Guyana Chronicle E-Paper 23-02-2024

Top US officials to visit Guyana for CARICOM Summit

— Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield to reiterate US’ commitment to Guyana’s sovereignty, territorial integrity

AMBASSADOR Linda

Thomas-Greenfield, Representative of the United States to the United Nations and a member of President Biden’s cabinet, will lead a delegation to Guyana from February 24-26, for the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

According to a press release from the US Embassy, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will meet with Guyanese President, Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali, to discuss the United States’ commitment to Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Guyana’s priorities on the UN Security Council for its elected term, reaffirm bilateral partnerships on shared priorities such as food security, migration, and climate change.

The Ambassador will also advance an array of Biden-Harris Administration regional policy goals under the US-Caribbean Partnership to address the Climate Crisis (PACC 2030) and the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) – including on firearms trafficking, governance, energy, trade, climate resilience, and sus-

tainable development – with multiple leaders attending the Summit.

At the CARICOM Summit, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will continue to rally global support for

‘Return home, be part of Guyana's historic

transformation’

— President Ali tells diaspora in St. Lucia

the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti and reiterate the urgency of establishing a credible and inclusive path toward elections to enable the return to democratic order for the Haitian people.

In Georgetown, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will also meet with Venezuelan migrant small business owners and members of civil society.

Other members of the US delegation include Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian A. Nichols; USAID Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean, Marcela Escobari; Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation, Ambassador Jessye Lapenn; and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Diplomacy, Laura Lochman.

By Clestine Juan

GUYANA is on the cusp of a new era that promises unprecedented opportunities and “historic transformation.”

This is why President Dr Irfaan Ali believes Guyanese living abroad should return home to contribute and witness the nation's metamorphosis first-hand.

The Head of State made this call during an engagement with the Guyanese diaspora in St. Lucia, on Wednesday, where he issued an invigorating call.

“Whenever I travel, especially to countries where we have a diaspora presence…I try to find some time to

interact with the diaspora,” President Ali said, highlighting the global footprint of the Guyanese community and their integral role in the homeland's future.

His vision is not only ambitious but rooted in tangible strides towards economic and social revitalisation and advancement under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government

“We are in a period of transition... I firmly believe that a lot of Guyanese in the diaspora will return home,” he predicted with unwavering confidence.

The President's discourse was laden with compelling narratives and assurances, painting a picture of a nation

on the rise.

“The conditions that drove Guyanese out of Guyana... are quickly changing,” he asserted, projecting an optimistic future where, by 2027-2028, Guyana would not only match but potentially exceed the living and professional standards that many in the diaspora sought elsewhere.

The Head of State delved into the specifics of the transformative agenda underway, addressing the acute shortages in skilled labour that present a challenge locally but an opportunity for the diaspora.

He pointed to the govern-

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Representative of the United States to the United Nations and a member of President Biden’s cabinet, will lead a delegation to Guyana from February 24-26, for the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

President Dr Irfaan Ali flanked by some Guyanese living in St Lucia

President Dr Irfaan Ali engages with the Guyanese diaspora in St Lucia

'This is our moment in history!’

By Naomi Parris

OUTLINING a vision for Guyana and the prosperity of the Caribbean region, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has affirmed his government’s commitment to building an economy that is resilient and stands the test of time, against all challenges.

The Head of State, in a patriotic address on the occasion of the country’s 54th Republic Anniversary at a flag raising ceremony held at the Public Buildings, Brickdam, maintained that Guyana’s prosperity will result in betterment for the entire region.

“We are building an economy to function in a world 2030 and beyond, in which we will be competitive, in which you will be sustainable, in which we will be relevant, in which government’s efficiency will be at its best, in which government transparency is of paramount importance,” the Head of State said.

Guyana, he said, is currently undergoing massive transformations, and as the country continues to grow exponentially, citizens should be reminded of the “principles and values” that have moulded the nation and its identity.

“Those principles must be upheld, and our humility as a people and as a country must remain intact. That is what is going to make us a strong people; our humility, not arrogance… Our humil-

— the transition will take time but Guyana will grow from strength to strength, President Ali affirms — says nation will never surrender an inch of its territory

ity is what is going to be our greatest asset,” Dr. Ali said.

A MAGNET

According to the President, Guyana has become a magnet for investments, and massive opportunities will come on stream for citizens.

“With these investments come jobs and income for

our people. Our model of development at this stage in our economic history aims to continue to invest in our people's well-being. The vision we have for our republic is one in which the country's development revolves around ensuring that every Guyanese family could attain a decent

standard of living with access to fundamental needs,” the Head of State said.

He related that the government has massive plans on the cards for the country’s future, envisioning a Guyana 2030 and beyond, where all Guyanese stretching across from servicemen and women

to farmers will reap the benefits of the country’s economy.

NOT SURRENDERING AN INCH OF GUYANA’S TERRITORY

President Ali further stressed that the country’s territorial integrity is crucial for maintaining national

sovereignty, and as such the government has taken steps to improve its defences, all within the rule of international law.

“We shall never surrender an inch of our territory; our republic threatens no one. We are a peaceful nation; we settle disputes peacefully, and repose our trust in international law. We seek friendly relations with our neighbours; we want peace and stability. We are for peace and stability, and our investment is to ensure peace and stability remains in our region,” the Head of State said.

Reiterating Guyana’s position as a hub of peace and stability, President Ali said: “We have outlined a vision for Guyana for 2030 and beyond. This vision involves a comprehensive transformation across infrastructural, human, technological and social fronts.”

THE GOLDEN ARROWHEAD

To bring the ceremony to close, the Golden Arrow Head, Guyana’s pride and national flag, was hoisted into the midnight sky, which was further illuminated by fireworks.

An all-women band of soldiers opened this year’s anniversary with a customary marching band.

Local entertainers and artistes graced a floodlit stage, performing a range of folk and patriotic songs.

[A Latchman Singh photo]

‘Return home, be part of Guyana's historic...

From page 2

ment's proactive measures in education and workforce development, particularly in healthcare and engineering.

“We have launched a programme... the government will pay for the education, will give you a stipend while you are studying, and I will guarantee you employment by the time you finish,” Dr Ali related, showcasing a commitment to nurturing a home-grown, skilled workforce.

The President also touched on the significant investments being made in the nation’s infrastructure, notably in the oil and gas sector, and the educational sphere.

He also spoke of the multimillion-dollar national skill training centre and the establishment of a worldclass Tourism and Hospitality Institute, signalling a robust approach to economic diversification and skill development.

The Port Mourant National Oil and Gas Training Centre, a state-of-the-art

facility, was recently commissioned as part of the country’s broader strategy to train technicians with the latest digital technologies for offshore operations.

“We just launched the first phase, which is a factor simulator... It's one of a kind in the world,” Dr. Ali shared, underscoring the global standards Guyana aims to meet and exceed.

However, the transformation envisioned by President Ali extends beyond economic development. It encompasses social empowerment and equity, particularly for women and the youth.

He detailed initiatives aimed at empowering these groups, such as the agri-innovation business model and significant healthcare investments.

“Close to 50 per cent of all the house allocations in the last three years went to women-led households,” he proudly stated, highlighting the administration's focus on fostering an inclusive and equitable society.

IMMEDIATE SOCIETAL NEEDS

Moreover, the President did not overlook the importance of addressing immediate societal needs while building for the future.

He underscored significant improvements in the healthcare sector, the massive expansion in housing, and the introduction of programmes aimed at enhancing the quality of life for all Guyanese.

“We are working with Mount Sinai as our preferred health partner... We are building six new regional hospitals,” President Ali said, illustrating the government's commitment to comprehensive healthcare.

But perhaps most compelling was Dr. Ali’s reflection on the human element of migration and development.

While underscoring the fundamental human longing for hope and progress, President Ali recounted the experience of a woman from the interior, who, with her child strapped to her back, embarked on a three-day walk to attend one of his meetings.

The woman arrived with nothing but cassava bread and water, a testament to her determination and the harsh

realities many face.

“She walked for three days to come to the meeting, and she said at the meeting that she came to that meeting because she needed hope,” the President said while reflecting on his responsibilities as a leader and the PPP/C government’s commitment to its citizens.

President Ali said that he used this story to underline the depth of people's needs and the powerful drive for a better future that motivates them, illustrating the critical importance of the government's role in providing not just basic needs but also a sense of hope and direction for the future.

His message to the diaspora was imbued with a blend of realism and optimism, as he acknowledged the complexities of development and the patience required therein.

“Listen, it's not going to happen overnight... But we have to also have patience,” he advised, tempering expectations with the assurance of steady, planned progress.

Dr. Ali’s engagement in St. Lucia was not merely a state update; it was a resonant plea for unity, participation, and belief in a collective

future.

As the call to return and contribute echoed across the globe, President Ali said that Guyanese abroad are faced with a momentous decision: To be spectators or active participants in the historic transformation of their homeland.

He reaffirmed that his message is clear: “The dawn of a new era in Guyana beckons, promising a future where the tide has turned, offering a land of opportunity.”

Guyana is currently undergoing many transformative changes – which is set to continue its upward projections backed by the historic $1.146 trillion 2024 budget which is aimed to deliver accelerated improvement to the lives of Guyanese and development.

The 2024 budget provisions include substantial allocations for small business development, skill enhancement, food price stabilisation, and health initiatives, alongside significant tax reliefs and benefits aimed at boosting household incomes and supporting vulnerable groups.

These measures align with the government’s strategy to foster economic growth while addressing inflation and promoting sustainable development.

The World Bank’s “Global Economic Prospects” report forecasts remarkable growth for Guyana, with the economy expected to significantly outperform its Caribbean counterparts.

The forecast predicts an astounding 38.2 per cent growth in 2024 and 15.2 per cent in 2025 for Guyana, the highest in the Caribbean.

This growth is underpinned by burgeoning oil production, anticipated to reach around 550,000 barrels per day with the Payara field’s operation.

Moreover, sectors like agriculture and construction are expected to bolster nonoil GDP growth, with the IMF previously estimating a 38.4 per cent GDP growth in 2023 and non-oil real GDP growth exceeding nine per cent.

Looking ahead, Guyana is poised for a robust growth trajectory, driven by private investments in oil, gas, and service industries, and substantial public capital spending, primarily funded by oil revenue transfers.

The IMF projects that the economy will double by 2028, with sustained non-oil GDP growth at 5.5 per cent as the government continues addressing developmental needs.

Local content ‘app’ to be introduced this year

THE government, through its Local Content Secretariat, is developing a local content ‘app’ which is expected to come on-stream this year with the aim of better connecting local companies with the oil and gas sector, and enhancing job access.

Director of the Local Content Secretariat, Martin Pertab, gave the update during a workshop on the final day of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, which is held under the theme “Fuelling Transformation and Modernisation” at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown.

“We will introduce the local content ‘app’. We have already started. Work is ongoing, and, hopefully, by the end of the third quarter, we should have an ‘app’ which connects local suppliers with oil and gas companies,” he said.

Pertab noted that many times locals would have difficulties accessing information about the available opportunities in the oil and gas sector. As a result, many of these persons miss out on critical employment avenues.

This, Pertab underscored, is one of the issues that the ‘app’ will centrally address.

“We have received over the past years a lot of complaints whereby locals will say that they are not seeing the RFIs. The issue with the 14 days is that most times

locals would see the RFI on the last day. For them to get the documents up and participate is difficult. Most companies would advertise on our portal, but I don’t think the traffic we are receiving indicates that a lot of locals are visiting our portals” he explained.

The ‘app’ is another important element of the secretariat’s drive to prioritising Guyanese nationals and companies to enable local capacity development.

The Local Content Registry, which was operationalised in 2022, is a portal through which Guyanese nationals can seek employment and Guyanese companies from which goods and services can be procured. The creation of the local content ‘app’ would greatly complement the functions of this portal.

Enacted in 2021, the Local Content Act was designed to ensure the oil and gas industry supports an economy where small and medium-sized businesses, and individuals can grow and benefit.

The act has led to the employment of more than 6000 locals in the industry and lays out 40 areas in the services sector that oil and gas companies and their subcontractors must procure locally.

The Local Content Secretariat is already actively pursuing a range of measures to connect locals to oil and gas

part of this aim.

He said that approximately US$560 million was

expended for local services under the local content law, representing a 25 per cent

increase when compared to 2022, with some 975 new jobs being created. (DPI)

opportunities, and, this year, emphasis will be placed on awareness sessions to reach a larger pool of Guyanese.

Nationwide sensitisation workshops on the Local Content Legislation have begun.

These are aimed at educating individuals on how they can benefit directly from the oil and gas sector while assessing the country’s capacity to supply goods and services to the petroleum industry.

“This is also for the major stakeholders, which include the NGOs and even the oil and gas companies. We intend to meet with them to discuss not only the local content act but for us to better understand the impact of the act on businesses in Guyana,” the director added.

Pertab also highlighted several key achievements of the Secretariat in 2023, as

Director of the Local Content Secretariat, Martin Pertab

Plenty reasons to celebrate

GUYANA has come a long way since becoming a Republic on February 23, 1970. Some 54 years later, the country is experiencing tremendous economic growth and there are signs of an improved standard of living and more access to basic necessities such as potable water.

These improvements are largely due to the country’s budding oil and gas industry and the PPP/C’s continued focus on making life better for everyone.

Guyana, as it stands today, represents a beacon of hope and a certainty that every citizen will have a bright future.

Developments in education, health, agriculture, public infrastructure and

many other sectors cannot be ignored. The government of the day has recognised the importance of a happy population and its connection to economic growth and prosperity.

Every year, billions of dollars are pumped into critical sectors, underscoring the government’s commitment to improving the lives of all Guyanese.

Guyanese students continue to excel at the regional and international levels. These outstanding performances are the result of our hardworking teachers and the investments made by stakeholders.

Further, government has been pumping resources into the sector to help bridge the gap that exists between the

hinterland and the coastland. There are now smart classrooms in some schools and free meals and text books are distributed to learners. Additionally, $40, 000 will be distributed to parents before the commencement of the new school year.

The GOAL scholarship programme, free Coursera courses and a plethora of degrees and master’s programmes in a wide variety of areas at foreign-based universities are evidence of the commitment to ensuring that Guyanese in every corner of this country can access education and upskill themselves so as to be marketable both locally and abroad.

New roads are being built to address traffic con-

gestion caused by the increasing number of vehicles on our roadways. Existing roads and bridges in communities across the country are being rehabilitated to ensure the comfort of the travelling public.

The road that will be a crucial link between Guyana and Lethem is under construction and it is anticipated that later this year, the Soesdyke-Linden highway will be rehabilitated and the work on the proposed bridge linking Guyana and Suriname will begin.

The health sector has seen extensive advancement as efforts continue to improve the quality of and access to healthcare. New hospitals are currently under construction and other hos-

pitals and health facilities have been rehabilitated or outfitted with modern pieces of equipment. Cancer and other non-communicable diseases will be given a lot of attention this year. Health authorities are working around the clock to keep the numbers down and offer aggressive and affordable treatment to all patients.

Additionally, thousands of affordable house lots have been distributed over the last three years and government has put systems in place to clear the backlog of housing applications and to make construction of houses easier for the average working person.

The entire world has their eyes on Guyana and this is a clear indication that

we are doing something right. Hundreds of foreign companies have opened operations here and many more and looking for ways to get it.

Guyana is also doing its part to ensure food security in the region and help increase the high food import bill. Already, there is an increased production of vegetables and crops such as corn and soya. A lot of attention is also being given to hydroponics and aquafarming.

It is impossible to list all the good things that have happened in the last 54 years, but what is clear is that Guyana has a bright future ahead.

‘Narrow, small-minded games’

— President Ali condemns Hamilton Green’s reckless statements — AG calls on ERC to investigate discrimination statements

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali, has strongly condemned reckless statements made by People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNC/R) stalwart and former Prime Minister Hamilton Green, reaffirming his commitment to unity and democracy, against a backdrop of irresponsible remarks from the opposition elder.

In a fervent response to Green’s remarks, President Ali outlined the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration's efforts to bridge historical divides and highlight the importance of an inclusive society.

He called for the eradication of divisive politics, reflecting on the challenges faced by Guyana in the 1950s when external forces exploited the ethnic division under the People’s National Congress (PNC) regime.

“We are working tremendously hard, committed to building a Guyana, One Guyana, a Guyana that, you know, we had the historical challenge, and the early 50s when our people were divided by external forces and external powers for their own selfish reason,” he said during an engagement with the Guyanese Diaspora in Saint Lucia, on Wednesday.

Dr Ali expressed his administration's dedication to mending these historical rifts.

Hamilton Green, a signifi-

cant figure due to his past as the General Secretary of the PNC, made headlines following the LFS Burnham Foundation’s Annual Commemorative Symposium, organised to mark the 101st birth anniversary of former PNC leader Linden Forbes Burnham.

He had implied that election rigging was a legitimate strategy to get back into power.

Green’s statements: “…if they say he rigged elections, I say we should keep rigging to save us from these devils, these bastards, these demons that we have,” have ignited a firestorm of criticism and concern over the

APNU party.

Against this backdrop, President Ali’s address becomes even more pertinent: “We are working tremendously hard, committed to building a Guyana, one Guyana,” the President declared, setting a tone of reconciliation and collective progress.

“So, we have to come off of this narrow, small-minded game, and it's a game. It's a game because those who use it to play for their interests. They play it for your own desire and it's a game that has to be stamped out,” Ali said as he refuted the divisive tactics.

President Ali also took the

opportunity to underscore the professionalism and diversity within the country’s key institutions, a direct counterpoint to Green’s implications.

“We have a military, a police force with more than 90 per cent Afro Guyanese, but I know that they turn out every day as professionals working for the interests of our people,” President Ali asserted, highlighting the integrity and dedication within Guyana’s security forces, in stark contrast to the electoral manipulation suggested by Green.

“How can you say that in a modern society? That has no place in modern society. You damage the structure of the society,” the President said as he

highlighted the painstaking journey towards restoring credibility following the 2020 elections.

Several officials including APNU members, are currently charged and before the court for the alleged inflating of results for Region Four, the country’s largest voting district, to give the APNU+AFC coalition a majority win at the polls when, in fact, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had won by 15,000 votes during the 2020 elections.

Following the elections, Head of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Elections Observer Mission (EOM) to Guyana, former Prime Minister (PM) of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, had said that “the pernicious actions of a few have wreaked considerable damage to Guyana’s image and reputation.”

The PPP/C government entered office in damage-control mode to rebuild Guyana’s international image which was tainted by the APNU+AFC administration.

“The greatest damage was done to the country because we had to walk through every single country to bring back the credibility of the country, to convince people that we are a free, democratic society where the rule of law applies,” the President said.

President Ali not only highlighted Guyana’s achievements on the global stage, but

also issued a call to unity and open-mindedness, challenging the divisive narrative posited by Green.

“I am saying to you all today to be open-minded,” he urged, promoting a vision of a cohesive, forward-moving Guyana, firmly distancing his administration from the shadows of past electoral malpractices and divisive rhetoric.

Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall S.C., characterised Green’s statement as an attack on democracy, the rule of law, and the very soul of Guyana’s constitution.

“This is also a racist attack against every other ethnic group in this country. Our constitution protects every Guyanese from discrimination, our constitution guarantees equal treatment to every single person in this country,” Nandlall stated, highlighting the gravity of Green’s remarks.

He criticised the lack of condemnation from the APNU+AFC coalition regarding Green’s statements, suggesting their silence could be seen as tacit approval.

Nandlall urged the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) to investigate Green's remarks, framing them as an incitement to racial discord and a stark departure from democratic norms.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali

Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall S.C.

‘No work, no pay’

— AG urges dismissal of GTU’s ‘frivolous’ court case — judge grants conservatory orders to preserve status quo until substantive matter concludes

By Feona Morrison

THE Guyana Teachers' Union (GTU)’s lawsuit against the government is frivolous and ought to be dismissed, according to Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, SC.

He advanced this argument on Thursday during a hearing before High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon, who later issued orders suspending the government's move to withhold money from the salaries of striking teachers, and stop the deduction of their union dues.

Justice Kissoon declared that conservatory orders were warranted in order to preserve the status quo until the substantive matter was heard and decided. He noted that, in his view, the GTU has advanced a “prima facie” case that must be evaluated on its merits.

The Judge has promised to hear arguments quickly, since the case is of national significance. The next hearing is scheduled for March 20 at 09:00 hrs.

Additionally, Justice Kissoon assured that his written ruling will be available seven days thereafter.

Meanwhile, Nandlall vehemently argued against the granting of the interim orders, citing a variety of Commonwealth case laws, and emphasising that doing so would be "absurd".

“The situation doesn’t allow for a conservatory order; this relationship between the government and the teachers is a private relationship. It is an employment contract. In that private law relationship, there is no jurisprudential space for a conservatory order,” he argued before adding that the State Liability and Proceedings Act forbids the High Court from "injuncting the State," which is what GTU is requesting in its action.

"It's a very simple law that governs the entire Caribbean, including Guyana," he said, adding that teachers have the right to go on strike, and that the government can withhold wages as a result.

He further argued that the court could not order that the teachers return to their jobs.

Relying on the doctrine of no work, no pay, Nandlall reasoned that in cases when labour is not supplied, the government, an employer, is permitted by law to deduct money from salaries.

“You see, it is labour for money. If you withhold your labour, I must be allowed to withhold my pay. I believe a conservatory order in that instance, which compels the

government to pay when the teachers are not providing their labour, is wrong.”

A conservatory order is a judicial remedy granted by the court through an undertaking that no action is taken to simply preserve the subject until the motion or suit is considered, said Justice Kissoon, who emphasised the difference between an injunction and a conservatory order.

STATUS QUO

Throughout Thursday's hearings, the Judge asked the AG to assure him that the status quo would remain while the substantive case was being resolved.

However, he informed the court that he had not received any such directive from his superiors and as such, he was unable give such an undertaking.

At this point, Justice Kissoon cited numerous case laws to support his conclusion and said that the court would be abdicating its duty if it did not give the orders in the absence of a guarantee from the government.

According to Darren Wade, the GTU's attorney, the government's decision to stop acting as the union's representative and stop deducting union dues from teachers' pay and salaries is “discriminatory” because it only stopped doing so against the GTU.

Wade further deposed that it "shows bad faith, improper purposes, and irrelevant considerations on the part of the Government of Guyana" for it to threaten to deduct money from the wages and salaries of teachers participating in any kind of industrial action.

He reasoned that teachers who are already struggling to make ends meet while dealing with an ever-increasing cost of living would suffer unduly as a result of the government's threats to deduct monies from their salaries.

In addition to challenging the government's decisions, the union is asking the court to

grant costs, exemplary and aggravated damages, and any other orders it deems appropriate.

UNFORTUNATE DECISION

Nandlall, meanwhile, called the Judge's decision "unfortunate."

He stated that the government was providing this service voluntarily in regards to taking union dues out of teachers' paychecks and remitting them to the GTU.

“The government is not being paid for it. No one seems

to understand how it arose. It certainly did not arise out of the law; it did not arise out of a contract but it has been there for a number of years.”

He pointed out that decisions made by the local High Court and the Court of Appeal state that the government is not required to provide or continue this service.

The Senior Counsel continued: “The court ruled that the government can stop this if they wish. The same way that they voluntarily entered into it, the same way they can voluntarily

come out of it. It is not that the unions [that] are going to be affected by not getting their union dues. They will simply have to find another mechanism of doing it. And the case law authorities also support the position of the government terminating it [without notice].”

UNACCOUNTED MONEY

Approximately $2 billion collected from teachers by the GTU is unaccounted for given the fact that the books of the union have not been audited by the Auditor General’s office over the last 35 years.

The Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority has revealed that the GTU last filed its financial returns 20 years ago.

While alluding to these, Nandlall made it clear that the GTU’s conduct constitutes a criminal offence in respect of every one of its executives.

He said the union has been unable to account for the funds or provide a public explanation for the non-filing of its yearly returns. Considering this, he asked, "On what basis am I being ordered to continue this relationship?"

Concerning salary deductions, Nandlall added: “If the government deducts these monies wrongfully and it is subsequently found out or the court rules that the deductions are unlawful, then the government obviously has the capacity to repay it. But look at the reverse. If the teachers receive money and it is found that those monies were unlawfully received,

then the teachers will have to pay it back. How are they going to pay it back? They are not going to deposit back money. It is the government that will now have to do accumulated deductions.”

Nevertheless, the attorney expressed optimism that the industrial aspect of the dispute will be settled.

In order for "the strikers as well as the employees to have a clear understanding of what their powers are, what their duties are, what their responsibilities are and what the law is on all these industrial issues," he stated that he believes that this particular case would clarify the law moving ahead.

Teachers are on strike since February 5, according to the GTU, because the government would not meet with the union on several issues, including the negotiation of wages, salaries, allowances, and other benefits for teachers.

This is despite the fact that the Ministry of Education has satisfied more than half of the 41 proposals made by the GTU for better working conditions in just three years.

Government officials have also challenged the union’s claims by highlighting that discussions are ongoing to satisfy the other requests.

The strike action comes when learners are preparing for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, SC Justice Sandil Kissoon GTU President Mark Lyte

‘The city will be greener, cleaner’

— Jagdeo says, outlines government’s plans to roll out beautification projects, opportunities new Qatari hotel will create

By Naomi Parris

THE Government of Guyana has been pursuing several beautification projects to revitalise and maintain ‘green’ spaces across the country’s capital city, Georgetown.

This is according to People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo during his weekly news conference.

He told reporters that the government had met with several citizens recently, and during that meeting some 34 playgrounds across the city were highlighted for rehabilitation works to promote “green” and leisure spaces in communities.

“We got our engineers to go and identify all the grounds in the city; every single ground from Agricola all the way to Cummings Lodge …We said we are going to raise the grounds; we said we are going to fence the grounds if they are in a state of disrepair. Some of them already have fence; we are going to put in lighting in these grounds,” the General Secretary said.

He noted that buildings

will be constructed as well to provide public facilities and walkways around the playgrounds.

“Recreational facilities in the city has been a priority; the city will be greener and

cleaner,” Jagdeo said.

Simultaneously, the government, he said, is pursuing development projects that will complement the city’s economic growth.

Responding directly to comments made by members

of the opposition and the local city council about the government’s recent decision to pursue the construction of a new hotel, Jagdeo said: “We need the buildings, too, because in each of these buildings it seems as though we have to fight for every development project.”

Last weekend, the brick was laid for the Georgetown

Seafront Resort and Convention Centre at Carifesta Avenue.

The new hotel is set to be country’s largest tourism and hospitality investment, but the project has come under heavy scrutiny.

Some officials from the Georgetown Mayor and City Council claim that the lands that were awarded to a pri-

vate Qatari group to construct the hotel is owned by the city.

However, the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) has since clarified that those lands belong to the State.

“Records in the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission indicate that Lots 1 and 2 of Plantation Thomas were held under Transport Number 30 of 1863 by the Colony of British Guiana. Colony Lands are lands held before independence by the Colony of British Guiana.,” GLSC said in a statement that was published in this newspaper.

According to GLSC, these lands have since been referred to as Government Lands after 1966. The GLSC issued leases on Colony Lands (CLL category), and continues to issue leases on Government Lands now GLL category. The unique feature is that these lands are held under Transports as against State Lands, which are not.

“The same questions that we had to face when pressed about the Marriott Hotel, it used to be a dump site; people used to build boats there. Everyone used to take stuff to dump,” Dr. Jagdeo said, while reiterating that the new development will not dissipate ‘green’ spaces across the city.

Bob Marley on Guyana’s Republic Day, 2024

ON March 20, 2005, one of the famous publications in the US, “Rolling Stone” carried a feature on the ways Bob Marley changed the world: “The Life and Times of Bob Marley: How he changed the world” by Mikal Gilmore. For me this is the most profound analysis of the genius of Bob Marley and a good argument as to why he is in the pantheon of freedom fighters since time immemorial.

Bob Marley was a composer and singer of popular music. So why should he be in the sacred mausoleum of people like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Mikhail Gorbachev, Mother Theresa and so many others in their class that are long gone?

I think the Gilmore article is an impeccable analysis as to why Marley is in that category. Gilmore argued that Marley used songs to achieve what other freedom fighters sought to do on the street.

Gilmore went on to opine that Marley was effective as any of them. I quote the part of Gilmore’s article that I believe contain the philosophical

difference between Marley and every other artiste from the Western world: “Marley risked his life to say the things he believed, and as a result both his art and his example managed to uplift or embolden others — particularly members of the African diaspora — in cultures and conditions that no other Western pop star has entered with such authenticity.”

The Gilmore article is simply brilliant and no profound scholarship in Black American society or CARICOM academia or Third World intellectual forums will match it easily. The one area I disagree with Gilmore is when he likened the conscious- raising stir in humans about their role to end oppression in Marley’s advocacy with American hip hop’s anti-establishment rage.

Gilmore may have fallen victim to an American-centric outlook. I honestly think to liken Marley’s enticing literary insurgency with the intentions of hip-hop is misleading and lacks context

Hip-hop’s anger is like Marley’s anger. But the similarity begins and ends there. While hip-hop raged against poverty, racism and police

brutality, it lacked the compassion and empathy that Marley begs us to inculcate. Original hip-hop was infused with so many advocacy of violence that such violent thoughts were misdirected to Black Americans themselves and to women. Tupac Shakur admitted to gang-raping a Black fan and was jailed.

One should not compare the political message in Marley’s reggae with hip hop’s emotions. Three points stand out graphically and when you grasp the essential differences, then you know you are threading on serious insult to a Caribbean genius when you make the comparison between Marley’s reggae and hip-hop’s

message

The first is Marley’s deterministic motives derived from Rastafari culture. Rastafari is about ethereal liberation from worldly materialism. It shuns the world of greed, human ordinariness and ostentatiousness. Two scenes in the biopic depict this. First was the cover of what is now one of the world’s most treasured albums- Exodus.

The original art work had Marley’s image on the cover to which Marley had it removed because for him it was vain. The second scene was when Marley had a fight with his business manager because the planned tour to Africa was to be free for fans but the man-

ager took an advance payment.

The second difference is again derived from Rastafari culture in which there is the appeal for oneness among the human race. The BBC described Marley’s big hit, “One Love” as the song of the 20th century. And Time magazine analysed the album, “Exodus” as the best of the 20th century. No hip hop song since the birth of the genre contains anything close to the message in Marley’s repertoire.

The third difference between Marley’s philosophy and hip hop was that hip hop made no appeal to the world as Marley did. Hip hop was confined to addressing the wrongs of American society

and when it became popular, it sought extravagant luxury for its singers. Marley had no time for the billions that laid in wait for him. As I write, I find it totally unacceptable to even attempt a hip hop comparison with Marley’s liberation appeal

On this day, when Guyana threw off the yoke of colonial symbolism and became a republic, the life and times of Bob Marley resonate throughout the entire CARICOM terrain. He has to be turning in his grave to see how mentally unprogressive the Caribbean has become. When you think of Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham, Franz Fanon, Walter Rodney, Maurice Bishop, then Caribbean’s silence on the tragedy of Gaza, then maybe you need to reflect on the words below, taken from Marley’s most philosophically inspiring song:

“Won’t you help to sing

These songs of freedom

‘Cause all I ever had, redemption songs

All I ever had, redemption songs

These songs of freedom”

Guyana on course to free university education by 2025

By Clestine Juan

GUYANA is well on its way to providing free university education by the end of 2025, according to President, Dr Irfaan Ali.

The Head of State, during an engagement with the Guyanese Diaspora in St Lucia, on Wednesday, reaffirmed his government’s position, marking a significant move towards educational reform in the country.

“We are well on our way

— President Ali reaffirms

to ensuring that university education is free. And long before the end of next year, we will make university education completely free in Guyana,” President Ali confirmed.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to alleviate the financial burden on students at the University of Guyana (UG).

Recently, Vice President,

Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said that the government plans to allocate around $18 billion from the 2024 fiscal package to cancel existing student loans.

“We are also writing off, potentially, $18 billion in past loans, and that’s all in this year’s budget. For those who took loans in the earlier period, they don’t have to pay back their loans. So, this is a major policy,” he said.

The government's phased approach to free tertiary education began in December 2023, initially focusing on individuals currently holding loans from the university.

Efforts are also underway to develop policies to assist those who have already paid their tuition but are still repaying loans to commercial banks.

Amid concerns about the potential undermining of the University of Guyana, Jagdeo clarified the government's

stance.

The establishment of the Guyana Online Learning Academy (GOAL), an online scholarship programme, is not intended to devalue traditional university education but to complement it by addressing the country's urgent training needs and labour shortages.

The government has allocated $4.1 billion for UG's subvention and $4 billion for the GOAL programme, demonstrating a balanced ap-

proach to expanding educational opportunities through both traditional and online means.

This forward-moving plan reflects the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government's commitment to enhancing educational access and reducing financial barriers for students, aiming for a more educated and skilled workforce to meet Guyana's developmental needs.

GDF helicopter crash: Read out of black box expected by next month

THE Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) will next month conduct a “read out” of the black box from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) helicopter that crashed last December claiming the lives of five long-standing servicemen.

At a news conference on Thursday, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo said: “They have scheduled a read out of the black box for next month; March… They have invited representatives to be there at this scheduled read out of the black box, and at that time we will find out what took place in the helicopter, hopefully, from the recording of the black box.”

A black box is a flight data recorder that is located in air vehicles. An algorithm is used to record all flight data into the black box. This allows the authorities to retrieve the recorded flight data as needed.

This was sent the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington, United States for analysis.

Brigadier Gary Beaton, Project Engineer, GOG; Colonel Michael Shahoud, Commander of 1st Infantry Battalion; Lt. Col. Michael Charles, Pilot; Lt. Col. Sean Welcome, Commanding Officer Reserve Battalion; and Warrant Officer Class 2 Sergeant Jason Khan perished when the ill-fated Bell 412

they were flying in crashed 30 miles from the Venezuelan border.

The men were a part of a seven-man team visiting troops near the border. The two soldiers who survived the crash are Corporal Dwayne Jackson and Lieutenant Andio Crawford.

Search efforts for the aircraft and the men on board had begun shortly after a signal from an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was received mere hours after the aircraft had taken off.

A Skyvan and members of Special Forces were deployed in the search. Initially, it was hoped that troops who were a part of the operation would descend into the heavily forested area to intensify the search for the missing

men and their plane.

However, thick fog and other elements of nature narrowed this option. The area where the aircraft was located is heavily forested and mountainous. The search was called off when night fell, but it was resumed the following morning. Additional resources and manpower were also deployed.

After two days of battling extreme weather conditions, the uncertainties of unexplored forest, and mountainous terrain, the survivors, and those who had died were extracted from the crash site.

Guyana’s Civil Aviation Authority and the Guyana Police Force have been leading the investigations into the fatal crash.

$4.5B being expended to complete first phase of Enmore/Foulis Industrial, Commercial Zone

INFRASTRUCTURAL

works are progressing on the Enmore/Foulis Industrial and Commercial Zone on the East Coast of Demerara.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, accompanied by technical staff from the Central Housing and Planning Authority’s Projects Department and Surveys Unit, inspected the development on Thursday.

Minister Croal outlined the zoning plan for the area, specifying sections dedicated to heavy industrial, light industrial, and commercial activities.

The anticipated economic activities will generate thousands of employment opportunities, benefitting not only Enmore/Foulis but also other communities along the East Coast of Demerara.

The development of the

area aligns with President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali's previous commitment during his visit to the Enmore last year.

"In the first phase, we are currently developing over 660 acres of land on this site now and we’re spending over $4.58 billion in the first-phase infrastructure," Minister Croal said.

The ongoing infrastructure works are divided into six lots and involve land clearing, the construction of approximately 18.91 kilometers of first-phase access roads, and reinforced concrete composite bridges.

The industrial and commercial hub is set to feature three main access roads to accommodate large trucks.

Of the six lots, the Minister said that two lots are over 90 per cent completed, while the overall project is about 60 per cent complete.

Minister Croal stated that the works have significantly transformed the area, which was once dominated by sugar cane.

Meanwhile, in the Enmore residential housing scheme, located north of the commercial area, Minister Croal noted that several allottees have gained access to their land for home construction, paralleling the progress of infrastructure works.

Prior to visiting Enmore/ Foulis, Minister Croal also briefly inspected the Non Pariel Housing Development.

Looking ahead to the 2024 housing programme, Minister Croal expects contracts to be awarded soon, ushering in the development of numerous housing schemes.

Infrastructural works are progressing on the Enmore/Foulis Industrial and Commercial Zone on the East Coast of Demerara (Ministry of Housing and Water photos)

Guyana, Canada to sign landmark loan agreement to enhance social services

GUYANA and Canada will, on Sunday, sign a Sovereign Loan Programme agreement geared at enhancing social services.

According to information from the Canadian High Commission, Canada’s Sovereign Loan Programme (SLP) provides loans on concessional terms to eligible countries, tailored to their needs and prior-

ities as they relate to poverty reduction and peace and security.

Importantly, Guyana is the first country to benefit from the Sovereign Loan programme in the Western Hemisphere.

“The loan will be utilised to improve social protection under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security in the areas of digital transformation, old age pension, gender-based

violence, persons living with disabilities and trafficking in persons,” the High Commission said.

The agreement will be signed by Canada’s Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, who will be in Guyana from February 25-26 for several high-level engagements with the Government of Guyana and other partners,

including the 46th Regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean community (CARICOM).

Hussen will be accompanied by the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Americas, Mr. Glen Linder.

More details about the loan programme will be outlined on Sunday, and there will also be remarks from Guyana’s Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh; Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, and the High Commissioner of Canada to Guyana, Mark Berman.

Guyana-Suriname Chamber of Commerce attracting more businesses

SIX months after being launched, the Guyana-Suriname Chamber of Commerce which represents the interest of businesses in the two countries, is growing.

Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Rahul Lildhar, during the last day of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, spoke with members of the media about the operations of the chamber.

He noted that the chamber is the brainchild of Suriname’s Ambassador to Guyana, Liselle Blankendal and Chairman of Action Invest Caribbean, Dr Vishnu Doerga.

“This [is] one of our first calendar events to exhibit several of our members who have benefitted from networking partnerships and even creating new clientele for their businesses, and that was the exposure we got here at the energy conference.”

The mission of the chamber is to foster collaboration and networking, and to expand and get economic trade within both countries.

The chamber consists of businesses from various sectors including construction, consultancy and oil and gas.

Chairman of Action Invest Caribbean, Dr Doerga, noted that the chamber was established because of the high number of Surinamese businesses in Guyana.

“Based on our records,

we have well over 50 companies already working here, which is the second largest number of international companies, operating, so it only made sense.”

10 Guyanese companies are operating in Suriname.

“Therefore, our chamber is probably one of the few bilateral chambers that now exists that operate in both countries equally,”Doerga stated.

While most CARICOM countries have logistical difficulties, the proximity of the two countries is advantageous.

“Between Guyana and Suriname, we have at least four daily flights, we have a ferry service in operation that I understand from our government will continue to improve in efficiency as

well with a new booking system in place and hopefully more frequent ferries moving across and we are also hearing about the bridge that will come into existence,” he noted.

With the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) creating a single economic space, Dr Doerga encouraged businesses to seize this boundless opportunity.

“It’s not the responsibility of government to go put us together and to help us take these steps, it’s our responsibility. We’re eventually going to be making the profit, we’re the ones who will be creating employment, so it’s our responsibility to come together and work together” Doerga said. (DPI)

Canada’s Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, will be in Guyana from February 25-26

Guyana to host annual consultation of IDB Caribbean Governors over the weekend

— under the theme ‘partnering for resilience’

THE Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Finance, will be hosting the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn, and a large delegation of Caribbean representatives of the financial institution for the IDB’s XII Annual Consultation with Caribbean Governors of the IDB slated to commence on Friday, with working sessions to take place between Government and the Bank at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown.

According to a press release, the delegations visiting Guyana for the consultations will include several finance ministers from the Caribbean Region who will meet to discuss regional partnerships under the theme “partnering for resilience”.

The IDB President and delegations are also slated to meet with President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and other government officials during their visit here for discussions.

The IDB organises this consultative meeting an -

nually with Governors of countries comprising its Caribbean Country Department in preparation for the Annual Meetings of the Board of Governors.

This consultation involves dialogue about the IDB Group's new Institutional Strategy, the IDB Invest and IDB Lab resolutions, as well as the Group's new “ONE Caribbean" regional programme.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, has pointed out that Guyana has found a dependable, relevant, and responsive development partner in the Bank for the past 47 years, adding that “this relationship has evolved since our membership from concessional lending during periods of challenging economic circumstances to our present reality of being amongst the fastest growing economies in the world”.

Dr. Singh added that the Bank has remained steadfast in its support to Guyana’s development agenda and has

managed to retain its position as Guyana’s largest multilateral lender and main source of external financing.

Recently, the Bank has been providing major development support to this country through both its public and private sector arms.

The IDB Group is the leading source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean and contributes to improving lives by providing financial solutions and development expertise to public- and private-sector clients.

It comprises the IDB, which has worked with governments for more than 60 years; IDB Invest, which serves the private sector; and the IDB Lab, which tests innovative ways to enable more inclusive growth.

The longstanding partnership between the Government of Guyana and the IDB Group began on November 16, 1976 when Guyana became a member of the IDB.

The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Finance, will be hosting the President of the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn, and a large delegation of Caribbean representatives of the financial institution for the IDB’s XII Annual Consultation with Caribbean Governors of the IDB slated to commence on Saturday, with working sessions to take place between Government and the Bank at the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown

US$75.8M contract signed for Good Success-Timehri road upgrades

Gov’t ‘will not tolerate’ actions to change project’s cost,

By Feona Morrison

GUYANA and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) on Thursday signed a US$75.8 million contract for road repair works for the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) length of road from Good Success to Timehri.

A US$117 million loan that Guyana recently obtained from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is financing this enormous road project.

The project will be supervised by Sheladia Associates Incorporated, a US consulting company with experience in structures and facilities, transportation infrastructure, energy, rural development and water resources and sanitation.

In his remarks during the signing ceremony in the Public Works Ministry’s boardroom, Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill said that the contract is “unique”, since it is the first design-build project Guyana and the IDB are working on.

For this reason, he expressed the government’s deep appreciation for the partnership it has historically had with the bank.

Minister Edghill said that in order to guarantee that the nation receives value for its money in terms of quality work, the government has made considerable strides over the years in relation to enhancing the Public Works Ministry's human resource capacity.

He said: “Our [the government’s] approach is getting the

best contractor in place, and getting the skills at a higher supervisory level from around the world while we have our own in-house team. That is quite a huge team of varying skillsets and levels of experience…”

The Public Works Minister said that this project entails doing 23.7 kilometres of roadway, fixing some ancillary roads, bridges and culverts, and increasing safety features among other tasks.

He continued: “The corridor will be upgraded to two lanes; there will be increased safety features. You know that the East Bank corridor, while it has provided access to commute hundreds of thousands of Guyanese daily, including the link to our international airport, we’ve also had some concerns there for road and traffic safety. This project will address that, and there will be features for pedestrians and cyclists, concrete drains, and the installation of LED [light emitting diode] street lights, thermos plastic road markings and traffic signs…”

Minister Edghill asked the contractor to complete the work “as fast as possible”, stressing that the contract had a 36-month or three-year duration.

He stated that although the building of this road will benefit the general public, and fit into the PPP/C’s overall development plan, it is closely related to the Soesdyke-Linden Highway renovations.

The minister added: “This is directly connected to the works on the new Wismar Bridge, turning it into four lanes, and getting on to the Linden-Mabura road, which is under construction. And of course, we have the 45 other bridges that are being built to international standards all the way into Lethem…”

Edghill said that the government has made large investments and interventions to provide alternate bypasses to relieve the flow of traffic while the road is under construction.

He related that constant communication will take place between the ministry, the contractor, and the consultant in or-

der to reduce any inconvenience that the road works will cause.

“I would expect the contractor to engage the possibility of working at nights and early hours of the morning when we have less traffic," he said, referring to the significance of this roadway to CRBC officials.

Guyana needs to adapt to the night shift work culture, Edghill emphasised.

Edghill issued a warning to the consulting company and contractor, stating that the government "will not tolerate" any actions taken by them to alter the project's cost.

He further told the contractor and consultant: “Knowledge transfer is big for us here at the ministry. So, while we execute major projects, we have a contractor in place; we have a consultancy in place. Please see us (my team) as people that you can work with. Let them benefit from the knowledge transfer. We have a country to build. The next 10 years is going to be massive in terms of what we are doing in Guyana. We need all the

skills onboard…”

The minister mentioned that traffic management is a component of this project and asked the traffic Police to take pictures of vehicles that break the regulations, alluding to the death of a Police rank while performing traffic management responsibilities.

“We got to stop the lawlessness,” the Public Works Minister stressed.

According to Ivan Gaviria, Chief of Operations at the IDB (Guyana), the financial institution is "excited and thrilled" to be a part of this historic contract signing in order to continue its development cooperation with Guyana.

That stretch of road is being upgraded under the IDB’s Programme to Support Climate Resilient Road Infrastructure Development which aims to advance Guyana’s safe, efficient, and climate-resilient road and associated infrastructure and to improve road service quality and utility service along the East Bank corridor.

Norton ‘confident’ he will retain leadership at party’s overdue congress

—

despite glaring rejections of his leadership by many party members

OPPOSITION Leader, Aubrey Norton, has boasted that he is confident he will return as Leader of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) when the party’s overdue congress is held. He holds on to this belief despite reports and visible indications that fellow PNC/R members were attempting to displace him.

Norton, during a press conference on Thursday, stated: “I have no doubt that at the next congress I will be rejoined as the leader of the party; I’ve done work throughout this party...”

However, he did not expound on some of these works that he has supposedly done.

Moreover, based on the established policy, Norton’s stint at the helm of the party practically expired in December 2023.

Despite this, Norton attempted to shift focus to the

ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), instead of his own party. Norton then went on to say: “As a party, we reserve the right

to develop our own strategy.... and we will say... when the decision is made [when] the congress [will be] held.” “I still don't hear anybody

asking the PPP about not having congress in seven years. But the state media can come to ask [us] about congress...” he further said.

However, the governing PPP/C has already announced that it will be hosting its congress to elect a new leadership in May of this year.

Additionally, just recently, concerned citizens were on the outskirts of the PNC/R headquarters, Congress Place, calling for the congress to be held. Within this light, Norton had stated that it will be held no later than August 31, 2024.

Instead of acknowledging those persons and the reason they were protesting, Norton had accused them of being paid by the current government and someone within his party who no longer “wields power.”

Furthermore, last year, there were clear efforts by senior

members of the party to displace Leader of the Opposition, Norton.

A recording of what appeared to be a conversation among senior members of the PNC/R discussing internal matters, surfaced recently on social media.

Referencing the recording, Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo had previously said: “Norton has bigger problems and it is a den of cut throats in there [PNC].”

He went on to say: “So, his problem is not the PPP now, his problem is in his own party… because from the revelation of the tape that followed the resignation of the treasurer, one could clearly discern a clever campaign at displacing Norton.”

The Vice-President said too that the tape reveals too how duplicitous senior PNC/R members could be.

Amidst the internal power

struggle, the party appointed Dawn Hastings-Williams to be new General Secretary.

Reports were that the party made this decision, casting aside purported GS hopefuls, Ganesh Mahipaul, Mervyn Williams and Simona Broomes.

The announcement came after the resignation of Geeta Chandan-Edmond from the position following months-long leave.

When Norton was asked during the conference what led to Hastings-Williams being chosen for the position over other persons who were in the running, he told members of the media that it is not the place of his party to say what are the factors that led to her appointment. He then said that she was academically qualified and acquainted with the party’s constituents.

Permanent Secretary in the Public Works Ministry Vladim Persaud (right) and China Road and Bridge Corporation’s Senior Engineer Bo Zhang signed the contract on Thursday at the ministry’s Boardroom at Wight’s Lane, Kingston, Georgetown

A

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton

Norton defends Green’s irresponsible, reckless comments about electoral rigging

DESPITE several People’s National Congress-Reform (PNC-R) members currently before the courts on electoral fraud charges, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton defended former PNC/R General Secretary, Georgetown Mayor and Prime Minister Hamilton Green’s statements about rigging.

During a press conference, Norton said: “... When I listened to what Hamilton Green said. He said “if” they say the PNC is rigging, now when it is carried by the press, they would have left out “if”, and so it would have changed the context.”

While claiming that the Former Mayor was “taken out of context,” Norton said that over the years, the Guyanese veteran politician’s choice of language has been exceptional.

He said: “Hamilton Green is probably the longest existing politician in this country. Hamilton Green has an ability to choose the language, and he has shown over the years that [his] choice of language has been exceptional. And, therefore, I do not believe that Hamilton Green will make some wild statement,” adding: “But I think Green was taken out of context.”

During the ceremony of the 101st birth anniversary of PNC/R’s founder and former Head of State, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, Green said: “If, as I told one of the groups that I met this morning, they say he rigged elections, I say we should keep rigging.”

Fellow PNC/R member Ganesh Mahipaul weighed in and said that he was “taken aback” by Green’s comments.

Mahipaul said: “...When I read that article, I personally was taken aback as a PNC/R member and a central executive member, but I did not just hold on to that article. I wanted assurance.”

Furthermore, Norton attempted to deflate the gravity of the accusations of electoral fraud, which several Opposition members are currently before the court for.

The Opposition Leader said: “Now the second thing I want to say is, it is clear that there are trumped up charges against PNC persons.”

After a three-year delay, the trial into the long-awaited electoral fraud case involving former District Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo; former PNC/R Chairperson Volda Lawrence; PNC/R activist Carol Smith-Joseph and four others is set to commence on March 4.

During a case management conference (CMC), additional statements were handed over to the court. Subsequently, Magistrate Leron Daly set timelines for the trial.

The trial will commence from March 4-8. Additionally, the first weeks of April and May have been set aside for the case to be heard.

Special Prosecutor Darshan Ramdhani, KC, will lead the evidence in the case.

The trio, along with Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan, Denise Bobb-Cummings and Michelle Miller, are before the court for allegedly defrauding the electors of Guyana by declaring a false account of votes for the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

At the last court hearing in December, the State handed over, again, flash drives containing certified copies of Statements of Poll (SoPs) and Statements of Recount (SoRs), along with video interviews. Several bundles of documents were also submitted.

It is alleged that the defendants inflated or facilitated the inflation of results for Region Four, the country’s largest voting district, to give the APNU+AFC coalition a majority win at the polls when, in fact, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had won by 15,000 votes.

A lengthy recount of the votes eventually declared victory in favour of the PPP/C, and Dr. Irfaan Ali was sworn in as the President of Guyana on August 2, 2020.

Former PNC-R General Secretary Hamilton Green

‘Music is my calling’

— Guyanese Dancehall/Reggae recording artiste, ‘Missionary Don’ gives a glimpse into his life

KESTA Dowridge, known as ‘Missionary Don’ is a Guyanese Dancehall/ Reggae recording artiste who believes that music is his ‘calling’ and that he has everything it takes to eventually be among the best artistes around, while creating a rich legacy for his sons.

The 31-year-old, who grew up in ‘A’ Field, Sophia, Georgetown, has always been bold. He found his passion for music at a very young age in a scenario that required him to be brave.

Around 10-years-old, he recalled how he was invited to church where a little concert was going on. He had what it took to spontaneously get on stage and perform, and from that day forward, there was no turning back.

With the support of his mother, he began his journey to further his music

career with his first major performance being at the Sophia Community Centre in 2010; at an event held by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. He won first place ahead of 60 other singers.

In 2011, he performed “Alright Then” at a Sophia Village Day competition where he also won first place, and he has also done a collaboration with the chutney artiste ‘Lifeline,’ called “Nuh leff mi rum.”

Enigmas Entertainment Group held an event in 2014 at Giftland Mall’s parking lot where Kesta was awarded ‘Artist of the Year’ for the song, “Love must be in you and me.” They also hosted a

talent-stage event in 2023 where he won a vacation package for making it to the final.

Kesta writes his own music, as many as eight to 10 songs per day. A list of his singles include: Sweet Dreams, Alright Then, Burn crime, Lock it & Load, Everything Gone Up, Your love hold me, Mek money, Pretty girl, You stop call, Me & you.

“It’s a calling in my DNA; it’s a natural thing that lives within me….that motivates me and gives me that zeal to go after it. Since I observed it, I took it and nurtured it over the passage of time,” Kesta shared with Buzz this week.

He added: “I am a self-motivated person. I am an entertainer. Nothing has to give me that inspiration. I wake up and think about my music. I want to

be among the best and I want to leave a legacy for my six sons. I am a role model to the youths in my community. I want to see youths more occupied and employed and get themselves involved in stuff that can build them.”

Kesta believes that local artistes would thrive if given more support by authority figures. “They can pave a way for the young artistes…I wish they can link with the young entertainers. They need to fight for us to have copyright laws so we can see the benefits and rewards from our music,” he shared.

Kesta is certified in air conditioning and refrigeration and he dabbles in real estate. In fact, the young entrepreneur does different things to make an income. He also plans to further his studies in engineering.

Second production of ‘Musings of a Poet’ set for March 9, 10

THE National Drama Company (NDC) will be hosting its second production of ‘Musings of a Poet,’ an evening of wine and reflection on March 9 and 10 at the National Cultural Centre, Georgetown.

According to the President of the NDC, Tashandra Inniss, this year’s

event will be a full show, comprising music, poetry, dance and of course, some drama, each performed by its members.

“So we’re looking at a holistic performance to put on for the audience, pieces that they are going to connect to, whether it be through personal life, or work life, or something

that would have happened to somebody that they knew,” she said.

The first production of ‘Musings of a Poet’ was released on February 3, 2019, and was a test run and fund-raising event when the company was preparing to travel to Trinidad for CARIFESTA.

Each ticket costs $2,500. Persons are asked to contact any member of the National Drama Company to secure their tickets. Persons can contact the National Drama Company on its Instagram and Facebook pages, or contact Tashandra on 609-5600.

Kesta Dowridge, known as ‘Missionary Don’

Miss World Guyana, Andrea King, hits the big stage on March 9

THE new Miss World will be crowned on March 9, in Mumbai, India. Guyana’s representative, Andrea King, is very excited to be representing the country of her birth and has been displaying eloquence and poise, qualities befitting a queen. She is one of 115 women

participating in the pageant which was last won by Miss World Karolina Bielawska of Poland in March, 2022. The pageant was initially scheduled for December 16, 2023, but was postponed because of the recent election in India.

Each contestant has already given her ‘Beauty With a Purpose speech’ to the

judges and according to the organisation, “They were fierce, eloquent and inspiring! These young women indeed make a difference in the world.”

The following was posted on the Miss World Guyana’s Facebook page earlier this week:

See page 18

Andrea’s costume which is part of her ‘Dance of the World’ presentation was designed by Mwanza Glenn and is a tribute to the Canje Pheasant, Guyana’s national bird (Travon Barker photo)

Owner of Guyanese/ Caribbean Deli featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show

DATZ Deli, a Guyanese-owned restaurant based New York City, USA, was featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show earlier this week, after a video posted by them went viral on the internet.

Datz Deli is owned by Joshua Dat, who stated on the show that when the store first opened, they sold solely Caribbean foods including curry, oxtail and macaroni and cheese.

Dat said, he originally

made a beef patty with just macaroni in it, and it “set off a little flame.”

Later, he decided to make another, and collaborated with Johnny Eats to make a video of him preparing his signature Mac Patty with the addition of oxtail. That video was posted and has gained approximately 30 million views.

According to Dat, on his way to the restaurant the very next day, he saw a line of prospective customers

waiting. He expressed with joy, how he felt seeing that at his store.

While he is the owner, his family, including his mother and siblings work along with him behind the scenes.

The deli is located at 190-01 Hollis Ave., Hollis, 11423 USA, and can be found on Instagram, tiktok @datzdeli190, and on Facebook under the name Datz Deli.

Miss World Guyana, Andrea King, hits the big stage on...

From page 17

“My dearest Guyana.

“I’ve began [sic] my adventure of a lifetime. One of purpose, sisterhood, cultural exchange and relationship building. The true epitome of women empowerment; the @missworld journey.

“Being the representa-

tion [sic] of Guyana in this competition is my honour and I embody this role with much pride and respect for my country.

“With your unwavering support, I am fuelled with determination to showcase our culture and abilities to the world.

“Thank you for believing in me. Together, let’s

shine brightly and show the world GUYANA!

“Keep close to my social media pages and my contestant’s page on the Miss World website for daily updates as I go through the days. Your engagement is important and will keep Guyana trending well. I cannot do this without you.”

The official photo of Miss World Guyana, Andrea King (Terrence Thompson photo) Andrea wears a Marcie DeSantos design to a function in India earlier this week (Miss World Guyana photo)

Owner of Datz Deli, Joshua Dat (left) with Kelly Clarkson on The Kelly Clarkson Show (Photo sourced from The Kelly Clarkson Show Instagram page)

Kross Kolor ‘products’ shine in Mashramani music competitions

Osei gets Calypso Monarch crown; Vinel reigns supreme in junior Soca, Chutney

OSEI Clarke and Vinel Hinds, both ‘products’ of Kross Kolor Records led by the respected Burchmore Simon, are still basking in the pride and excitement consequent upon their wins in this year’s Calypso Monarch and Junior Soca and Chutney Monarch competitions at Linden and Lethem respectively.

Osei participated in all three competitions, this being the second time he competed in the ‘senior’ category of the competitions. Copping first in Calypso and second in Soca this year, he placed third and got the ‘Best Newcomer’ title across all three competitions last year.

It’s been just about three years now that the 22-yearold entertainer has been taking his music seriously

and he’s quite proud of his achievements so far. “I won the Junior Soca Monarch twice; I won the Junior Calypso Monarch also, so this is my first senior win. I am still kind of lost for words,” he told Buzz this week.

The Calypso competition was held on February 16 at Lethem, while the Soca competition was held at Linden.

Osei had confidence in his song and abilities, but still, when his name was announced as winner, feelings of shock engulfed him. “I knew I would have gotten a place but when I heard the fourth place and second place were gone, I thought its either I get the crown or nothing at all.”

Vinel, on the other hand, won in the junior segment of

the competitions, this being her third year of participation. “It was an emotional moment for me,” she expressed, adding, “I was also being recognised as the first woman who got a double crown, so I felt proud of myself.”

Capturing the titles of Junior Calypso Monarch and Junior Soca Monarch, Vinel is proud that since she started competing in 2022, she has won in each competition so far.

As the reigning Junior Soca Monarch of Guyana, she went into this year’s competition all set to defend her title, and defend it she did.

The 20-year-old has been singing since age five and her mom, a karaoke singer, did a lot to inspire her career

Osei Clarke

in music.

Having decided to join the competition in 2022, Vinel took away the title of Junior Calypso Monarch, got third place in Soca, and ‘Best Newcomer’ in both categories. Then, in 2023, she

captured the title of Junior Soca Monarch.

interview. She had also served as a back-up singer for Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts in other competitions and Roberts has been a great help in her securing wins in the various singing competitions.

RACING TIP..

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS

FAIRVIEW

08:10 hrs Metar

08:45 hrs Grazinginthegrass

09:20 hrs Trop To Maputo

10:00 hrs Three Rocks

10:30 hrs Whatever Next

ENGLISH RACING TIPS

EXETER

09:30 hrs Top Of The Bill

10:03 hrs Mad Mike

10:33 hrs Dolly Delightful

11:05 hrs Spirits Bay

11:40 hrs Robyndzone

12:10 hrs Bells Of Peterboro

12:45 hrs Joyau Allen

SEDGEFIELD

09:54 hrs Roccos Inspiration

10:24 hrs Heeztheboy

10:54 hrs Wholeofthemoon

11:30 hrs Monaghan Boy

12:00 hrs Dillarchie

12:33 hrs Take Centre

Stage

LINGFIELD

10:10 hrs Jolly Jack Tar

10:40 hrs Milly Mischief

11:15 hrs Stopnsearch

11:47 hrs Shot Of Love

12:20 hrs Big Narstie

12:50 hrs Conquest Of Power

IRISH RACING TIPS DUNDALK

11:35 hrs Timana

12:05 hrs Final Voyage

12:40 hrs Oriental Dancer

ARAB EMIRATES

RACING TIPS

MEYDAN

09:30 hrs Vespasian

10:05 hrs Manama Gold

10:40 hrs Sapphire Seas

11:15 hrs Quarther

11:50 hrs San Donato

12:25 hrs Desert Peace

Rankings boost for India stars —

A HOST of India's best performers during the recent third Test against England have been rewarded with big moves on the latest ICC Men's Test Player Rankings.

Young gun Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his second double century of his fledgling Test career during the Rajkot contest and rose 14 spots to 15th overall and a new career-high rating on the updated rankings for Test batters.

There are now four Indian players inside the top 15 Test batters, with Jaiswal joining Virat Kohli (seventh), Rohit Sharma (12th) and Rishabh Pant (14th) near the head of proceedings as Kiwi veteran Kane Williamson continues to hold a commanding lead.

Williamson increased his advantage at the top following his match-win -

following emphatic Test triumph

ning century in the second Test against South Africa in Hamilton, with England opener Ben Duckett (up 12 rungs to 13th), Jaiswal, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (up seven places to 34th) and South Africa's David Bedingham (up 29 spots to 50th) among those players to make ground on the latest rankings update for batters.

Men's Test Batter Rankings

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin slides closer to Indian teammate Jasprit Bumrah at the top of the Test bowling rankings courtesy of a one-place jump to second after he went past 500 Test wickets, while Jadeja jumps three places to sixth on the same list following his

five-wicket haul in England's second innings in Rajkot.

Men's Test Bowler Rankings

Jadeja scored a century and claimed seven wickets for the match in that emphatic Test victory and moved to a new career-high rating while maintaining his place as the No.1 ranked all-rounder in Test cricket.

Tim David orchestrates Australia win in final-over thriller

TIM David’s stirring 10ball cameo worth 31 runs nullified a combined New Zealand effort that saw them amass 215/3 in the T20I series opener in Wellington.

New Zealand arrived at the mammoth total via their second-wicket stand between Devon Conway (63 off 46) and Rachin Ravindra (68 off 35) but Australia snared it on the final delivery of the game.

The run-chase hit fever pitch at the 17 over mark when Lockie Ferguson bowled a largely good over in the 18th to leave the visitors with a tough equation of 35 from 12 balls.

Adam Milne then made it tougher by only giving away singles on the first three balls of the over. But then arrived the point from which Tim David dramatically flipped the game on its head. He started by putting a wide yorker away for a four and following it up with two successive sixes - one straight down the ground off a slower ball and the next over long-on.

Tim Southee, tasked with defending 16 off 6, gave just four runs off the first three balls and looked set to take New Zealand home but once again David took charge and turned the game around.

Southee’s attempt to bowl a yorker resulted in a leg side full toss that David smashed over fine leg.

Southee responded with a wide yorker off which David

was able to pick two runs.

With four needed off the final ball, David pierced the gap between deep midwicket and wide long-on to complete the exceptional run-chase.

To even get to a point where Australia could have a sniff was down to how well they started.

They lost both openers David Warner and Travis

Head early but had 69 runs in 7 overs. Marsh then muscled his way to an unbeaten 72 off just 44 balls.

The edifice of New Zealand’s big total, which they would’ve thought was enough at the halfway stage, was built on the free-spirited Finn Allen’s start and the excellent second-wicket partnership that followed. Allen and Conway took Glenn Maxwell apart in the Power Play and dragged the team to 59/0 in five overs before a slower one from Mitchell Starc came with Allen’s name on it.

Rachin Ravidra joined Conway and the duo put on a fine display of spin hitting. Between them, Adam Zampa and Maxwell bowled five overs and conceded 74 runs.

Even as they both fell in quick succession at the start of the death overs, New Zealand managed to score 41 off the last four overs to take the team comfortably past the 200-run mark, and yet fall short for a win.

(Cricbuzz)

Men's Test All-Rounder Rankings

The completion of the ODI series between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan saw little change within the top 10 of the ODI Player Rankings, although Pathum Nissanka gained seven places to rise to 11th on the list for ODI batters following his impressive series that included a century and a double century.

Men's ODI Batter Rankings

Sri Lanka have dominated the majority of the

white-ball series against Afghanistan, with star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga in fine form during the opening two matches of the T20I component of the series.

Hasaranga became just the second Sri Lankan player to collect 100 T20I wickets when he claimed impressive figures of 2/19 during the second match of that series and the right-armer was rewarded with a jump up the latest rankings. (ICC Media)

Hosein, Rutherford combine to keep Gladiators unbeaten

LAHORE, Pakistan, (CMC) – The West Indies pair of Akeal Hosein and Sherfane Rutherford played key roles as Quetta Gladiators got the better of Islamabad United by three wickets to remain unbeaten in the Pakistan Super League here Thursday.

Playing at Gaddafi Stadium, Hosein claimed two for 32 from four overs of left-arm spin, his spell helping to limit Islamabad to a modest 138 for nine off their 20 overs after being sent in.

Agha Salman topscored with 33 from 23 balls, in a 40-run, second wicket stand with opener Colin Munro (20), before four wickets tumbled for 18 runs to leave the innings tottering on 87 for five in the 12th over, Hosein triggering the decline.

There was no recovery,

however, leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed (3-18) and seamer Mohammed Wasom (3-20) snatching three wickets apiece to keep their side in command.

In reply, English opener Jason Roy top-scored with an 18-ball 37, while captain Rilee Rossouw struck 34 from 38 balls and Rutherford, 29 off 23 balls, as Gladiators got over the line with 10 balls to spare.

Roy put on 32 for the second wicket with Khawaja Nafay (9) but a clatter of wickets saw the run chase decline to 54 for four in the eighth over.

However, Rutherford joined Rossouw in a critical 62-run fifth wicket stand to put the chase back on track, the lefthander punching a four and a couple of sixes before perishing at the end of the 16th over.

Sherfane Rutherford

India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal

Tim David and Mitchell Marsh starred in Australia’s win in the opening game

Danesh Persaud hits century in GCA Under-19 trial

THE first Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) U-19 inter association 50 overs trial match to select the team for the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) inter association cricket tournament was held yesterday at the Queen’s College ground.

The DCB tournament is scheduled to commence on March 2 and involves East Bank, East Coast, , West Demerara, Upper Corentyne and Georgetown.

In yesterday’s encounter played in sweltering heat, GCA Falcons beat GCA Crows by 160 runs with Danesh Persaud stroking 13 fours and a six in a magnificent 103 as Falcons were

bowled out for 344 in 43 overs.

Shiloh Adams’ 62 included seven fours and two sixes as Wavell Allen had 2-35 and Jonathan Van Lange 2-44 for Crows who fell for 184.

Kishawn Silas top scored with 45 with eight well struck boundaries but on Jayden Dowlin who reached the ropes five times in his 32, Van Lange who a four and cleared the boundary four times before falling for 33.

Feeyad Lekhraj, who struck four fours and a six in 34 became their third batter from Crows the get into the 30s without going on to a substantial score. Dave Mohabir 4-43 and William Penn 2-8 (Sean Devers)

Edward B Beharry sweetens YBG with 2 million dollars

L0CAL private sector giant Edward B Beharry Group of Companies has sweetened the Youth Basketball Guyana programme for another year.

The company at their Charlotte Street location marked their 14th consecutive year of support for the school basketball organisers with a donation of two million dollars.

Beharry Brand Manager Malisa Jeffers says the homegrown giant takes pleasure in the opportunity ‘to invest in the future of Guyana’s youth through the power of basketball.’

She said, ‘We are not just supporting a sport but nurturing talent, fostering discipline and building character……by empowering youth athletes to reach their full potential and make a positive impact on and off the court.’

Director of Youth Basketball Guyana Chris Bowman says that the sponsorship is critical to their calendar of activities.

He said that without the fundamentals, programmes

like the ‘National Schools Basketball Festival and the other nursery programmes that YBG has established and has been managing for over 17 years would not have the amount of talented players transitioning to club and other levels.

Bowman says that the finance which has increased from 1.5 million last year goes beyond just play on the court.

It’s a vote of confidence in YBG’s reach in terms of

quality of programmes but also the impact it is having year-round.’

He added that it’s really about youth development and youth empowerment and once they are empowered through these activities then communities will become stronger.

YBG will this weekend bounce off their challenge series and shooting competition.

After the challenge series this weekend, YBG will host their Regional Conference in

131 transfers successfully completed ahead of Elite League Season Six

IN a flurry of activities across the 10 Guyana Football Federation-KFC Elite League clubs, a total of 131 player transfers have been successfully completed.

Santos FC seized the initiative by securing the addition of 23 new members to their roster, gearing up for the upcoming Season Six, set to kick off on February 25 at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Reigning champions, Guyana Defence Force FC have bolstered their squad with the acquisition of 13 new players. Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force FC has made a significant move by securing 16 transfers.

Click to view full list of transfers:

EL Mid-Season Transfers 2024

GFF General Secretary Ian Alves said it has been an “active transfer season, with clubs strategically fortifying their rosters for Season Six. All transfers have been successfully completed according to the FIFA and GFF rules and regulations, setting the stage for what promises to be an exhilarating tournament.”

The January transfer window opened on January 1, and closed on January 31, giving clubs a limited period to make strategic player acquisitions and adjustments before the start of the 2024 football season.

A total of 90 games are scheduled for Season Six at grounds in Georgetown, West Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, and Berbice.

March.

YBG will also host their inaugural Primary School Basketball programme in May and June

Other tournaments this year include the Tertiary Basketball League, the National Schools Basketball Festival in June and July.

The final tournament will be the Titan Bowl schools knock-out tournament and tertiary knockout tournaments in December.

Additionally, Season Five’s second-place winners, Western Tigers FC, Ann’s Grove United FC, and Fruta Conquerors FC, have all strengthened their teams with the addition of 16 new players each.

Buxton United FC’s roster has seen a boost with 12 transfers, while both Den Amstel FC and Monedderlust have welcomed seven new players each.

Slingerz FC has successfully integrated five new transfers into their squad.

The League stands as the apex of local senior men’s competition, serving as a crucial pathway for players to catch the attention of national team programmes, as well as scouts from regional and international clubs.

The opening night will feature an exciting double-header at the National Training Centre, with Slingerz FC squaring off against Monedderlust FC at 18:00h, paving the way for the highlight of the evening at 20:00h between Santos FC and the formidable Guyana Defence Force FC.

Danesh Persaud scored a magnificent century at QC as Falcons beat Crows

Edward B Beharry Brand Manager Malisa Jeffers (at right) handing over a cheque to Chris Bowman in the presence of Co-Director Rayad Boyce

President Ali to give feature address at reception to honour 1983 Regional ‘double champions’ Guyana — Clyde Butts to be remembered

By Sean Devers

PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali is scheduled to give the feature address on February 29 at a Castellani House cocktail reception, which will start a week of activities to honour the history-making Guyana cricket team which became the first regional side to win both the First-Class and 50over tournaments in 1983.

Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Guyana's Ninth Executive President, and his government has played a pivotal role in the development of sports and sports facilities across Guyana, through it’s Sports Ministry.

The 43-year-old President is a very competent ‘Tape Ball’ batter, and a massive cricket fan whose government got the CPL franchise league to hold three consecutive semi-finals and finals in Guyana with this year being the last year of that deal.

The Organising Committee is headed by Major General (ret’d) Norman McLean, who served as GCB President at the time.

The events will run from February 29 to March 3, and includes a memorial match for the late Clyde Butts, who was a member of the 1983 Guyana team and died last December at age 66.

Sir Clive Hubert Lloyd led Guyana to the first ever ‘double’ in regional cricket, winning both the Shell Shield four-day and the Geddes Grant Harrison Line 50-overs titles in 1983.

Lloyd is widely regarded as

one of the greatest captains of all time, having led West Indies to the first two ICC Cricket World Cups in 1975 and 1979.

The 79-year-old Lloyd, also an ICC Match Referee, is expected to arrive in Guyana on February 26, while several members of the 1983 team are expected to be in Guyana for the event.

Butts, who died in a road accident, played seven Tests and 87 First-Class games, taking 270 Regional First-Class wickets for Guyana with offspin.

Butts’ First-Class career spanned from 1983 to 1994, and he was also a Coach and West Indies selector.

A memorial match for Butts will be played on March 3 at a ground in Georgetown, which will be announced shortly.

Three members of that team, including Butts, have since passed away.

Roy Fredericks, (the sports Minister of Guyana) was the Manager but came out of retirement to become the only ever Government Minister to score a First-Class double century.

He made 217 against Jamaica at Bourda, before he died in September 2000 at age 57.

Another member of that team to have died was Andrew Lyght, who was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in the mid-90s.

The tumor was removed, but a few years later, it was discovered that the cancer had spread to other parts of his body.

After various treatments in England, he returned to Guyana, and adopted a Rastafarian lifestyle in his battle against cancer.

Lyght, who made six centuries and eight fifties in 38 First-Class games between 1976 and 1988, died in April 2001 at age 44.

Activities:

Cocktail Reception – Castellani House – 29th February, 2024

Reunion Dinner – Princess Hotel – 1st March, 2024.

Trip to Hampton Court –Essequibo – 2nd March, 2024

Clyde Butts’ Memorial 20-over Cricket – 3rd March, 2024

Shakib Al Hasan to skip Sri Lanka Tests

SHAKIB al Hasan will skip the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Thursday.

The BCB had not included Shakib for the upcoming whiteball series against Sri Lanka and BCB's cricket operation chairman Jalal Yunus told Cricbuzz that the southpaw will not be available in the two-match Test series as well, which is part of of the third cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.

Shakib was struggling with his batting due to his eye problem during the beginning of the Bangladesh Premier League but as time passed, he started to flourish with the bat, making 249 runs in 11 matches despite scoring only four runs from the first three innings.

"He (Shakib) wanted a break from the entire series against Sri Lanka as he didn't want to take part in international cricket. I think his eyes are fine at the moment but I feel he wants a break so that he can come back to international cricket fully fit," Yunus told Cricbuzz.

The series against Sri Lanka, which includes three T20 Inter-

nationals, three ODIs and two Tests, is scheduled from March 4 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium with the three-match T20I series opener. Cricbuzz understands that Shakib might feature in the upcoming Dhaka Premier League, the country's traditional List A tournament, for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in order to get some more time in the middle with the bat as part of the preparation for international cricket. DPL is scheduled from March 9.

Whatmore trusts Mahmudullah to come good on T20I return

Meanwhile, Davev Whatmore, the former Bangladesh head coach, believes that Mahmudullah has got the experience to handle the pressure of the shortest format and can be utilised at various batting positions. Whatmore, as the team director of Fortune Barishal in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League, is observing Mahmudullah closely.

Mahmudullah was called up to the T20I side for the threematch T20I series against Sri Lanka. The 38-year-old, who played his last T20I against Sri Lanka during the 2022 Asia Cup T20 in Dubai, had been overlooked for the last one and a half years but his performances in the World Cup in India late last year followed by his showing in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League made the selectors consider him again for the shortest format.

Mahmudullah has scored 218 runs in 11 games in the ongoing BPL at an average of 27.25 and a strike-rate of 137.97.

"I think he (Mahmudullah) has got the power which, is what needed in this format (T20)," Whatmore told Cricbuzz re -

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons replace Jamaica Tallawahs; to compete in

CPL 2024

THE Antigua and Barbuda Falcons will replace Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024, the league announced on Tuesday.

The Falcons were officially unveiled during a gala opening ceremony hosted by the franchise ownersWORLDWIDE Sports Management Group.

Parimatch, the number one global gaming platform, will proudly serve as the Title Sponsor of the team.

The event was held on Tuesday evening at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which will be the home of Antigua and Barbuda Falcons when they compete in the 2024 edition of the Republic Bank CPL, the Biggest Party in Sport.

thing truly special and I want to thank the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, who have worked closely with us to bring the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons to life. Antigua is our home … this country has a rich cricket history and the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons will create more great history on these shores. It is now time for the Falcons to fly high!”

Details on the overall structure of the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons and the coaching and management staff for the team will be announced at a later date.

cently. "If you ask him, he will probably tell you that he wants to bat as high as possible. He certainly has the ability to clear the boundary and accelerate the run rate and so he could be used in couple of ways. I suppose he can bat high and make a big score or he can come later in the innings and accelerate and clear the boundaries," he said.

Many feel that Mahmudullah is reaping the reward for keeping his head as still as possible while batting in the recent past, a thing that was missing in the past.

"In any format I guess if you want to hit the ball you want to try to keep the head still, that's going to be a good idea. It's difficult for me to judge what he was doing earlier but certainly played pretty good innings for us in this 10th editions (of BPL)," said Whatmore.

"He has got the experience to do the finishers' role. It (T20) is a very athletic and volatile game but it also has a place for experience. I think so (he got couple of years in shorter format) but forms dictate everything," he added. (Cricbuzz)

Krishna (Kris) Persaud, Founder and President of WORLDWIDE Sports Management Group was thrilled as he showcased the new team’s name and the colourful and dynamic logo for the first time to excited guests.

Persaud also expressed delight in having the team officially on board for the regional event, which attracts sold-out audiences for matches.

Persaud said: “We are brand new; we are here, we are ready…let’s get ready to play! The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons will bring a unique energy and vitality to the Republic Bank CPL. We are ready to fly high and conquer what is before us. We want to establish a winner’s culture within the team and also a culture of winning and success off the field- among every individual associated with this franchise and the amazing fans we will have at our special home base at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in lovely Antigua.”

Persaud added: “What you are witnessing today as we unveil the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, is some -

The 2024 Republic Bank CPL will take place from August 28 to October 6 with games taking place in Antigua for the first time in 10 years. The final will once again take place in Guyana at the National Stadium in Providence.

The tournament will also plans to have matches in Barbados, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Once again, the window for the CPL will not clash with West Indies fixtures, so the best Caribbean talent will be on show at the Biggest Party in Sport.

Jeff Miller, CEO and General Manager of the Franchise said: “Welcome back Antigua and Barbuda! This is where the ‘party’ in cricket started, and we are delighted to be back for this exciting event. We plan to have a full house for every match with our Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on show. This is what we have been waiting for. It will be amazing to see the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium packed and our lovely super fans enjoying the action and the atmosphere, as well as seeing great cricket on the field, the non-stop party in the stands and all the festivities that come with cricket in the West Indies.”me with cricket in the West Indies.”

President of Guyana Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali will give the feature address

Remaining tickets go on sale with 100 days to go until ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

THE countdown is on to the largest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which will be played in the West Indies and USA from June 1-29, with Thursday marking 100 days to the start of the historic event. General ticket sales for the World Cup, which will feature the global superstars of the game, went on sale yesterday from 10h00 at tickets.t20worldcup.com.

During the ballot period, over 3 million ticket applications from over 161 countries were received for the pinnacle global event for T20 cricket. Ticket allocations are currently unavailable to nine T20 World Cup matches scheduled in the USA, with the India vs Pakistan fixture on 9 June in New York oversubscribed more than 200 times.

Both semi-finals in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana along with the final in Barbados were oversubscribed in the ballot, as were two Super Eight matches in

Barbados and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Tickets to all other fixtures in the West Indies are available, with fans encouraged to purchase their tickets now to be a part of the biggest T20 World Cup ever.

Traveling fans can also secure ticket-inclusive travel packages through ICC Travel & Tours and appointed Official Travel Agents in various countries. To guarantee your place at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 please visit www.icctravelandtours.com.

The 100 days-to-go milestone also marked the launch of the official campaign film ‘Out of this World’, which features T20 superstars Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard, Marcus Stoinis, Shaheen Afridi, Shubman Gill, and Ali Khan. The full campaign, which blasts off globally today, will utilize a variety of platforms to engage audiences on a global scale and will give the world a visual taste of what

they can look forward to in the West Indies and USA come June.

A series of fan engagement events will also blast off at all nine host locations across the West Indies and USA, including a larger-than-life cricket ball taking over Times Square in New York City, Bayside Marketplace in Miami, Klyde Warren Park, Dallas, and all Caribbean host locations.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said:

“With just 100 days to go

until the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, there is huge anticipation from fans to witness what will be the largest ICC event ever REMAINING played, with 20 international teams playing across nine host cities. A large proportion of the more than 3 million applications for tickets across the event were from our host countries, so we are confident that this event will not only entertain fans around the world but leave a lasting legacy that will help us contin-

ue to grow the sport across the Americas."

“Celebrating the launch of our official campaign film that captures the energy of T20 cricket and features some of the game’s biggest stars is another important milestone, as excitement builds across the global cricket community for what will be a historic event.”

Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Johnny Grave said:

“With just 100 days to go until the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the global excitement is accelerating at pace and all signs indicate that this World Cup is poised to make history on multiple fronts. With a significant number of games already oversubscribed, it is evident that the global appeal of T20 cricket is growing exponentially. Fans wanting to experience a T20 World Cup with Caribbean flair should seize the opportunity to get their tickets as soon as possible and join the

celebration on the grandest stage of cricket – the West Indies and USA.”

T20 World Cup USA, Inc.

Chief Executive Brett Jones said:

“Today is an extraordinary day for global cricket and that’s especially true in the U.S. While those of us involved in the sport know cricket’s popularity in our market, there is no data point like ticket sales to showcase the level of enthusiasm that’s out there and we’re thrilled with the support we’re seeing. The 2024 T20 World Cup is going to fundamentally change the game of cricket in the U.S. and it’s our job to capitalise on this moment.”

The stage is set for the biggest Carnival of cricket which will captivate audiences around the globe. Get your tickets at tickets.t20worldcup. com and start planning your ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 experience. (CWI)

Harpy Eagles lead by 178 runs after spinners’ day at Coolidge

GUYANA Harpy Eagles ended day two of their thirdround match of the West Indies four-day Championship against the West Indies Academy with a lead of 178, with five wickets in hand.

On a day when 10 of the 11 wickets fell to spin, the Harpy Eagles had to battle hard after gaining a slim first innings lead of 13 in what is turning out to be a low-scoring game.

The West Indies Academy started the day 96-4 in response to Harpy Eagles’ 175 and were bowled out for 162. Batting a second time, defending champions Harpy Eagles closed on 165-5.

Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair, who picked up all four of West Indies Academy wickets on Wednesday, ended with 4-45, and left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul and Gudakesh Mo-

tie accounted for the rest on Thursday, claiming 3-15 and 3-31 respectively. Opener Rashawn Worrell with 58 and Joshua Bishop with 51 led the scoring for the West

Indies Academy. Another Guyanese left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd then starred with the ball for West Indies Academy, claiming 4-27 off 26 overs, 13 of which were

maidens, when Harpy Eagles batted a second time.

Vice-captain Kevlon Anderson narrowly missed out on a 50, falling for 49; skipper Tevin Imlach made 29, opener Tagenarine

Chanderpaul 22, while Kemol Savory is not out 20 and Kevin Sinclair on 16.

Opener Matthew Nandu made 19, while Raymond Perez scored eight.

Guyana Harpy Eagles are looking for their first win this season, after drawing with Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and suffering a 273-run loss to Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

Below are the summarised scores from the other games

At Warner Park, St. Kitts: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 137 all out from 60.2 overs (Jyd Goolie 30, Joshua Dasilva 23, Terrance Hinds 21; Colin Archibald 3-28, Jeremiah Louis 3-38, Rahkeem Cornwall 2-5, Daniel Doram 2-32) and 48-0 from 18 overs (Vikash Mohan 25*, C. Cooper 21) trail Leeward Islands Hurricanes 318 from 98.2 overs (Jewel Andrew

87, Kieran Powell 65, Jeremiah Louis 41, Mikyle Louis 32; Anderson Phillip 4-62, Bryan Charles 3-81) by 133 runs

At Sabina Park, Jamaica: Jamaica Scorpions 269 all out from 78.4 overs (Romaine Morrison 97*, Kirk McKenzie 40, Carlos Brown 40; Jomel Warrican 5-62, Jair McAllister 3-69) trail Barbados Pride 313-6 from 95.3 overs (Kraigg Brathwaite 129*, Kevin Wickham 63; Derval Green 2-37) by 45 runs

At Chedwin Park, Jamaica: Combined Campuses and Colleges 204 all out from 71.3 overs (Demario Richards 46, Damel Evelyn 43, Jonathan Carter 31; Darel Cyrus 6-72; Gilon Tyson 3-32) v trail Windward Islands Volcanoes 358-8 from 99 overs (Kavem Hodge 130*, Sunil Ambris 120*; R. Greaves 5-142) by 154 runs.

Gudakesh Motie

Ashmead Nedd Kevin Sinclair