.

Through Guyana’s sale of carbon credits, the country is able to generate funds to support climate adapta-

tion and developmental projects in the hinterland regions of the country.

Earlier this year, the country received its first payment from the sale of US$75 million (or GY$15.6 billion). 15 per

cent of this was allocated to community/village-led programmes for Indigenous Peoples, while the remaining 85 percent was allocated for adaptation measures outlined in the country’s LCDS.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

A Successful Year

IN just over two weeks, we will usher in a new year. While we celebrate with family and friends at social gatherings or in the comfort of our homes, it is important for us to reflect on how good 2023 has been to Guyanese. There have been a few challenging moments, but we must not let those engulf us and overshadow the good things that have happened and are continuing to happen.

The last few weeks have been very difficult for every citizen of this great land, both at home and abroad.

Two incidents/matters in particular have dominated our airways and are regular subjects of conversations.

The first involves our

neighbours to the west, who continue to test our resilience and unity. So far, we have bonded together in prayer and the performing arts, reflecting our national motto: One People, One Nation, One Destiny. We have not allowed the fear of Nicholas Maduro’s brazen treats to overwhelm us.

With regard to the second matter, many are still coming to grips with it. Five servicemen were killed when the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) helicopter they were in crashed in Guyana’s interior. At the time, the quintet and two others were heading to an area near the Guyana-Venezuela border where army troops are based. They must always be remembered

for their fearlessness and their willingness to stand up and serve their country despite threats to our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Throughout the year, the PPP/C government has delivered on its promise to transform Guyana into one that all Guyanese will be proud of.

This transformation is not something that can occur overnight, but after three years in office, the progress made towards this goal is commendable.

During 2023, development has occurred across all sectors. Of worthy mention are health, public infrastructure and education.

In addition to boosting

the human resource capacity of the health sector, the government has focused heavily on delivering quality healthcare to the nation. Modern pieces of equipment have been installed, a number of health facilities have been rehabilitated, built, or are in the process of being built, and several programmes have been rolled out to bridge the gap between the coastland and the hinterland and to upskill health professionals.

In terms of public infrastructure, new roads have been constructed and hundreds have been rehabilitated. The Heroes Highway is an important thoroughfare along the East Bank corridor. With the opening up of

hundreds of acres of land for housing and commercial purposes, an alternative to the East Bank roadway was needed. The East Bank to East Coast road linkage project and the Linden to Lethem road are also an important part of the government’s infrastructural plans and when complete, will make commuting for thousands of Guyanese less stressful.

The advancements made in the education sector this year have been enormous.

The government has invested heavily in education and has repeatedly said that is one of its priority areas. Construction of several schools has already started and is on schedule to be completed in 2024. Next year, two more,

one at Prospect in Region Four and another at Orealla in Region Six, will be built.

CPCE recently graduated its largest batch of teachers, which is evidence of the desire of many to take on the role of educating the nation.

There are many other developments that have taken place in this sector, but they are too numerous to mention.

Despite the large amount of money that had to be pumped into the development of the nation, the government still ensured that the public servants got a salary increase this year.

It is expected that in 2024, there will be more successes and further improvements to the lives of Guyanese.

thing the government does, to show at least a modicum of patriotism and say a few words or pen a few lines. We know who they are because their signatures have been in the newspapers consistently for over three years now. Why are the usual suspects (TUS) silent? Why did the lunatic fringe use the border controversy to blame the government? For them, it is not the country that is at stake here, but it is an opportunity to weaken the government. I will end with two examples that were extremely disappointing.

Ms. Amanza Walton Desir was on the Freddie Kissoon-Gildarie show and was angry that Vice President Jagdeo used a certain word to describe Ms. Cathy Hughes.

She said everyone should

denounce Mr. Jagdeo for his remark. I told her that Ms. Hughes was reckless and irresponsible to attribute a concession to Venezuela from Mr. Jagdeo that he didn’t make. She said she saw a video clip in which Mr. Jagdeo made the concession. There cannot be such a real video clip because Mr. Jagdeo never uttered those words in any forum.

Opposition personality Timothy Jonas was on the show on a different night.

I asked him to comment on what Ms. Walton Desir said about Jagdeo. Jonas said maybe she believes Jagdeo said that. So you can spout any belief you have, even if it is dangerous? Aren’t some beliefs based on opportunism or delusions?

They did in March 2020; they did it in November 2023

I made the point in one of my columns that perhaps this country has produced the most barefaced humans existing on Planet Earth at the moment. Name me a country that has had a human rights organisation for the past 100 years that remained silent when attempts were made to rig the legal results of a national election, and the rigging bandwagon was on the road for five months.

So last year, I received an email (April 2022) from someone I only knew from reading about him but did not know him. I was mentally stabbed when I read the author of the email. It was Dr. Bertrand Ramcharran – Guyanese, who worked as a senior employee in a section of the UN that is officially known as the UN Commissioner for Human Rights.

On reading the email, it

dawned on me that I couldn’t recall even an ephemeral presence of this fellow during the five-month election scandal.

I went and researched the media and online media for anything he would have said or written on the five-month electoral degeneracy. I didn’t find anything. Here is what the email noted: “Please go lightly on GHRA. If McCormack did not do it, which local Guyanese would have the dedication to do so. Something for you to reflect on.”

His correspondence was as a response to several condemnations of the Guyana Human Rights Association and its one-man directorate, Mike Mc Cormack.

For my response to Ramcharan, see my column of Thursday, June 8, 2023 titled, “Questionable scholarship.”

Today, not a word is forthcoming from the GHRA on Venezuelan aggression. The

same old story: silence in March 2020; silence in November–December 2023. But rest assured that the report on the Mahdia inferno is out, the GHRA will come alive. And who will bring it alive—the Stabroek News (SN).

Remember this column when the SN reinvents the GHRA after the report is made public. I cling to the belief that we have the most bare-faced people in the world in this country. Guyana's existence was threatened between March and July 2020 and again in November and December 2023, and an organisation that has the words, “human rights” in its name chose not to voice support for the country.

That would not happen in any other nation on Planet Earth. The barefacedness takes on sickening dimensions in this country. An organisation with the words, “trans-

parency” in its name chose not to condemn five months of election fraud, and once more, the nation’s sovereignty is threatened and this group is reticent, but this group will tell us how flawed the report into the Mahdia massacre is when the commission’s findings are released. Remember this column when that happens. Where are the usual suspects? These are people that write letters in the SN (why they abandoned the Kaieteur News is a curiosity that I would give anything to hear the explanation) condemning the oil industry and the government since March 2020.

The signatures below their missives are always large; sometimes 20, 25, or 40. This country expected each of us to denounce Venezuela, but we are expecting the people who have shown energy and persistence over a three-year period, denouncing every-

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

The Israeli government and the Nazi government

After the Second World War, the Jewish state of Israel was created. At the time, Israel had a large number of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, and those numbers were increased by emigration to Israel by Holocaust survivors from the US and Europe. These immigrants felt that the Jews now had a country of their own that they must build and develop.

The survivors of the Holocaust would have had two potent memories, among others, of life, under the Nazi regime. One was race instinct based on eugenics.

The Nazi party and those that supported it from the German population believed that other races were inferior to the German people, who were derived from the Aryan race.

It was not only the Jews that were seen as an inferior race, but all other ethnic groups. The Jews suffered the worst fate because of their numbers in the country.

In an earlier column looking at what the Israeli government and army are doing to the Palestinians in Gaza, I made reference to a scene in the movie Schindler’s List.

When I taught the second year course in Philosophy at UG, yearly, I would show Schindler’s List to the students as part of the teaching of the philosophy of Arthur Koestler. Koestler argued that the Homo sapiens race was a fatally flawed species that had an inbuilt tendency to enjoy killing.

I asked students to pay special attention to a scene in the movie in which the death commander who lived on the concentration camp had a maid who was a Jewish woman. One evening, he felt the need to have sex and drew the maid closer to him in an emotional embrace.

Then, in a paroxysm of racial awareness, he pushed her violently away. He realised in a moment of rage that he should not have sex with a woman that the Nazi ideology considered as not fully human.

The second memory Holocaust survivors took with them to Israel is the Nazi war punishment policy. The Nazi policy was to kill large numbers of people in European villages where attacks

on soldiers, policemen, and Nazi officials took place.

That was a deliberate display of Nazi sadism that the Nazis thought would deter the villagers from harbouring resistance fighters.

After the occupation of Palestinian territories and the 1967 war between the Arab nations and Israel, successive Israeli governments have inculcated race hatred in their attitude toward the Palestinians and have employed the punishment policy the Holocaust survivors knew about from the Nazi era. Israeli governments since the occupation of Palestinian lands would have been the beneficiaries of these two memories Holocaust survivors took with them to Israel.

What the Israeli government and the Israeli army are doing in Gaza is copying from the Nazis. It is foolish for anyone to think that 18, 000 Palestinians, of which 70 percent are women and children, have been killed

by Israeli bombing by accident.

It has been two months of bombing, yet the civilian casualties have been rising, not decreasing. If the Palestinian people in general are not being targeted, then how do you explain the increase in civilian deaths against relentless calls by the international community, including intimate allies of Israel, for the Israeli air force to avoid civilian causalities? What is happening in Gaza is what the Nazis did to Europe: kill European Jews and European people out of spite for German soldiers that were attacked by partisan fighters.

It has been two months now since Israel has been bombing Gaza killing civilians indiscriminately, yet the world has not seen the defeat of Hamas. So, where are the Hamas fighters?

Why have they not been defeated as yet? And if they are being defeated, how come 18, 000 Palestinians have died in the bombing?

The answer is that removing Hamas is the pretext for instituting the punishment policy of the Nazis.

The Israeli army is looking for Hamas fighters, alright, but they are also targeting the civilian population, as the Nazis did. What has

been taking place for the past two months in Gaza is a horrible war crime similar to what the Nazis did to the Jews.

Against this back ground, an important question comes into play.

How do teachers discuss

the Holocaust given the new Holocaust in Gaza perpetrated by the victims of the Holocaust themselves? Before the Gaza genocide, the Holocaust

was required reading in the teaching of philosophy. How does the teacher go about lecturing on the philosophical importance of understanding the Ho-

locaust as an example of genetic xenophobia while looking at the contradiction of a Jewish army committing genocide against another race?

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Georgetown residents benefit from improved roads

INDIVIDUALS who live and travel through central Georgetown are experiencing the advantages of various restored thoroughfares in the communities of Alberttown, Queenstown, and Kingston.

The completed road project is a fulfilment of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who was on the ground back in November to consult with residents and the business community.

While there, the President immediately instructed the Ministry of Public Works Special Projects Unit (SPU) to evaluate the condition of the roads that were identified by residents.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) visited the communities on Tuesday, when several residents expressed their appreciation for the much-needed improvements.

Alberttown resident Rudolph Seecharan explained that the infrastruc-

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

One of the many rehabilitated roads in Georgetown

tural development that he now enjoys serves as a major boost to the community.

“The roads were bad in the sense that when rain

falls it covers the road… that has been happening for a very long time. Fortunately, President Ali visited this area and concerns were raised and addressed,” an excited Seecharan related.

He was impressed by the level of improvements and progress in his community just a week after the president’s engagement.

“The roads start getting done and contracts were given out for the drainage, not only in the Alberttown area, but also Queenstown,” Seecharan explained.

The DPI also caught up with another resident, Jermain Ashton, who complained about the almost impassable roads he was forced to traverse.

“In this community, there were a lot of potholes…it caused an effect on the people. Even when the cars are passing, they splash water on you,” Ashton stated.

City Councillor Jainarine Singh recalled many times when the roads created a lot of traffic jams and delays for commuters because of the roads deplorable state.

Meanwhile, the main

roads that were rehabilitated in Kingston include Barrack Street and Fort Street.

Head of SPU, Colin Gittens said “We had rehabilitated approximately one-kilometre roads, same methods as we used in other areas. We resurfaced the roads using asphaltic concrete. We also had the drainage component of the project where small contractors come in.”

According to Gittens, the report from the inspection conducted in early November revealed that the life spans of the rehabilitated roads were exhausted.

The new infrastructures have a renewed lifespan of 20 years.

The rehabilitation process entailed light scarification of the existing surface, placing and compacting of crushed aggregates in areas with exposed bases, followed by the final application of asphaltic concrete.

These works will significantly improve commutes in these areas and fall into the government’s overall infrastructural transformation project.

(DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

‘You have to plan for the future’

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- Jagdeo responds to criticism of salary increases - highlights PPP reduced taxes by $40 billion

By Trina Williams KEEPING the economy afloat requires both critical analysis of the current economy and how certain actions can influence the future, according to the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.

During a press confer-

finances and failure to take into account the future revenue streams will be not be sustainability.

“The public servants are very important to managing a country. They work with the administration of many of our programmes in Guyana. We [the PPP/C government] have ensured that working conditions have improved; we have ensured

said while highlighting the numerous implementations by his administration, such as the “Because We Care” grant along with the other investments being made in the traditional sectors, that are aimed at diversifying the economy.

Last week, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, during the announcement

PPP/C General Secretary, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo (Adrian Narine Photo)

ence on Thursday at Freedom House, Dr Jagdeo responded to the criticisms surrounding the 6.5 per cent across-the-board salary and wage for public servants.

The increase will benefit public servants, teachers, members of the Disciplined Services, constitutional officeholders, and government pensioners.

It will be granted retroactively from January 1, 2023.

Moreover, the consequential salary adjustments will benefit over 54,000 persons and will place an additional $7.5 billion in disposable income into the pockets of these employees.

“There’s an obsession about percentages every year,” Dr Jagdeo said while underscoring that any salary increase that is not rounded in an analysis of the economy, the state of the nation’s

that salaries have increased for public servants.”

“In some of the categories now, at the lower level in the public service, people are leaving the private sector to come and work because we have a minimum wage now in the public service that is higher in many private sector agencies,” he said.

Dr Jagdeo also stated that unlike the previous coalition government, who increased tax collection by over $80 billion, his PPP government, when they assumed office, in the middle of a global pandemic, reduced taxes by $40 billion.

“It’s not only wages and salaries you can spend on. You have to spend on roads, electricity…. We’ve restored the subsidy to the pensioners… People don’t look at all of those,” he

of the across-the-board increase for public servants, also stated that the government will be giving a onemonth tax free bonus to all members of the Discipline Services.

According to him, this will benefit 12,000 members of the uniformed services and will place an additional $1.5 billion of disposable income into their pockets.

Additionally, he said that for the first time, the bonus will be paid to the civilian employees of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). “…Work will start immediately to ensure that all persons receive their salaries, together with the retroactive amounts and in the case of the discipline services, together with the one-month tax free bonus no later than the designated pay day in December,” the

minister told the public.

Moreover, last month, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, announced $25,000 one-off tax-free bonuses for public servants, including teachers, members of the disciplined services and employees of semi-autonomous agencies and public enterprises across Guyana.

He stated that it will bring benefit to 67,000 workers across the spectrum of these categories; 67,000 workers at a cost of $1.7 billion.

Also, pensioners across the country will also receive a $25,000 bonus, while persons living with disabilities will receive $35,000.

According to President Ali, these grants will benefit

over 72,000 pensioners at a cost of $1.8 billion and 19,000 persons who are registered on the public assistance register at a cost of $660 million; this too will be paid in December.

He had also announced that teachers cross Guyana are set to benefit from major adjustments to their salaries and allowances.

According to President Ali, the new adjustments to teachers’ salaries, and interventions will accumulate to a total of $1.9 billion in additional disposable income for the country’s educators.

All graduate teachers who are holders of a relevant bachelor’s degree from the University of Guyana, a degree-awarding institu-

tion under the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme, or a degree certified by the National Equivalency Board, will be moved to the maximum point of the scale applicable to the post they currently occupy.

This, the President said, will benefit over 4,000 teachers at an additional annual cost of $1 billion, effective from December 1, 2023. Additionally, teachers will receive an education allowance of $ 10,000 monthly for holders of a bachelor’s degree; this allowance, he said, would be equivalent to $120,000 annually.

Notably, these are just some of the benefits.

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Labour Ministry launches investigation into Matthews Ridge workplace fatality

THE Ministry of Labour's Occupational Safety & Health Department (OSHD) has initiated an investigation into a workplace fatality that occurred in Matthews Ridge, North West District, Region One. According to a press release from the Ministry, the unfortunate incident took place on December 12, 2023, around 12:00hrs.

The victim, identified as 18-year-old Ronald

Henry, was working beneath a truck when, tragically, the vehicle collapsed, pinning him to the ground. Despite swift efforts to rescue him Henry succumbed to his injuries shortly after receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.

Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, expressed deep condolences to the family and underscored the critical importance of maintaining a safe and secure work environment

for both employees and employers.

The investigation into this workplace fatality is being led by Occupational Safety & Health Officer Chavez Daniels, who is specifically responsible for Region One. Daniels visited the Matthews Ridge Police Station and hospital on Wednesday as part of the ongoing inquiry. His role includes determining the cause of the accident and making recommendations to pre-

vent similar occurrences in the future.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another workplace fatality investigation launched by the OSH Department at Aurora Gold Mines (AGM), Region Seven, in November. The previous incident resulted in the unfortunate deaths of two truck operators affiliated with the mining company.

On December 8, 2023, Minister Hamilton engaged in discussions with United States Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, affirming a mutual commitment to enhancing Occupational Safety &

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton

Health training. The discourse extended to focus on OSH measures specific to the oil and gas sector.

Expressing ongoing concern about workplace fatalities, Minister Hamilton pledged the ministry's unwavering commitment to

implementing necessary measures aimed at reducing such incidents.

This commitment aligns with the broader goal of fostering a safer and more secure work environment across various industries.

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Filaria being eliminated with triple therapy

THE Ministry of Health is making significant progress in the eradication of Filaria through the advancement of the triple therapy method.

This method comprises three components that aid in the efficient elimination of the microscopic filarial larvae from the bloodstream.

Speaking at a health conference at the Texila American University, Providence, East Bank Demerara on Tuesday, Minister Frank Anthony said that although the method has been used, a team of non-Guyanese doctors is conducting an assessment to see whether the filaria parasite is still within the local population.

“Now you don’t see a lot of those cases. That is because of the programme

and the work that we did on Filaria. It has changed the outcome. But we are going even further because we have introduced triple therapy. And even amid COVID, we were able to give triple therapy to our population,” the health minister explained.

The preliminary findings indicate that the filaria parasite is currently confined to two specific areas — Georgetown and West Demerara, the health minister disclosed.

He said the ministry plans to revisit the two areas to ensure that the triple therapy method is used early next year.

The use of the new and strategic method enables the country to reach its objective of eliminating several diseases by 2030.

Meanwhile, speaking about other neglected in-

Bartender accused of rape to face trial

Randolph Williams

RANDOLPH Williams called ‘Travis’, a 27-yearold bartender of Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast, who was charged with ‘Rape of a child under 16 years’, contrary to section 10(3) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 8:03, appeared at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where the case was heard before Magistrate Esther Sam. Williams is accused of committing the act on a child from the Essequibo

Coast on May 21, 2023.

All statements and documents were tendered and marked as exhibits during yesterday’s hearing. Magistrate Esther Sam ruled that, based on the statements and exhibits tendered before the Court, there is enough to commit the accused to stand trial at the next practicable session at the Suddie Supreme Criminal Court. Bail was granted in the amount of $150,000.

fectious diseases, Minister Anthony said the ministry is also paying keen attention to trypanosomiasis, a vector-borne parasitic disease.

Although the country records less than 100 cases per year, Dr. Anthony noted the sector has been working to combat the

diseases entirely. He is, however, confident that it will be eliminated shortly.

Additionally, the minister identified leishmaniasis as another disease that health professionals are working to eliminate.

“We in Guyana have been able to make better diagnoses as it pertains

to the cases and make better treatment to our patients. We have also ensured that we incor-

porate a comprehensive programme in the country,” the health minister stated.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

No illegal registration of Venezuelan migrants to vote - Jagdeo - Norton admits mistake, withdraws claim

DESPITE the efforts made to incite discord and undermine the electoral proceedings in Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), has expressed appreciation for Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton’s acknowledgment of the truth. This is, the Guyana’s Elections Commission (GECOM) is not registering Venezuelan migrants to vote in the upcoming general and regional elections.

Dr. Jagdeo made these remarks at a press conference on Thursday at Freedom House.

The opposition leader had previously put forth the bizarre accusation that migrants from Guyana’s western neighbour are being registered; however, Dr. Jagdeo has always refuted the claim.

Norton, during his party’s press conference on

Thursday, did not play into unfounded claims and instead corrected media operatives who were peddling the untruth that numerous migrants are being registered and stated that their scrutineers, through their thorough checks, found no instances of Venezuelan migrants being registered to vote.

“I’m also pleased that he [Norton] debunked some of the wild men who were there just to stir trouble…”

Dr Jagdeo said.

The PPP/C General Secretary stressed that migrants from the Bolivarian Republic are being forced to flee their homeland because of political, economic, and social constraints.

“We didn’t bring them from Venezuela to vote for the PPP... They fled oppression; they fled hunger…” he stated.

When the opposition first made this claim in October,

Dr. Jagdeo said that from January to October, about 13,600 people have been registered. Most of the people registered are from Regions Three, 2198 and Four, 5330.

“So we don’t see any evidence of this here in the actual registrations that are taking place in the country.

It’s false,” he stated, as he explained that the breakdown mirrored the populations in each region.

Furthermore, the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, had even challenged both of the Opposition Leaders, Norton, and Khemraj Ramjattan, to provide concrete evidence to support their claims.

According to the Attorney General, the opposition’s claims that GECOM was unlawfully registering unqualified persons were baseless, as no evidence had been presented to substantiate these allegations.

He questioned the reasoning behind the opposition’s insinuation that these allegedly unlawful registrants would vote in favour of the PPP/C. “I don’t know that they are even supporters of the People’s Progressive Party.

The other bizarre thing is how do you know and on what basis they are concluding that these persons who are being unlawfully registered are supporters of the PPP or will vote for the PPP? On what basis are they arriving at that conclusion?”

Nandlall had asked.

He challenged the opposition leader’s ability to predict the voting preferences of individuals without any factual basis. He continued to express his doubts about the veracity of the claims, noting that the opposition’s propensity for making unsupported allegations was a recurring pattern.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo (Adrian Narine photo)

He pointed out that GECOM is an independent organisation responsible for its actions and

that, even if the allegations were accurate, GECOM’s makeup did not inherently favour the PPP/C.

Technical excellence takes centre stage: 163 graduate from GITC FOLLOWING their graduation from the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC), 163 individuals are now deemed qualified with a variety of technical skills.

The graduation ceremony, which was held on Wednesday at the National Cultural Centre, saw the graduates receive certification in Data Operations, Electrical Installation, Furniture-Making, Metalwork Engineering, Motor Vehicle

Repairs, Plumbing, Welding and Fabrication, and Masonry.

Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour, delivered the feature address, praising the graduates’ achievements and emphasising the importance of respecting skilled crafts alongside executive professions.

“If we are serious about the development of this country, we must undergo a paradigm shift in education.

Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton handing over one of the many prizes to a successful GITC graduate

We need to discuss about... what exactly is learning?

What precisely is education? Those are the difficult questions we must address.

We can’t keep running away from them,” he said emphatically.

The minister also encouraged them not to cease their training at this point, but to strive for further advancement beyond the fundamental level of their training.

“You are as valuable as anyone else. Understand that. Don’t let anyone put you down. Don’t let someone tell you that just because

they are more literate than you, they are more valuable.

Confidence is what propels you through this world to achievement. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Education Officer (DCEO) with responsibility for Technical Education, Dr Ritesh Tularam, said the graduates have a strategic role. He said that they possess the requisite skills, knowledge, and attitudes to make a tangible contribution to Guyana’s emerging socio-economic landscape.

“The opportunities are numerous before us; maximise them. Navigate your pathways and create new possibilities, because you are now strategically positioned to make that life-changing contribution to your beautiful country – Guyana,” Dr Tularam noted.

He also implored the graduates to maximise other opportunities, including the programmes which are available through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme.

Since its establishment, the GITC has continued to

deliver training opportunities for young men and women by empowering them to realise their potential, while developing skills that will enhance their contributions to the public and private sectors.

The 163 GITC graduates join the 4,444 individuals who graduated from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) earlier this year.

This demonstrates the Ministry of Labour’s and the government’s commitment to ensure that persons, particularly youths, have both skills and employability.

The graduation ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre, saw the graduates receive certification in Data Operations, Electrical Installation, Furniture-Making, Metalwork Engineering, Motor Vehicle Repairs, Plumbing, Welding and Fabrication, and Masonry

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Celebrating Ameena Gafoor: A journey from humility to impact across generations

AMEENA Gafoor, a distinguished Guyanese woman born in 1941, has transcended humble beginnings to become a cultural luminary, educator, and philanthropist.

Her story weaves through generations of indentured immigrants, and today, her legacy resonates globally.

Ameena Gafoor’s ancestry is rooted in the indentured immigrants who arrived in Guyana from Basti, UP state, India, in 1898.

They toiled for five years at the Success Plantation in Demerara before settling in Triumph’s backlands. “…. my grandfather sitting in the stern like a Rajah while my grandmother fixed the fat rope attached to the bow across her right shoulder and walked barefooted on the grassy left bank of the middle walk canal pulling the boat, produce and grandfather with her,” she stated.

Gafoor’s recollections vividly describe her grandparents’ daily journey to their farm, symbolising resilience

and hard work.

Her maternal grandmother owned a small shop that sold washing soap, matches, tomato paste in tiny tins, and other items.

Inspired by her grandmother, a rare beneficiary of primary education during her time, Gafoor’s love for learning flourished. Nights filled with tales from the Taleem Islam ignited in her a thirst for knowledge and storytelling.

“At nights she read aloud, by the light of a small “speak easy” lamp, from the Taleem Islam, about the Hijra and the Battle of Kerbala and recounted to me the lives of the Prophets and many tales from the Arabian oral tradition. What I did not know then was that she infused in me a thirst for books, for knowledge, with a curiosity and an appreciation for storytelling, so that in decades to come, I was drawn to the literary arts,” Mrs. Gafoor recalled.

This passion propelled her to attain a Higher Senior

Cambridge Certificate and later pursue Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of the West Indies.

In addition, she held a teaching position at Central High School where she instructed literature and French. Meanwhile, at Tutorial High School, she taught both French and Latin.

Mrs. Gafoor was also able to provide a platform to Guyanese writers and scholars like Michael Gilkes, Frank Birbalsingh, Sister Mary Noel Menezes, Stephanie Correia, Brinsley Samaroo, Mark Tumbridge, Ryhaan Shah, Charlene Wilkinson and dozens of others.

The Arts Journal also showcased the work of artists like renowned Guyanese artist Philip Moore, Darshanie Kistama, Bernadette Persaud, Betsy Karim, Philbert Gajadhar and several others.

Added to that, Mrs. Gafoor almost single-handedly commissioned and edited articles, reviews and creative work, designed the layout for the volumes, then pre-

sided over their publication and distribution, a strong testimony to her amazing commitment to the cultural and intellectual development of the region.

Gafoor’s love for literary arts manifested in a prolific career, including the publication of the first major study of Roy Heath’s fiction and her fictional memoir, “Lantern in the Wind” (2020). Renowned Guyanese academic, Professor David Dabydeen, lauded the memoir as “a rare insight into Muslim life in Guyana.”

As founder and editor of The Arts Journal, Gafoor contributed significantly to Caribbean cultural history.

Over 13 volumes (20042018), the journal provided a platform for Guyanese writers, scholars, and artists.

Gafoor’s commitment to cultural and intellectual development shone through her meticulous commissioning, editing, and distribution of articles, reviews, and creative works.

Beyond academia, Ga-

Ameena Gafoor

foor embraced charitable activities, co-founding the Gafoor Foundation with her husband, Sattaur Gafoor. The foundation has funded numerous medical, educational, and sports projects, including the recent opening of the Ameena Gafoor Medical and Dialysis Centre at Gafoors’ Parika branch in November 2022. This centre, in collaboration with the private sector, aims to make dialysis treatment more affordable for Guyanese.

Gafoor’s global influence extends to the establishment of the Ameena Gafoor Institute for the Study of Indentureship and its Legacies at

Cambridge University three years ago.

Directed by Professor David Dabydeen, the institute collaborates closely with Cambridge University, offering the world’s first Cambridge Visiting Fellowships in Indentureship Studies, commencing in 2023.

Ameena Gafoor’s indelible mark on the world reflects her tireless efforts in promoting Caribbean culture and providing a pathway for Indo-Guyanese to explore their heritage.

Her journey is a testament to the power of education, culture, and compassion in shaping a brighter future.

‘Pirates’ sentenced to death for murdering fishermen

SEVEN years after four fishermen were killed during a 2016 pirate attack on the Corentyne River, five men were, on Thursday, handed the death sentence for the crime, which has been described as “gruesome” and "heinous.”

The confessed killers, Leon Sammy of Number 75 Village, Ganesh Naidoo of Number 79 Village, Ramesh Singh of Liverpool Village, Ramchand Latchman, and Stephon Leacock of Number 77 Village in Corentyne, were sentenced

by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Berbice High Court.

Last month, the quintet admitted to the gruesome killings. The victims were identified as Hemchand Sookdeo, 45, known as ‘Dread’; Dochan Sukra, 54, known as ‘Butcher’; Dhanpaul Ramphal, 38, known as ‘Sunil’; and Munish Churman, 26, known as ‘Boyo.’

The heinous crime occurred between May 27-28, 2016, in the Lower Shell Area off Nickerie, Suriname waters. The pirates first threw Sookdeo, who

L-R: Ramesh Singh, Ganesh Naidoo, Leon Sammy, Stephan Leacock and Ramchand Latchman

was injured and bleeding, into the water. Then the other three were bound and strapped to anchors. They, too, were thrown into the ocean.

Latchman was dubbed the mastermind behind the crime.

While delivering his sentencing remarks, Justice Kissoon said that the men’s

death was a “horrific crime and an atrocity of utter and complete savagery.”

The judge said that those who resolve to engage and embrace the path of crime and criminality that violates the dignity of human life and threatens the safety and well-being of members of society must be prepared to accept

the consequences of such conduct.

He said that the five convicts had embarked on a homicidal rampage of piracy, hijacking, and robbery on the aforementioned days.

Among other things, he said that the specific aggravating features and factors of the crime includ-

ed the degree of planning, premeditation, and orchestration by the five accused.

He also considered that a deadly weapon was used.

“Each of you is hereby sentenced to suffer death in a manner prescribed by law on each count in the indictment,” the judge said as he imposed the death sentence.

He added that the sentence is in keeping with the provisions under the Hijacking and Piracy Act of Guyana.

Police, acting on information received from the captain of one of the hijacked boats, Seepersaud Persaud, of Corriverton, were able to detain a boat matching the description of the one used during the attack, and the five men were on board at the time.

Based on reports received, the pirates were armed with cutlasses when they carried out the attack.

The captain was rescued by another vessel after swimming for almost three hours.

While Sookdeo’s body was found tangled in seines with a chop wound to the back of his head hours after the attack, the bodies of the three other fishermen have never been recovered.

Police acting on information received, went to the Number 65 Village foreshore, Corentyne where they found the stolen boat along with the five men onboard.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Georgetown Film Festival proud of its — now registered as accomplishments this year a legal entity

A snapshot of one of the annual filmmaking workshops (GFF Facebook photos)

From left: Rae Wiltshire, Lorena Solorzano Salazar (IDB Country Rep), Akbar Singh and Kevin Garbaran

THIS year’s filmmakers’ workshop by local filmmaker Rae Wiltshire has seen almost double the number of participants to the one he conducted last year, a testament to the fact that the Georgetown Film Festival (GFF) has been on a continuous path to progress.

Last year, due to a grant received from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport - the Creatives Industry Grant – Wiltshire was able to access funds to buy equipment and host a workshop where he trained filmmakers in different areas, like sound, lighting, writing, editing and so forth.

Some 18 persons participated last year, but this year has seen almost double that number of persons who registered for the workshop. It also saw more lecturers and persons assisting with the sessions, as opposed to Wiltshire alone conducting all.

“So the workshop in

itself increased just from that one grant last year,” Nickose Layne, who works closely with GFF told Buzz this week. Even as they didn’t manage to get the ministry grant this year again, they were able to secure support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Herdmanston Lodge, where the workshop was kept this year.

“Had we done the workshop alone, that would have been seen as a success to us because we doubled the participants, thereby doubling the number of people who have some amount of training in filmmaking,” Layne expressed.

For this year alone, they were able to shoot four different short films which emanated from the workshop last year: Into the Room – directed by Wiltshire; Old Toy Train - written and directed by Kevin Garbaran and Wiltshire; The Fix - written

by Jamohl Alexander and directed by Wiltshire; and Lamaha Lily - written and

directed by Layne.

A highlight of this year has also been when the GFF was registered as its own entity; a board was established and it’s now a legal entity in Guyana.

Meanwhile, the workshop recently produced very engaging sessions on a number of topics.

There were also round table discussions where multiple issues, such as the nuances of diversity, inclusivity, and equity in filmmaking, perspectives of minorities and women in creative spaces, were dealt with.

“We were pleased to host Ms. Lorena Solorzano Salazar, IDB Country Representative…where she shared her unique experiences and chatted with workshop participants.

Special thanks to the Inter-American Development Bank for their support in this year's workshops,” GFF said in a social media post.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Drinks, Ice and Soca on at National Park on Dec. 23

DRINKS, Ice and Soca – what more could party-goers ever ask for?

This is also the name of entertainer Marlon Jacobs’ annual party that has become somewhat of a household name.

Known as ‘Freedom Boss’ or ‘The Goat’, Marlon has been in the entertainment business for some time now, doing music, promotions, and even marketing. (His nickname is Goat because he was born in January and wants to promote the Capricorn season. It also apparently stands for “Greatest of all time”) “Drinks, Ice and Soca is held annually. We do it each and every Christmas time. The event usually attracts 5,000 or more people every year; each year it gets bigger. This year we gonna have more drinks, more ice and we definitely gonna have more soca,” Marlon told Buzz this week.

He would usually host the party on the ‘Marriott Beach’ but due to the

growth of the event over the years, he has decided to move to a more secure and spacious venue - the National Park - on Saturday, December 23.

“All of your favourite DJs will be there to entertain you and the ambience is going to be very different. We plan a lot more décor, and we are giving away more with the purchase of every ticket,” Marlon related.

The party will get going from 20:00 hours and Marlon is promising lots of drinks specials throughout the night. Further, the tickets cost $3,000 and the VIP ones will include parking in the venue itself.

“I feel like the event has become a household name. It was usually held on Christmas Eve. This

Entertainer Marlon Jacobs, known as ‘Freedom Boss’ or ‘The Goat’ will be hosting the seventh edition of Drinks, Ice and Soca on December 23 at the National Park

‘Nikx and Knox’ to hold two-day family affair

THE Christmas season is here, and with it comes sales and bargains from nearly every store including your favourite online portals.

At Nikx and Knox, this rule is not forsaken as they host their first annual Christmas Extravaganza from December 21 to December 23, 2023, at 2957 Well Road, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Although it is solely an online business, its Christmas Extravaganza will be presented and is advertised to be the ultimate “go to” holiday market in town with food vendors, baked goods, a photo booth, and jewellery by Nikx and Knox Accessories.

In addition to this, attendees will have a chance to competitively win prizes and bid on some of the most in-demand and popular gift items. Other activities include games and movies for the children, and for the adults (persons 21 years and older, and with proper identification), a sweet wine tasting is also on the table.

There will also be a

Nikx and Knox (Nikx and Knox Accessories photo)

launch of Chookie’s Cookies, a kids’ owned business that will have Christmas cookies on display for children to try.

Moreover, the Christmas Extravaganza promises to be a unique and fun experience for both children and adults who will be in attendance.

Nikx and Knox is a partnership between Nichola Bailey, who has always had

a passion for jewellery and décor, and her business partner Delmark.

To get further information on this event, and to view their catalogue, persons can visit them on Facebook @nikxnknox accessories and Instagram @ nikxnknoxaccessories, or can make contact on 6120354.

is the first year it’s not on Christmas Eve but the day before, so a lot of people are accustomed to breaking Christmas with me every year. I would encourage them to come out and let’s have fun,” he expressed.

Putting together an event of this magnitude is no walk in the park for Marlon, especially as he has been doing it independently and without any sponsors over the years.

“It’s not just catering for a few hundred people but for thousands. The promotion itself is a lot of work, so there are a lot of challenges I have to overcome.”

One of Marlon’s avid supporters, fellow entertainer Jumo Primo, has been attending this event

annually.

“I know him for years; he’s like my little brother.

We support each other,” Jumo told Buzz in an invited comment.

“His events are always different. He was able to build his following from the ground up. He does most of the groundwork himself. I personally think people should go out because it’s always fun; you meet different people and you have different vibes; different from the regular events. The event is also a staple event, so people know what to expect and, most importantly, it’s Soca, and Soca vibes is the best vibes,” Jumo expressed. (A staple event is one that is kept at the same time every year)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Jamaica featured in new animated film, 'Migration' — PM Holness says country is on everyone's agenda this winter season

JAMAICA’S allure and vibrant culture have once again captured the international spotlight, as the island takes centre stage in the highly anticipated animated film, 'Migration,' set for release on December 22.

The film 'Migration' narrates the heart-warming story of a family of adventurous ducks who bravely decide to leave the tranquillity of a New England pond in the United States for an epic journey to Jamaica.

As the plot devel-

ops, viewers are taken on a mesmerising journey through the bustling streets of New York City, climaxing in the idyllic paradise of Jamaica.

The film's depiction of Jamaica as a travel destination allowed Today Show hosts to segue into "hot winter travel deals" on the Caribbean island.

mentioned during the programme.

In response to the feature, Prime Minister Andrew recently posted on X: "This heart-warming story, along with our recent appearance on the Today Show, highlights our beautiful southern coast and showcases the magnetic allure and positive energy that define our beloved country."

With Jamaica in the Floyd's Pelican Bar, limelight, Holness also Jake's Hotel, Treasure extended an invitation Beach, and the Appleto everyone to explore ton Estate rum distillery tour were among everything the island some locations on Ja- has to offer.

Produced by Illumimaica's southern coast

nation and distributed

by Universal Pictures, the film is directed by Benjamin Renner and co-directed by Guylo Homsy. It's produced

by Chris Meledandri and written by Mike White, based on a story conceived by White and Renner.

Featuring a star-studded voice cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, and Danny DeVito, this animated adventure comedy is set to captivate audiences of all ages. (Loop News)

Mattel to make 'American Girl' movie after 'Barbie' success

‘Barbie’ movie adverts are seen during the film's first screening at VOX Cinemas, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, August 10, 2023 (REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri/File photo)

MATTEL (MAT.O) said, on Wednesday, it was planning to make a live-action feature film based on its "American Girl" doll line with Paramount Pictures and Temple Hill Entertainment, after the box-office success of its "Barbie" movie earlier this year.

Shares of the toymaker rose marginally in extended trading after it also said Lindsey Anderson Beer, who wrote the Netflix film "Sierra Burgess is a Loser", would write the screenplay and produce the film.

Margot Robbie-starrer "Barbie", released in July, recorded the biggest opening of the year, which Mattel in October said was expected to contribute more than $125

million towards its Dolls segment's key gross billings measure in 2023.

"American Girl" was founded in 1986 by Pleasant Rowland, a teacher-turned-entrepreneur who set out to celebrate girlhood with beautiful dolls and adventurous books that would nourish a child's imagination and provide education and entertainment.

Paramount Pictures, a unit of media and entertainment company Paramount Global (PARA.O), has produced several film franchises including "Mission Impossible", while Temple Hill Entertainment has produced films including "The Fault in Our Stars". (Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

'Black-ish' star Anthony Anderson to host Emmys ceremony

ACTOR Anthony Anderson is set to host the 75th annual Primetime Emmys on Jan. 15 after the ceremony was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes.

Anderson's lead role as Andre on the ABC comedy "Black-ish" and his executive producer position on the show garnered 11 Primetime Emmy Award nominations in recent years.

The Emmys were originally slated to air

Anthony Anderson arrives at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, U.S. on Sept. 12, 2022 (REUTERS/Ringo Chiu/File Photo)

'Barbie' edges 'Oppenheimer' to lead Golden Globe nominations

PINK-THEMED movie phenomenon "Barbie" topped the list of nominees for Hollywood's Golden Globe awards on Monday with nine nods, outpacing the eight for historical drama "Oppenheimer."

The two films - which featured in a summer box office clash dubbed "Barbenheimer" - will compete in different categories at the Globes, a red-carpet ceremony that kicks off Hollywood's awards season in January.

"Barbie," Director Greta Gerwig's take on the iconic doll, will vie for best comedy or musical film alongside "American Fiction," "The Holdovers," and others.

"Oppenheimer" is in the running for best movie drama. It stars Cillian Murphy as the man behind the building of the atomic bomb. Competitors include Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," the story of the murder of Native Americans in Oklahoma in the 1920s.

In television categories, family drama "Succession" led all series with nine nominations, followed by "The Bear" with five.

After criticism for a lack of diversity in past years, an expanded group of Globe voters nominated two female directors - Gerwig and "Past Lives" director Celine Song.

Acting nominees included Native American star Lily Gladstone in "Flower Moon," gay Black American "Rustin" actor Colman Domingo and Black American lead Jeffrey Wright in "American Fiction."

"For all of us, that means our work is being seen. So that feels good," Domingo told Reuters.

Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks were nominated for their roles in "The Colour Purple," but the story of Black Americans living in the early 1900s was left out of the race for best movie musical or comedy.

"What makes me happy is the fact that I didn't give up, and that's what I want for every girl who sees

Ryan Gosling, left, and Margot Robbie pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Barbie' on July 12, 2023, in London. (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)

the movie, every man, woman, Black, white - this movie is not just a Black thing - it's a world thing," Barrino said.

Tim Gray, a former Variety editor who is now executive vice president of the Globes, noted that the nominees reflected more diversity and inclusion than they have in the past.

"Two of the directing nominees are women, half of the screenwriting nominees are women. There's a lot of racial diversity in the nominations," Gray said.

"The Last of Us" star Pedro Pascal and "Past Lives" actor Greta Lee were among 27 first-time nominees.

"I've never been nominated before," Lee told Reuters. "I had no idea that these things were announced so early. I was asleep and my phone was activating in a way that was alarming."

Bradley Cooper was nominated for best actor and director for "Maestro," the story of composer Leonard Berstein that also earned a best drama nomination.

Emma Stone, a nominee for gothic comedy "Poor Things," said her character Bella Baxter was the favourite she had ever played.

"The journey of making this film is one that will stay with me for the rest of my life," she said.

'SOUL OF OUR FILM' Other acting nominees included Murphy, "Barbie" star Margot Robbie, and Leonardo DiCaprio

for "Killers of the Flower Moon."

DiCaprio praised his co-star Gladstone, saying she was "the soul of our film and helped to bring this sinister and painful part of our nation's history to life."

The Globes are one of the key contests that can provide a boost to movies on the road to the Academy Awards in March.

This year, Globe nominations were chosen by a new organisation. The non-profit Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group of journalists that was criticized for ethical lapses and a lack of diversity, was disbanded in June.

New Globe owners Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions are operating the awards as a for-profit venture. The voting body now consists of 300 journalist members from 75 countries with 60% racial and ethnic diversity, organisers said.

The Globes added a category for blockbuster films, dubbed best cinematic and box office achievement. That opened a path for them to nominate concert film "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour."

Netflix (NFLX.O) led film distributors with 13 nominations. Warner Bros Discovery's (WBD.O) HBO and Max topped TV distributors, landing 17 nods.

Winners will be announced on January 7 at a ceremony broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. (Reuters)

on Fox on Sept. 18, and nominations for the highest honours in television were announced in July, just before actors followed Hollywood writers and went on strike.

"With our industry’s recent challenges behind us, we can get back to what we love -- dressing up and honouring ourselves. And there’s no better celebratory moment to bring the creative community togeth-

er than the milestone 75th Emmy Awards,” Anderson said in a statement.

“When FOX asked me to host this historic telecast, I was over the moon that Taylor Swift was unavailable, and now I can’t wait to be part of the biggest night in television," he added.

The ceremony will take place live at 8 p.m.

ET/5 p.m. PT (0100 GMT on Jan. 16) at the

Peacock Theatre, in the L.A. Live complex in downtown Los Angeles.

A l l i s o n Wa l l a c h , president of unscripted programming at Fox Entertainment, believes Anderson is the "natural fit" for the job because of his experience hosting "We Are Family," a music game show that Anderson took over from fellow actor Jamie Foxx. (Reuters)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

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Answers in tomorrow’s issue

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Brandon King stars as Windies go 2-0 up in T20...

From page 28 ed five balls for his two before edging Rashid to slip in the next over.

King remained unflappable, however, putting on a record 80 for the fifth wicket with Powell, and a further 42 for the sixth wicket with Andre Russell (14), as the hosts gathered 108 runs from the last nine overs.

King reached his eighth T20 International off 33 balls in the 13th over by clearing the ropes at wide long-on with Rehan, while Powell blasted three fours and five sixes in racing to a 27-ball fifty, the fifth of his career.

Powell had single-handedly taken 28 from the 17th over bowled by left-arm pacer Curran when he perished to the final delivery, holing out to long-on, leaving King to take the innings to its end.

“I was the one who got the start in the power-play; it was difficult for new batters to come, especially when the spinners were bowling,” King said afterwards.

“Given that I got the start, I just tried to take it as deep as possible.”

West Indies struck early, Hosein claiming the prized wicket of Jos Buttler for two with the score on nine, the England captain picking out Mayers at cover in the third over.

Opener Phil Salt (25) and Will Jacks (24) stabilised the innings in a 46-run, second- wicket partnership before Joseph accounted for both to catches in the deep, leaving the innings meandering at 65 for three in the 10th over.

Promoted to four in the order, Curran counter-attacked with four fours and three sixes in posting 32 for the fourth wicket with Liam Livingstone (17) and 26 for the sixth with Moeen (22 not out).

When Curran provided Joseph with his third wicket at the start of the 18th over, England required 43 runs from 17 balls, but seamer Jason Holder sent down a brilliant penultimate over which cost only three runs to all but ruin the visitors’ chances.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Suryakumar, spinners deliver comfortable series-levelling win briskly, but both openers were guilty of gifting their wickets away.

Breetzke went for a loose cut with no room on offer and dragged it onto the stumps, while Hendricks took on Siraj's arm with a quick single to mid-on,

India captain Suryakumar Yadav was in his element

A CAPTAIN’S knock from Suryakumar Yadav, and a clinical bowling performance saw India hammer South Africa by 106 runs in the third T20I at the Wanderers, Johannesburg on Thursday.

The result meant that the T20I series ended at 1-1 after the opening game was washed out due to incessant rain. India reached 201 for seven after being sent in, then bowled out South Africa for 95 in 13.5 overs.

The contrasting conditions of the day-night game were on display as India piled on the runs during the sunny evening, and once the lights took effect, there was enough movement for the newball bowlers, apart from the turn that the spinners extracted. Regular wickets meant that South Africa were never in the chase.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill got the visitors off to a flier with a flurry of boundaries in the first two overs. Debutant Nandre Burger started on an erratic note, while Markram's decision to share the new ball didn't begin well either. India had gotten the perfect start to the innings in terms of momentum.

In his first game of the series, Keshav Maharaj made an instant impression. He got Shubman Gill, LBW, although the batter was unlucky, with ball tracking showing it to be a missing leg stump.

Strangely, Gill, who is trigger-happy when it comes to taking reviews,

didn't opt for one. Tilak Varma fell the very next ball, as his attempts to go downtown only resulted in a miscue to mid-off. If India had landed the opening punch, South Africa had truly given an apt riposte.

India were in need of a partnership to turn things around; the duo provided just that. Jaiswal continued to bat with high intent, and found the boundaries, while his captain took a backseat after an initial flurry. However, once he got his eye in, Suryakumar was also back to his menacing best as he plundered the bowling at will. The 13th over of the innings, bowled by Andile Phehlukwayo, went for a whopping 23 runs, and it was the kind of momentum the Indian skipper was seeking to hit top gear.

The back end of India's innings was solely about their skipper's decimation of the bowling attack in his trademark fashion. Jaiswal fell in the bid to up the ante, but that only spurred his partner to go harder.

With the temptingly short square boundaries at the Wanderers, Suryakumar peppered them at will, and in the process, brought up a record-equalling fourth century in T20Is. As is the case with any notable innings that he produces, this, too, was an exhibition of jaw-dropping strokeplay and power-hitting.

Under lights, the Wanderers pitch looked a different demon from the one when India were batting.

Perhaps, it was the pressure of a big chase, and the inability to start

only to be found short with a direct hit. South Africa needed a solid platform to launch their chase, but instead got a shaky beginning.

The one thing that was constant in both innings was the turn on

offer for the spinners.

It wasn't extravagant, but the variable bounce made it a tough task, especially for South Africa's batters, who were tied down by Ravindra Jadeja's accuracy and Kuldeep Yadav's guile.

Wickets fell regularly, and within no time, the game was a no contest.

The wrist spinner eventually helped himself to a five-wicket haul, as South Africa's batters imploded in sensational fashion. (Cricbuzz)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Draymond Green: NBA star suspended indefinitely after Jusuf Nurkic clash GOLDEN State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been suspended indefinitely after striking Phoenix Suns player Jusuf Nurkic in the face.

Green was ejected for a third time this season in the Warriors' 119-116 defeat.

The NBA said it had given him a rare open-ended ban because of his "repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts".

The league said the 33-year-old would be "required to meet certain league and team conditions" before he is allowed to return to

play.

An indefinite suspension is an almost unheard of sanction by the NBA, which more commonly issues bans for a fixed number of games.

Referees ruled Green's swinging arm into the face of Nurkic in the third quarter as a flagrant foul 2 - defined as "unnecessary and excessive contact" - which leads to an automatic ejection.

T h e f o u r- t i m e N B A champion later apologised to Nurkic, saying he had accidentally struck the Bosnian after swinging his arm to try to win a foul call, believing

he had been illegally held back.

However, the Suns player remained unhappy, saying: "What's going on with him?

I don't know. Personally, I feel like that brother needs help."The incident is the latest in a long line of disciplinary incidents involving Green.

He was given a five-game ban for putting Minnesota Timberwolves centre Rudy Gobert in a headlock on 14 November.

The forward was also ejected for two technical fouls against the Cleveland

Green was ejected for a third time this season after striking the Phoenix Suns player Jusuf Nurkic in the face

Cavaliers earlier in November and was suspended during the playoffs in April after stamping on the Sacramento Kings player Domantas Sabonis.

He was also famously suspended for game five of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers for a low blow against LeBron James.

The Warriors (10-13) are 11th in the Western Conference and played the Clippers in Los Angeles last evening.(BBC Sport).

Uday Saharan to captain India at the U19 World Cup

UDAY Saharan will lead the India squad at the Under 19 Men's World Cup in South Africa early next year, the BCCI have announced.

Saharan, a middle-order batter who has played U14, U16 and U19 cricket for Punjab and who was the highest run-scorer at the U19 One-Day Challenger Trophy, is currently also the India captain at the ongoing U19 Asia Cup in Dubai.

The 15-player squad, which will also participate in the tri-series featuring England and hosts South Africa in the lead-up to the World Cup, is the same that's participating in the U19 Asia Cup..Adarsh Singh, the left-hand batter from Uttar Pradesh, and Arshin Kulkarni, the right-hand batter from Maharashtra, have been India's steady opening combination in the three Asia Cup games so far, and the board has placed faith in the duo once again.

Kulkarni is among the topthree run-getters in the Asia Cup as of 12 December 2023.

Gujarat's Rudra Mayur Patel bats at No.3 whereas captain Saharan, who scored 60 against Pakistan recently albeit in a losing cause, bats two-down.

Aravelly Avanish Rao, the left-hand batter and keeper from Hyderabad, is likely to take the gloves, with Himachal Pradesh's Innesh Mahajan his back-up in the squad. Sachin Dhas from Maharashtra is one

Uday Saharan named India Under-19 World Cup captain.

of the finishers in the squad.

Left-arm pacer Naman Tiwari (Uttar Pradesh), right-arm pacer Raj Limbani (Baroda), left-arm spinner and vice-captain Saumy Kumar Pandey (Madhya Pradesh), offspinner Murugan Abhishek (Hyderabad) are among the frontline bowlers in the squad. Limbani is the top wicket-taker in the Asia Cup as of 12 December 2023.

Kulkarni (right arm pacer), Saharan (offspinner) and Mumbai's Musheer Khan (leftarm orthodox) who's also the brother of Sarfaraz Khan can also chip in with a few overs.

Right-arm pacer Aaradhya Shukla (Punjab), middle-order right-hand batter Priyanshu Moliya (Baroda) and right-arm pacer Dhanush Gowda (Karnataka) are the other members in the squad.

Prem Devkar, Ansh Gosai and Md. Amaan are the designated traveling standbys for the

tri-series whereas Digvijay Patil, Jayanth Goyat, P Vignesh, Kiran Chormale have been named as the back-up players by the BCCI. India kick off their U19 World Cup campaign on 20 January 2024 against Bangladesh in Bloemfontein. The tri-series leading up to it starts 29 December 2023, with the final with the final scheduled on 10 January 2024.

India U19 Squad: Arshin Kulkarni, Adarsh Singh, Rudra Mayur Patel, Sachin Dhas, Priyanshu Moliya, Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan (C), Aravelly Avanish Rao (WK), Saumy Kumar Pandey (VC), Murugan Abhishek, Innesh Mahajan (WK), Dhanush Gowda, Aaradhya Shukla, Raj Limbani, Naman Tiwari.

(Cricbuzz)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Strong middle-order show gives India the opening day's honours ASSURED half-centuries by four Indian batters, and Harmanpreet Kaur's 49, helped the hosts to a solid start in the one-off Test against England at the DY Patil Stadium, on Thursday.

Half-centuries by debutants Shubha Satheesh and Jemimah Rodrigues en route their century stand was followed

by Yastika Bhatia's 66 and Deepti Sharma's unbeaten 60 as India maintained control on the opening day.

Electing to bat, India got off to a brisk start with Smriti Mandhana creaming a couple of brisk cover drives for boundaries. She then punched one down the ground off Lauren Bell soon after Shafali Verma had cut her over point for a four. However, the Indian opening duo departed in quick succession thereafter. Mandhana inside edged Bell's delivery outside off on to the stumps while Shafali was cleaned up by Kate Cross's out-

“Living a dream” is how Shubha Satheesh described her first day as an India cricketer

swinger.

However, Shubha and Rodrigues took control of the proceedings soon after. Without looking to be on the offensive, they kept scoring boundaries at regular intervals, primarily through the offside. With England setting an attacking field early on, singles and twos were also easily available. The duo had their respective

share of luck, with edges flying past the English fielders but were largely untroubled as they flipped the momentum in India's favour by lunch.

Shubha, who had displayed impeccable technique against pace and spin alike on her international debut, had brought up her half-century in only 49 balls with a straight drive for a boundary.

She fell after Lunch, mistiming a pull to mid-wicket off Sophie Eccelstone. Jemimah reached the landmark soon after caressing a drive through the extra cover region for a boundary, but also fell in her 60s, undone by Bell's inswinger that knocked her stumps.

Despite losing two wickets in quick succession, Harmanpreet and

Yastika ensured that the momentum didn't slip away. Even as there was turn on offer as well as some extra bounce for the spinners who largely bowled in good channels, the even pace ensured that the Indian batters weren't uncomfortable. The duo went unhurt through the post-lunch session and went on to stitch the second century-stand of the day.

Even as the scoring rate dropped briefly, there was a regular flow of boundaries. Soon after Tea, Harmanpreet and Yastika took the attack to Lauren Filer cracking a couple of boundaries and a six against the pacer.

The southpaw also had her share of luck when an edged drive was dropped by a diving Heather Knight at slips.

Nonetheless, her partner didn't enjoy that as she fell one short of what would have been her maiden Test fifty. Looking to get back to the crease after

a declined single, Harmanpreet's bat got stuck just before the popping crease and was run out by Danni Wyatt's direct throw.

Yastika soon became the third batter to fall in the 60s when she top edged a sweep off Charlie Dean and caught.

For the third time in the day, England had both the set batters sent back to the pavilion in quick succession but failed to capitalise on the opportunity.

This time, it was courtesy Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana. Much like the other Indian batters, they mixed caution and aggression well and kept a good pace to the innings. Rana wasn't as fluent with her strokeplay as the rest, but managed to add 30 runs in a half-century stand with Deepti. She fell late in the day's play but by then, India had taken control of the proceedings.

Deepti went to stumps unbeaten on 60, with Pooja Vastrakar for company.

Cameron Green reveals he manages chronic kidney disease

...His father, Gary, said that when Green was born there were concerns over his life expectancy

Australia allrounder Cameron Green has revealed he was born with chronic kidney disease and at one stage had a life expectancy of just 12 but has been able to manage the issues throughout his professional cricketing career.

Green, 24, was left out of Australia's XI for the opening Test of the summer against Pakistan in Perth with Mitchell Marsh usurping him as the incumbent allrounder in the side during the Ashes series in England earlier this year.

But Green, who is by nature a very shy and reserved person, revealed to

Cameron Green has spoken for the first time about the kidney disease he was born with • I(CC/Getty Images)

Channel 7 that he has been dealing with the disease for his entire life, having

hardly made it known to even team-mates or friends.

"My parents got told when I was born that I had chronic kidney dis-

ease," Green told Channel 7. "Basically, there's no symptoms, it was just picked up through ultrasounds.

"Chronic kidney disease is basically a progressive disease of your kidney's health function.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, m i n e doesn't filter the blood as well as other kidneys.

They're at about 60% at the moment which is stage two.

"I consider myself very lucky that I'm not as affected physically by chronic kidney disease as other people who are affected by the same thing.

"With chronic kidney disease there's five stages,

with stage one being the least severe, and stage five being transplant or dialysis. Fortunately, I'm stage two, but if you don't look after them enough, it goes back down.

"Kidneys can't get better. It's irreversible. So anything you can do to slow the progression, you basically try and do."

Green's disease was picked up when his mother Bee Tracey had her 19-week pregnancy scan. His father Gary, who has been hugely influential on Green's cricket career, said there were initial fears he may not live past the age of 12.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

JFF General Secretary happy with federation's progress after busy 2023 football calendar

General Secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation, Dennis Chung, has commended the work done by Jamaican football’s governing body on the back of a busy calendar year of football in the country.

The Reggae Girlz and Reggae Boyz hosted seven games between them in Jamaica between September and November.

“It has been an extremely busy year. In September we had three games, in October we had two games and we had two games in November and anyone who knows what it takes to plan a game, it takes a lot of time, effort and resources,” Chung said at a press conference at the JFF offices on Thursday.

“We had so many events during the year so it was really good that we were able to manage through it. My commendations to the staff because I know

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) General Secretary, Dennis Chung

the amount of work that they go through to put an event on or to mobilize a team, it is significant. The amount of money that we spent taking the women to the World Cup was about US $2 million. We have to manage all of that,” he added.

The Reggae Boyz hosted Honduras, Haiti and Canada in Concacaf Nations League A action while the Girlz hosted Canada in an Olym-

pic Qualifier as well as Guatemala and Panama in a pair of Concacaf W Gold Cup qualifiers.

Chung also pointed out that despite some hiccups such as Visa issues for travelling parties, the federation was able to get through the year with no major hindrances.

“We are grateful for the activity that has happened and grateful, also, that we really have not had any incidents in the

year. We had one or two hiccups when it relates to the Visa process but it didn’t cause any major dislocation,” Chung said.

“The first one had to do with the UK incident where the staff was late in getting their Visas because of the move of the processing from Jamaica to New York and then we had the incident of the U-15s going to Sweden. Outside of that I think we’ve had a fairly

successful year administratively,” he added.

Without going into specific numbers, Chung also mentioned that the JFF were able to sort out some financial problems they were experiencing.

“The other thing that was initially a challenge for us was the administration of the accounting because, as you know, the JFF has been on restricted funding for a while but I’m happy to say that, based on how we’ve closed out the year and our interactions with FIFA, who we had invited to come here in November, I think we’re in a much better place,” he said.

“We would’ve gotten, during the year, a tax compliance certificate, which many companies in Jamaica do not have. We have been managing very well, certainly better than last year, in terms of the demands of the organization,” Chung added.

Chung also com-

mented on renovations done to the Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence located at the University of the West Indies.

“We also did a lot of work at the center and we were able to host some national teams there. The Trinidad National Men’s team was there and the Guyana Men’s team was there as well. We were able to also rent out the facility.

It’s now well renovated,” he said.

“2023 was a year of bringing all the chips together, ensuring we have the right capacity in place and we’re as productive as possible given the circumstances,” he added.

The current administration will now turn their attention to the upcoming JFF presidential elections scheduled for January 14, 2024.(Sportsmax).

Schedule released for Under-19 World Cup after move to South Africa

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, (CMC) – West Indies Under-19s will feature on the opening day of the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup against hosts South Africa on January 19 next year at J.B. Marks Oval in the city of Potchefstroom.

The ICC, the sport’s world organising body, released the schedule on Monday for the 16-team event, which was moved from Sri Lanka, after provisionally suspending Sri Lanka Cricket on November 23 because of extensive government interference in the SLC’s administration.

The 15th edition of the

ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley

global youth showpiece will be held from January 19 to February 11 next year, and five venues across South Africa will host the 41 matches over more than three weeks, with the final taking place at Willomoore Park in Benoni.

“In the past 12 months, we have seen South Africa successfully deliver two milestone events for the sport – the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup last year, and the ground-breaking ICC Women’s T20 World Cup that immediately followed,” ICC head of events, Chris Tetley said in a news release.

“The relocation of the U19 Men’s Cricket World

Cup 2024 to South Africa allows us the opportunity to build on this momentum and welcome the best young cricketers on the planet to five notable international venues.”

West Indies Under-19s will also face Scotland on January 24 at J.B. Marks Oval, where they will also meet England two days later to end their fixtures in Group B of the tournament.

Five-time champions India will begin their defence against 2020 winners Bangladesh at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein.

The Indians prevailed in the previous edition of the tournament last year in

the Caribbean, and they are placed in Group A with Bangladesh, Ireland, and the United States as they attempt to claim a record sixth title.

Group C features Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Namibia, while Group D is made up of Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand and Nepal.

The top three sides from each group progress to the Super Six phase of the event ahead of the semi-finals and final in Benoni.

It will be the third time that South Africa has hosted the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup – after previous editions in 1998 and 2020.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Warner's 26th Test ton sets up dominant opening day for Australia

DAVID Warner wrote another highlight in his fairytale career, registering his 26th Test ton coming on the back of questions being raised on his position. Warner did the answering with the bat in typically aggressive fashion on the first day in Perth, leaving Pakistan scrambling to save face early in the day before finding their feet.

Warner got to his milestone as the Tea break approached and ensured that even an improved bowling effort did not bring Pakistan back in the game. Warner had lost his opening partner Usman Khawaja early in the session with Shaheen Afridi having him caught behind for 41, ending a 126-run stand. Not long after, Faheem Ashraf struck getting Marnus Labuschagne LBW with one nipping in slightly.

David Warner climbed above Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke to move fifth on Australia's alltime Test runs list - behind Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Steve Smith

These came in Pakistan's best bowling phase of the day as they improved their lengths, managing to keep the scoring rate also in check. Warner managed to see through this period even if it meant slowing down, but got to the milestone with a cut boundary off the 125th ball he faced.

Warner was helped along with a free-flowing Steve Smith at the other end, as he cashed in on some indisciplined lengths from Pakistan.

Early in the third session, Khurram Shehzad picked his maiden Test wicket as he had Smith caught behind but Warner was now joined by the in-form Travis Head

who walked out to a warm welcome. He took up the mantle of scoring in a 66-run stand with Warner, scoring 40 before falling prey to Pakistan's short-ball ploy. While Head was out caught at third man, Warner too took on the ploy, hooking a six and being adventurous. He went past 150 in the

process before finally holing out, attempting a pull to debutant Aamer Jamal.

His 164 had glued the innings together, and ensured that Australia did not fall back even when Pakistan improved through the day, and was a direct result of the near-perfect session Australia had in the morning.

Having opted to bat, Australia were barely in any discomfort right through with Shaheen Afridi not finding his rhythm with the new ball. While debutant Khurram Shahzad strung together a few tight overs, Afridi was guilty of spraying the ball in pursuit of wickets.

This allowed an eager Warner to kickstart his final Test series just the way he wanted with plenty of boundaries for the taking. Warner, on his part, did a good job

of attacking and keeping the pressure on the bowlers. He raced away to his 37th Test fifty, hitting three fours in a Faheem Ashraf over. Coming off only 41 balls, it enabled Australia to dictate the shots.

Providing the ideal foil for Warner's belligerence was a calm Usman Khawaja who did not get fazed despite the dot balls building up.

He was lucky to survive on 21 when Abdullah Shafique messed up a high catch running back from the slip cordon.

Shaheen Afridi on his return spell had an LBW review turned down against Warner, who in turn upped the ante with an audacious scoop off a length ball for a six, and setting the tone for the day where the focus was trained on his batting prowess. (Cricbuzz)

DCB Inter-Association 50-overs U-15 cricket…

Georgetown destroys East Bank to remain unbeaten

By Sean Devers

IN scorching heat at the Farm Cricket Ground on the East Bank Essequibo, an unbeaten Georgetown was destructive in their demolition of the home team as the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) 50-overs U-15 tournament continued on Thursday with two matches.

At Farm, the hosts were bundled out for an embarrassing 22 in 12. 4 of the allotted 50 overs on a good track and fast outfield on the small ground. The city side reached 23-1 in 4.1 overs to win by nine wickets.

Watched by a good-sized gathering, left-arm spinner

Reyad Latif (left) took 4-0, including a helmet trick, while Brandon Henry captured 5-5 yesterday at Farm

Brandon Henry took 5-5, while Reyaz Latiff ’s 4-0 included the first-ever hel-

met-trick of Demerara Cricket Board’s cricket at any level.

Skipper Emmanuel Lewis,

who scored a double century against Upper Demerara at the Queen’s College Ground, took the other wicket to fall with medium pace.

Extras top-scored with eight, while Ravendra Singh scored seven, as seven batters made ‘duck’ in a deplorable show of batting which was cause for urgent concern.

Georgetown, which defeated West Demerara and an Upper Demerara Select X1, which included several Georgetown players, rested their two fast bowlers (Darwin Larose and Samuel Barkoye).

Lewis removed Jermine Paton (2) at 4-1 in the first, before 13-year-old Henry,

the Guyana U-13 Captain, removed Dilshan Latchman (0) without addition to the score.

The tall Henry from the Transport Sports Club (TSC), bowled Jason Craig (0) at 12-3 in the sixth over, and trapped Singh, who showed ‘fight’ in 27-ball innings, which included the only boundary of the innings.

Singh’s demise at 19-4 triggered a dramatic collapse with six wickets tumbling for three runs, as National U-13 spinner Latif, Henry’s TSC club mate, ripped the lower order to shreds with four wickets in four balls.

Although Shamar Apple was removed for a firstball ‘duck’ by Craig, Shane

Shivbarran, who hit two fours in 13, and Ravin Singh, who reached the boundary once in his, ensured Georgetown, the most dominant team in the five-team tournament, won emphatically with 45.5 overs to spare.

Meanwhile, at Lusignan on the East Coast Demerara, East beat Upper Demerara Select X1 in a close match, and will face West Demerara at Lusignan today.

Today’s other game will see Upper Demerara Select X1 facing-off with East Bank at Farm.

Georgetown will play their final game on Tuesday at DCC, when they come up against East Coast.

28

GUYANA CHRONICLE, Friday, December 15, 2023

Brandon King stars as Windies go 2-0 up in T20 series

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) – Opener Brandon King lashed a Man-of-theMatch unbeaten half-century, while captain Rovman Powell added another, as West Indies brushed aside England by ten runs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series here Thursday.

Spiraling at 54 for four in the ninth over after being sent in at the National Cricket Stadium, West Indies rallied to 176 for seven off their 20 overs, the right-handed King top-scoring with 82 not-out off 52 deliveries, and Powell clobbering exactly 50 off 28 balls.

In reply, England never really found their stride, despite Sam Curran’s 50 off 32 balls, and ended on 166 for seven, the run-chase stymied by fast bowler Alzarri Joseph’s spell of three for 39, and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein’s two for 24.

Left-arm spinner Guadkesh Motie, in only his second T20 International and first in two years, also frustrated England in

Man-of-the-Match Brandon King hit eight fours and five sixes in his 52-ball knock

a brilliant four-over spell, which yielded only nine runs.

The victory marked West Indies’ third T20I victory on the trot, and seventh in ten matches this year.

Still fresh from Tuesday’s four-wicket win in the opener in Barbados last Tuesday, West Indies started well before suffering a rapid collapse, losing four wickets for 11 runs in the space of 16 deliveries.

King, who punched eight fours and five sixes, put on 43 off 34 balls for the first wicket with left-hander Kyle Mayers (17), as West Indies flourished in the power-play.

But the slide began when Mayers mis-timed seamer Chris Woakes to cover in the sixth over, and continued when lefthander Nicholas Pooran skied leg-spinner Adil Rashid (2-11) to long-on in the next over for five.

Shai Hope was deceived by a Rehan Ahmed googly and bowled for one in the eighth over, and Shimron Hetmyer last-

Continued on page 22

Six of Argentina captain Lionel Messi’s shirts from 2022 World Cup sold for a combined £6.1m

SIX of Lionel Messi's shirts worn during the 2022 World Cup sold for a combined $7.8m (£6.1m) at a Sotheby's auction in New York.

Messi captained Argentina to victory at the tournament with his country beating France on penalties in the final.

The six jerseys were from the first half of the

final, semi-final, quarter-final, last-16 tie and two group games.

The record for a game-worn football shirt is Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' jersey, which sold for £7.1m in 2022.

Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, became the first player in World Cup history to score in the group stage,

Lionel Messi scored two goals and converted from the spot during the penalty shootout as Argentina beat France in the 2002 World Cup final.

last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of a single tournament.

He played in all seven of Argentina's 2022 World Cup matches, but only two of the three shirts Messi wore during the group stage will be auctioned, after Heart of Midlothian's Australia international Cammy Devlin swapped shirts with the former Barce-

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lona forward during the tournament.

Sotheby's said: "A portion of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to Unicas Project, led by Sant Joan de Deu Barcelona Children's Hospital with the support of the Leo Messi Foundation, to meet the needs of children suffering from rare diseases."

| FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2023